- 9 minutes ago
Legacy Of Her Spirit Asm
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00my mom up and sell it as pork before she died she told me to find my uncle she said
00:04he was some
00:04powerful general and he'd feed me but when i stopped him on the street he was holding my
00:09cousin he looked down at me and scoffed trash like you should just die need money tell your
00:14mom to come beg me then he took my cousin and bought her gold bracelets i'd never seen anything
00:20so beautiful on her wrists they shined brightly my uncle glared at me what are you looking at
00:26keep staring and i'll gouge your eyes out then he walked away i stared at his back unable to move
00:32i held my empty stomach and lowered my head my mom was wrong he would never feed me he was
00:37so rich he
00:38didn't even blink buying my cousin gold bracelets but when i asked for money for a bun he told me
00:43to
00:43send my mom but my mom was already dead my dad chopped her up and sold her as pork the
00:47streets
00:47of the capital were crowded but the sky slowly darkened it started to drizzle i curled up under
00:52an alley awning i rolled up my sleeve and stared at the knife scars on my wrist i thought of
00:56my
00:56cousin's gold bracelets so pretty if i wore them my dirty blood would ruin them still i wished i had
01:02one i could trade it for lots of buns mom said buns were soft and fragrant really delicious i licked
01:09my
01:09cracked lips and forced myself to stand i hadn't eaten in two days i was starving maybe selling myself
01:14was the only way to live i tried to sell myself to a rice shop the owner drove me off
01:17before i even got
01:18to the door where'd this beggar come from get out bad luck i walked through the rain numb and empty
01:22i went to shop after shop no one wanted me i didn't even want pay just one bite to eat
01:27in the
01:27end only the brothel would take me in a woman named ms lane pinched my cheek and smiled nice face
01:32you're
01:32pale and scrawny now but give it some time you might turn into a real beauty she made me sign
01:36a page full
01:37of writing she thought i couldn't read she tricked me into signing for food but i knew it all my
01:42mom taught
01:42me to read it was a contract selling myself and beside it was a plate of fresh buns
01:46ms lane tore one open the smell hit me right away what choice did i have but to sign i
01:51stared at the
01:51bun and swallowed hard my hand lifted from the red ink just as i was about to sign it someone
01:56grabbed
01:56me it was my uncle he glared at me disgusted you're just as cheap as serena same dirty tricks too
02:03disgusting how did our family end up with someone like you selling yourself to a brothel even lower
02:08than your mom now move take me to her he shook me until my vision spun i knew i'd starve
02:13if i didn't
02:13eat before i blacked out i bit off a piece of his flesh and swallowed it right after that he
02:18kicked
02:18me away i slammed hard onto the ground a sharp pain hit my chest and everything went black went quiet
02:23well at least i got to eat meat once too bad it tasted awful cold water woke me up when
02:28i opened my
02:29eyes i was in a beautifully built courtyard before i knew it a fierce old woman pinched my nose and
02:34forced sour porridge down my throat then they dragged me into my uncle's study inside my uncle was talking
02:39about me with a doctor frowning my uncle said so she bit a chunk out of me because she's starving
02:43the
02:44doctor nodded yeah any later and she'd be dead i was hauled in front of my uncle his face looked
02:49awful white bandage wrapped the wrist i'd bitten he looked at me like i was an ugly rat he turned
02:54his
02:55head away speaking without looking at me you were starving and you didn't say anything or was that
02:58revenge i looked at him quietly and softly said sir the first thing i told you was i'm starving could
03:04you
03:04give me some money for a bun he froze for a moment clearly remembering then his brows knit in
03:08displeasure why aren't you calling me uncle now i pressed my lips tight and lowered my head when we
03:12first met i called him uncle but now i didn't want to he lifted his foot and tipped my chin
03:17up mute
03:18he curled his lips coldly still want to eat if you want to eat take me to your mom i
03:22want to see what's
03:23so great out there that she stayed away for nine years now she's broke and sends you back to beg
03:27i
03:27nodded and said give me white buns i'll take you to her fresh out of the oven not like that
03:33cold sour
03:33porridge from earlier that'd mess up my stomach the old woman behind me dropped to her knees at once
03:37sir i clearly fed her hot meat porridge she's lying my uncle looked at me with even more disgust just
03:43like your mom utterly disgraceful i looked at the old woman jammed my fingers down my throat and
03:47threw up the cold sour porridge my uncle staggered back in shock i jammed my fingers down my throat and
03:54threw up the cold sour porridge my uncle staggered back in shock i looked at him calmly see that porridge
04:00in my stomach for a while and it was still cold my stomach isn't made of ice he looked at
04:04the mess on
04:04the floor and recoiled at the sour smell how could something she just ate go sour so fast the old
04:09woman was already on the floor shaking all over it's clear now my uncle snorted coldly who gave you
04:15the nerve to disobey me behind my back the old woman trembled about to speak when a gentle voice came
04:19from outside i told her to feed it serena's daughter should be grateful for a bowl of rotten food the
04:23voice arrived before the person woman in fine robes walked in servants around her when i saw her face
04:28i froze i almost called out mom but i knew she wasn't she looked a lot like my mom but
04:33softer
04:34more graceful my mom looked older and worn out she'd never had a good life after being sold to
04:38my dad and aunt clara's always had it easy she walked in with a dark face the mess on the
04:42floor
04:42made her cover her nose in disgust yet a hint of satisfaction flashed in her eyes she looked at
04:46me and said you really do look like serena same little vixen face where is that bitch now i looked
04:51down and spoke quietly give me food and i'll lead you to her she snorted coldly what right do you
04:56have
04:57to make demands my uncle frowned he had servants bring in a plate of hot buns eat don't die in
05:01my
05:01house it's bad luck my aunt shot him in unhappy glare you feel sorry for this bastard my uncle shook
05:06his head he said nothing but his gaze grew heavy i was starving i grabbed a bun and tore into
05:11it so
05:11soft and sweet mom hadn't lied to me buns really are delicious way better than those dry corn cakes but
05:16i didn't dare eat too much i stuffed the rest into my torn sleeves my uncle watched me do it
05:21his frown
05:22deepening your mom didn't feed you i shook my head she saved the best food for me my uncle sneered
05:26face full of disgust then why do you still look so poor still putting on a show i didn't answer
05:31i just said let's go aunt clara snorted she told them to prepare a carriage but she wouldn't let me
05:36get on she said i made her sick wherever i went the air turned sour i watched my nicely dressed
05:41cousin get into the carriage envy rose in my chest mom rarely held me she said sometimes she wanted to
05:46strangle me said i was a mistake but when she was locked in the cellar i was the only one
05:51who stayed
05:51and she was always kind-hearted when she was in a good mood she taught me how to read she
05:55told
05:55me many stories about home she even taught me martial arts but i was useless i could never
05:59learn it well she said the women in her family were just as strong as men she once earned merit
06:02on the battlefield herself if she hadn't been framed and had her tendons cut she wouldn't have
06:07ended up like that she tried to kill herself many times but her hatred kept her going my uncle rode
06:11ahead on a tall horse he asked if i could ride on my own i shook my head what did
06:15your mom teach you
06:16are you useless yes i am useless i lowered my head i saw my mom being cut into pieces by
06:20my dad he even
06:21tried to make me eat it and i was too useless to save her my uncle laughed in anger how
06:26did our
06:26family end up with a coward like you don't call me your uncle outside i nodded he looked at me
06:32as
06:32if there was nothing he could do in the end he had a guard put me on a horse the
06:35guard couldn't refuse
06:36so he covered his nose with a cloth to block the smell but halfway through the ride he couldn't hold
06:42it and threw up my uncle frowned asking how a girl could smell so bad at a roadside inn he
06:46got a room
06:47and had his maid clean me up as soon as she stripped off my rags she screamed my uncle thought
06:53something was wrong he kicked the door open and rushed in as soon as she stripped off my rags she
06:59screamed my uncle thought something was wrong he kicked the door open and rushed in he rushed in
07:04calling out to iris asking what was wrong iris covered her mouth and looked at him tears running down
07:08her face sir please take pity on this ava miss ava she doesn't deserve it then he saw me without
07:14clothes and froze i think my back was covered in fine knife scars but i couldn't reach it or see
07:19it it's probably ugly iris seemed soft-hearted she gently touched my wounds tears falling non-stop she
07:24smells because the wounds are rotting and she's been burning with fever my uncle stared at me for
07:28a moment then realized i was a girl he quickly turned his back he took a deep breath before saying
07:33clean her wounds first i'll send for a doctor iris agreed but i shook my head and refused no need
07:38a little clay will do that's how i healed before i forgot the last two days iris stared
07:43shocked how can you use clay after my uncle left iris cleaned my wounds and put some medicine on them
07:49because treating me took extra time aunt clara's face darkened why waste time and money on her she's
07:54just like her mom always pulling tricks my uncle was about to hug my cousin but he paused when he
07:59heard that and pulled his hand back she pouted and whined uncle hug me she was only four she was
08:04the child aunt clara had long hoped for of course she adored her seeing her feel wronged aunt clara
08:08immediately got upset what are you doing can't you see annie wants a hug my uncle sighed i'm tired
08:14then he walked toward me for the first time he crouched in front of me he was really tall if
08:18he
08:19didn't crouch i couldn't even meet his eyes did your mom abuse you often i shook my head mom was
08:23good to me she got beaten more than i did my uncle froze his expression cracked how could that be
08:28she
08:28clearly then his brows knitted tightly again you're lying did your mom tell you to lie to me so i'd
08:33feel
08:33sorry for her i stared at him remembering mom's words her brother was a great hero a brilliant
08:38general wise and incredibly smart my mom was wrong again turns out her brother was just a fool if this
08:45was all just to fool him then how do you explain the old scars on my body was i beaten
08:48all my life
08:49just for this lie maybe the way i looked at him pissed him off he snorted coldly he really liked
08:54doing
08:54that as if it made him feel superior lead the way let's see what she's up to this time he
08:59didn't make a
08:59guard take me he lifted me onto the horse himself pressed me into his chest i sucked in a sharp
09:04breath
09:04in pain only then did he remember my back wounds he gently helped me sit upright don't you have a
09:07mouth why didn't you say it hurt i clenched my teeth tight it hurt too much to speak so i
09:11pretended to
09:11be mute the horse moved fast two days journey was done in half a day when we reached rivermore village
09:16my dad was still selling pork when he saw the horses in carriage he froze and didn't dare look up
09:21everyone in the village knew not to look up cross someone like that and death would be the least of
09:26it
09:26but i pointed at him and told my uncle that's my dad he's selling my mom
09:31when we reached rivermore village my dad was still selling pork when he saw the horses in carriage
09:36he froze and didn't dare look up everyone in the village knew not to look up cross someone like
09:42that and death would be the least of it but i pointed at him and told my uncle that's my
09:45dad
09:45he's selling my mom my uncle's face darkened you're saying that butcher is your dad and your mom was
09:49sold by him at your age you're already lying like that i sighed ever since meeting my uncle i'd been
09:54sighing non-stop talking to him was exhausting how did mom ever think he was smart i tried to get
09:58down but he held my waist tight so i shouted to my dad dad i'm back when my dad heard
10:03my voice he
10:04looked up fiercely but when he saw me on the horse being held he froze he glanced at their clothes
10:10then quickly set down the knife he smiled kindly ava where have you been i've been looking for you two
10:16days my uncle stared at his old ugly face his expression turned dark his eyes were dark full of
10:21something i couldn't understand he held my waist tight so i couldn't slide off the horse is he
10:26really your dad i nodded my dad stood below the horse looking pleased uh you fancy my girl
10:36this girl's very obedient she won't fight back or talk back ten tails of silver and she's yours my
10:40uncle sneered really didn't you just say he was selling your mom dad cut in right away she's just a
10:46kid talking nonsense no one's selling her mom i'm keeping her for myself i pointed at the meat scraps
10:51mom's right there he cut her up and sold the pieces and boiled her bones and fed me the soup
10:55i felt sick
10:56and bolted oh right that piece has three red dots that's her arm mom said that's the carter family
11:01mark when dad heard that he snapped you little brat what nonsense is that ungrateful little brat my uncle
11:07just stared at the meat he didn't say a word for a long time but i could feel his muscles
11:11tense
11:11hand trembling dad saw my uncle staring at the meat he blinked nervously and tried to smile at my uncle
11:16that's musk deer from the mountains the meat's nice and tender sir don't listen to her just then
11:20aunt clara leaned out from the carriage behind why are we still stuck here or are we there already dad
11:26turned at the sound the moment he saw her face his legs went weak then he took off running he
11:31was a
11:31butcher he was big and strong plenty of stamina but my uncle's guards were trained soldiers he barely
11:36ran before they pinned him only then did my uncle help me down he walked to the stall in silence
11:41he picked up the meat iris walked over took a look and her eyes welled up sir this is human
11:45flesh
11:46just like on the battlefield there were two slabs of pork on dad's stall too he was clever mom's meat
11:52was chopped up for extra most people wouldn't notice aunt clara came over with my cousin looking
11:57confused at my uncle in the meat stall are we there yet where's serena my uncle said nothing by the
12:02time
12:02dad was dragged back hands tied by two guards i had already taken off my coat and started gathering
12:06mom's meat it was late autumn the meat hadn't spoiled but it didn't look fresh anymore after all two
12:10days had passed my uncle watched me silently after a moment he sneered quite the convincing act fine
12:15take me to her or i'll kill you held mom's meat and nodded then led them into the village along
12:20the way
12:21the women we knew stared at us strangely some of the braver ones asked me ava what's going on why
12:26are
12:26they pinning your dad down i thought for a moment then i told them he killed my mom and sold
12:30her meat
12:30if you bought any from him please bring it back i want her to rest in peace you damn butcher
12:35how could you do that one woman leaned on the wall and threw up god i gotta tell the old
12:40man
12:41no wonder clark was so generous today he gave us a huge chunk of meat my dad's face darkened he
12:46shot
12:46me a vicious glare like he wanted to tear me apart too bad they stuffed his mouth he couldn't even
12:51curse
12:51my uncle kept his lips tight and followed me in silence my aunt seemed deep in thought her eyes
12:56kept darting around sometimes even sneering like she was secretly pleased at the gate i looked back at the
13:01yard it suddenly felt unfamiliar i'd only been gone two days but something felt different i gently
13:07pushed the gate open everything inside looked the same i tightened my grip on the bundle the cold
13:11scraps pressed to my chest chilling me to the bone once inside the yard i looked at iris and told
13:15her
13:15to get something to eat we'd been walking half a day everyone was hungry iris didn't answer right
13:20away she glanced at my uncle until my uncle nodded then she headed to the kitchen i lit a candle
13:25led my
13:26uncle and aunt to the cellar entrance i lifted the wooden hatch the smell of blood hit us i pointed
13:31into the dark tunnel mom's down there in the cellar she usually stays there my uncle's face turned
13:35cold he had them drag my dad down the tunnel my aunt held my cousin her eyes scanned the yard
13:39two huge butcher tables dark red blood everywhere she clenched her jaw and stepped into the cellar at
13:45the end of the tunnel was a large cellar almost every house in the village has one but ours had
13:50a
13:50much longer tunnel the cellar wasn't under the yard it stretched into the mountain dad said it keeps the
13:55sound out no one would hear a thing the cellar was huge there were all kinds of supplies and a
14:00carved
14:00wooden bed my mom's skeleton was hanging on the wall her flesh was already gone only her head still
14:07looked the same all those years of suffering made her look nothing like her twin sister see mom's
14:13right here i set the minced meat by the skeleton's feet and raised the candle so they could see her
14:18clearly see i didn't lie my aunt quickly covered my cousin's eyes she gagged and turned to leave then
14:23two stone slabs dropped the cellar was sealed even the guards couldn't push it open what's going on my
14:29aunt screamed then she realized something and glared at me you lured us in here on purpose what are you
14:35planning before she finished she got dizzy her legs gave out she collapsed my cousin hit the ground hard
14:41she burst into tears my uncle rushed to pick her up but before he reached her his legs gave out
14:46he could
14:46only watch as her crying faded away he and my aunt stared wide-eyed their eyes filled with terror i
14:52looked
14:52at them faint smile curled on my lips relax she just took too much she's just knocked out i looked
14:58at
14:58the three on the floor the candle flickered on the damp wall stretching the shadow of mom's skeleton like
15:03a lone bird with its wings spread guarding this dark corner all these years i crouched down and brushed
15:09my fingers over her wrist there was a faint mark there mom carved it when she taught me my name
15:13with a
15:14small knife ava my name is serena it means peace all i want is peace in this life why is
15:20that so
15:20hard i was just a kid back then i didn't see the sorrow in her eyes i only knew her
15:24hands were warm
15:25the mark she carved on the bone was like a tiny flower now that flower stays with her bones weeping
15:29silently in this cellar i turned to my passed out dad when he chopped mom up did it hurt so
15:35bad she
15:35couldn't even scream remembered every time dad beat her she'd hold me her voice hoarse ava hang in there
15:42when i get the chance i'll take you away we'll go find your uncle he'll help us but he never
15:46did i
15:47stood up and walked to the corner a small wooden chest was hidden there mom treasured it most i
15:52dragged it out it was locked but i knew where the key was mom hit it in a crack under
15:57the bed she said
15:57it was all she had left i dug out the key and opened the chest inside was a layer of
16:01blue silk a few
16:02yellowed letters lay on it and a silver hairpin a magnolia was carved on it just like mom taught me
16:07to
16:07draw picked up a letter and read it by candlelight it was from mom to my uncle the writing was
16:12neat but trembling felix i know you resent me but i never touched clara's husband clara set me up she
16:17was jealous dad said i was the most promising one and you always protected me so she got peter drunk
16:22then put me next to him to make dad think i wasn't pure felix i wasn't promiscuous dad drove me
16:27out he
16:27said i shamed the carter family he even wanted my legs broken i had no choice i could only run
16:31i ran to
16:31rivermore village and traffickers sold me to the butcher clark he's a devil he beat me every day but i
16:36couldn't die i have ava now i'll raise her myself let her return to the carters let her know her
16:40mom
16:40wasn't a slut my tears fell and blurred the ink on the letter so mom was telling the truth she
16:44wasn't
16:45the loose woman uncle called her or the homewrecker aunt claimed she was framed driven away by her own
16:50sister and dad and my uncle this so-called hero hated her for nine years over a few words never
16:57even
16:57giving her a chance to explain uh dad groaned softly his eyes slowly opened he had just woken up his
17:03gaze
17:03was still foggy but when he saw the skeleton his face turned pale like he'd seen a ghost ghost there's
17:09a ghost he struggled to get up but i stepped on his chest dad look closely that's no ghost that's
17:15mom my voice was soft but ice cold the same mom you chopped up and sold as pork dad started
17:21shaking
17:22his eyes filled with fear no that's not true ava don't listen to them she she died of illness he's
17:28still lying just like before when he made me drink mom's bone broth not a hint of shame she died
17:32of
17:32an illness i laughed through tears then tell me why is mom's skeleton here why do the scraps on the
17:38meat stall have the carter family's three red dots and why does your soup smell so foul it reeks i
17:44crouched down and grabbed his hair i shoved his face toward mom's skeleton look you'd better look
17:48carefully his screams echoed in the cellar he shook his head wildly his teeth rattled i didn't mean to
17:53she wouldn't listen she kept trying to run wanting to find the carters i beat her but she never gave
17:58in i had no choice i let go he crashed onto the ground so you killed her is it because
18:04she wanted
18:04to escape you because she wanted me to live enough a shout came from behind uncle had woken up he
18:10struggled to get up but the drug hadn't worn off yet his legs gave out he collapsed back down his
18:14eyes
18:14were full of shock and anger staring at me ava what are you doing he's your dad i turned to
18:20my
18:20uncle a mocking smile on my lips i turned to my uncle a mocking smile on my lips general don't
18:27forget
18:27my so-called dad killed your own sister chopped her up and sold the meat back then you hated my
18:32mom
18:32and said she shamed the carters but now look who really brought shame it's you uncle you never even
18:36knew the truth that aunt who framed her own sister and this beast of a father my aunt woke up
18:41too
18:41she covered her nose looking into the cellar her face twisted with disgust and fear you little
18:45bastard how dare you treat your dad like this and serena even dead she's still causing a mess look at
18:50this disgusting mess what a curse curse i walked up to her and threw mom's letter to uncle in her
18:54face
18:55aunt take a good look see how you framed my mom see how you made uncle hate her for nine
19:00years mom
19:00believed till her dying day you were her sister she always hoped the truth would come out one day but
19:04you you wanted her dead my aunt picked up the letter the more she read the paler she became no
19:10that's
19:10not true serena was the shameless one she seduced my husband first this letter is fake she kept
19:16arguing like someone cornered and losing it fake i pointed at my mom's skeletons can her skeletons be
19:21faked can dad's confession be faked can the villagers be faked too you thought your plan was flawless but
19:26you forgot mom had three red marks on her arm a sign only the carters bears you forgot my dad
19:30sold
19:30meat with her skeletons mixed in my uncle picked up another letter it was written to the carter ancestor
19:34it detailed how my aunt framed her and the suffering in rivermore village the more he read
19:40the darker his face became his hands clenched the letter and his knuckles turned white clara it really
19:44was you his voice was hoarse filled with shock and pain no it wasn't me felix don't listen to this
19:50bastard she's turning us against each other and getting revenge on us my aunt screamed and rushed
19:54at me but i easily dodged mom taught me some basic skills i was never very good but dealing with
19:59a
19:59pampered woman like her was easy my cousin woke up too seeing everything she burst into tears she ran
20:05into my aunt's arms mom i'm scared i want to go home i want uncle to hold me my aunt
20:09held her tightly
20:10tears streamed down her face not from regret but from fear annie don't be scared i will take you home
20:15we'll go home right away she looked up at my uncle felix let us out this little bastard is crazy
20:20she wants
20:21to kill us my uncle said nothing he walked over to mom's skeleton and slowly knelt down serena i was
20:26wrong
20:26his voice choked tears fell onto the cold skeleton i believed others too easily i never looked for you
20:30and i let you suffer for so long he knelt and bowed three times each bow was hard his forehead
20:35soon
20:36swelled red serena don't worry i will avenge you i will clear your name he stood up his eyes turned
20:41firm he looked at dad and aunt clark you killed my sister cruelly i will make you suffer before you
20:47die clara you framed your own sister you ruined her life i will send you to the clan temple you
20:52will live
20:52there as a nun dad collapsed in fear he couldn't say a word and my aunt screamed no felix you
20:59can't
20:59do this i'm your sister annie is still so young she can't lose her mom you still remember annie can't
21:03lose her mom i said coldly what about me i grew up without a mom dad abused me uncle despised
21:08me you
21:08called me a bastard what did i ever do wrong just then loud banging came from the cellar door
21:12my uncle's men had arrived general are you inside we're here to save you my uncle took a deep breath
21:19he
21:19shouted toward the entrance i'm fine wait outside without my order do not come in the banging stopped
21:24my uncle turned to me ava i know no matter what i do i cannot make up for what i
21:29did to you and my
21:29sister but i hope you can give me a chance let me do something for you what do you want
21:33wealth or
21:34status or the carter's inheritance i can give it all to you i shook my head looking at mom's skeleton
21:38i
21:39said softly i want nothing i just want my mom to rest in peace and those who hurt her to
21:43pay the price
21:44all right my uncle nodded i'll give my sister a proper burial clark and clara will face the
21:49harshest punishment then will you come back to the carters with me i will treat you like my own
21:53daughter give you the best education you will be the real miss carter i hesitated mom's greatest
21:58wish was for me to return to carters to know i was not a bastard but a member of the
22:02carters
22:03but when i thought of the carters of my uncle's past indifference and my aunt's cruelty i felt uneasy
22:08i i want to keep vigil by my mom's grave so in the end i refused after mom's matters are
22:13settled
22:13i'll decide where to go my uncle didn't force me he nodded all right i respect your choice whenever
22:18you want to return you'll always be welcome in the following days my uncle sent people to handle
22:23the cellar dad was thrown into the county jail my uncle ordered no food for him let him starve to
22:28death just like what he did to mom and me my aunt was sent to the clan temple she shaved
22:32her head
22:33and became a nun she would never stir trouble again mom's remains were carefully collected uncle had a
22:38fine coffin made her skeleton and the scattered flesh were placed inside when the villagers knew the truth
22:43they all pitied her many came to her funeral miss jane held my hand and cried ava your mom had
22:49a hard
22:49life now she can finally rest in peace mom was buried on the hill behind rivermore the view there
22:54is beautiful i can see the whole village my uncle personally set up her headstone it bears her name
22:58serena carter beside it are smaller words sister clara brother felix in mourning i stayed by my mom's
23:02grave for three months during those months my uncle often visited me he brought food and supplies he had
23:06tutors teach me reading writing and martial skills he said mom was the carters most talented daughter
23:10skilled in both arts and combat he hoped i would carry on her legacy so i studied very hard because
23:15i knew this was what mom wished to see when mom first taught me to read she said ava girls
23:19must study
23:19too learn many skills only then will no one bully you now i finally have the chance to fulfill her
23:24wish
23:24three months later someone from the carters arrived he was my uncle's dad and mom's own dad
23:30he was already very old his hair and beard were white he leaned on a cane but his eyes were
23:34sharp when he saw
23:35me tears filled his eyes girl you've suffered your mom suffered too it was my fault i wrongly believed
23:40clara back then your mom was wrong he brought me a carter token a jade engraved with carter only heirs
23:45of the carters may carry it he asked me to return to the carters reclaim my place and inherit everything
23:50i looked at mom's grave softly i said mom grandfather came for me should i go back to the family
23:55a gentle
23:55wind passed leaves rustled softly as if she was answering me ava return to the family and live with
24:01dignity make me proud i nodded then followed grandfather and uncle back the carters are a
24:06powerful family the estate was enormous even grander than uncle's general mansion grandfather
24:10arranged a grand ceremony for my return so everyone would know i was serena's daughter a true young
24:15lady of the carters on the day of the ceremony the carters was decorated in celebration many guests
24:19arrived they looked at me with curiosity scrutiny and even awe i wore a splendid dress and a jade hair
24:25pin from grandfather standing before everyone i still felt uneasy i was used to the rough clothes of
24:31rivermore used to the damp darkness of the cellar this kind of wealth felt unfamiliar to me grandfather
24:36held my hand and introduced me this is my granddaughter ava her mom was my daughter serena
24:41from today on ava is the eldest lady of the carters no one may bully her everyone voiced their agreement
24:46but i could feel some looks of disdain and contempt they still remembered i was the girl from the
24:51countryside the little beggar abused by dad and scorned by uncle but i didn't care i only wanted to live
24:56well and live a wonderful life for mom during my days in the carters every day i studied and
25:01trained the teacher who taught me was a learned old scholar he taught me the classics poetry and
25:06painting the one who trained me was my uncle's officer he was highly skilled and very strict
25:10with me at first i struggled when studying the difficult texts drove me crazy and the training left
25:15my body sore but i did not give up i remembered what mom told me in the cellar the suffering
25:21she
25:21endured for me and i found the strength to keep going my uncle often visited me he was no longer
25:25cold there was guilt and care in his eyes sometimes he trained me himself and told me stories about mom
25:31your mom was once the pride of the carters my uncle sat beside me his eyes lost in thought
25:36she followed your grandpa to war at 15 and won great victories even i could not match her
25:40swordsmanship but she was framed by clara and she ended up like that listened quietly my admiration
25:46for mom grew even more so my mom was an amazing woman ava i'm sorry my uncle suddenly spoke his
25:53voice was full of guilt back then i shouldn't have believed clara i shouldn't have been so cold to you
25:57and your mom if i had found you earlier your mom wouldn't have died and you wouldn't have suffered
26:01so much i looked at him and gently shook my head it's in the past but deep down i still
26:05resented him
26:05if he had believed mom back then if he had given me just one meal mom wouldn't have died and
26:10i wouldn't have endured so much suffering but i also knew hatred solves nothing it only brings
26:14more pain the days went by i gradually grew used to life in the carters my knowledge deepened
26:19my martial skills improved grandpa was very pleased with me he said i had mom's spirit
26:23my uncle saw me in a new light he said i was the carter family's future but i knew i
26:28did all this for
26:29mom i will live a wonderful life for her would prove that serena's daughter wasn't worthless but a
26:35person who stood tall one day my uncle told me dad starved to death in prison he died miserably
26:40like trash i felt neither sad nor happy it was simply his fate a few years later i grew up
26:46into
26:46a graceful young woman grandpa entrusted me with part of the business i managed it well everything
26:51in perfect order even better than uncle grandpa often said if mom were alive and saw me like this
26:56she would be very proud i often returned to rivermore to visit her grave every time i went
27:01i brought fresh steamed buns it's mom's favorite food and what i once longed for most i would sit by
27:06her
27:07grave and tell her how i'd been lately what i had learned and how kind the carters were to me
27:11one time i returned to rivermore i met mr taylor who once bought the meat when he saw me his
27:16face
27:16filled with guilt he dropped to his knees ava i'm sorry i didn't know it was your mom if i
27:21had known
27:21i would never have bought it i helped him up and said softly it's over my mom wouldn't blame you
27:27in truth the villagers were innocent they were deceived by my dad i asked them to return the meat
27:32only so my mom could rest in peace after returning from rivermore i heard some news
27:37my aunt had gone mad in the family hall every day she muttered my mom's name she said mom came
27:42for
27:42revenge i never went to see her i felt this was her fate she ruined mom's life in the end
27:47her guilt
27:48drove her mad years later grandpa fell gravely ill he held my hand and said ava my time is up
27:54the
27:54carters will depend on you remember this no matter what happens be as strong and brave as your mom
28:00i nodded tears ran down my face grandpa don't worry i will he smiled then he slowly breathed his
28:07last after grandpa passed away my uncle handed the power to me became the head of the family took
28:11charge of everything i launched a series of reforms the carters businesses flourished i also formed a
28:17women's army so women who suffered like i did can learn to protect themselves my reputation grew
28:22people began to say the carters now had an amazing female leader but i knew everything i achieved came
28:27from mom's strength one day i received a letter from the frontier it was from my uncle he said the
28:32border was in danger he would lead the army himself asked me to guard the carters keep things stable at
28:36home i agreed without hesitation i wrote back to him leave things at home to me go fight without worry
28:42after my uncle left for war i managed the businesses while keeping an eye on the frontier i knew the
28:46burden on him was heavy i couldn't let him worry a few months later good news came from the frontier
28:51my uncle had won the battle i led the carters to greet him seeing him return safely i finally felt
28:56relieved when he saw me his face was full of pride ava you've worked hard i smiled uncle it's what
29:02i
29:02should do that night the carters held a victory banquet at the feast my uncle raised his cup today
29:07i want to toast my niece ava if it weren't for her running the household i wouldn't have won ava
29:13you are the pride of the carters and your mom's pride too everyone raised their cups to me
29:17i stood up lifting my cup toward the distance it felt like i saw my mom's smile mom can you
29:22see i
29:23did it i lived a brilliant life for you and proved your innocence after the banquet ended i walked into
29:29the courtyard alone moonlight fell over me soft and bright rolled up my sleeve and looked at the scars
29:34on my wrist like rings of time they're etched on my body and in my heart these scars hold every
29:39hardship i've endured they also mark how far i've come they are my greatest treasure they remind me
29:44never to forget the past to cherish the present and face the future bravely memories of my childhood
29:49returned i remembered how my dad butchered my mom my uncle's cold gazes my aunt's cruel words
29:54and the sickening smell of blood in that dark cellar those memories are scars too etched into my life
29:59never to fade but i no longer hate hatred solves nothing it only brings pain so i chose to let
30:06it go
30:06and move forward carrying my mom's hope and my scars i will live well and make a life of my
30:11own
30:12another late autumn came i returned to rivermore weeds covered mom's grave i knelt down and slowly
30:17pulled the weeds away then i placed fresh magnolias there they were mom's favorite flowers just like
30:22the one on her hairpin the wind rustled through the leaves as if mom were smiling at me i stood
30:27up
30:27and looked into the distance sunlight fell over me warm and bright i know i still have a long way
30:32to go
30:32but i was no longer afraid because i knew mom would always be with me in my life and in
30:37my
30:38heart never leaving i turned and walked away my steps steady and calm knew i would grow into a woman
30:43as strong and as brave as my mom will make something of my life people who hurt us would
30:48never dare to look down on us again that winter a rare heavy snow fell the city was wrapped in
30:53silver
30:53the rooftops of the carters were heavy with snow from afar they looked frosted white i was checking the
30:58accounts in my study when iris spoke from outside her voice hesitant miss carter a girl is asking to see
31:03you she says she's from rivermore i sat down my pen my fingers brushed over the crowded lines in the
31:07ledger rivermore always stirred something soft inside me let her in moments later a thin girl
31:14followed iris into the room she looked about 13 her hair was dull and a bruise still marked her
31:19forehead her eyes were full of fear her hands clutched her clothes tightly shivering from the
31:23cold miss carter my name is mina miss jane told me to come at the mention of her i remembered
31:28the
31:28kind woman in rivermore so i asked gently did miss jane send you here for help tears instantly
31:34filled her eyes my dad my dad lost money gambling now he'll sell me to an old bachelor to his
31:39debt
31:39miss jane said you're a good person who might save me her voice faded it trembled with despair i don't
31:45want to marry him i want to study i want to live looking at her i saw the girl i
31:48once was huddled under
31:49a cold eve hungry and freezing the same helplessness the same hope for one chance to survive i stood and
31:55walked to her taking off my fur cloak and placing it on her shoulders it was a gift from grandpa
31:59the warm fur wrapped around her frozen body she flinched slightly and looked up at me eyes full
32:04of surprise don't be afraid i said softly now that you're in the carters no one will force
32:08you again i arranged a room for mina called a doctor for her wounds and hired a tutor to teach
32:12her reading and writing but a few days later the steward came to report that several elders were
32:16displeased they said i shouldn't have taken in some stray girl wasting the money they said i was
32:21too rough not fit for the family that afternoon several white-haired elders blocked the hall
32:26leading them was my second grand uncle the most senior of the family leaning on his cane he said
32:31grimly miss carter we are a noble family how can you take in a stranger we don't even know her
32:35if
32:35trouble comes who will be responsible i stood on the steps the cold wind lifted my skirt and the scars
32:40on my wrist began to ache i looked at them in their eyes i saw doubt and the same disdain
32:45i had seen
32:45years ago from those who called me a bastard but i was no longer that helpless beggar girl
32:50i said calmly grand uncle iris is not a stranger she is a child from rivermore she has suffered
32:55all her life like me the carters wealth may come from our generations but our family creed has always
33:00been to help those in need if someone had helped my mom when she fell on hard times it wouldn't
33:05have
33:05ended this way i know what it's like to go hungry and be bullied i know the despair of having
33:09nowhere to
33:09go now that i have the means i just want to give girls like me a way out isn't that
33:14what the carters
33:15should stand for grand uncle froze the other elders exchanged looks i continued mina is bright
33:19and eager to learn in just days she memorized over 1 000 words one day she may become someone useful
33:24money is never wasted when it's spent where it matters as for trouble if anyone dares bring it to
33:29carters i'll handle it my voice was calm but unwavering years of sword training had strengthened
33:34my body and given me the courage to face whatever comes the elders fell silent grand uncle sighed
33:39leaning on his cane he turned away you are the head of the carters now this decision is yours after
33:44they left iris handed me a cup of hot tea softly she said miss carter you looked just like your
33:49mom
33:49from years ago holding the warm tea my fingers felt its heat but my heart ached mom do you see
33:55i can
33:55finally protect others just like you protected me back then days passed mina grew more cheerful she
34:01studied hard and even learned bookkeeping from the accountant she improved quickly before long more
34:06suffering women came some were abused by their husbands others abandoned by family i took them all
34:11in i placed them in the women's guard and trained them to fight so they could defend themselves and serve
34:16the carters when spring arrived i brought iris and several sisters back to rivermore before mom's grave
34:22the magnolias had bloomed white petals against green grass pure and graceful i placed steamed buns
34:27by the grave and said softly mom i brought the sisters to see you they were once like me but
34:31now
34:32they have peace and the strength to protect themselves mina said miss serena deeply before
34:35the headstone with tears in her voice iris said miss nina thank you for your daughter she gave us a
34:40second life a gentle breeze passed petals drifted down like mom's soft reply i crouched down and traced
34:46the words on the stone my fingers felt cold i remembered mom teaching me to write i remembered her
34:51holding me and saying ava be strong i remembered her last wish to find my uncle now i had not
34:56only
34:56survived i had become the person mom hoped for i was not consumed by hatred instead kindness and mercy
35:01i did not forget the suffering i turned it into the strength to move forward after returning from
35:06rivermore news came again from the frontier the northern enemy had returned my uncle's army was
35:10trapped at yonel the news threw the carters into panic some elders panicked some proposed peace
35:16others suggested moving the capital i sat at the head of the hall watching them argue endlessly
35:20yet inside i was completely calm i remembered what my uncle said before he left for war ava leave
35:24things at home to me i trust you remembered mom's bravery on the battlefield and our daughters are
35:28just as formidable everyone please stay calm i stood up my voice was clear and steady you know
35:34is easy to defend my uncle is resourceful being trapped may not be a bad thing what we need now
35:38is not panic but supplies and reinforcements for my uncle i immediately ordered half of the granaries
35:44opened and carts sent to yonel from the women's guard i selected a hundred of the most skilled
35:49would lead them to the frontier myself before leaving i returned to mom's grave and bowed three
35:54times mom i am going to aid uncle do not worry i will protect myself i will protect the carters
35:59and
35:59our homeland the day we departed the sun shone bright the convoy rolled out of the capital i rode at
36:05the front wearing the armor my mom once wore it was found among her belongings the armor still
36:09carried the faint scent of gunpowder i traced the patterns on the armor it felt like mom's presence
36:14the scar on my wrist ached with every jolt of the horse it was a mark of growth a source
36:19of strength
36:19i knew the road ahead would not be easy the battle at yonel would be fierce but i was not
36:24afraid because
36:25i knew mom was watching from above our ancestors were watching too and the women i had helped were
36:29watching as well i ava am no longer that helpless beggar i am the one who leads the carters i
36:34will stand
36:35for my homeland the road ahead is long and the journey won't be easy but i will carry mom's
36:39love and her hopes along with my scars and strength i will keep moving forward i will show the world
36:43that
36:43the women of the carters are never weak i will also show mom that her daughter did not fail her
36:48last
36:48wish i will live with honor and walk in the light wind swept the grasslands hooves thundered i looked
36:53toward yonel with unwavering eyes i will give everything to protect my country and the carters and
36:59to protect women like me who long for light and freedom so they will never again be bullied or suffer
37:05so
Comments