Going on a Picnic with Her Little Daughter
The sky was clear and cloudless. A gentle spring breeze rustled the rose petals in Rose Valley. That day, as usual, Marry woke her little daughter and helped her get dressed.
But there was something unusual: her little daughter wasn't wearing plain clothes, but a pink dress. Simple. Made by her mother.
"Done!" Marry said softly.
She stood in front of the mirror with her little daughter. The mother and daughter were both wearing beautiful, identical dresses.
Little Caelan stared at her reflection in the mirror, her head tilted slightly. Then she turned to her mother.
"Mom, where are we going?" Caelan asked.
She knew that if her mother helped her put on a beautiful dress, they would go on a walk like usual.
Marry smiled softly, "Honey, today we're on a picnic!"
"A picnic?! Hooray!" Caelan jumped for joy. "A picnic with Mom… "
Marry chuckled at her little daughter's enthusiasm.
A few moments later… Marry opened the front door. In her left hand, she held a wicker basket filled with warm wheat bread, rose jam, and apple juice. On her back a folded mat hung.
"Then… let's go, honey." Marry locked the door and held her daughter's tiny hand in her right.
"Come on, Mom! Caelan can't wait to go on a picnic," Caelan said energetically.
The two of them walked along the stone path to a small meadow by the valley stream.
"Shhh…"
Little Caelan turned to the right side of the path and heard the sound of water lapping against the rocks in the stream.
"Tirilili… trililii… tiiriiliilii…"
Little Caelan's blue eyes glanced up at the tree by the stream. Canaries were in front of the tree, dancing and chirping.
Little Caelan stared ahead at the path. Colourful butterflies, white, blue, yellow, and pink, flew low and landed on the petals of white roses.
"Wow…" Caelan gaped… at the natural beauty of Rose Valley.
Then… her clear eyes turned upward… to her mother's face. An inverted crescent moon curved her mother's red lips. Her face was white and radiant, her silver hair fluttering in the gentle breeze. Caelan's eyes lit up.
Little Caelan tugged at her mother's right hand.
"Mommy, later… Caelan is going to feed the rabbits!" Caelan exclaimed.
Marry smiled and turned to her little daughter.
"What if the rabbits get scared because you're too excited, honey?!" Marry teased, pinching her daughter's soft, mochi-like cheeks.
"Then Caelan will be a flower, calm and sweet!" she replied, raising her hands to form a flower crown on her head.
Marry smiled, "Caelan is indeed Mama's daughter."
The mother and little daughter continued to walk hand in hand… until their footsteps led them to a green meadow by the river.
—
Peaceful Time in a Fragile World
Little Marry and Caelan lay out a picnic mat under a shady oak tree. Marry placed a wicker basket on the mat. She sat quietly, leaning against the tree. Then she called her daughter.
"Honey, come here!" Marry patted her thigh.
Without thinking, little Caelan immediately climbed into her mother's lap like a little bird returning to its warm nest.
"Mom, Caelan wants to feed the rabbits." Her tiny index finger pointed to the holes in the meadow.
Marry smiled. She stroked her little daughter's silver hair.
"Eat first, honey. The rabbits are shy…they don't want to come out to see you yet."
Marry opened the wicker basket and took out a warm wheat bun spread with rose jam.
"Eat, honey." Marry offered the wheat bun to her little daughter.
"Hmm… Mom's homemade bread is so…delicious." Caelan took a bite of the wheat bun. A red spot stained her lips.
Marry took a white napkin and wiped her daughter's tiny lips.
"Eat slowly, honey," she said softly.
"Okay, Mom." Caelan continued nibbling on the wheat bread like a squirrel nibbling on a nut.
Marry smiled. After making sure her little daughter was eating carefully, she took another wheat bread and took a bite.
She held her little daughter in her lap while she ate the wheat bread with her right hand. One bite… two bites… the wheat bread tasted sweet and warm.
She took another bite, but this time the rose jam splashed, colouring her cheeks pink. She wiped the rose jam stain with a napkin… until her cheeks were white again.
She glanced at the white napkin… now stained red. Marry's eyes widened… she paused for a moment… then looked up at the sky with a faint smile.
"Back then… I used that white napkin to clean the sword blade that was stained with the blood of tyrants…" Marry muttered to herself.
A few moments later, there was silence… but her little daughter's tiny hands tugged at Marry's pink dress.
"Mom… Caelan is thirsty."
Marry turned to her little daughter… her right hand was empty… the whole wheat bread had already entered her little belly. Marry smiled faintly. She quickly took out a thermos, opened the lid… and poured apple juice into the lid.
"Drink this apple juice, honey."
Little Caelan took the glass with her tiny hands… and drank it.
"Caelan likes apple juice… hehe…" Little Caelan chuckled, loving her mother's attention.
Caelan's eyes looked up at her mother. "Mom, why isn't the bunny out yet?! Caelan wants to play with the bunny."
Marry sighed. She stroked her daughter's hair. "The bunny probably went on a picnic too, honey."
Little Caelan looked down at the ground. "But… Caelan wants to play with the bunny," she said sadly.
Marry smiled faintly. "There's nothing I can do, honey."
She continued stroking her daughter's soft hair. "But… maybe we can wait for the bunny to come home… Mom will tell Caelan the story of the lazy dragon, okay?" Marry coaxed.
Little Caelan looked up at her mother's face... her eyes sparkling. "A dragon story?! Want... want... to tell me the story of the lazy dragon, Mom?" Caelan pinched her mother's dress.
Marry chuckled. She covered her mouth with her right hand, holding back her laughter. Then... she hugged her little daughter in her lap.
"Then... Mom will tell you the story of the lazy dragon just for Ceelan..."
"Hya!" Caelan replied cheerfully.
"One day... there was a silver dragon who slept in a cave. She slept in that cave all year round and never came out for a single day... the dragon only ate meat and slept all year round. Her belly became bloated. Then a rose princess came to meet the silver dragon..."
Marry continued telling little Caelan the story of the lazy dragon. Caelan's blue eyes sparkled as she listened to Mama Marry's explanation. Marry continued telling the story. Caelan listened and laughed.
A few moments later... The golden rays of dusk illuminated the silver hair of the mother and her little daughter.
"… Now the silver dragon grows vegetables every day. She waters, fertilises, cuts weeds… takes care of the cabbages, kale, and tomatoes, kales, celeris, radishes, until they are all fat. But unlike the fat vegetables…"
"…now the dragon's belly is no longer fat. The silver dragon is slim and beautiful again. She eats vegetables and grows vegetables all year round…"
"When the rose princess returns… she smiles at the silver dragon's new activity. And the silver dragon thanks the rose princess for giving her the new joy of growing vegetables and no longer eating and sleeping all year round."
"The silver dragon and the rose princess shake hands. The end."
"Done, Mom?" Caelan asked innocently.
Marry stroked her daughter's hair, "It's done, honey. So Caelan also has to eat vegetables and help Mom with the gardening..." Marry rubbed her daughter's tiny belly, "...so Caelan doesn't get bloated."
"Hehe... ticklish, Mom."
Marry kissed her little daughter's forehead, "Does Caelan understand?"
"Hmm. Caelan will help Mom with the gardening and eat vegetables... so Caelan will be beautiful like Mom."
Marry smiled, rubbing her cheek against her daughter's soft cheek.
"Good, Caelan is indeed Mom's daughter."
For a moment, the world felt warm... a peace like that of a mother and her little daughter.
Marry looked up at the sky; golden rays had painted the sky. The sun was setting in the west, as if bidding farewell to the bright day.
She smiled faintly. This warmth would soon pass. She turned to her little daughter.
"Time to go home, honey. It's already dusk."
"Okay, Mom."
Marry folded the picnic mat, picked up the trash, and put it in a bag. A few moments later… the area under the oak tree was neat and tidy, as if Marry and her daughter had never sat there.
Marry held her daughter's tiny hand. The two of them passed through the holes in the meadow. However… red eyes appeared from the darkness of the holes, and white rabbits emerged from their nests.
Caelan's two tiny hands were intertwined. Her blue eyes sparkled at the sight.
"Mom… look, the rabbits have returned from their picnic." Caelan pointed to the rabbits emerging from the holes one by one and hopping around in the green grass.
Marry smiled. She took the remaining celery leaves from the basket and handed them to her daughter.
"Will you give these celery leaves to the rabbits, honey?"
"Wow… feeding the rabbits?! Mommy is the best!" Caelan exclaimed enthusiastically.
Little Caelan walked over to the rabbits… she crouched down and offered them celery leaves.
"Eat, Mrs. Rabbits!" she said innocently.
The rabbits hesitated at first... then approached and nibbled greedily on the celery leaves.
Marry walked over to her little daughter and took her tiny hand.
"Say 'goodbye' to Mrs. Rabbits, honey."
"Goodbye, Mrs. Rabbits. Caelan will be back." Caelan waved to the rabbits huddled together, eating the celery leaves.
The mother and daughter then left the meadow. All that remained were the white rabbits, standing as if saying goodbye.
—
The Fruit Shop and the Disturbing Tears
As the sun began to set in the west, they walked home along the village road. But unlike usual, today the village road was deserted.
Marry glanced left and right along the road; the doors of the houses were tightly closed, the mothers who grumbled were nowhere to be seen, the children who usually ran around the village streets were nowhere to be seen...
Her instincts told her that someone was watching. Her blue eyes sharpened, but she quickly hid them… and continued walking down the village street, holding her little daughter's hand tightly.
As Marry and Caelan passed a small fruit shop on the corner, which they used to visit every Friday, Marry stopped.
"Grandma Dora?" she called softly.
In front of the wooden bench in the shop, usually filled with apples, strawberries, pears, and oranges, an old woman sat in front of her stall. Her wrinkled face was streaked with tears. Her shoulders were trembling, and a small handkerchief was already wet in her grip.
Little Caelan ran over to her.
"Grandma Dora, why are you crying?" she asked innocently.
Grandma Dora slowly looked up, her eyes puffy.
"Caelan… Marry… T—that boy… my grandson, Thomas… hasn't been home since yesterday…"
Marry crouched down to unload her belongings… and gently touched the wrinkled hand.
"When was the last time you saw him?"
"Yesterday morning… he said he was going to the forest… north of the village… to look for firewood… he usually returns before lunch… but it's been over a day… he hasn't returned—"
Marry paused for a moment... She had often heard that villagers rarely got lost like that. And the forest north of the village, ever since the incident seven years ago, had always had a dark reputation. The villagers said there were still 'remnants of the old world' that hadn't died there.
Marry stood. Her blue eyes narrowed… staring intently north of the village… black specks flying above the dense, dark forest.
"Krahhh… krahhh…"
The hoarse caws of crows could be heard from above the forest… echoing in the twilight sky, as if sounding a death knell.
Caelan hugged Grandma Dora with her tiny body.
"Don't be sad, Grandma. Thomas will be fine."
Marry stared intently at the old face. She paused for a moment... Her instincts sensed a faint, bitter anxiety in the air. Maybe nothing will happen... or maybe this is the beginning of something.
She smiled faintly and sighed.
"I'm going to look for Thomas tonight. Don't tell anyone yet, Grandma."
Grandma Dora looked at Marry hopefully. "Please, Mrs. Marry—" she said, holding back tears.
—
A Night That Held Many Wounds
That night… after tucking Caelan into bed and ensuring the little girl was sound asleep in her arms, Marry slowly got up. She got out of bed.
She walked to the corner of the room… crouched down and opened the floor… There lay a dark red robe. She had put it back on after burying it for seven years.
Her thin sword, which had once pierced the chests of thousands of evil tyrants, was again hanging at her waist.
Caelan didn't know. Tonight, she wasn't Mama. Tonight, she was just a shadow. A shadow that would reveal the truth…
Or a bloody executioner who would finish off the criminals… Was Thomas truly lost… or was the world beginning to demand blood again?
Marry stepped closer to her little daughter sleeping on the wooden bed. Marry kissed her beloved daughter's forehead.
"Mama will be back before you wake up, honey."
She stood up. Her blue eyes stared up at the ceiling. But they weren't the gentle eyes she usually showed her little daughter, but cold blue eyes that made anyone who looked into them tremble.
"And the world… please don't touch these innocent children." That night, Marry rose again… not as Mama, but as a shadowy executioner ready to cut down anyone who dared touch innocent children.
The world may be dark… tyrants may once again demand blood… but children are a line no one should cross. And the night of the hunt begins!