[Gloria's POV]
I tuned my head gaze upward, staring at the vast, beautiful blue sky.
Framing the industrial roofs.
I remembered.
***
I was only eight years old back then…
Younger and innocent.
Living with my parents in the dense slums dense of Oakeven, then capital city of the Valerthia Empire.
I was the young fragile type who stayed I inside.
Not because I liked to but because my mother had always told me to stay inside, she was strong cautious type who was always cautious.
'You can play at home with your father.'
Those were the words she had drilled on me.
When I questioned her intentions.
The answer would always be the same.
'The slums were a dangerous place.'
For a long time I believed those words.
Then, eventually started being afraid to go outside.
Never daring to look even look outside.
I stayed inside with parents… mostly my father.
He was a wonderful playful man who absolutely cared for his wife and child.
He even worked tirelessly as a passionate mechanical engineer.
Doing his best to provide for us despite our location in the slums.
Then one faithful day…
My father received massive job offer to go work abroad.
Deep within the Westgaurd Nation.
My mother never really had time to play with me because she her entire day working and worrying and worry about wether or not we'd even have a meal on the table each night.
So, I never really talked to her much.
I was terrified afraid of her, not because she would lay a hand on me or anything but because she wouldn't.
That made feel as if she didn't care about me nor father.
Yet despite that fear of towards, I respected her more than anyone else in the world.
She was a month pregnant at the time yet still working hard for her family.
So, the pregnancy made everything tight for them.
This foreign contract was a huge, life changing opportunity.
Unbeknownst to me my pare had talked it over.
With another month they ultimately agreed to the contract.
When I found out I was completely devastated.
My own father was my only real best friend since I wasn't allowed to leave.
So, I knew I was going to be completely lonely.
But… I told myself that if it meant a better life for my upcoming sibling.
I stayed strong. Still, a part of me still felt incredibly sad.
It was selfish, I know, but that was just what I felt as a child.
***
The job paid exponentially well.
But the catch was that it would keep him away from us for an entire year.
On the cold yet sunny morning he left.
I thought I was composed…
I thought I was completely fine…
But then he knelt down in front of me.
He gently wipes my tears away with a warm loving smile and said.
"Don't worry, I'll be back soon… okay? So be a good girl and take care of your mother and the little one the way."
I onlooker at him and answered.
"Okay, I will."
With that confirmation he took out his favourite gear shaped necklace and handed it to me as a keepsafe.
"Be sure to keep that safe for me until I get back, okay?"
I held the necklace tight in my chest and answered.
"Okay…"
When he turned his back.
-Thud!
When the door heavy front door finally shut.
My composure completely shattered.
I broke down onto the floor.
Practically screaming my eyes out.
While, outside, he boarded a luxurious carriage.
The only one who comforted me throughout it all.
Was my mother…
Unlike me, she was much stronger than I was.
She knelt beside me on the hard floorboards and wiped my tears away.
"Everything is going to be fine."
She told me gently.
Her voice filled with absolute, genuine certainty… it was the first time I had ever felt that kind of profound protective warmth from her.
Before that day I had always secretly thought she hated me.
Because of her distance attitude.
But I was completely wrong.
She had loved us from beginning.
From the beginning she was there.
Watching and guiding me from the shadows.
Always protected me and made sure each day was better than the last.
***
[>>Backstory<<]
***
A/N:
[Whew… I'm tired.]