It was in the beginning of winter when Graicia troops attacked the villages at the empire's border. The sudden arrival of soldiers dressed differently than the empire caught the villagers off guard, and they had no time to react before they were mercilessly killed and looted.
All men and male children were executed without hesitation, while the soldiers made their way to the females with malicious smiles.
"No no no! Leave my wife alone!!"
"Ahhhh! Help!!"
"My daughter!! Noooo! She's just a child!!"
"Momm!"
Screams of terror and howls of grief could be heard throughout the villages, followed by the thick scent of blood and the fire of destruction.
Little Cici had no idea why her mother and her sister were running away from their home. It was about to get dark, and the wind outside was bone-bitingly cold.
She shuddered, fearing that her hands and feet would become as frozen as the meat in Uncle Roger's store.
"Mom, I'm cold." She muttered weakly as she gripped the end of her mother's skirt. She longed to return home, drink a hot cup of tea with Mr. Bunny, and sleep in her lovely bed hugging her kitty. She did not like being out here.
"All you know is to complain about this and that. Why don't you learn something from your older sister and behave yourself?!" When Pawline heard her younger daughter complaining, she became irritated and scowled at her.
She regretted bringing this useless child with her. She should have left her behind at home when she had the chance.
Little Cici pursed her lips, feeling aggrieved by her mother's words. Her eyes began to water, but she resisted the urge to let them fall for fear of upsetting her mother again.
Mother hates to see her cry the most.
She sniffed, clutching the end of her mother's skirt and trying to keep up with her little feet. She looked docilely at her elder sister, who was walking quietly beside them.
Little Cici could not understand why her elder sister, who was always laughing and playing, was so silent today. She was frowning tightly, and she did not even bother to speak to her friends.
Even though Little Cici was only three years old, she was more adept than any adult at reading people's emotions. Her doe-like eyes scanned her surroundings quietly.
In addition to her mother and sister, the traveling party also included a few families from the villages, aunt Linda, uncle Paul, and aunt Jenny. She glanced at their tense expressions and vaguely understood something.
They were scared.
But why? Little Cici was too young to comprehend.
However, she was also scared. She was afraid that her mother would leave her in the crowd again.
She wished her mother would hold her hand in the same way she holds her elder sister.
Little Cici had no idea how long they had been walking, but the temperature had already dropped by a few degrees and the sky had already grown darker. She licked her numb lips, feeling thirsty and dizzy from hunger.
Her little legs ached from walking too long, and she watched helplessly as her mother's skirt swayed out of her grasp.
"Mom-" she weakly called out, staring blankly at her mother as she walked away from her, holding elder sister in her arms. Her mother's expression was soft and gentle, unlike her frowning face whenever she scolded her.
Little Cici was dazed.
She knew from the moment she was born that her mother loved elder sister the most. As an emotionally sensitive child, she was able to clearly perceive the differences between her mother's treatment of her and her elder sister.
On special occasions, mother would always make new clothes for elder sister while giving her the old ones. On their birthdays, Mother would prepare her elder sister's favorite dishes and prepare beautiful gifts, but she can not even recall the birthday of her younger daughter.
When her elder sister became ill, mother would coax her and spend the entire day with her until she recovered. But when she fell sick, mother scolded her for being a nuisance.
Little Cici suddenly felt sad.
Even though she also loved her elder sister, she wished mother would also smiled at her, hold her, hug her, read her stories and sleep with her when it rained.
Does mother know that she was also afraid of thunder?
Little Cici blinked, blinking away the tears that were on the verge of falling down.
Mother hates to see her cry the most.
"Cici? Why are you standing here alone?" A surprised voice sounded above her head. Little Cici looked up and spoke slowly, "aunt Linda. I'm taking rest."
Linda frowned slightly and looked ahead to see Pawline walking further in front, holding her older daughter in her arms. She sighed, pitying the little girl who had been left behind again.
Why was there such a difference in treatment between the two girls?
Linda patted the little girl's head and smiled gently, "Do you want Aunty to carry you?" "Thank you, aunt Linda," little Cici said shyly, shaking her head and smiling. "I can walk now." Linda knew the little girl was easily scared, so she did not force it and instead let her follow her.
Little Cici tiptoed and looked ahead, trying to spot her mother and elder sister among the crowd.
When she accidentally looked behind her, she noticed a cluster of fire moving rapidly towards them. She slightly tilted her head, wondering if these were the fire spirits mentioned by her elder sister.
She tugged aunt Linda's skirt, and when she got her attention, she pointed her finger at the cluster of fire and asked curiously, "Aunt, are they spirits?"
Linda was amused by the little girl's question and she turned back to look at the so called spirits. However, when she saw the cluster of fire approaching them, her face paled visibly to the naked eye.
Her mouth quivered, but she immediately took Little Cici in her arms and sprinted forward while yelling.
"RUN! THE DEMONS ARE HERE!!"
Hearing her shout, the crowd turned around, dazed. They instantly shuddered as they saw the fire clusters approaching them, then spun around and ran as hard as they could.
"Ahh! Run! The Graicia demons have reached us!!"
"Mom! Dad! Run!"
"Run for your life!! Graicia demons are here!!"
The once-quiet night was suddenly filled with screams of terror, as people desperately fled for their lives. The crowd scattered in all directions, hoping to escape the Graicia troops. Their luggage had already been left behind, and no one was foolish enough to carry it when their lives were at stake.
Little Cici was dizzy and in pain, but she kept silent. She vaguely understood that the cluster of fire were not spirits, but something bad that made everyone fear.
Linda dashed forward with all of her strength, oblivious to how she was holding the little child in her arms.
She fervently prayed as she ran, 'dear Lord, please save us from the hands of the demons and guide us to light. Allow your angels to fall on the ground and protect your children. Bless us with strength and power so that we can survive in this sinful land. Please help us, oh Lord!'
"HAHAHA! CATCH THESE BITCHES FOR ME!"
A malicious and evil roar resounded throughout the night, drowning out the panic and fearful cries.
Little Cici trembled and shrank in Linda's arms, making her even smaller than she was before.
Listening to the rapid heartbeat of aunt Linda, Little Cici slowly closed her eyes.
"Sleep, my dear. It'll be okay when you wake up."
Through her elder sister's door, she could hear her mother's sweet voice.