The Scar

It was a beautiful day that day. The sun shined brilliantly over the village below. The sounds of children playing and adults conversing harmonized perfectly with the wondrous smell of mixed spices and cooked meat. There was a great feast being prepared, in celebration of the harvest. Everyone in the village, young and old, gathered together to share the great meal. Among them, there was a young boy and a young girl. Both coming from very different worlds.
The boy was promising and intelligent, showing much potential for his age. He was the only son of a wealthy and well-respected family in the village and was beloved by everyone. The girl, however, was not as beloved by the other villagers. She had a pretty face and was politely timid, but she was poor and, to the disgust of others, had a very prominent scar on her left hand. No one knew where the scar had come from, though the girl tried desperately to hide it.

Through the crowd of people forming around him, singing his praises, the young boy spotted the girl alone. Outside the village, there was a grand tree. There the girl sat by herself, head hung low looking at the dirt beneath her feet, having been pushed away from the other children. For a reason unknown to him, the boy was drawn to her. Walking up to her, he sparked a conversation with her. Surprised by his kindness, she responded. They talked and talked all day. While taking the boy had noticed to scar on the girl’s hand but had ignored it, too interested in speaking to her than pointing out the scar. Eventually, the sun fell from the sky to be replaced by the moon, the boy had become more and more intrigued by the girl, entranced by her beauty. It wasn’t long until the boy had fallen in love with the girl and the girl had fallen in love with him. Though they were not the only ones who had been aware of their newfound love for one another. What the boy and girl didn’t know was that their affection had brought the attention of the boy’s parents, who had been watching them. The father of the boy had marched toward his son, grabbing him and dragging him away from the girl. The boy violently thrashed but to no avail. “You will not speak to her any longer.” Said the boy’s father. “She is beneath you.” “I don’t care!” Cried the boy. “I love her and I always will!” The girl watched as her love was dragged away into the crowd of color, lights, and music with tears in her eyes, wondering if she would ever see him again.

As the years went by, the young boy had grown into a young man. At this time, the young man’s parents decided it was time for their son to be married. He was reluctant at first, still being in love with the girl he had met many years ago. Eventually though, after a few months of convincing by his parents, he decided he would go through with the marriage. The young man’s parents had planned everything, but the son did have one request. His request was to bring only the most beautiful woman in the village, regardless of whether she was rich or poor.

The parents went throughout the village searching for the most beautiful woman they could find. There were many pretty women but there was one that had caught their eye. She had beauty unlike any other they had ever seen. Both of them agreed that she would be their son’s bride.

The day of the wedding had come at last. The entire village had shown at the wedding. The young man had dressed in his best attire, accepting his fate. After anxiously waiting, the young bride had shown, her face covered by a golden silk veil adorned with gems that glistened greatly. The bride stopped in front of the young man. He pulled back the veil slowly, curious about what she might look like. To his surprise, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He took her left hand into his to lead her to the altar to recite the vows when he noticed something on her hand. It was a scar, small yet noticeable, hidden under the long sleeve of her dress.

The young man’s memories started to flood his mind with the images of that girl he had met all those years ago with the scar on her hand. “Could it be? Could that really be her? It must be!” The young man thought to himself. Before she could read her vows aloud he asked the bride if she remembered the celebration of the great harvest when they were young. The bride said that she did remember and that she also remembered how he treated her with so much kindness when no one else did. The young man and woman were so thrilled to finally be together again that the wedding lasted for an entire week.

The young man and woman were reunited at last. Living happily together for the rest of their lives.