A PIECE.

In just a few minutes, I'm off to ADMU, so i'll just share something I've written during the summer vacation. It's just short. Obviously, I'm too lazy to continue it. :)

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The silence of the night air around the manor was broken. A woman's wail and a strong sound echoed in a room as a powerful force pounded on the floor.

"How could you..." A woman's faltering voice, almost inaudible.

"Oh Shantis, I couldn't stop myself..." A masculine voice loomed in the dead silence. "I was just... I was just... afraid that that you'd leave me. You can't leave me, Leyna. You know you're mine... You're mine."

Outside the door, Lia, a child in silhouette heard everything. Her mother wanted to leave them. Although it was hard to comprehend in her limited mind, she knew that much. That night, she couldn't sleep. She spent the whole night staring at the ceiling as if waiting for the god Shantis to answer her heart's question. By the time the morning god cut his way through the once dark horizon, she knew what she had to do. She will make her mother happy, so she will have no reason to leaVe them. No fights came for several months since then, and Leyna and her father Clay got along well with each other. They were obviously in love like the princes and princesses in the fairy tales Leyna had told her about. They were a family in harmony now, or so she thought.

One day, they went out to eat at a restaurant. Lia was having the best time of her life, as they shared stories with ech other. She had never felt this happy and contented in her life. The sadness of yestermonths faded from her memory replaced by the happiness they now shared. When they arrived home, Leyna brought her to her room, and laid her on her bed. Lia looked at her mother. She had never seen another face more beautiful than hers. Her brunette hair flowed smoothly down her pale complexion with her green eyes radiant reflecting the moonlight.

"You know that I love you, my little Aliandra." Leyna kissed her daughter's forehead.

"I love you too, mother." Lia sat up and laid her head on her mother's bosom as Leyna caressed her ruffled hair. There she felt the warmth of a loving mother. If it were possible, she wanted to stay like this forever. With this feeling, she no longer yearned anything more from the world.

Leyna glanced outside, with the moon beaming on her face. "Lia, look at the goddess that lights the sky. She always provides us her guidance in the night. On the other hand, there are also times when she's not there, we don't know why, but we still have to move on in the darkness. We still have to move on."

She looked at her daughter, and her little angel had already fallen asleep. Carefully, she laid Lia's back on the bed and pulled the comforter to warm her daughter. She stayed there just staring at her child's soft face before she kissed her again and left the room.

'The time has come.' She whispered to herself as she wiped off the tears building on her eyes.

o0o

A loud scream tore the peace waking Lia from her slumber. It was Clay. She was sure of it. Without hesitation, she hurriedly paced to the master's bedroom. Outside the room, servants were whispering to each other before straightening up when they saw her. Something was very wrong. She immediately entered the room, and her father was the only one there, standing and looking straight ouside the window as the white satin curtains billowed beside him, and then, she knew. She didn't need to ask. Leyna had just left them.

o0o

That was eight years ago. Since that fateful day, life was never the same for her. Three days after her mother left, Clay followed.

"Lia, I've asked Auntie CLarisse to take care of you while I'm gone." Clay looked her in the eyes, his gray eyes teary. "I'll be back."

"Promise?" Lia's emerald eyes stared at her father's face, looking for an answer.

"Promise." He said decisively then put his child in his embrace. "And mommy will be with me, so you you be a good little girl to Auntie clare, okay?" He whispered.

"Okay." Lia smiled with the thought of having her family back before breaking off the hug.

"it's time to go." Clay straightened up and looked at his sister. "Take care of her. Won't you, Clare?"

"Of course I will." Clare grabbed the hand of her neice. "May Shantis bless you on your journey."

"Thanks." He turned his back walking out of the door.

'And he never came back." Although it had long since passed, every detail was still clear in her memory. She was now sixteen. There's no more room for tears in a strong woman's life, but still a single tear strolled down her pallid face.

Then came a knock on her door.

"Who is it?" She wiped her eyes.

"Glaise, milady" Said the voice from outside.

"Come in."

Glaise, her personal maid two years older than her, entered. carrying a white rectangular box. "Mistress Clare wanted you to have this. She told me to tell you that you will be wearing this for tomorrow evening's ball in Jade Manor."

'Another ball? Oh Shantis, she never gets tired of finding me a man. I think I can find him by myself.' She thought before she sat on her bed. "Just leave it here, Glaise."

The maid laid the box beside her master before bowing and leaving the room.

Lia lifted the cover and held an olive green chiffon gown to sway in the air. It was a truly magnificent sight. She held it close to her body and looked at her reflection on the mirror.