The beauty did not hear her. Song Anna clawed through the mud towards her, her muddied hand clasped around the beauty's boots- an Egyptian blue color with a gold heel.
"S-sis! It's me!"
The beauty ripped her ankle free, her brows furrowed as she looked down upon Song Anna who was covered from head to toe in mud.
Anna's hand stung from the sheer force used ,she held her wrist.
The beauty studied Song Anna, a flicker of disgust passing in her inky turqoise eyes.
"Here." She threw out seven gold coins onto the ground before her and walked away.
Song Anna sat there stunned.
Of course, she must be unrecognizable like this but then again it wasn't surprising. Song Lina had never been a particularly warm person to those outside her family. Their Mother always complained she would never be able to marry like that. Not that Song Lina cared.
But this had been a deep-rooted fear of Anna, tracing all the way to back when she was a sickly child bedridden from her weak constitution and the shock of her parents passing.
She feared someday her sister would walk away from her never to look back. Every time her sister would disappear and not come back for hours on a trip to buy her medicine she feared her sister wouldn't return.
Because of her, Song Lina couldn't be a child and mourn the loss of their parents, she was forced to grow up quickly in order to raise the sickly Song Anna.
Anna knew how stressful it must have been. So when she got older and healthier she tried to make herself useful, she didn't want to be her sister's burden, she wanted to be a reliable pillar.
The pain in her chest grew stronger as she lifted out a hand, her body trembled, her vision blurred from her tears.
"LINA!"
The beauty had long left, who would hear her? Anna felt something scratching at her heart. It may as well have been snowing, this muddy forest, the Antarctic. She felt so cold her body became numb, she couldn't even move, her body felt so heavy!
Perhaps Lina was better off not finding her. This world was unforgiving there wasn't a peaceful moment in her life where Lina hadn't been attacked. If they met like this she would just be a new burden, a new weakness to use against her. Yes, it was better this way. She's happy to confirm her sister was still alive and well.
This was enough for her.
As Anna's spirits diminished so did her stamina and will. Anna face planted onto the muddy forest floor. The mud level due to rain, completely enveloping her body.
"Sister Anna."
"Wake up!"
When she opened her eyes the children were awake, they're brows knitting.
"Ah Rong, Mickey what is it?"
"it's our turn to cook breakfast today, remember?"
Song Anna blinked and nodded. Tucking the memory away into the crevices of her mind. Hopefully she wouldn't remember it again.