A pair of eyes looking at her, smiling, tucking at her hand and giggling slightly. And as she stared back into the familiar green eyes, she couldn't help but smile.
"It's late now, you should sleep," she said to her three years old daughter. Looking at Carla was like staring at the mirror image of her, only with a slight mistake. Carla's eyes were dazzling dark green, the color of forest, the color that symbolized life.
And the very same color with the eyes of the boy she had always loved since childhood, and had now become her loving husband.
She tried to cover her daughter with a blanket but she seemed too energetic to sleep. Instead, she squealed. "Bedtime story, Mommy!" and Mikasa smiled. "Okay, I will tell you one story," she yielded and gently sat herself down on the edge of her daughter's bed.
"Once upon a time," she started, watching as her daughter curling herself comfortably on her bed, hugging her pillow. Her small eyes were fixed at her, staring intently with wonder and curiosity. "There was a prince living alone in his castle. He had a treasure, wrapped around his neck. He named it thered string of fate."
"One day," she continued. Her tone unexpectedly grew softer as she reminisced the scene from her childhood that still held dear to her, no matter how many times she played it in her mind. "The prince went out of his castle. He found a girl, poor and heartbroken, with no home to go to. So he gave her his precious treasure and wrapped the red string of fate around her neck."
"What is the red string of fate, Mommy?" Mikasa softly caressed her daughter's hair, pausing slightly before answering.
"A red string of fate ties two people. No matter where you are, the red string of fate will bring your hearts close to each other, and keep you together."
"Just like daddy and mommy?" she asked, her eyes big with astonishment.
"Just like daddy and mommy, yes," said Mikasa softly.
"Now," she gave her daughter a kiss on her forehead. "Time for bed." As she got up and began to leave, her daughter prompted her again with a final question.
"Will the prince and the girl live happily ever after?"
"Of course, dear," she answered gently. "The prince brought her to his home and they live happily ever after in the prince's castle."
And now, she stared at the little girl, slowly falling asleep with a smile on her lips, they were blessed with a very beautiful little daughter.
She sighed, feeling happiness swell on her heart. Tiptoeing so that she wouldn't wake her daughter, she turned off the lights and walked out of the room.
