After class, Eira made her way toward the Ombrelune Garden, her footsteps quiet against the soft grass path. The sun hung low in the sky, casting golden light through the tall trees, and the air was fragrant with lavender and damp stone. As she neared the entrance to the Ombrelune Hall, she paused—sowhere nearby, there was the faint sound of crying. Small, muffled sobs, barely audible over the gentle bubbling of the nearby pond.
Her brow furrowed. Concerned that soone may have fallen in to the pond or hurt themselves, she followed the sound until she reached the pond’s edge. There, beneath the drooping branches of a silver willow, she found a small girl with long black hair, seated on the stone rim of the pond. She was facing the water, her shoulders trembling, her soft cries laced with anguish.
"Mommy... please take ho," the girl whispered through tears. "I miss you... They look at like I’m a monster..."
The words struck Eira like a dart to the chest. She hesitated, heart aching. Perhaps soone had bullied the child. It wouldn’t have been the first ti children found cruelty easier than kindness. Eira clenched her fists, recalling monts from her past life—how her mother would always comfort her when she was down, making silly faces or whispering small jokes even while hiding her own pain. That mory gave her courage.
She stepped forward gently and sat down beside the crying girl.
The girl looked up, startled. Her eyes—deep black and rimd red from crying—locked onto Eira with wary suspicion. "What are you here for?" she asked bitterly. "Did you co to laugh at too? Because I only have one hand? Because I dropped my teacup in class today while trying to hold it with just my right?"
Eira’s breath caught. Her gaze fell to the girl’s left arm—there was nothing there. Just an empty sleeve, neatly folded and pinned to her uniform. The sight of it, paired with the girl’s pain, hit Eira with a terrible weight. She felt sothing inside her quietly fracture. The sight struck her like a blow to the chest. Such a beautiful little girl, carrying such an unfair burden...
Still, she smiled softly. "Of course not. I ca here to see the pond... but instead I found a little black swan, looking terribly sad. I got worried."
The girl blinked, confused. She glanced back at the pond. "I don’t see any swan. Where is it?"
Eira smiled. "Well, I think the black swan is a bit shy. She doesn’t want to be seen right now."
A mont of silence passed between them. The wind rustled the leaves, and the last sunlight danced across the surface of the pond.
"What’s your na?" Eira asked gently.
The girl kept her eyes on the water. "My mother nad Anastasia," she whispered. "She said she loved ... so she gave a beautiful na."
Eira’s smile grew. "Anastasia... That’s a lovely na. So, Anastasia, why were you crying here all alone?"
But the girl didn’t respond imdiately. After a pause, she muttered sothing under her breath.
"I’m sorry?" Eira leaned in.
Anastasia looked up and said more clearly, "You didn’t tell your na."
Eira giggled . "Oops! I forgot, didn’t I?" She tapped her temple playfully. "My na is Eira White. You can call Eira."
The girl nodded faintly, then murmured, "I was crying because... I miss my mom. She told I’d make lots of friends here. But everyone just makes fun of because I don’t have a hand. When I tried to talk to the other girls, they called nas. They said I must be a half-wizard because of not having a hand. It hurts a lot ."
Tears welled in her eyes again, and this ti, they ca in a flood. She buried her face into her sleeve and sobbed.
Eira didn’t hesitate. She reached over and gently embraced her, letting the girl cry against her shoulder. Stroking her soft black hair, she whispered, "There, there... It’s okay. You don’t have to cry. And you certainly don’t have to listen to those bullies. People say cruel things when they don’t understand."
"I didn’t choose to be born like this!" Anastasia cried. "I didn’t ask for it! But they act like it’s my fault. Like I’m so sort of broken doll , like I’m so weird creature.... I hate it. I hate the way they look at ..."
Her voice cracked, and she clung tightly to Eira.
She clung to Eira tightly, burying her face in her chest. Eira held her close, her own eyes welling up with tears. She felt her heart twist painfully. It was unbearable—seeing such an innocent child, with nothing but the hope to be treated like everyone else, crushed under the cruelty of a world that didn’t understand. What Anastasia had said echoed in her mind, each word a shard of sorrow cutting deep
They stayed like that for a while, sitting in silence beneath the willow tree, the pond reflecting the orange sky above them. Eventually, Anastasia cald. She pulled away slightly and looked down, cheeks flushed with embarrassnt.
"Sorry," she whispered. "I didn’t an to cry like that in front of you. It’s just... everything felt so heavy. And you were nice."
Eira smiled gently. "You don’t need to apologize for crying. Everyone needs to cry sotis. I cry when I miss my mom too. It’s nothing to be ashad of."
Anastasia tilted her head. "Where is your mother? Does she write to you?"
Eira looked out across the water. "She’s... far away. So no, she doesn’t write. But I know she’s okay. I like to believe that."
Anastasia nodded slowly. "It’s okay. Maybe one day you’ll see her again. My mom says... soday, Grandma will co and take us sowhere very beautiful."
Eira smiled. "That sounds lovely."
She stood up and offered her hand. "Co on, it’s ti for dinner. If we wait too long, those chubby girls from first row will eat everything, and we’ll go hungry."
Anastasia let out a tiny giggle—the first one yet. She took Eira’s hand and stood.
As they walked toward the hall together, Anastasia hesitated and asked, "Um... Eira? Are we... are we friends now?"
Eira looked at her and smiled brightly. "Of course we are. And if anyone bullies you again, just tell . Your big sister will take care of them for you."
Anastasia bead. "Thank you, Eira... You can call Ana. My mom does. And since you’re my first friend, I want you to."
Eira gave her hand a light squeeze. "Then Ana it is."
Side by side, they walked back toward the Ombrelune Hall, the last of the sun casting long shadows behind them as the stars began to bloom in the indigo sky.
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