She appeared even in her sleep

Kira gazed out of the carriage window and inhaled deeply. The surrounding trees were so dense that she couldn't make out what lay beyond. The sky had grown dim, casting an ominous air over the surroundings.

She noticed the carriages ahead and the one trailing from behind, both following closely. Beside her sat a woman who was glaring at her with a cold, deadly expression.

She recalled, with a heavy heart, being compelled to board the carriage against her will. The urge to cry overwhelmed them, but she refused to shed tears in front of the woman. With a determined effort, she gazed out of the window and suppressed her emotion, keeping her tears at bay.

The small window provided a breath of fresh air until the woman's angry voice shattered the peace. You ungrateful little girl! I took my time to do your hair, and now you've ruined it. My time has truly been wasted by you."

"How could you sell me to that cruel prince, knowing full well what type of person, he is?" she retorted. Allowing air to tangle her long locks, she hoped that her disheveled appearance would serve as a deterrent for the prince. She would rather look unattractive and unkempt than be sold to someone heartless.

In a matter of seconds, the woman had yanked away from the window and slammed it shut. She fixed her with a stunning gaze, a warning to not open the window again, or she would face dire consequences.

Kira glanced at the woman's wrathful gaze and sneered. This only fueled the woman further, causing her to raise her hand as if to strike. However, before she could make a contact, a voice spoke from beside her,

"Mother, please stop," the boy interjected, taking hold of her hand and preventing her from shaping Kira.

The woman sneered at her son, "Has she influenced you to turn against me?" she asked, her anger now directed solely at him. But the boy stood firm, undaunted by his mother's attempt to intimidate him.

He held them tightly in his mother's hand, and she struggled to break free from his grip. In the tussle, the boy was overpowered by the woman's strength and stumbled, striking his head against the carriage door.

"Richard!" Kira cried out in alarm.

Kira leaped over the prone figure of the young boy whose blood was slowly trickling from his head, "Richard, open your eyes. Please, Richard," she implored, her voice trembling as she struggled to contain her emotions. Tears she had been fighting spilled down her cheeks as she cradled the boy's head in her arms.

"Please help him," Kira said and gazed at the woman, whose attention was now fixed on her reddened arms. Despite the distress, her son was experiencing, the woman was concerned with her appearance.

Kira turned her gaze to the man who had remained silent, and the soldier met her stare. Kira could no longer contain her frustration. She swiftly tore a strip from the hem of her dress and quickly tied it at the area where blood was sipping out, effectively stemming the flow.

The soldier finally spoke out with a look of disgust. " Anna makes sure you take care of your little rabbits, the prince won't be pleased. They are too loud and disrupting."

"Enough with the act, Richard. And do you have any idea how much this dress cost me? I had to rent it, and now you have ruined it. Don't even think I'm going to buy you that dress just because you have dirtied it?" Anna was frustrated by those two for almost ruining things for her.

"Use the money you swindled from me to pay it!" Kira's voice rose as Anna accused Richard of fainting.

Anna scoffed in response, "I don't have time for your nonsense," she spat.

The next thing Kira knew, Anna's hand had connected to her cheek., leaving a stinging pain behind, Kira couldn't believe the woman will slap her in front of the man who had been guarding her.

The hotness of the slap remained on her skin.

The sound echoed on the carriage as Richard's eyes flew open when he felt Kira's body turn rigid. He looked up at the red Kira's face and he trembled.

Even the tears didn't bother to drop, her hold on Richard tightening. She knew Richard wasn't faking it, and the little boy had fainted.

Kira tried to hide her worried face by holding Richard and burying her head beside his neck.

"Anna just knows when the prince sees the fingerprints on his woman, you will be punished," the soldier warned when he saw Anna's hand printed on her.

The woman took a makeup kit from her small purse. She pulled Kira away from Richard and the boy fell on the floor.

"Richard!"

Kira screamed and walked up from her nightmare. Richard's worried face came to view.

She looks around only to find Richard holding her tightly, tears streaming from his eyes. And

sweat covers her face.

"It was only a nightmare, Kira," Richard whispered in her ears.

"Yes, a nightmare," Kira whispered back.

"You were screaming little Kira she won't come back for us anymore," he rubs Kira's back trying to suit her back to sleep with his little hands.

Kira pulled him up and brought them under the covers. Holding him back.

She didn't sleep immediately and watched Richard drift to sleep. That woman has never left her, even in her sleep. She wondered if she will ever have a good night's sleep.

She still had fear of being founded by Anna. At that time, when the war broke out, she didn't see Anna, even the carcasses couldn't be found.

The only thing she wanted was to see that woman perish. But now she seems like coming back every time she falls asleep.

"I will always be your worst nightmare, Kira, getting rid of me won't be easy," Anna's voice still wrung in her head even when she is awake.

Her laughter on celebrating her miseries would be whispered daily beside her. Looking at the peaceful boy's face, she sighed. Anna didn't even spare her only son.

She was so much into becoming a rich lady and forgot to take care of her son. Anna would always go after merchants in Vinita, she wondered if she knew the real father of Richard.

She will always bring different men into her house without minding what Richard, or she, will think. Occasionally, she was brought back drunk and couldn't even stand on her own.

Feeling tired, she put her head down on the pillows and drifted back to sleep.