Hero Or Villaness

It was around winter when fate made its first move. "Arista!!!" My mother screamed as she grabbed my arm. "Listen to me you good for nothing ugly-"I slapped my mother in the face. She stood there shocked and paralyzed at what I have done.

"Me?! Good for nothing?! How about you?! You drunk! Always buying beauty products instead of food and I get to work every day in your bar and steal for our survival! Before you tell me to sell my body to some old man, you better think straight because you wouldn't survive a day without me..." As I said that I slammed the door of our rundown house and went to the freezing streets.

As I walked I started to shiver all over my body wanting to cry a bit.

'Crying is not going to solve anything, Arista' I thought as a few tears are starting to form around my eyes.

I looked down on my hands and they were trembling so much. I got out my saved chocolate that I stole from a merchant and opened it. Then I saw a pregnant lady freezing in the middle of the streets. 'Not my problem' I thought. In the streets, you should do everything to survive and that even means it is to be cold-hearted. I heard her shaking breath and my heart ached. 'My heart is not cold enough still...' I thought.

I sighed and turned around groaning knowing I am breaking the number one rule and said: "Here, some money and wear this." I said as I removed my only coat.

"I am not a kind person so you better accept this or I will get it back." I looked at her eyes and she suddenly had tears in her eyes. I coughed knowing I don't know how to handle this kind of emotion. "U-um, I never saw you before but go to Dr. Argeniten if you give birth because he is a kind old man and will only charge you a bit." She didn't say anything and started sobbing. "Please, if you continue crying I am going to vomit so just go to an inn for the night and figure everything out, okay? Don't expect me to help you out again" I said to her glaring a bit and she nodded and finally said something "What's your name?"

"Arista, just Arista but you?" She smiled and said "Nina, just Nina." It became quiet for a few minutes and I felt awkward and changed the conversation. "S-so what are you going to name it if its a boy or a girl?" I said as I looked at her baby. "If its a boy maybe Dylan might be nice but I am hoping it will be a girl so I will name her Lily." I raised my eyebrow in surprise because most women want a boy than a girl so they could use them to rise to power or to live a normal stable life because of them.

I coughed and said "Well, I better go now because I am freezing. I hope we will cross again, Nina." She bowed down and said "Thank you, Lady Arista. I hope we will meet again" I smiled at her and she started to leave but turned around and smiled again leaving me cold. I walked again feeling worse and than I saw an open store.

It was a library and there were only two old men inside and I sighed with relief. I came in as the bell rang and looked around at the medium-sized library. It had blue colored walls and had some pictures on the wall then I saw the old man who I think is the bookshop owner is asleep while I glance at old man number two and saw him staring at me with wide eyes with his mouth hanging with him shaking slightly. I looked back thinking he someone outside on the window then saw there is no one. 'Weirdo' I thought and went to the ancient language section.

I read quietly for a few minutes until I felt a tap on my shoulder. I glance and saw the old man who was staring weirdly at the window earlier smiling at me and said "I was watching you just now but do you really know how to read ancient language?" I only nodded feeling more suspicious about this weird old man. His eyes sparkled and said "Interesting, you are commoner correct?"

"Got a problem with that?" I snapped a bit feeling more and more suspicious at this old man. 'Who is this weirdo?!' I thought. He chuckled and said "I didn't mean to offend you but who taught you?"

"I taught myself thank you very much," I said ending the conversation before he starts asking more questions. "Well, that's remarkable! Amazing!" He said looking at the window and he extended his hand and said "It has been a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e meeting you miss." I sighed and shook his hand just wanting him gone forever so I could continue reading my book in peace.

His smile got wider and his eyes sparkled even more and said "It is cold outside so here is my coat, Arista Narcissia. "

He gave me his fuzzy white coat and left. After a few seconds, my eyes widen realizing what had happened and ran after him. 'H-how did he know my name?!' I looked everywhere but he was gone as he vanished into thin air.

Months after that incident, I was skeptical for a few days thinking he might kidnap me or might send assassins to me because I was being rude to him. Then after a while, I started to calm down a bit thinking he might be really just some crazy old man.

One afternoon near the market place I was leading my gang. Now don't get me wrong I lead a gang but it is not your usual gang it is filled with orphans and abused children or children who want to help their parents or themselves at the age of fourteen and above of in the middle of April to scam or steal from a noble or merchant. I told them to cancel the operation for a while when I saw our target stopping to look at something. I looked at our target and almost stopped breathing for one second.

My eyes widen as I saw dozens of Royal guards and some priests came and people started to gather. I stood up feeling curious and they posted something. Then the royal guards moved forward and the people moved back and a Priest had something like a scroll in his hands and his voiced boomed through the quiet streets.

"The High Priest has just found the fourth great ruler of the history of the Empire!" The Priest stopped to add more drama while his stone-faced twitching into a smile a bit as the people gasped.

He continued "The Emperor has ordered every citizen should be at their own respected places should stay where they are in the next week will be at the center of the village at this time and place because the High Priest has found someone in this very village as the person with the aura of a great ruler and by the rules of the kingdom man or woman will marry the Crown Prince!" As he announced that some girls started to whisper excitedly while some eyes widen and some eyes of men widened while some also whispered excitedly.

All I could think as I rolled my eyes is one thing 'Not my problem' and waited for the royal guards and priests to leave as I call the others to continue the operation looking at our target who just started to move.