XXV - A Tiny Heroine Who Refused to Give Up

The world around them became silence, except the faint howl of the breeze, then followed a soft breathing of five children.

Young Aurora looked up, blinking up through tear-streak face at the stranger girl she'd only exchange the handful words within before.

But today, she might not alone, someone heard her helpless screams, a howl that calling the young girl's ear for help without saying a word.

There, a young girl, around eight years old, she might wearing tattered, old rusty clothes, but this girl isn't just an impoverished, powerless—she have a hidden combat skills at this age.

"H-Huh? W-w-what's happening…?" young Aurora sniffled, staring at her with wide eyes with tears and awe.

They didn't realized—they pick the wrong paladin hidden beneath the impoverished girl in front of them.

"Huh? What are you doing here paladin-wannabe?" the leader scoffed, his gaze narrowed. 

"That's non of your business. Just get out, poor kid—"

"N-No." the impoverished girl interrupted, her voice cracked every syllable, she remain still, her practice sword carved by herself tightened.

"I-I don't care who you are, I-It doesn't matter if you want to hit me, not the girl you fought of."

"H-Huh?!" the leader blinked in shock, sending a goosebumps, but his expression changed into wicked grin.

"How naive, do you honestly think you're going to rescue the cat princess, aren't you?"

The impoverished girl took a step forward in front of him, glance a bit at the vulnerable girl behind her.

"I'm not gonna fight you." she said calmly, but there was her voice cracked, but she trying her best to be brave.

"Aw, is the poor girl scared?" the leader mocked, grin widened.

"I'm not scared."

"Then fought us. That's what the fates of paladin's do."

"You may hit me if you want, b-but just leave the girl alone." the impoverished girl responded, a determination look forming on her face, standing between the bullies and young Aurora.

"She didn't do anything to you."

"You're just gonna let her duel you?" his friend asked, leaned in, tilted his head with curiosity.

"Huh? Where's the fun in that?" the other scoffed, adjust his bangs.

The leader stared at the girl for a brief moment, eyebrows furrowed as he let out a sharp huff.

"Hmph, fine. Have fun with your stupid cat girl."

He turned to his heel, gesturing to his friends to retreat back to the gates of academy.

Leaving the two girls alone, standing in the center surrounded by the massive twisted stone-like flat pillars.

The impoverished girl spun around to face the young girl, kneeled to her eye-level. She cleaned her hands with handkerchief before placing it on the young girl's shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay."

Young Aurora sniffled, looked up at her with mismatched eyes were wide and red from tears, clutching her abused tail tighter against her chest as if she's protecting it from the danger.

"T-Thank you, for saving me." she sobbed, her cat nose twitch.

Before the impoverished girl responded—

Aurora! 

Then, another call.

Aurora! Where are you, my little princess?

Then, silence…then another call, calm and resonance voice cut the silence—Aurora's mother was coming.

"Aurora, there you are!"

The two girl turning to find a tall woman approaching their direction, dark blue hair swept back, as she rushing towards their direction, her maternal concern kicked in as she saw her daughter's expression made her heart ache.

The impoverished girl moved, gave a respecting space between the mother and daughter.

Aurora step forward, rushing straight towards her mother, small hands stretch wide, her fan sat forgotten between the soft pile of grass.

"Mama!"

Her mother finally caught her daughter, scooping her to her arms without hesitation.

One hand smoothing gently over the abused tail, whispered to her daughter, saying something too quiet for anyone else too catch.

Young Aurora buried her small face against her mother's shoulder, ears more flattened as she let out a small sobs, finally breaking loose now that danger has been passed.

"You're safe now, little one. I've got you now." her mother whispered, her hand stroking the small back with her slender fingers.

Young Aurora's small claws digging gently against the fabric of her mother's clothing.

"Mama…I-It hurts…"

"It's okay, sweetheart. Just breathe with me, okay?"

"Okay."

"Then, in…and out."

Young Aurora took a long breath, then released, ears slightly drooped on her hair.

Her mother chuckled, patting the young girl's hair, a soft smile curling on her lips, boop the cat nose with fingertip.

"Good girl. I think you'd finally learned, aren't you?"

Young Aurora giggle despite the pain still presence on her tail, but she doesn't want to upset her mother.

The impoverished girl stood few feet away, watching the mother soothing her child that made her gaze softened for a brief moment.

Her small hands still curled into uncertain fist, whenever she wanted to stay quiet or slipped away without their notice.

Before she could leave, Aurora glanced over her mother's shoulder, her ears lifting up.

"Hey, you!"

The impoverished girl blinked in surprised, pointing her small finger to herself, tilted her head with curiosity and interest.

"W-w-who? Me?"

"Yes, you—winced."

Her mother immediately soothing her daughter's throbbing tail, her hand gently stroking it without touching the damage.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"M-Mom… could we just give her a reward? Please?" Young Aurora pleaded, her ears drooping back, pupils dilated.

Her mother blinked in surprised, then softened as her daughter was begging, not for herself—to the impoverished girl, who'd save her from the mean boys.

"O-okay, as your wish, sweetheart."

She turned around, her daughter remain on her arm, handed her a small amount of sac of coins inside. 

It helpful to supported the impoverished girl, a small prize enough for nurturing her four siblings.

"Here, sweetie. You're such a brave heroin I'd ever seen."

The impoverished girl accept the gift with small hands, tears flowing silently on her brown-golden eyes: this is the first time on her life, someone gave her a reward to support her siblings.

She looked at them, her ponytail swaying from the wind and said.

"Thank you, that's too much."

Aurora let out a chuckle, ears drooping and lifting rhythmically, responded.

"Hehe, no problem. That's all yours."

"R-Really?"

"Yep, this is your reward, my mother was very kind, gentle woman. And she decided to chose someone to protect me when I grew up." she said with a small grin, showing those tiny fangs, but harmless, unless she sank them deeper, but she didn't bite at all.

"Ah, what's your name, sweetie?" her mother asked to the impoverished girl.

"C-Charlotte." the impoverished girl replied. "Charlotte Rayburn."

"Charlotte Rayburn? That suit to you." the mother remarked, studying her despite the impoverished appearance, but she saw the determination beneath the brown-golden eyes.

"Well… we must to go home early , sweetheart—before the infection spread deeper, okay?"

"Yes, mama." young Aurora responded, wrapping her small trembled arms around her mother's neck.

Before the impoverished girl could say a word to thank them back, Aurora and her mother was left in the woods, both war fans is now safety on her hands, leaving a confused girl in the woods.

"H-Huh? W-where did they go?" she mumbled under her breath, turning around, rubbing the back of her neck before leaving as well.

The forest become silent once more, Young Aurora finally safe on her mother's hands after the three boys attempting to hurt her, but someone's coming without hesitation, neither difficult or tall they fought.

At least, they're safe at last.

꒰ა ✦ ໒꒱

Days passed, the rain become intense, the breeze howled outside of the peaceful cottage, where young Aurora lay curled beneath the mountain of blankets, her small body trembled from the fever.

Her tail has been shorten, due to infection might spread faster than the healers unexpected—faster than anyone had feared.

The healers made a decision, they amputate her tail before the infection spread to her spine with a speed that there's no room for waiting.

At least she was safe, except her tail, wrapped tightly in clean linen bandages.

The absence of its usual length aching in way had nothing to do with the fever burning through her small frame.

She'd remember her mother's words before she placed her on her soft plush of bed, a pang of guilt forming on her face as her hand smoothing the damp hair back from her daughter's forehead.

I'm sorry, sweetheart.

That's the only one thing to live you longer.

Young Aurora hadn't understand—not a words that healers used for, not from everyone looking at her with such of empathy.

That night, she'd cried herself to sleep, more than she could count since, squirming, thrashing, her ears flattened and lifting against her hair.

The nightmare appeared from her dreams, the three boys, the impoverished girl who'd saved her from their taunt.

But in this night, something in her small chest refused to remain still.

Aurora sat up slowly, blanket sliding off from her shoulders as her small hands found on the edge of the bed. She stared at the window, observing the rain outside, it hammered against the roof.

Her bare feet touched silently on the cold wooden floor, her legs wobbled at the moment, fever still present on thick behind her eyes, but she forced herself to moved anyway, one vigilant step, at the time toward the door.

She wasn't sure if she want to prove. But only of her tail was gone—if the part of her was important, that made her whole taken—by something as small—and cruel, as an infected wound.

She need something else to hold onto. Something that still hers.

With a long breath, the cottage door creaked open into the storm.

Cold rain hitting her skin, soaking through her nightclothes, causing to plaster her dark blue hair flat against her cheeks.

She took a staggered steps into the mud, her small fist trembled as she reached for the two fans tucked at her hip—still far large enough for her hands, even without the presence of their feathered blades.

She snapped them both, lifted her head above, staring at the gray sky with her mismatched eyes narrowed with determination, though the fever would might giving her up.

The wind roared past her, nearly knocking her flat on the first attempt.

She stumbled, one of her fans slipped from her grip into the damp mud beneath her.

She simply knelt there, breathing hard, cold, feverish and furious at her own small, vulnerable body.

Just take your breath, let it out…and don't fight it. Aurora.

"I can do this." she whispered to herself, picked the fan back up with trembled fingers, forcing herself upright, attempting once again.

And again.

And again.

And again, twice, or more attempt, even her knees buckle beneath her as the storm kept mocking her vulnerability, every careful arc that her mother had once guiding her through. Damp dirt streak up to her clothes, her face, even her small fingernails caked by the mud.

She refused to let the wind win, even her body grew weaker from the fever.

She'd remember her mother's words, told her—her heart was more powerful than revenge, there's nothing win if she would used her power for wrath.

She danced, attempting to command the breeze with her fan, but she refused to give up.

Inside the cottage, through the rain streaked glass, illuminate by the flash of lightning, her mother observed her oldest daughter in the window, while baby Aria on her arms, her own mismatched eyes half-open, watching her older sister standing alone in the storm.

Small, shivering, fever-flushed, utterly unwilling to step inside.

Aurora's fans open and closed in stubborn imperfect rhythm, the wind tearing her clothes, knocking her down again and again—each time, without fail, she rose herself, wiping the mud and rain from her face, then tried once more.

Her mother's hand came out to cover her mouth, torn between to urge to run up to scooped her daughter back inside, but she paused.

Her brown eyes widened, the crimson streaks on her daughter's hair has been flickered in cyan light, she'd recognized something, with an arching pride, exactly what she was witnessing.

Oh, Aurora…

This isn't a child throwing tantrums against the storm she couldn't win.

A tiny heroin, who'd refused to let her guard down. She never let the wind won.

꒰ა ✦ ໒꒱

Aurora's fingers twitched against the mattress, she began to stirred out from her unconsciousness.