FATED FOLLY

Prologue

The fire crackled, filling the room with a warm glow as the mother tucked her daughter into bed.

The soft flicker of flame danced in the child's wide eyes, reflecting wonder as her mother's voice began to weave a familiar tale. 

"Once upon a time, there was a Phoenix. Her feathers shimmered like molten gold, but when the sun touched her wings, they blazed with colours of unimaginable beauty. What made her truly unforgettable though was her spirit. She remains a symbol of rebirth shaping the stories and myths of countless lands."

The little girl leaned forward, her curiosity sparking brighter than the firelight. "Did she live forever, mama?"

The mother smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her daughter's face as she hugged her gently. "In her way, yes. You see, The Phoenix didn't follow the rules of ordinary life. She went where she pleased, and helped those who earned her favour. In Egypt, she was called Bennu, the soul of Ra, the Sun God. People believed her songs brought new life to the Nile and her flight heralded a new dawn. But, even the Phoenix," the mother continued, "would need to return to the earth and when her time came, she would seek out the highest peak and craft a nest from the rarest of treasures. Then, under a sky studded with stars, she would sing one final, haunting melody. It was a song so powerful it drew both mortals and gods."

"Just like Fenghuang, Mama."

"In some ways, yes," Mother said, her voice soft with mystery. "Some believed she was the Phoenix's sister, and together they guarded secrets no mortal was ready to know. Yet."

The girl giggled, pulling her blanket tighter. "They both sound amazing." 

"Her story has travelled even further," the mother said. "But these tales share one similarity - the Phoenix reminds us that when life feels like it's in ashes, every flame we endure can forge something new within us that helps us to rise stronger and brighter."

The little girl yawned, her eyelids growing heavy as she struggled against sleep, "Do you think I'll ever meet her, Mama? Her words faded into the soft haze of sleep.

"Maybe one day," Her mother whispered, kissing the girl's tiny brow. "But even if you don't, her strength is already with you."

"I knew it. That's why I'm such a brave ten-year-old, right?" The girl's voice came as an awe-filled dreamy whisper.

The mother laughed softly, her lips curling into a smile as she smoothed the blankets over her daughter. "Yes, my love."