Saudade (Published under Indie Pop)

Chapter 70: Na Guerra Ninguém Ganha

My eyes moistened as I caressed her cheeks and felt her warmth on my fingertips. "No, she isn't a doctor. But in the eyes of the people she saved, she is a hero. I know it because she saved mine many times."

Vivienne smiled when she heard it. An idea struck her mind and it made her glow brighter this time. "I want to be a doctor when I grow up!" she exclaimed in her cheerful, sweet voice. Her older brothers, despite being young, looked at her with sadness in their eyes. The women and elders who were listening shifted their gazes from us; refused to be confronted by a child's innocent dreams.

With a broken heart, I smiled at her and whispered, "Ofcourse, Doctor Vivienne."

As she jumped for joy without a care for the bleak future, the hope that was dying inside of us flickered back to life. If a little child as Vivienne could be this strong, then who are we to give up that fast? The room was starting to be filled with faith and smiles when suddenly, a loud explosion was heard outside. The ground began to shake and rubble from the ceiling started to drop on us. I immediately grabbed Vivienne and her brothers and brought them to duck on the floor. The battle outside must have started already and the enemies were attacking the castle.

The hope that started to bloom in the room through a little girl's dream began fading and I watched it transformed into cries and screams. Beliefs are as fragile as our bodies; they could be shattered by an act of violence like this.

"Viv!" Div called loudly to his sister.

I glanced down at the little body in my arms and was horrified to see that the girl was not moving. The deep wound in her head was soiled by the huge rock that fell on her. Blood was gushing out of it just like the dreams in her head that started to disappear. Her brothers cried loudly as they held their sister's body in their little arms. I couldn't fathom the grief and fear they were feeling at the moment. I couldn't understand how children like them could suffer this kind of pain without their mother on their side.

I wanted to be there with them. I wanted to stay and weep with them. But as I stood and looked around me, I realized that it wasn't only Vivienne who was taken by that explosion. And if the enemies would continue attacking the Borgian Castle, it would take more lives from us.

"We need to go. This place is not safe anymore!" I shouted.

But no one listened. They just threw me a glance and went back to grieving the loved ones they had just lost.

"We have to leave the castle! We can go through the back –" I shouted louder just in case they didn't hear me the first time but none of them answered back. They've decided to just ignore me.

A young woman walked towards us and took the boys from their dead sister. She seemed to be acquainted with them as I watched the boys wrapped their arms around her.

"Please understand if we refuse to go with you, my lady. These people have their parents, husbands, children, and relatives fighting outside. We are aware that their fate might not be a good one and that we may not be seeing each other again. However, the Borgian Castle is where they left us and we promised to wait for them here because they will protect it with their lives. That's why we will remain where we are and wait for them to come back in our arms."

I wanted to protest about it. I wanted to tell them that they might die waiting here – that it was stupid. But as I remembered the times when I waited for Threy by the sea, the moment when I held on to his promise to go back for me at the Pirate City, and all those times that I didn't give up on him despite of the possibility that he would never be back, I realized that no words I would say could stop them from doing what their hearts want to do.