Other's Happiness

YES I KNOW THERE ARE SPELLING MISTAKES SHUT UP. D<

I need to revise it a bit. But I'll do it later. This is only the second draft after all. -3-

EDIT: Fixed mistakes. ;D

Here you go. Enjoy teh read. ;D

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“Mama, be careful to not poke yourself!” I said.
Mother laughed. “It’s alright, Lala,” she smiled, also handing me a cactus needle to help, “I’ve done this for years.”
“But still… you never know.”
The only response I got was a loud, clear laugh. I smiled.
I loved making people smile. I loved seeing them laugh.
My name is Citlaxochitl. My mother, Anacaona, calls me Lala. We’re both just completely normal peasants.
Lately the tax rates have been going up. We’ve been having to tribute more than usual.
“Mama, do you think this poncho will be enough to pay our taxes?” I asked, taking the unfinished article from Mother and holding it up to see if there were any mistakes.
Mother relaxed while I worked on the poncho myself. “Of course, Lala,” she answered with a small smile, “It has always paid our taxes before, no matter the cost.”
“I know that,” I whined, “but I just have a feeling that they won’t accept it.”
“They will. You have nothing to worry about,” Mother answered with a reassuring tone.
I’m sure she was right, but I couldn’t help but get that feeling.



Thud! Thud! The banging on the door resounded throughout our house as mother hastily got the poncho. She opened the door.
There stood a humongous warrior, head bald and shining with sweat. He wore a leopard skin dress, representing that he was of high honor. He radiated a horrible stench of hot sweat. He was probably twice the size of mother and I combined. His teeth were as yellow as the leopard skin and stuck between them were small bits of grilled horse. Mother nearly winced when his breath was exhaled upon her.
People were doing their own things behind the giant that blocked the door. “Where’s yer tribute?” the warrior asked in a gruff voice, holding out his massive hand.
Mother silently put the smooth cotton poncho in the giant’s palm.
The giant held his hand in the position. “That it?”
Mother nodded slowly.
“Ain’t ‘nough.”
Mother’s face was struck with shock. “It has to be--!”
“Ain’t ‘nough!” the giant yelled, his deep voice rumbling through the house. The footsteps and the chatter of the townspeople ceased. Their eyes, wide in anxiety, stared at our house.
“But please!” Mother begged, “It’s all I have!”
Smack! I, and everyone else in the village who were peering into out house, winced in horror as we all watched as my mother was slapped violently with a whip. Tears beaded in Mother’s eyes.
“You dare defy us!?” the soldier shouted. It was really a huge dishonor for our family. He raised his whip high above his head to land another painful blow on Mother.
“Mama!” I cried. I had to do something. Fast. “Wait!”
All eyes fell upon me. Time seemed to freeze. My mouth hung open for several minutes.
“Um… I… I will take Mama’s place in slavery!”
“Lala!” Mother cried. She couldn’t stand the fact that her little girl could be going into slavery for her.
“Leave Mama out of this!” I said, ignoring Mother’s fearful expression, “I will work three times as much if I must!”
The warrior snarled. “Deal!”
“Lala!” Mother cried again, tears streaming down her cheeks. She sat on the ground, weeping her heart out. I stared at her serenely, marching off with the giant.



I set foot into the house. I expected it to be dark and damp like my own, but I felt a soft, dry rug under my bare, dirty feet instead of the usual dirt. A scent of pound cake and hot cocoa drifted through the air. The house had candles all over, but none were lit since plenty of light filtered through the window. There were mats and pillows for sitting and really nice doors here and there that divided the house into separate rooms. It was so luxurious!
In another room nearby I heard a beautiful voice humming a marvelous tone. I slowly approached the door and knocked on the smooth wood. The person inside didn’t seem to hear. I waited a while.
“Ah, hey! Chantico, get back here!” said a feminine voice from inside. I heard a rather loud ‘meow’, and then some clawing at the door. Did she have a cat?
“Stop that!” the voice whined in a demanding way. I decided to knock.
“Huh?” I heard. The girl opened the door. A small, brown cat dashed by my feet. “Chantico!” the girl yelled, then grumbled and turned to me. “Oh, pardon me! Who are you?” she asked, analyzing me from head to toe. She seemed a bit disgusted that I was dirty.
“I’m your family’s new slave,” I stated plainly.
“Really!?” The girl seemed excited. “Mom! My new slave is here! Can we have cake now?”
I heard a faint reply of “Yes.” The girl seemed hyper.
“Cool! Come on, let’s go!” the girl said, running past me.
We sat at a low table, accompanied by many other slaves and the peoples of the house. A big cake was in the middle of the table.
“Hi hi! So nice to finally meet you! I’m Xochiquetzal!” the girl said, stuffing her mouth with sweet cake as everyone else mingled.
“Hello,” I smiled, “I’m Citlaxochitl. It’s nice to meet you. Isn’t Xochiquetzal the name of the goddess of beauty?”
“I know! It’s so fitting!” she said with a rather arrogant tune, “But Xochiquetzal is too long to say, in my opinion. It means beauty and flowers are beautiful, so I want you to call me Iris!”
“Okay. Why ‘Iris’?”
“It’s a flower,” she smiled, “It’s really pretty! I’ve been trying to get everyone to call me that but nobody listens!” she pouted.
“Well, in that case, you can call me Lala. That’s what mama calls me.”
“Cool! Okay!”
I smiled. This girl was really nice. I noticed the girl staring at me.
“I though slaved shaved their heads!”
“Huh?” I asked. “Oh yeah… they let me keep some hair because I volunteered to be a slave.”
“You volunteered? No slaves do that!”
“I was saving mama.”
“Aww, that’s sweet! You’re really nice!”
I smiled. “You’re really nice too!”
We both smiled.
“So!” Iris suddenly exclaimed, “You’ve completed the first task of being my slave!”
“I did?”
“Duh, silly!” she smiled, “You became my friend!”
I smiled back. That was a real nice thing to say.
“Next task!” Iris exclaimed.
“Huh?
“I want you to catch my kitty! She’s been running everywhere!”
“Okay. What’s her name?”
“Chantico. She’s a brown cat, about this small. Went that way.”
“Okay,” I smiled, heading towards the pointed direction.



“Hey, servant person whose name I forgot!” shouted Iris, “Where are you?”
“Over here!” I yelled in response, followed by some laughter as the dirt colored cat tickled me with her tongue.
Iris entered the room. “There you are! Huh? Oh, wow!” She stared in awe. “You… tamed Chantico?”
“Hehe, Chantico, stop it!” I laughed. Chantico listened and sat in my lap with a huge, playful smile on her face. I looked up at Iris. “What do you mean?”
“Nobody, not even me, has been able to tame Chantico! This is the first time I’ve seen her calm other than when she sleeps! That’s just amazing!”
“It really was no problem,” I laughed.
“You are super cool! Want to come and talk with me?”
I smiled. “Sure.”
Once we were comfortable at the table, Iris started talking and gave me lots of questions to get to know me better.
“I like flowers. Do you? I also love animals but I really hate dogs. Dogs are evil. Right? What’s your favorite animal? Where are you from? I’m from here. I hate school. I think I’m really lucky that mom teaches me stuff I need to know here. Don’t you think so too? Hey, what’s your favorite color? I like pink.”
I laughed all the way, answering the questions with a smile. After a moment of silence, I said, “You know, I really miss Mama.”
Iris pondered. “Hey, you can send her a note! I’ll get some paper!”



Anacaona rushed to the door as she heard steady beating. She opened it to see a knight.
“Lady Xochiquetzal requested for us to send you this note,” the man said, “I hope you have a fair day.”
Anacaona smiled and curtsied. “I hope you have a fine day as well, sir.”
She shut the door and opened the note to see a series of pictures drawn by me.
“Mama! I’m doing my best! You should too! Love you forever, Lala ~” is what the note read.
Tears rolled down Anacaona’s cheeks. “I will.” she whispered.



I held a leather bag filled with coins in my hand. “It looks like I have enough money to go home now.”
“Cool!” Iris said, “Then go home!”
“But I don’t want to, yet I do.”
“What do you mean?”
“I miss mama terribly, but you’re my best friend. If I leave, I’ll probably never see you again.”
“No, no! It’s fine, go!” Iris said.
“I don’t want to,” I whined stubbornly.
“I would!”
“But… I’ll miss you,” I said sadly.
“It’s alright!” Iris said, “I’ll always be there with you in your heart!”
I stared in awe. It was true. I was speechless.
“If you miss me, talk to Chantico!” Iris said, shoving the cat in my arms. “If you can’t visit me, I’ll visit you! Every time I get the chance! You know, I’m certain you’ll go to heaven even if you don’t die honorably!”
A bright smile fell upon my face. “Thanks!”



Mother paced back and forth impatiently. She knew I was returning that day.
“Mama!” I shouted, a huge smile on my face and tears swelling in my eyes. It had been so long since I had seen her that it looked like she’d break if I touched her. I ran into the old shack, sun shining through cracks in the roof as I welcomed the old stench of sweat and maize into my nose. The marketplace was bustling with noise again, not noticing my return. I heard sizzling of pans everywhere. Although above all of that, I heard mother crying.
“Lala…” she said through sniffles. No words after that. We held each other in a tight embrace. “Never… will I let go of you again.” I heard Mother whisper.



Thud! Thud! The banging on the door resounded throughout our house as mother hastily got the blanket. She opened the door.
Once again, in front of our door stood the humongous warrior. “Tribute?”
Mother put the blanket in his hand with a smile.
The man looked at the rug. “Sorry, miss. Shoulda decorated it a bit more. It ain’t ‘nough.”
“Again?” Mother whined.
“We’ll pay it off,” I said. “We both can go into slavery as long as we go under the house of Lady Xochiquetzal!”
“Fine,” said the warrior in his gruff voice.
“Lala…?”
“Trust me, mama. It’ll be fine!”



“Wow!” Mother sighed as she set foot into the house. Chantico immediately rejoiced, being returned to her previous home. The scent of pound cake floated through the air once again.
In another room, I once again heard a girl humming. I went up and knocked.
Iris opened the door. “Lala!” She screamed in shock, and embraced me tight.
I smiled. “I’m back.”

That's right. Go me. I'm awesome and beautiful. I KNOW, IT'S SO FITTING, RIGHT?

I saw those spelling mistakes.

Cute story. So sweeeet!

Lol. Somehow I'd know you'd say that. ;D

I should fix those mistakes, but I'll do so on Monday. Too lazy right now. xD

Thanks. ;D

Mmk.

I wish I had Monday off. D:

Don't we all?

*is feeling really lazy*

SCHOOL BRAINWASHES YOU.

Yes, I'm in the mood........

I keep making references to modern-day you. xD You loving sweet things and you hating school and liking pink (not sure if that existed back then though) and you hating dogs.

YEP.

BECAUSE I'M AWESOMESAUCE LIKE THAT. ;D

Fixed mistakes. ;D

I think. xD

Yeah. They seem to be gone.

When I'm done with the little glyphs I'm making for the story, I'll go ahead and take a picture of it and post it here and in my art thread. ;]

Mmmk.

*isn't that afraid showing face on this specific forum* :]

I look geeky. XD

Click me for dynamic lighting and horrible grainy quality!

It's my costume for the story. ;D

ORLY? Cute!

WOW.

You should be an author someday. That is one great story! I also like Forgotten Faith.

I KNOW RIGHT? SHE WRITES GOOD STORIES.

Thanks. ;D

I actually don't like this story as much as Forgotten Faith or Shiro Ai.

I was told I did fantastic at the Storytellers Faire. I think I did horrid.

I think the pound cake I brought saved me. B)

Maybe. But the story was good.

I saved all you guys pound cake. 8D

DID YOU SAVE ME SOME POUND CAKE?

FIVE PEICES!

8D YAY POUND CAKE. EVEN THOUGH COOKIES ARE BETTER.
You mean, pieces?

Shuddap. I'm not good at spelling pieces. xD

Its a bit buttery for my tastes. :l

*hands over to you*

I <3 BUTTER.

Then you'll like the cake.