"Big brother…" Eve thinks aloud as she looks into Lucien's eyes with a thoughtful expression.
Lucien is happy that Eve is reflecting on his words, but then she starts laughing uncontrollably.
"Hahahahahaha… Big brother Luci?? Hahaha… Are you serious? I mean, you are now taller, stronger… even more handsome. However, you are still little Luci, my little brother." Eve starts to pats Lucien's head.
"…" Lucien takes a deep breath before explaining. "I didn't mean that I would magically become the eldest of us, but that you could see me as someone you can trust and seek support from as I think of you."
Eve understands Lucien's intention and is happy that they care about her and their sisters to the point of wanting to share the responsibilities with her.
But it is not that easy… Eve never thought it was a burden to take care of his siblings. On the contrary, when she was alone, everything looked horrible. She had no purpose; she just wanted to die…
—————————————-
"Eve." A feminine and gentle voice calls her name.
Little Eve, with just eight years old, had already experienced things that even a.d.u.l.ts would not bear, and already on the edge of her deep depression, saw a small spark of hope behind the beautiful lady in blue.
"Mom…" The little girl with beautiful half red and half blue hair holds the edge of the lady's blue dress while looking at Eve with a curious expression.
"Don't be afraid, darling. Eve is your big sis." The lady in blue speaks affectionately to her daughter.
"Big sis?" Eve doesn't understand what's going on.
The lady in blue kneels and joins her daughter's hand with Eve's while speaking in an imploring tone. "Eve… You'll soon understand that we can't trust your father. I can't take care of Donna anymore… I have to fight to protect our family."
Despite being just a child, Eve is mature enough to understand that her father is not a good person and that her people are at war, or rather, on the weaker side of the war.
Eve also has no reason to doubt the lady in blue, as she has always treated her very kindly, unlike her father.
"Donna… my sister?" Eve looks at little Donna and can't help but smile, seeing her cute face.
The lady in blue also smiles. "Yes, Eve. Donna is your first younger sister, but you will have more, and you will have to take care of them while we do the dirty work that your weak father cannot do.
"But… I don't know how to take care of them." Eve steps back while she is confused and scared.
The lady in blue continues to look at Eve with a kind and caring expression. "Oh darling, I'm sorry that you had to go through that… but now you have to be strong. You and your siblings don't have the same rights as normal children."
"But…" Eve still doesn't understand what's really going on.
Donna notices Eve's frightened and hesitant expression and hugs the Lady in blue while also being afraid. "Mom!!"
The lady in blue begins to pat Donna's head. "Shh… everything will be fine, darling. Your big sis will take good care of you. Don't you, Eve?"
Eve looks at little Donna and feels several different sensations. She can feel a connection with the little girl who tells her that they are sisters. And so Eve can't help but love Donna and be sad because she looks scared.
She was always alone, but now it looks like she can have someone on her side. The small spark of hope is right in front of Eve, and she cannot be afraid.
"Yeah…" Eve steps forward and starts to pat Donna's head too.
The lady in blue smiles at Eve. "There's a lot of shit happening right now… I need to get back to the battlefront. But I know this isn't fair to you. I know I'm forcing a significant responsibility on you."
"Responsibility?" Eve looks at Donna with a thoughtful expression.
"Yes." The lady continues. "Taking care of your younger siblings will not be an easy task, and you will often think about giving up. But I am sure you will always take care of them."
"Why?" Eve asks.
The lady quickly responds. "Why are we selfish beings."
"Selfish?"
"Yes, Eve. No matter how much a person says to do things for others, for honor, or for some other shit, the truth is still that we all just do what we want to do."
While Eve is even more confused, the lady explains. "Look at me; I fight for my people, not because they deserve it but because I love them. I don't mind killing all my enemies to guarantee the happiness of my daughter and my people because that will make me happy while their suffering will also make me suffer."
"Hmm…" Eve starts to understand.
The lady continues. "So, I know that you will take care of your singlings because that will also be the best for you. I bet you already feel connected to little Donna, and you will also feel that way about your other siblings. You will want to protect and love them."
Eve cannot deny the words of the lady in blue because while she strokes Donna's head, the cute little girl smiles at her, and Eve's heart gets filled with warmth, a warmth that she never felt, or rather, just for a few minutes.
Still, the lady continues to explain things to Eve. "But that's not all. People need more motivation to make the best of them. And you, Eve… you can have a powerful motivation additional the love of your siblings."
"What is it?" Eve is curious.
The lady smiles. "Pride."
"Pride??"
"Yes, pride. As their big sis, you will have the respect of your siblings. If you always care and love them, you will be doing much more than their mothers and father. You will be loved by Donna and your other siblings, and you can be proud of that."
Eve looks at Donna's cute face and can see that she is already looking at her big sis with a curious expression, but also… admiration? Eve still hasn't done anything significant to Donna, but just because of the fact that she's patting Donna's head, the little girl already likes Eve instinctively.
"The pride… of a big sis?" Eve thinks out loud.
"Yes." The lady in blue nods. "You will soon understand more about it, but now I need to go. And… I don't know when I'll be able to go back to see my Donna. She'll be very sad… So, Eve, I beg you, be the big sis that my little girl needs; be by her side, giving her the love and protection that I cannot give her."
Donna notices her mom moving away and holds her tightly. "Mom!! Don't…"
Eve begins to understand the situation and hugs Donna. "It's okay, Do- sis, I'm here with you."
The lady in blue tries to keep her expression serene, but the tears force Its way out of her eyes while she has to use all her will to let go of Donna.
She kisses Donna's forehead. "Don't be afraid, darling. Big sis Eve will never abandon you. She will always be by your side for anything you need."
*Scheeeeeee*
A bizarre squeak sounds through the sky above the cold mountain fortress as the black-skinned draconic creature, ridden by the Evil King, arrives.
Michael looks at the lady in blue and her daughters with the same severe expression as always. "You know the consequences of your delay. If all you want to find of your people later is their corpses, you can stay here for longer."
The lady in blue dries her tears and flies skyward towards Michael, without looking back because if she looks again at Donna's sad expression, her heart will break even more.
"MOMMMM!!!!" Donna cries towards the lady in blue, who leaves with Michael.
But at the same time, Donna feels the warmth of Eve's embrace and quickly turns to hug and cry in the arms of the only person who will never abandon her.
"Ahhhhhhhhh…" Donna can't contain her tears from soaking Eve's clothes. She's just a five-year-old kid who has never been away from her mom.
Eve is furious not only at Michael but also at the gentle lady in blue. Eve has suffered a lot from being alone and knows how painful it is not to have her mom close, so she quickly identifies with Donna's suffering.
"It's okay, little sister… I can't make your mom come back, but as she said, I will never abandon you. You will always have my hug when you need it." Eve continues to hug and patting Donna.
Donna can't understand what's going on, but Eve's hug makes her feel a little better, so she keeps crying and hugging Eve tightly.
Eve also didn't understand everything the lady in blue said, but she begins to feel a growing desire to protect Donna. Not only to protect her but also to give all the love and affection that the little girl needs to be happy and stop crying.
Donna cries for almost an hour until she starts to calm down and then looks at Eve's face. "W-why did my mom leave?"
Eve makes a sorry expression. "I do not know…"
Donna almost starts to cry again, but Eve quickly wipes her tears. "Hey, please, don't cry; I'm here with you. Don't you like your sister?"
"Sister?" Donna makes a thoughtful expression.
Eve smiles lovingly. "Yes, you can actually call me big sis if you want to. So, do you like your big sis?"
Donna can't understand Eve's words, but as they stopped hugging, she starts to feel cold and urge to cry again, so she hugs Eve tightly again.
Eve hugs Donna too while thinking aloud. "I think this is a positive response."
While the cute sisters hug each other in the mountain fortress's main courtyard, an old couple watches them from a bench in the garden on an adjacent courtyard.
"Do you think they could fix all this shit?" The old man cannot hide the pitiful look in his eyes as he fights the urge to hug and care for Eve and Donna.
The old woman is also very saddened by the situation of Eve and Donna. "I hope so… otherwise, all the shit these kids have to face will have been in vain."
"Maybe we can help…" The man tries to get up and walk over to Eve and Donna.
But the woman holds him on the bench. "You know we can't interfere. Otherwise, they won't become as strong as they need to… It all depends on them, so they can't depend on other people than themselves."
"But it will be very lonely and sad!" The old man cannot contain his desire to care for the children.
But the old woman will not let him interfere. "Trust the prophecy."
—————————————-
Now.
Eve smiles at Lucien. "Okay, I get it. And I agree with you, Luci. We need to take care of each other."
Lucien also smiles as he continues to look at Eve's beautiful face. "So… isn't there a possibility of you calling me big brother? Just once…"
"Maybe…" Eve can't contain her laugh. "in your dreams; hahaha…"
(/・・)ノ
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