Dawn eyes fluttered and she began to regain consciousness; the sound of her grandmother could be heard in the background talking to one of her mother's closest friends.
"What are we going to do about Dawn?". A white woman with red hair, a petit structure and freckles looked down at Dawn grandmother with a pure unadulterated look of hatred.
"We just dispose of her; see Martha I am an elderly woman I don't have time to take care of my daughters orphan child" The elderly woman said with a stern look.
the look of hatred and disgust washed over Martha's face and she spoke. "You disgust me, that was your own daughter y..."
"Don't call that thing my daughter she was a sylvan". Martha's fist clenched, her jaw tightened with anger and her veins could be seen clearly through her pale skin. "What prove do you have that she was a sylvan huh, you deserve to be burned and not her".
"Don't talk like that to your elders I am still this child's legal Gurdian I can choose to do whatever I please to do" she said looking at Martha with contempt.
"To hell with that she is my best friend's child, and I choose to take care of her". Martha said standing her ground. The grandmother just looked at her with disdain and spoke. "If you are against troughing her away you can always sell her out, sex slavery would have earned me money, but she is just ten".
As Martha and the grandmother were talking dawn was having a hard time accepting it, the reality of her mother's death was too much and to top the pain the villager's attitude was no less than that of an animal.
Dawn could hear the argument between Martha and grandma, but she could not just seem to listen. she lost her mother the only true family she's got and the only one that truly loved her. Dawn thought to herself ' i do not even have the strength to shout or to even cry the only thing that is going through my head is that i will never see her again' Dawn carefully but quickly sat up and observed the room around her. 'i see her my mothers closest, the one who claimed she loved her' Dawn thought, she quickly stoop up and with a fast pace stared directly her mothers friend eyes, the tears she never new she had began falling and with a cracking voice she said. "How could you? she was your friend". Tears streamed down Martha's eyes as she spoke. "I am sorry I didn't know, I stayed at my brothers place yesterday only for me to come this morning and Jane is dead I should have been there for her I am sorry". she gently held Dawn as she was crying. "No child deserves to go through this pain".
"Aunty,"
"Yes dear"
"I will love to go to a military school". Dawn said. Martha looked at her speechless, she couldn't understand why a girl her age will want to stay in such a place. "No darling you will stay with me far away from this village".
"I made a promise to mama that I will become the best soldier the empire has ever seen". Dawn said with sorrowful eyes. Martha looked at the child and could not say no to a child final promise of her mother. "Dawn you can become a soldier but i plead with you wait till your twelve".
"Thank you" Martha gave the grandmother a do not think of taking this child away from me look and in response The grand mother gave her a knowing look and left the room. Martha looked reluctant but still decided to say what was on her mind "Dawn i..."
"Do you think she was a Sylvan". Dawn said looking at Martha with so much hope, hope that not everyone resented her mother, hope that she has one person in her life that she can count on.
Martha gave her a warm smile and spoke. "Of course not, how could I even think such things about her, she was my best friend".
"Thank you" Dawn said as she was drifting off to sleep.
"For what?"
"For still believing in her, for still believing in me". and she finally fell asleep.
"Sweet dreams dear". Martha said and kissed her forehead.