A/N: Many apologies to those of you who have already read and reviewed this. My account was hacked. Please see my profile for more information.

Any suggestions are welcome. This is my first fanfiction ever but I hope that you'll all like it anyway. The next chapter will take place in Harvest Moon, AWL, year 12.

Enjoy!

-Cecily

“The Story of a Girl”

Prologue.

Spring Three.

“She hasn't responded to a word we've said.”

“She keeps waving her hands around.”

“Where did she come from?”

“There must be something wrong with her.”

The voices of Ruby, Rock, and Tim discussed the newcomer that stood only a few feet away from their huddled group. They couldn't quite figure her out. There was something about her they just didn't and as Rock had put it, she was just weird. Nami had been watching them try to figure out what the girl, just a child, was doing in Forget Me Not valley and had finally had enough.

Couldn't they tell she was deaf? Didn't they see that the way she was moving her hands was a language? Surely Ruby was cultured enough to know of sign language? Surely she was kind enough to warm to a frightened, confused, and inept child? Perhaps not.

Finally, after having heard enough from the others she shared the inn with, Nami descended the stairs. She uncharacteristically approached the girl and smiled. It was the best attempt at a gentle gesture she could make.

“My name is N-a-m-i,” she signed.

“R-o-s-a-l-i-a,” the girl signed back. Then holding up the sign for an R she held it to her cheek and rubbed gently. It was a name sign. The R representing her name, the motion saying she was a girl.

Nami formed an N again and then held it up to her chin, wiggling her hand she moved down toward her chest. The girl smiled. Nami's name sign meant that she was old. “Why are you here in the Valley?” Nami asked in sign.

The girl responded, “I don't know. I'm lost.”

“Where did you come from?” Nami asked.

Meanwhile the rest of the occupants of the Inner Inn were staring at them as though they had both gone completely crazy. Finally, it dawned on Tim of all people, that perhaps they were communicating. Making eye contact with his wife seemed to tell her that Tim had an idea of what was going on and when Rock almost stepped forward to interrupt they both moved to stop him.

Nami and the girl talked a while more before Nami finally turned and explained to the family. “She's deaf. She doesn't hear. She's lost and unsure where she came from, but doesn't want to go back anyway. She's hungry, needs a bed, and six years old. Her name is Rosalia but you won't need it, she wouldn't be able to hear you if you spoke to her anyway.”

She then turned and tried to make her exit from the room. It was more effort and more human interaction than she was usually happy with in one afternoon. She was stopped before she made it to the stairs though. “Nami will you please allow her to share your room? Surely you're the only person in Forget Me Not valley who speaks her language and she must be so frightened. She needs someone who can care for her, and right now that person is you. Tim and I will see to it you have everything you need for her.” It was Ruby's voice.

“Fine,” Nami agreed though she didn't hint as to weather or not she was pleased about the arrangement. “Do you have a cot I can put in my room for her to sleep on? Or will we have to share a bed?”

“We'll ask Van to bring one next time he comes into town, unfortunately until then you'll be sharing a bed,” Ruby said, her voice as even as Nami's had been a moment before. Rock and Tim both left the room, leaving only the three females. “We need to know where she came from Nami,” Ruby stated.

“She doesn't want to go back,” Nami said again, this time harshly.

“A six year old girl doesn't exactly have the ability to make that choice by herself.” Ruby clasped her hands together slowly before continuing. “This little girl has a mother out there somewhere looking for her.”

“Who let her walk off and end up alone in a strange place,” Nami spat back. “Forgive me if I'm wrong, I admit I'm not the motherly type, but doesn't that speak volumes about where she came from?”

“For right now let's just be sure she gets what she needs,” Ruby conceded but Nami still heard the retort in the subtext of her words. This wasn't like finding a lost puppy.