Strange.

One word, different meanings. There's a good kind of strange, a bad kind, all types of strange you can put in to. In this world, strange is a common thing, like a human seeing a worm turn into a butterfly. Everyone has their own perspective on seeing strange things. Rather seeing a talking bear, people find dealing with their own kin strange. The world realizes that they are not alone in this blue world, there are other kinds. Other creatures, species, you name it all.

This once blue world turned to many colors, humans realised they need to interact with such strangeness, in order to cope with it. It seems that they are strange as well, on the eye's of the new arrival. Vampires, that's what humans call them. Pale skin, hates the sun, but doesn't hate garlic as one in fictions would say. They don't drink human blood either, just animal blood and human food for their daily sustenance. And also immortal. 

The second was a shapeshifter. It may be odd to see a talking animal, no? It's a shapeshifter you're talking too, they're just humans but...can possess some unique ability to morph into an animal they want. They are not immortal like vampires, but they live longer than a human's life expectancy. The others are still unclassified, scholars are doing their best to name them that connects to their distinguishable characteristics.

That's what Winter learned, or heard around the kingdom. Knights around the castle like to chatter rather too loudly instead of speaking normally, but as rowdy as they may be, they sure are loyal. Oh and maids! Their mouths are like hands clapping, loud and never ending. It entertains Winter, she loves to hear new tales coming from her father's people.

Living in a castle can be lonesome unless she's forced to interact with the others in the nearby kingdom of seemingly undeserved people. Moreover, she calls them enemies. Her father's kingdom is the only one to accept the other beings to live within her people, and nothing has happened bad around. The rumors are childish for her ears, how could one such start those ridiculous stories?

She has met a vampire before, even accompanied her on the way home. The maid who was by her side was suddenly needed, and our dear Winter has a bad sense of direction that she didn't know where to go. Luckily for her, a vampire came to her aid, looking as friendly as ever and swore to not hurt her. "I made a promise with the king to live here peacefully. I mean no harm child." She can still remember the creature's soft voice, she's more thankful that the vampire didn't recognize her as the king's daughter.

And she was told by the forest across the river. Winter was just a curious puppy, begging for the chamber maids to tell more specific details about the forest. It looked like a normal forest to her, but the mist hasn't disappeared for a few years, so she realised something. The forest is not normal, one of the king's chamber maids said to her when she was tucked under the covers of her bed. As curious as she was, the maid didn't say anything else and left her chamber in a hurry, leaving her distraught and frustrated as her goal to look for answers has been broken like shards.

But she won't give up. She spent her life in the library trying to find some books despite being 7 years old. She needs to wait until she turns 18 to do something or contribute to the castle, her father quotes it as her 'Crowning Age'. She reads countless books about mythical creatures, stories about them. There are times she fell asleep on the large couch in the middle of the library with towers of books surrounding her. Her father caught her one time, standing on the doorway with a smile donning on his lips. The king was a charming man nonetheless, her family's faces were also known to have such pale complexion such as hers, but her father's skin grew darker since the last expedition he went in.

"Princess, the maids notified me that you're sleeping here lately." The king bestowed his appearance beside her, but Winter paid no mind as she continues to read about gnomes. She hear her father sigh, "I must talk to Thomas about these books." He grumbles, Winter looks at him with a knowing glint in her eyes. "Gnomes live in big rocks that have moss on top, father. But they are shy creatures once they're interacting with someone from the outside world." She said, looking up to her father's tired eyes. The king smiles at her, standing up after pressing a soft kiss on Winter's forehead. "I'll have Wendy to you to your chambers." He said and left afterwards, leaving his daughter to the familiar silence Winter has accustomed to. 

Hours later, the said maid enters the library. Winter is on the last page of the book about fae and their kind. Noticing another presence, she looks up to see Wendy. "Princess, I have been ordered to you to your chambers." The maid bows, Winter nods her head and closes the book gently, stacking it up on the new tower of books to her left. 

Weeks passed, her father went to the neighbouring kingdom to discuss something with the council. Her father never had a council, since he relied most on his people's wishes and recommendations. His people were the most understanding and kind, Winter is grateful to interact with them once on his father's public events. So she spent her time by reading and walking around the palace, the scenery never gets old.

Her attention went to the forest that is still covered by the mist, she wonders why it didn't disappear. All she knows that the forest is peculiar, and out of bounds. She aimlessly walked while staring at the forest, it seemed endless...like it's multiplied. The trees are eerily identical, with the same height, same branch pattern and the twigs. She barely can see the twigs but she squints to get a better look.

It intrigues her in a good way, her desire to go inside that forest is getting bigger, despite being so young. She could've had friends to play with, but due to her status she sadly can't. But she keeps it that way, as much as Winter loves her father's people, she's more like a wolf, alone but loyal to those who treat her nice. There are some children who once played with her, the son from the neighbouring kingdom that she loathes and that one kid who brings a small puppy.

She never knew the kid's name, but her friend always let her caress the newborn puppy before, albeit not knowing her she felt happy. People are scared to let their children play with her, as much as the king allows it. He even built a big playground for Winter and the kids to visit and have playtime, although the whole kingdom didn't ask for it, they felt grateful to have a place for the children to play. 

Winter still remembers the eyes of her friend, her eyes resembled more like a puppy and warm as brown. Her hair is black and messy, her clothes are tattered too. She frowns at the memory, the last time they met was a year ago. The castle has no mirrors but she chose not to question it, but she's more curious what her eyes looked like, especially her eye color. There are family portraits but it's all colorless, painted with dull colors such as black, white and grey. The only people on the painting was her father and herself, a soft smile decorating their lips. She once asked someone from the castle, but their response were merely four words.

"Your eyes are beautiful."

That's the only response she gets, leaving her in a confused state. Still, she doesn't question them further. It's rather strange, leaving her with mystery rather giving her answers that she yearned for. It makes her feel, excited, like a child would feel. She lets her mind go wander off something else before going to the playground, her excitement is bubbling up inside her like a water reaching up to the boiling point. It's making her feel hot in a good way, her body felt light as she takes a step further towards the playground.

Some children noticed her as she meekly makes way towards the wooden bench, Winter eyes them quietly while fixing the hem of her dress. Rather than playing with them, she chose to watch the children playing around. Seeing the happy looks on them makes her happy too, her chest feels tight as she looks at them. Children before only stay at their homes because there's no appropriate place to play around, Winter did tell to her father that they need a place for children to play. A considerate king her father is, he took his daughter's request by heart. Winter was never the one to make such requests, it can be a rare occassion when she asks for something, the people in the castle knew she wanted to do it alone.

She's mature for a 7 year old and it sometimes worry the king, but he let his daughter do whatever he wants. As long as his daughter is happy, he is happy too. Weeks later, he sent workers to plan a big playground. Winter sometimes saw her father looking at a ragged blueprint, and disappears on the corridor after, then she would go back to the library to read books.

Winter spent the remaining hours staring at the children in front of her. A few went to ask her if she could play but she politely declines, ushering the kids to play without her. "For a kid like you, you sure have mature thoughts." She looks up curiously, and stood a woman looking down on her with a smile. Winter blinks, she didn't hear someone approaching from behind, could it be that she's too focused that her other senses were not concentrating? "May I sit beside you?" The woman asks again, she nods as she slides her body towards the left, enough space for a grown woman to sit beside her.

"I see you here everyday and I couldn't help but to say hi. What's your name dear child?" Winter looks up at the talking woman again, the other figure is already looking at her waiting for an answer. She notices the woman had purple hair rather than black, "Is your hair always purple?" Rather answering the woman's awaiting question, she chose to ask the woman instead. The purple haired woman laughs, her hand reaching out gently to caress her head which the kid paid no mind. "I dyed it a few weeks ago." The woman responded rather shortly, her attention now towards the running kids in front of them.

Winter frowns, the woman beside her is strange. She doesn't have words to come up with to describe the being, she felt uneasy. "My name is Winter." She answers, voice too quiet for the woman to hear but strangely the woman heard it. "What a pretty name." With a giggle, the woman stands up, her figure towering over her as she was covered by the rays of the sun. She makes out the woman's features, squinting her eye as a habit. Pretty, as she can say. She doesn't look foreign, but doesn't look that she belong either. Nonetheless, she looked ethereal. There's something about the woman that irks her in a way, being around her makes her feel safe. Even at a safe place, Winter feels safer. It's strange, but she likes it.

"Did I ever say that your eyes are beautiful? Because they are." The woman lowers her stance over the child, now kneeling in front of her as intense eyes stood contact on the child's curious ones. "They hold something, I can't explain it. You're one peculiar child, but in a good way." Winter lets out a small smile, the woman was the second person to tell that her eyes are beautiful, but as time goes by she's getting curious, frustrated even. "Thank you." She mumbles, her cheeks hot as she attempts to hide her face in between her fluffy collars. The woman lets out a raspy laugh, standing up once again before turning her back on Winter. "I apologize but I must go, it's almost sundown." The woman looks at her one last time before walking away, taking a look one last time on Winter before disappearing in a nearby alley.

She looks back, frowning. What does she mean by peculiar? She's just a normal human being, sure she can be odd, but not to others. Humans are rather a common species now, interacting with some otherworldy creatures doesn't make them peculiar in some sort of way. Yet, it sent shivers down to her spince at how the woman said the words, like crisps coming out like a delicacy. It holds a flavor Winter hasn't tasted, she's getting curious and curious. It's no means that she herself is peculiar, or strange if she put it that way, it's making her frustrated. Reading books doesn't make her different, having a different mindset doesn't make her mature than the other kids.

She describes herself as Alice, a curious yet a persistent child. Falling down the rabbit hole and making a whole sea just by crying only exists in such different reality called books. Her objectives is similar to Alice, rather than getting answers, she's left with more curious findings that all she wanted was to find out. Alice did find everything out with only clues as a guide, same to her. Winter remembers the subtle frustration on Alice when the worm didn't give her a direct answer, instead her curiousity grew bigger as clues were given to her like meals.

Alice was her, Winter was just living in reality. There's no rabbit holes and a mad queen, there's no such thing as a rabbit running down with a clock saying he's always late, there's no such thing as foods making you bigger and smaller. It's all in the author's own reality, just as Winter was living in, reading Alice in Wonderland opens up about different perspectives on strangeness, how being curious leads you to something more worth. Reading books was her sustenance, the food to her hunger. Her wandering mind is always hungry, always begging her more.

So she gives. She reads and reads, until she finishes a whole shelf. She has a notebook with her at all times, writing key points on the book she completed or on going, she never stops. If this is the way of feeding her hunger, then she would be feeding it. She's getting curious as she grows, the people around her grew too. Winter didn't mind the time, they were on the same page. Time was running slow as she reads, as if the time is reading beside her too. She feels comfortable, having books surrounding her. Yet, she's still craving for more.

Five years later, Winter finally met her long time friend. Still carrying the same puppy who's now a little big, it somehow recognized her as it jumped from its owner's arms, greeting Winter with and kisses on her face as she help the puppy in her arms. The owner only looks at her with a fond look, Winter stands up with the dog in her arms. Smiling at the bewildered girl, she approaches her slowly. She doesn't care if her dress is dirty, all she wanted is to know the girl's name. 

"Long time no see." She starts off, handing off the dog back. The girl chuckles, scooping the dog away from her arms. "You haven't told me your name yet." The girl says, eye flickering between her eyes and the book she held on her chest. Winter grins, her other now fixing the misconception of her seemingly white dress, well not anymore. The girl in front of her grins too, bending down to let the dog walk as she helds out a hand towards the other girl. "I'm Yoohyeon. Would you like to have a walk with me?" Yoohyeon smiles, eyes form like crescent moons that Winter once remembered. 

Taking the outstretched hand with her right one, she giggles. "I would love to." She noticed that the girl's clothing were more clean and fancy the last time they met. Yoohyeon looked like she's being abandoned before. With white polo shirt paired with black trousers, Winter immediately knew someone is taking care of her friend. It's been a while she felt something like this, she felt so warm, so raw and exposed. She never had a friend like this before, she felt happier. Walking aimlessly around the plaza without exchanging words towards each other, Winter feels that they knew each other for years. She wants to keep it this way, but then Yoohyeon speaks up on why she disappeared years ago, she understands.

They talked for a few minutes before mindlessly walking again, this time towards the castle. After so many years, Winter finally found the reason why Yoohyeon moved. Her parents were from the other kingdom, earning a decent money from their business but Yoohyeon decided to run away to explore. She's just like her, a curious soul with no sense of direction. Yoohyeon wanted to be free, that's all she said. Winter wanted to ask more but she held it in, though they just met. 

She doesn't mind, she knows her friend's situation and it's already enough for her. They stopped at a nearby bench and talked for hours, the world within them seemed to disappear as they rather focus on towards each other. It was about time when Yoohyeon leaves to go home, Winter immediately wrapped her arms around the taller girl's neck, bringing her body towards her own as she embraced the girl warmly. It caught Yoohyeon off guard for a few second then sighs, lips quivering at the warmth the princess gave as she settles her hands around the other girl's torso.

"When do we get to see each other again?" Winter whimpers, she's afraid that her friend might not come back. Her only friend, Yoohyeon feels the same too. Tightening her hold around the slightly shorter one, she hums. "Soon enough." She answers, before pulling away, looking back at her with a sad smile before she walks away, the dog happily following its owner.

Winter waited for days, and days turned to months. She tried reading to pass time, but months soon became a year and no sign of Yoohyeon but she waited. And waited, time goes slow and it frustrates her as she waited for her friend. Years later, at the tender age of 17, she stopped waiting, knowing Yoohyeon is living a better life but Winter knows she's still waiting for the taller girl to come back. She feels satisfied within herself, only reading light novels to past time, or accompany her father to the balcony. She is now a grown teenager, her mind is now wandering off somewhere else that her made up reality disappeared as days went by. Winter didn't ask anything about the forest either, or her eyes. She grew more sophisticated as years go by, she grew beautiful too.

Her father just came back from the dreadful visit from the international council. Being away for a year, Winter had no choice but to keep the castle busy. Knowing the people on what they do in their daily commisions and work, she lets them be. In the meantime, she would check in to make sure everything's okay before going to her chambers. She also wait for her's father return, worrying for him each single day. Reading books doesn't entertain her anymore as she already read every single book in the library, so all she does is sleep until one of the chamber maids wake her up.

Months later, her father returned, but he wasn't alone like the first time he left. Winter looks out at the window, she can see many soldiers, from the kingdom she still loathed. He brought the cause of downfall to his kingdom, she knew. The people didn't know, for they just thought their king brought new recruits for the veterans to train. Oh how naive they are, it's sad. Winter doesn't know if the soldiers behind her father were like theirs, patriotic and kind. 

She observed the general a bit tad closer next to her father. Althought it seemed like a public event her father does everytime, she knew the differences of an execution and a friendly celebration. Eyes widening upon the realisation, her blood went cold. Winter felt numb, scared even. This was no public gathering, it was a public execution, she knew her father planned it all along with his army.

She notices his people slowly backing away and silently running back towards the safe space the workers created. It was an underground place, only the general knew how to open it. As he was leading the people quietly, the other general was boasting his pride over her father. It angers Winter, her father tried his best to form an alligiance towards the other, but they took it as an opportunity to kill the king straight away with his people watching.

Or so the general thought.

The castle was empty now, with Winter standing on the window hoping to get her father's attention. His army are the only citizens remaining, stance calm and ready as they prepare for a sudden attack. Her father looks up at her, and smiles. She feels a tear running down to her cheek, ever since her mother left unknowingly, her father did his best to make her feel loved. He was her anchor and a motivator, a great father and a true leader. She hears the familiar battle cry and swords clashing, it was her cue to leave the premises immediately.

Looking back one last time, Winter saw her father's lifeless body. The enemy kingdom won, they battle so ruthlessly she saw a few guards, already fallen. With the family crest pinned close to her chest, Winter runs aimlessly, going in to her underground chamber as soon as the war started. She felt bad for her father for trying, but she's glad. If her mother was dead, atleast she gets to see her husband for the first time since her departure. Wiping the tears off of her face, Winter waits for the war to end quickly. 

She knew her chamber isn't safe, the enemy soldiers might know where she is and will end her father's bloodline, as she was the only child. Winter decided to run aimlessly again, letting her legs lead her towards a safe place.

She will avenge her father and his kingdom, and herself. She ran and ran, her legs taking her somewhere and her mind is hazy. She is alone now, her people are atleast safe but she need to flee away from them. She's still running until her legs decided to give up, causing her to stumble on a nearby tree. A tree? Winter looks up, the coldness of the soft wind caressed her face, the familiar hue of the mist greets her like an old friend.

Upon realization, she looks back and all she can see was the mist covering the ground. She felt her breath stuck in as she widen her eyes, absorbing the atmosphere at such scenery. 

She was in the forest.

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Notes:

Hehe, I was surprised I had the skill to write this O.O, in fact I didn't even know that I did. I had to scroll up and down to see if I changed all the names, as I'm too lazy to proof read. But oh well, hope you enjoy this chapter :p