Scene 1 - Scars

Xue awoke with the sound of giggling in her ears and the feeling of warm water surrounding her, ‘Who’s giggling? This water feels so nice... must be a bath… Wait bath?!’

Her eyes flew open in shock, and two pairs of arms with rolled up sleeves entered her vision. Stricken with fear when she saw the two black-robed maidens scrubbing her arms and legs, Xue screamed. Loudly., “DON’T LOOK AT ME! LEAVE ME BE!”

Startled, the two black-robed maidens moved back as Xue covered her face and huddled into a ball, whimpering, “Stay away from me! Don’t… Don’t stare at my face!”

One of the black robed maidens rose her voice in surprise, “We were only washing your face and body... nothing is wrong with your face. In fact, you’re beau-”

Xue cut off the black robed maiden with a cold whisper, “Leave me alone and bring me a sack of ink… NOW!”

The two black robed maidens started and ran out of the room, conversing once they were a safe distance away, “What’s wrong with her?”

“Is she alright?”

“I don’t know but she said she wants... ink?”

“Right, her face was all stained and muddy. Let me get Master Marley, she might know what to do.”

“I'll tell everyone else to leave her alone.”

Xue heard the whispers, yet merely curled herself into more of a ball. She didn't know how much time had passed, but every moment of it seemed like hell as she waited for the ink sack to arrive and help her hide away her curse. Eventually, there was a knock at the door.

“May I come in Xue?”

Xue hesitated when she heard Marley's voice, unsure what to say, ‘I’ve only known her for a little bit, but she seems alright. Then again those guys seemed alright yet... If it hadn't been for that hooded man, I don't know what I would've done…’

A cascade of thoughts began to consume her mind, causing her to break down into a fit of tears. If only she had her ink...

Marley heard Xue crying and opened the door, provoking Xue to scream, “LEAVE ME ALONE! DON’T LOOK AT ME! ”

Huddling closer to her legs, Xue’s body shook as her horrid thoughts ate away at her reason, ‘I don’t want this accursed beauty! I’m not an object! I’m not a doll! Stop looking at me with those eyes, just leave me alone!’

Suddenly a towel dropped over her head, cleaving through her thoughts and causing her to descend into newfound panic as Marley's tender voice rang out next to her ear, “My dear junior I don’t know what happened to you in the past, but if you feel you need ink like this to live I have something better. I’ll leave it on the table next to your clothes, so when you stop sulking you can check it out.”

Marley placed something on the table before swiftly leaving the room, closing the door behind her. Xue's shaking didn't stop when she left, and her breathing only slowly stabilized a long time later. She focused her hearing on making sure no one was in the room before lifting her head, turning her gaze towards the table where her change of clothes lay. Something was sitting next to the neatly folded outfit, but she couldn't quite make out what it was.

Xue slowly got out of the majestic marble bath, her hands still trembling slightly, and was shocked out how weightless she felt, how a newfound explosive power seemed to fill her very being! She faintly wondered what sort of precious ingredients they put in the water, and feelings of guilt washed away her remaining weakness.

'I should apologize to those black-robed women... I shouldn't have lashed out at them...'

After drying herself off she headed over to the table, looking at the object next to her change of sky blue robes. Colored black and covered in lines of white tribal flames, the strange mask would be able to hide everything above her mouth.

Next to the mask was a hastily written note, and Xue figured it wasn't Marley who wrote it as she couldn't imagine her having piss poor writing., ‘I, the Winter Rose, the Maiden of Ember City, crafted and refined this mask from the bones of a Black Dragon. It was designed to cover my daughter's beauty in order to save her from the countless suitors coming for her hand with evil intentions. Only the wearer and those filled with nothing but pure intentions and love towards said wearer can remove the mask.”

The rest of the note was ripped and couldn’t be read. However, Xue didn’t mind, focusing only on the mask's ability.

She would be able to hide without staining her face, without ink and without mud! Xue held the precious mask gingerly as if she was afraid to break it, ‘A rare mask not marked by those damned gods, what a truly precious gift….’

Eyes filled with longing, Xue placed the Dragon Bone Mask over her face. A weird feeling crawled over her as if the mask was fusing with her face. Yet Xue didn’t feel scared and was instead filled with relief, ‘To hide oneself away from the world, away from the fear. With this mask, I shall become strong enough to overcome my fears. This is what is best for both my siblings and I...'