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#video #film2026 #movie2026 #Legacy of Her Spirit - (2026) ✅ FULL EP
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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
02:23quiet well at least i got to eat meat once too bad it tasted awful cold water woke me up
02:28when i
02:28opened my eyes i was in a beautifully built courtyard before i knew it a fierce old woman pinched my
02:34nose
02:34and forced sour porridge down my throat then they dragged me into my uncle's study inside my uncle was
02:39talking about me with a doctor frowning my uncle said so she bit a chunk out of me because she's
02:43starving the doctor nodded yeah any later and she'd be dead i was hauled in front of my uncle his
02:49face
02:49looked awful white bandage wrapped the wrist i'd bitten he looked at me like i was an ugly rat he
02:54turned his head away speaking without looking at me you were starving and you didn't say anything or
02:58was that revenge i looked at him quietly and softly said sir the first thing i told you was i'm
03:03starving
03:03could you give me some money for a bun he froze for a moment clearly remembering then his brows knit
03:08in displeasure why aren't you calling me uncle now i pressed my lips tight and lowered my head
03:12when we first met i called him uncle but now i didn't want to he lifted his foot and tipped
03:16my
03:16chin up mute he curled his lips coldly still want to eat if you want to eat take me to
03:22your mom i want
03:22to see what's so great out there that she stayed away for nine years now she's broke and sends you
03:27back to beg i nodded and said give me white buns i'll take you to her fresh out of the
03:32oven not like that
03:33cold sour porridge from earlier that'd mess up my stomach the old woman behind me dropped to her knees at
03:37once sir i clearly fed her hot meat porridge she's lying my uncle looked at me with even more
03:43disgust just like your mom utterly disgraceful i looked at the old woman jammed my fingers down
03:47my throat and threw up the cold sour porridge my uncle staggered back in shock i jammed my fingers
03:53down my throat and threw up the cold sour porridge my uncle staggered back in shock i looked at him
03:58calmly see that porridge in my stomach for a while and it was still cold my stomach isn't made of
04:03ice
04:03he looked at the mess on the floor and recoiled at the sour smell how could something she just ate
04:08go sour so fast the old woman was already on the floor shaking all over it's clear now my uncle
04:14snorted coldly who gave you the nerve to disobey me behind my back the old woman trembled about to
04:18speak when a gentle voice came from outside i told her to feed it serena's daughter should be grateful
04:22for a bowl of rotten food the voice arrived before the person woman in fine robes walked in servants
04:27around her when i saw her face i froze they almost called out mom but i knew she wasn't she
04:32looked a lot
04:33like my mom but softer more graceful my mom looked older and worn out she'd never had a good life
04:37after being sold to my dad and aunt clara's always had it easy she walked in with a dark face
04:41the mess
04:41on the floor made her cover her nose in disgust yet a hint of satisfaction flashed in her eyes she
04:45looked at me and said you really do look like serena same little vixen face where is that bitch now
04:51i
04:51looked down and spoke quietly give me food and i'll lead you to her she snorted coldly what right do
04:56you
04:56have to make demands my uncle frowned he had servants bring in a plate of hot buns eat don't die
05:01in my
05:01house it's bad luck my aunt shot him an unhappy glare you feel sorry for this boston 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
05:16but i didn't dare eat too much i stuffed the rest into my torn sleeves my uncle watched me do
05:21it his
05:21frown deepening your mom didn't feed you i shook my head she saved the best food for me my uncle
05:26sneered face full of disgust then why do you still look so poor still putting on a show i didn't
05:31answer
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
05:41get 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 me many
05:56stories about home she even taught me martial arts but i was useless i could never learn it well she
06:00said the
06:00women in her family were just as strong as men she once earned merit on the battlefield herself if
06:03she hadn't been framed and had her tendons cut she wouldn't have ended up like that she tried to kill
06:08herself many times but her hatred kept her going my uncle rode ahead on a tall horse he asked if
06:13i
06:13could ride on my own i shook my head what did your mom teach you are you useless yes i
06:17am useless i
06:18lowered my head i saw my mom being cut into pieces by my dad he even tried to make me
06:22eat it and i was
06:24too useless to save her my uncle laughed in anger how did our family end up with a coward like
06:28you
06:28don't call me your uncle outside i nodded he looked at me as if there was nothing he could do
06:33in the end he had a guard put me on a horse the guard couldn't refuse so he covered his
06:37nose with
06:37a cloth to block the smell but halfway through the ride he couldn't hold it and threw up my uncle
06:43frowned asking how a girl could smell so bad at a roadside inn he got a room and had his
06:47maid clean
06:48me up as soon as she stripped off my rags she screamed my uncle thought something was wrong
06:54he kicked the door open and rushed in as soon as she stripped off my rags she screamed my uncle
07:01thought something was wrong he kicked the door open and rushed in he rushed in calling out to iris
07:05asking what was wrong iris covered her mouth and looked at him tears running down her face sir
07:09please take pity on this ava miss ava she doesn't deserve it then he saw me without clothes and froze
07:15i think my back was covered in fine knife scars but i couldn't reach it or see it it's probably
07:19ugly
07:20iris seemed soft-hearted she gently touched my wounds tears falling non-stop she smells because
07:25the wounds are rotting and she's been burning with fever my uncle stared at me for a moment then
07:28realized i was a girl he quickly turned his back he took a deep breath before saying clean her wounds
07:34first i'll send for a doctor iris agreed but i shook my head and refused no need a little clay
07:39will do
07:39that's how i healed before i forgot the last two days iris stared shocked how can you use clay
07:45after my uncle left iris cleaned my wounds and put some medicine on them because treating me took
07:50extra time aunt clara's face darkened why waste time and money on her she's just like her mom always
07:56pulling tricks my uncle was about to hug my cousin but he paused when he heard that and pulled his
08:00hand back she pouted and whined uncle hug me she was only four she was the child aunt clara had
08:05long
08:05hoped for of course she adored her seeing her feel wronged aunt clara immediately got upset what are
08:10you doing can't you see annie wants a hug my uncle sighed i'm tired then he walked toward me for
08:16the
08:16first time he crouched in front of me he was really tall if he didn't crouch i couldn't even meet
08:20his
08:20eyes did your mom abuse you often i shook my head mom was good to me she got beaten more
08:25than i did
08:25my uncle froze his expression cracked how could that be she clearly then his brows knitted tightly again
08:30you're lying did your mom tell you to lie to me so i'd feel sorry for her i stared at
08:34him
08:34remembering mom's words her brother was a great hero a brilliant general wise and incredibly smart
08:41my mom was wrong again turns out her brother was just a fool if this was all just to fool
08:46him then
08:46how do you explain the old scars on my body was i beaten all my life just for this lie
08:50maybe the
08:51way i looked at him pissed him off he snorted coldly he really liked doing that as if it made
08:55him
08:56feel superior lead the way let's see what she's up to this time he didn't make a guard take me
09:00he
09:00lifted me onto the horse himself pressed me into his chest i sucked in a sharp breath in pain only
09:04then did he remember my back wounds he gently helped me sit upright don't you have a mouth why
09:08didn't you say it hurt i clenched my teeth tight it hurt too much to speak so i pretended to
09:11be mute
09:12the horse moved fast two days journey was done in half a day when we reached rivermore village my dad
09:16was still selling pork when he saw the horses in carriage he froze and didn't dare look up everyone
09:21in the village knew not to look up cross someone like that and death would be the least of it
09:26but i
09:26pointed at him and told my uncle that's my dad he's selling my mom when we reached rivermore village
09:33my dad was still selling pork when he saw the horses in carriage he froze and didn't dare look
09:37up everyone in the village knew not to look up cross someone like that and death would be the least
09:43of
09:43it but i pointed at him and told my uncle that's my dad he's selling my mom my uncle's face
09:47darkened
09:47you're saying that butcher is your dad and your mom was sold by him at your age you're already lying
09:51like that i sighed ever since meeting my uncle i've been sighing non-stop talking to him was
09:55exhausting how did mom ever think he was smart i tried to get down but he held my waist tight
10:00so
10:00i shouted to my dad dad i'm back when my dad heard my voice he looked up fiercely but when
10:06he saw me
10:06on the horse being held he froze he glanced at their clothes then quickly set down the knife he smiled
10:13kindly ava where have you been i've been looking for you two days my uncle stared at his old ugly
10:18face
10:18his expression turned dark his eyes were dark full of something i couldn't understand he held my waist
10:23tight so i couldn't slide off the horse is he really your dad i nodded my dad stood below the
10:30horse 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
10:40my uncle sneered really didn't you just say he was selling your mom dad cut in right away she's just
10:46a
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
11:07uncle just stared at the meat he didn't say a word for a long time but i could feel his
11:10muscles tense
11:11hand trembling dad saw my uncle staring at the meat he blinked nervously and tried to smile at my
11:16uncle that's musk deer from the mountains the meat's nice and tender sir don't listen to her
11:20just then aunt clara leaned out from the carriage behind why are we still stuck here or are we there
11:25already dad turned at the sound the moment he saw her face his legs went weak then he took off
11:30running
11:30he was a butcher he was big and strong plenty of stamina but my uncle's guards were trained soldiers
11:35he barely ran before they pinned him only then did my uncle help me down he walked to the stall
11:40in
11:40silence he picked up the meat iris walked over took a look and her eyes welled up sir this is
11:45human flesh
11:46just like on the battlefield there were two slabs of pork on dad's stall too he was clever mom's
11:51meat was 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
12:11days had passed my uncle watched me silently after a moment he sneered quite the convincing act fine take me
12:15to
12:16her or i'll kill you held mom's meat and nodded then led them into the village along the way the
12:21women we knew stared at us strangely some of the braver ones asked me ava what's going on why are
12:26they pinning your dad down i thought for a moment then i told them he killed my mom and sold
12:30her meat
12:31if you bought any from him please bring it back i want her to rest in peace you damn butcher
12:35how could
12:36you do that one woman leaned on the wall and threw up god i gotta tell the old man no
12:41wonder clark was so
12:42generous today he gave us a huge chunk of meat my dad's face darkened he shot me a vicious glare
12:46like
12:47he wanted to tear me apart too bad they stuffed his mouth he couldn't even curse my uncle kept his
12:52lips tight and followed me in silence my aunt seemed deep in thought her eyes kept darting around sometimes
12:57even sneering like she was secretly pleased at the gate i looked back at the yard it suddenly felt
13:03unfamiliar i'd only been gone two days but something felt different i gently pushed the gate open
13:07everything inside looked the same i tightened my grip on the bundle the cold scraps pressed to my
13:12chest chilling me to the bone once inside the yard i looked at iris and told her to get something
13:16to
13:16eat we'd been walking half a day everyone was hungry iris didn't answer right away she glanced at
13:21my uncle until my uncle nodded then she headed to the kitchen i lit a candle led my uncle and
13:26aunt to
13:27the cellar entrance i lifted the wooden hatch the smell of blood hit us i pointed into the dark tunnel
13:32mom's down there in the cellar she usually stays there my uncle's face turned cold he had them drag my
13:37dad
13:37down the tunnel my aunt held my cousin her eyes scanned the yard two huge butcher tables dark red
13:42blood everywhere she clenched her jaw and stepped into the cellar at the end of the tunnel was a
13:47large cellar almost every house in the village has one but ours had a much longer tunnel the cellar
13:52wasn't under the yard it stretched into the mountain dad said it keeps the sound out no one would hear
13:57a thing the cellar was huge there were all kinds of supplies and a carved wooden bed my mom's skeleton
14:02was hanging on the wall her flesh was already gone only her head still looked the same all those years
14:09of suffering made her look nothing like her twin sister see mom's right here i set the minced meat
14:15by the skeleton's feet and raised the candle so they could see her clearly see i didn't lie my aunt
14:20quickly covered my cousin's eyes she gagged and turned to leave then two stone slabs dropped the
14:26cellar was sealed even the guards couldn't push it open what's going on my aunt screamed then she realized
14:31something and glared at me you lured us in here on purpose what are you planning before she finished
14:37she got dizzy her legs gave out she collapsed my cousin hit the ground hard she burst into tears my
14:42uncle rushed to pick her up but before he reached her his legs gave out he could only watch as
14:48her
14:48crying faded away he and my aunt stared wide-eyed their eyes filled with terror i looked at them faint
14:53smile curled on my lips relax she just took too much she's just knocked out i looked at the three
14:59on the
14:59floor the candle flickered on the damp wall stretching the shadow of mom's skeleton like
15:04a lone bird with its wings spread guarding this dark corner all these years i crouched down and
15:08brushed my fingers over her wrist there was a faint mark there mom carved it when she taught me my
15:13name
15:13with a small knife ava my name is serena it means peace all i want is peace in this life
15:20why is that
15:20so hard i was just a kid back then i didn't see the sorrow in her eyes i only knew
15:24her hands were warm
15:25the mark she carved on the bone was like a tiny flower now that flower stays with her bones
15:29weeping silently in this cellar i turned to my passed out dad when he chopped mom up did it hurt
15:35so bad she couldn't even scream remembered every time dad beat her she'd hold me her voice hoarse
15:40ava hang in there when i get the chance i'll take you away we'll go find your uncle he'll help
15:45us but
15:45he never did i stood up and walked to the corner a small wooden chest was hidden there mom treasured
15:51it most i dragged it out it was locked but i knew where the key was mom hit it in
15:56a crack under the
15:57bed she said it was all she had left i dug out the key and opened the chest inside was
16:01a layer of blue
16:02silk a few yellowed letters lay on it and a silver hairpin a magnolia was carved on it just like
16:07mom
16:07taught me to draw picked up a letter and read it by candlelight it was from mom to my uncle
16:11the writing
16:11was neat but trembling felix i know you resent me but i never touched clara's husband clara set me up
16:17she was jealous dad said i was the most promising one and you always protected me so she got peter
16:21drunk then put me next to him to make dad think i wasn't pure felix i wasn't promiscuous dad drove
16:26me out he said i shamed the carter family he even wanted my legs broken i had no choice i
16:30could only
16:31run i ran to rivermore village and traffickers sold me to the butcher clark he's a devil he beat me
16:35every day but i couldn't die i have ava now i'll raise her myself let her return to the carters
16:39let her
16:39know her mom wasn't a slut my tears fell and blurred the ink on the letter so mom was telling
16:44the truth
16:44she wasn't the loose woman uncle called her or the homewrecker aunt claimed she was framed driven
16:49away by her own sister and dad and my uncle this so-called hero hated her for nine years over
16:56a few
16:56words never even giving her a chance to explain uh dad groaned softly his eyes slowly opened he had
17:02just woken up his gaze was still foggy but when he saw the skeleton his face turned pale like he'd
17:08seen a
17:08ghost ghost there's a ghost he struggled to get up but i stepped on his chest dad look closely
17:14that's no ghost that's mom my voice was soft but ice cold the same mom you chopped up and sold
17:20as
17:20pork dad started shaking his eyes filled with fear no that's not true ava don't listen to them
17:26she she died of illness he's still lying just like before when he made me drink mom's bone broth not
17:31a hint of shame she died of an illness i laughed through tears then tell me why is mom's skeleton
17:36here
17:36why do the scraps on the meat stall have the carter family's three red dots and why does your soup
17:41smell
17:41so foul it reeks i crouched down and grabbed his hair i shoved his face toward mom's skeleton look
17:47you'd better look carefully his screams echoed in the cellar he shook his head wildly his teeth rattled
17:52i didn't mean to she wouldn't listen she kept trying to run wanting to find the carters i beat her
17:57but
17:58she never gave in i had no choice i let go he crashed onto the ground so you killed her
18:03is it because
18:04she wanted to escape you because she wanted me to live enough a shout came from behind uncle had woken
18:09up he struggled to get up but the drug hadn't worn off yet his legs gave out he collapsed back
18:14down his
18:14eyes were full of shock and anger staring at me ava what are you doing he's your dad i turned
18:20to my
18:20uncle a mocking smile on my lips i turned to my uncle a mocking smile on my lips general don't
18:27forget
18:28my 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
18:55and take a good look see how you framed my mom see how you made uncle hate her for nine
19:00years
19:00mom believed till her dying day you were her sister she always hoped the truth would come out
19:04one day but you you wanted her dead my aunt picked up the letter the more she read the paler
19:09she became
19:09no that's not true serena was the shameless one she seduced my husband first this letter is fake
19:15she kept arguing like someone cornered and losing it fake i pointed at my mom's skeletons can her
19:20skeletons be faked can dad's confession be faked can the villagers be faked too you thought your plan
19:25was flawless but you forgot mom had three red marks on her arm a sign only the carters bears you
19:29forgot my dad sold meat with her skeletons mixed in my uncle picked up another letter it was written
19:33to the carter ancestor it detailed how my aunt framed her and the suffering in rivermore village
19:39the more he read the darker his face became his hands clenched the letter and his knuckles turned
19:43white clara it really was you his voice was hoarse filled with shock and pain no it wasn't me felix
19:49don't listen to this bastard she's turning us against each other and getting revenge on us my aunt
19:53screamed and rushed at me but i easily dodged mom taught me some basic skills i was never very good
19:59but dealing with a pampered woman like her was easy my cousin woke up too seeing everything she
20:04burst into tears she ran into my aunt's arms mom i'm scared i want to go home i want uncle
20:08to hold
20:09me my aunt held her tightly tears streamed down her face not from regret but from fear annie don't be
20:14scared i will take you home we'll go home right away she looked up at my uncle felix let us
20:19out this
20:19little bastard is crazy she wants to kill us my uncle said nothing he walked over to mom's skeleton
20:24and slowly knelt down serena i was wrong his voice choked tears fell onto the cold skeleton i believed
20:29others too easily i never looked for you and i let you suffer for so long he knelt and bowed
20:33three
20:34times each bow was hard his forehead soon swelled red serena don't worry i will avenge you i will clear
20:39your name he stood up his eyes turned firm he looked at dad and aunt clark you killed my sister
20:45cruelly i will make you suffer before you die clara you framed your own sister
20:49you ruined her life i will send you to the clan temple you will live there as a nun dad
20:53collapsed
20:54in fear he couldn't say a word and my aunt screamed no felix you can't do this i'm your sister
21:00annie is
21:00still so young she can't lose her mom you still remember annie can't lose her mom i said coldly
21:04what about me i grew up without a mom dad abused me uncle despised me you called me a bastard
21:09what did
21:10i ever do wrong just then loud banging came from the cellar door my uncle's men had arrived general are
21:15you inside we're here to save you my uncle took a deep breath he shouted toward the entrance i'm
21:20fine wait outside without my order do not come in the banging stopped my uncle turned to me ava
21:26i know no matter what i do i cannot make up for what i did to you and my sister
21:30but i hope you
21:30can give me a chance let me do something for you what do you want wealth or status or the
21:35carter's
21:35inheritance i can give it all to you i shook my head looking at mom's skeleton i said softly i
21:40want
21:40nothing i just want my mom to rest in peace and those who hurt her to pay the price all
21:45right my
21:45uncle nodded i'll give my sister a proper burial clark and clara will face the harshest punishment
21:50then will you come back to the carters with me i will treat you like my own daughter give you
21:54the
21:54best education you will be the real miss carter i hesitated mom's greatest wish was for me to return
21:59to carter's to know i was not a bastard but a member of the carter's but when i thought of
22:04the
22:04carter's of my uncle's past indifference and my aunt's cruelty i felt uneasy i i want to keep
22:09vigil by my mom's grave so in the end i refused after mom's matters are settled i'll decide where
22:14to go my uncle didn't force me he nodded all right i respect your choice whenever you want to return
22:19you'll always be welcome in the following days my uncle sent people to handle the cellar dad was
22:24thrown into the county jail my uncle ordered no food for him let him starve to death just like what
22:29he did to mom and me my aunt was sent to the clan temple she shaved her head and became
22:33a nun she
22:34would never stir trouble again mom's remains were carefully collected uncle had a fine coffin made
22:39her skeleton and the scattered flesh were placed inside when the villagers knew the truth they all
22:43pitied her many came to her funeral miss jane held my hand and cried ava your mom had a hard
22:49life now
22:50she can finally rest in peace mom was buried on the hill behind rivermore the view there is beautiful i
22:55can see the whole village my uncle personally set up her headstone it bears her name serena carter
22:59beside it are smaller words sister clara brother felix in mourning i stayed by my mom's grave for three
23:03months during those months my uncle often visited me he brought food and supplies he had tutors teach
23:07me reading writing and martial skills he said mom was the carter's most talented daughter skilled in
23:11both arts and combat he hoped i would carry on her legacy so i studied very hard because i knew
23:15this
23:15was what mom wished to see when mom first taught me to read she said ava girls must study too
23:20learn
23:20many skills only then will no one bully you now i finally have the chance to fulfill her wish three
23:25months later someone from the carter's arrived he was my uncle's dad and mom's own dad he was already
23:30very old his hair and beard were white he leaned on a cane but his eyes were sharp when he
23:35saw me tears
23:35filled 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 carter's may carry it he asked me to return to the carter's reclaim my place and inherit
23:50everything i looked at mom's grave softly i said mom grandfather came for me should i go back to the
23:55family a gentle wind passed leaves rustled softly as if she was answering me ava return to the family
24:00and live with dignity make me proud i nodded then followed grandfather and uncle back the carter's
24:06are a powerful 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 lady
24:15of the carter's on the day of the ceremony the carter's 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 hairpin
24:26from 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 carter's 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
24:56to live well and live a wonderful life for mom during my days in the carters every day i studied
25:01and trained 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 with
25:10me at first i struggled when studying the difficult texts drove me crazy and the training left my body
25:16sore but i did not give up i remembered what mom told me in the cellar the suffering she endured
25:21for
25:21me and i found the strength to keep going my uncle often visited me he was no longer cold there
25:26was
25:26guilt and care in his eyes sometimes he trained me himself and told me stories about mom your mom was
25:32once the pride of the carters my uncle sat beside me his eyes lost in thought she followed your grandpa
25:37to war at 15 and won great victories even i could not match her swordsmanship but she was framed by
25:42clara and she ended up like that listened quietly my admiration for mom grew even more so my mom was
25:49an amazing woman ava i'm sorry my uncle suddenly spoke his voice was full of guilt back then i
25:55shouldn't have believed clara i shouldn't have been so cold to you and your mom if i had found you
25:58earlier your mom wouldn't have died and you wouldn't have suffered so much i looked at him and gently shook
26:03my head it's in the past but deep down i still resented him if he had believed mom back then
26:07if he had
26:08given me just one meal mom wouldn't have died and i wouldn't have endured so much suffering but i also
26:12knew hatred solves nothing it only brings more pain the days went by i gradually grew used to life in
26:18the carters my knowledge deepened my martial skills improved grandpa was very pleased with me he said i
26:22had mom's spirit my uncle saw me in a new light he said i was the carter family's future but
26:27i knew
26:27i did all this for mom i will live a wonderful life for her would prove that serena's daughter
26:34wasn't worthless but a person who stood tall one day my uncle told me dad starved to death in prison
26:39he died miserably like trash i felt neither sad nor happy it was simply his fate a few years later
26:45i
26:45grew up into a graceful young woman grandpa entrusted me with part of the business i managed it well
26:50everything in perfect order even better than uncle grandpa often said if mom were alive and saw me like
26:56this she would be very proud i often returned to rivermore to visit her grave every time i went i
27:01brought
27:01fresh steamed buns it's mom's favorite food and what i once longed for most i would sit by her grave
27:07and 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
27:32meat only so my mom could rest in peace after returning from rivermore i heard some news my aunt
27:38had gone mad in the family hall every day she muttered my mom's name she said mom came for
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 last
28:07after grandpa passed away my uncle handed the power to me became the head of the family took charge of
28:12everything i launched a series of reforms the carters businesses flourished i also formed a women's army
28:18so women who suffered like i did can learn to protect themselves my reputation grew people began to say
28:23the carters now had an amazing female leader but i knew everything i achieved came from mom's strength
28:27one day i received a letter from the frontier it was from my uncle he said the border was in
28:32danger
28:33he would lead the army himself asked me to guard the carters keep things stable at home i agreed
28:37without hesitation i wrote back to him leave things at home to me go fight without worry after my uncle
28:43left for war i managed the businesses while keeping an eye on the frontier i knew the burden on him
28:47was heavy
28:48i couldn't let him worry a few months later good news came from the frontier my uncle had won the
28:52battle i led the carters to greet him seeing him return safely i finally felt relieved when he saw
28:58me his face was full of pride ava you've worked hard i smiled uncle it's what i should do that
29:03night
29:03the carters held a victory banquet at the feast my uncle raised his cup today i want to toast my
29:08niece
29:08ava if it weren't for her running the household i wouldn't have won ava you are the pride of the
29:14carters and your mom's pride too everyone raised their cups to me i stood up lifting my cup toward
29:19the distance it felt like i saw my mom's smile mom can you see i did it i lived a
29:24brilliant life for
29:25you and proved your innocence after the banquet ended i walked into the courtyard alone moonlight
29:30fell over me soft and bright rolled up my sleeve and looked at the scars on my wrist like rings
29:35of
29:36time they're etched on my body and in my heart these scars hold every hardship i've endured they also
29:41mark how far i've come they are my greatest treasure they remind me never to forget the past
29:46to cherish the present and face the future bravely memories of my childhood returned i remembered how
29:50my dad butchered my mom my uncle's cold gazes my aunt's cruel words and the sickening smell of blood
29:56in that dark cellar those memories are scars too etched into my life never to fade but i no longer
30:01hate
30:02hatred solves nothing it only brings pain so i chose to let it go and move forward carrying my mom's
30:08hope
30:08and my scars i will live well and make a life of my own another late autumn came i returned
30:14to
30:14rivermore weeds covered mom's grave i knelt down and slowly pulled the weeds away then i placed fresh
30:19magnolias there they were mom's favorite flowers just like the one on her hairpin the wind rustled
30:24through the leaves as if mom were smiling at me i stood up and looked into the distance sunlight fell
30:29over me warm and bright i know i still have a long way to go but i was no longer
30:34afraid because i knew
30:35mom would always be with me in my life and in my heart never leaving i turned and walked away
30:40my
30:41steps steady and calm knew i would grow into a woman as strong and as brave as my mom will
30:45make
30:46something of my life people who hurt us would never dare to look down on us again that winter a
30:51rare
30:51heavy snow fell the city was wrapped in silver the rooftops of the carters were heavy with snow from
30:56afar they looked frosted white i was checking the accounts in my study when iris spoke from outside
31:00her voice hesitant miss carter a girl is asking to see you she says she's from rivermore i sat down
31:05my pen my fingers brushed over the crowded lines in the ledger rivermore always stirred something
31:10soft inside me let her in moments later a thin girl followed iris into the room she looked about
31:1613 her hair was dull and a bruise still marked her forehead her eyes were full of fear her hands
31:21clutched her clothes tightly shivering from the cold miss carter my name is nina miss jane told me to
31:26come at the mention of her i remembered the kind woman in rivermore so i asked gently did miss jane
31:32send you here for help tears instantly filled her eyes my dad my dad lost money gambling now he'll
31:38sell me to an old bachelor to his debt miss jane said you're a good person who might save me
31:42her
31:42voice faded it trembled with despair i don't want to marry him i want to study i want to live
31:47looking at
31:48her i saw the girl i once was huddled under a cold eve hungry and freezing the same helplessness the
31:53same hope for one chance to survive i stood and walked to her taking off my fur cloak and placing
31:57it on her shoulders it was a gift from grandpa the warm fur wrapped around her frozen body she
32:02flinched slightly and looked up at me eyes full of surprise don't be afraid i said softly now that
32:06you're in the carters no one will force you again i arranged a room for mina called a doctor for
32:10her
32:11wounds and hired a tutor to teach her reading and writing but a few days later the steward came to
32:15report that several elders were displeased they said i shouldn't have taken in some stray girl
32:19wasting the money they said i was still too rough not fit for the family that afternoon
32:23several white-haired elders blocked the hall leading them was my second grand uncle the most
32:29senior of the family leaning on his cane he said grimly miss carter we are a noble family how can
32:33you take in a stranger we don't even know her if trouble comes who will be responsible i stood on
32:37the steps the cold wind lifted my skirt and the scars on my wrist began to ache i looked at
32:42them
32:42in their eyes i saw doubt and the same disdain i had seen years ago from those who called me
32:46a
32:47bastard but i was no longer that helpless beggar girl i said calmly grand uncle iris is not a
32:52stranger she is a child from rivermore she has suffered all her life like me the carters wealth
32:57may come from our generations but our family creed has always been to help those in need if someone
33:03had helped my mom when she fell on hard times it wouldn't have ended this way i know what it's
33:06like
33:07to go hungry and be bullied i know the despair of having nowhere to go now that i have the
33:11means i just
33:12want to give girls like me a way out isn't that what the carters should stand for
33:15grand uncle froze the other elders exchanged looks i continued mina is bright and eager to learn in
33:20just days she memorized over 1 000 words one day she may become someone useful money is never wasted
33:25when it's spent where it matters as for trouble if anyone dares bring it to the carters i'll handle
33:30it my voice was calm but unwavering years of sword training had strengthened my body and given me the
33:36courage to face whatever comes the elders fell silent grand uncle sighed leaning on his cane he turned
33:41away you are the head of the carters now this decision is yours after they left iris handed
33:46me a cup of hot tea softly she said miss carter you looked just like your mom from years ago
33:50holding
33:51the warm tea my fingers felt its heat but my heart ached mom do you see i can finally protect
33:56others
33:56just like you protected me back then days passed mina grew more cheerful she studied hard and even
34:02learned bookkeeping from the accountant she improved quickly before long more suffering women came
34:07some were abused by their husbands others abandoned by family i took them all in i placed them in the
34:12women's guard and trained them to fight so they could defend themselves and serve the carters when
34:17spring arrived i brought iris and several sisters back to rivermore before mom's grave the magnolias
34:22had bloomed white petals against green grass pure and graceful i placed steamed buns by the grave and said
34:28softly mom i brought the sisters to see you they were once like me but now they have peace and
34:33the
34:33strength to protect themselves mina said miss serena deeply before the headstone with tears in her voice
34:37iris said miss nina thank you for your daughter she gave us a second life a gentle breeze passed
34:42petals drifted down like mom's soft reply i crouched down and traced the words on the stone my fingers
34:48felt cold i remembered mom teaching me to write i remembered her holding me and saying ava be strong
34:53i remembered her last wish to find my uncle now i had not only survived i had become the person
34:57mom
34:58hoped for i was not consumed by hatred instead kindness and mercy i did not forget the suffering
35:02i turned it into the strength to move forward after returning from rivermore news came again
35:07from the frontier the northern enemy had returned my uncle's army was trapped at yanel
35:11the news threw the carters into panic some elders panicked some proposed peace others suggested moving
35:17the capital i sat at the head of the hall watching them argue endlessly yet inside i was completely calm
35:22i remembered what my uncle said before he left for war ava leave things at home to me i trust
35:25you
35:26remembered mom's bravery on the battlefield and our daughters are just as formidable
35:29everyone please stay calm i stood up my voice was clear and steady yanel is easy to defend my uncle
35:35is resourceful being trapped may not be a bad thing what we need now is not panic but supplies
35:40and reinforcements for my uncle i immediately ordered half of the granaries opened and carts sent to
35:46yanel from the women's guard i selected a hundred of the most skilled would lead them to the frontier
35:50myself before leaving i returned to mom's grave and bowed three times mom i am going to aid uncle
35:56do not worry i will protect myself i will protect the carters and our homeland the day we departed
36:01the sun shone bright the convoy rolled out of the capital i rode at the front wearing the armor my
36:06mom
36:06once wore it was found among her belongings the armor still carried the faint scent of gunpowder
36:11i traced the patterns on the armor it felt like mom's presence the scar on my wrist ached with every
36:16jolt of the horse it was a mark of growth a source of strength i knew the road ahead would
36:20not be easy
36:21the battle at yanel would be fierce but i was not afraid because i knew mom was watching from above
36:26our ancestors were watching too and the women i had helped were watching as well i ava am no longer
36:31that helpless beggar i am the one who leads the carters i will stand for my homeland the road ahead
36:36is long and the journey won't be easy but i will carry mom's love and her hopes along with my
36:40scars
36:40and strength i will keep moving forward i will show the world that the women of the carters are never
36:45weak i will also show mom that her daughter did not fail her last wish i will live with honor
36:49and walk in
36:50the light wind swept the grasslands hooves thundered i look toward yanel with unwavering eyes i will give
36:56everything to protect my country and the carters and to protect women like me who long for light
37:01and freedom so they will never again be bullied or suffer
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