Waking up in a cold sweat, Rose pushed herself upright from the wooden board that served as her bed. Her bones ached in protest, each movement burning her body with an ache. At least when she used the bed she was in a body already adjusted to its discomforts. As rose, burnt-out blanket slipped uselessly to her feet. She sat on the edge of the bench, letting out a long, weary sigh, her breath clouding slightly in the chill of the room.

She rubbed her eyes, her fingers pressing into the sockets as if to push the grogginess away. Leaning back, she rested against the cold stone wall, not flinching from the icy bite that seeped through her thin clothes and into her skin. The numbness in her body mirrored the one she felt in her heart.

The bitterness from that moment still lingered, clawing its way back into her thoughts. Not hers but the originals. Worse still, the coins were taken from the young girl. If only she had been a little smarter, Rose thought bitterly. If only she had been a little smarter she could have marked the spot, or remembered it so that she could return for more later, but she was a child and had never recovered from that day. Never went into the forest again

She shook her head sharply, dragging her thoughts back to the present. Rose rubbed her eyes once more, brushing the unwanted memories aside like cobwebs clinging to her mind. There was no use dwelling on the past, no point in grieving for a girl who was long gone. The original Rose was just a memory, a shadow.

A soft shuffling sound drew her attention. Blinking, Rose looked up to find Dahlia standing in front of her. Clutching a pillow.

Dahlia’s lips trembled as she looked up at Rose, her small frame seeming even smaller in the dim light. “I can’t find Daddy,” she said, her voice quivering. Tears welled in her wide, innocent eyes as she repeated, more urgently this time, “I can’t find Daddy.”

Rose’s heart twisted painfully. She pushed herself off the bench and knelt before the little girl, pulling her into a hug. Dahlia’s tiny hands clutched at her shirt, her sobs muffled against Rose’s shoulder. Rose stroked her back gently, swallowing the lump in her throat as she searched desperately for the right words. How could she explain this? How could she tell a child so small that her father wasn’t coming back? That her mother wasn’t either?

Her lip quivered, and she bit down on it, forcing herself to stay calm. She took a long, steady breath before speaking, her voice as soothing as she could manage. “Your father went to find your mother,” she said, the words slipping from her lips like a heavy stone falling into still water. It was a lie, but she couldn’t tell the truth.

Acker was an asshole. Leaving Dahlia in her care and ditching the responsibility, trusting on to her the responsibility of not only taking care of the girl, but telling her about what happened to her parents. But what if… what if Acker and Iris were still alive? If Acker and Dahlia had made it this far, perhaps there was hope. Iris was lost in the mist… The thought flickered in her mind, fragile and fleeting. Wrong.

And she knew it.

“Why did Daddy leave me?” Dahlia whimpered, her voice breaking as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. “Doesn’t Daddy love me?”

The question was a knife to Rose’s heart. She gently pulled the girl back just enough to cup her face in her hands, wiping away her tears with her thumbs. “No, no, don’t like to think,” Rose said firmly, her voice trembling but resolute. “Your father loves you more than anything in the world. Never doubt that.” The truth was easy, after all it was Rose who… well, she could understand now. She clenched her teeth, forcing the thought form her head.

Dahlia sniffled, her gaze searching Rose’s face for reassurance.

“He left because he’s worried about your mother,” Rose continued, her voice steady “He needed to go quickly, and he couldn’t take you with him because he wanted to make sure you were safe and needed to move quickly but that’s how much he loves you, Dahlia—he wanted you somewhere safe while he looks after her.”

“But I want to find Mommy too,” Dahlia sobbed, her face buried against Rose’s chest. Her small hands clung tightly to Rose’s shirt, trembling as though afraid she might slip away too. Rose held her close, her arms wrapped protectively around the little girl, rocking her gently. She murmured soft, soothing words, her fingers brushing through Dahlia’s hair in an attempt to ease her sorrow, even if only a little.

Another lie. She’d lied again—for the man the original Rose had loved. A man who had once inspired a devotion so deep it lingered long after her soul was gone.

“Your father asked me to watch over you until he gets back,” Rose said softly, forcing a smile as the lump in her throat grew heavier. “He needed to focus on finding your mother, but he’ll come back soon. Both of them will. They love you very much.”

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

The words stung as she said them, each one a lie cloaked in the faint hope that somehow, someday, they might become true. That one day, Acker and Iris would return. She lied to the child as she spoke aloud a most desperate wish.

“Your father will be back,” she repeated, her voice firm despite the tears threatening to brim in her eyes. “And you and your mother are more than welcome to stay here until then. Your daddy too.”

Dahlia tilted her head, her wide eyes sparkling faintly with curiosity. “Daddy too?”

Rose chuckled softly, the sound light but tinged with emotion. “Yes, of course, your daddy too,” she replied, a faint smile tugging at her lips. She couldn’t help but feel a flicker of warmth as Dahlia caught onto her words so quickly.

At this, Dahlia’s face lit up, the only evidence of her earlier misery being the tear stains still glistening on her cheeks. “Thank you,” she cheered,diving into Rose’s arms once more.

Rose held her close, stroking the back of her hair and murmuring soothing words. For a brief moment, the weight of the world seemed lighter, as if Rose’s embrace could shield the little girl from all her fears.

After some time Dahlia looked up at Rose. “um…”

“Yes?”

“Can, Is there any f-food?” her question was asked as she eyed the plate that Rose retrieved from the old bat.

Oh, poor thing,” Rose murmured, her heart aching for the little girl. It must have been so much for Dahlia—traveling without coin, her dying father unable to do much to keep her belly full. The kindness of strangers was a rare thing in this world.

Taking her gently by the hand, Rose led Dahlia to the table. She helped her climb onto the stool, kicking a few of her clothes underneath to keep it from shaking. “Don’t worry, little Dahlia. You can have it all.” she pulled the plate she received from the old bat---that is the nice old woman who gave her food.

“I can have it all?” Dahlia’s eyes sparkled, as big as the plate before her.

“Of course!” Rose said, her voice brimming with encouragement. She picked up her only tin spoon, pressing it gently into the girl’s small hands. “Go on, eat up!”

Dahlia hesitated, her fingers clutching the spoon as though it might disappear. She looked up at Rose uncertainly, her gaze darting back to the food. Tentatively, she scooped up a small bite and took a cautious nibble, her eyes flicking toward Rose. then back again. Another bite followed, then another, and soon enough, Dahlia was eating in earnest. Her little spoon filled rapidly, and her chubby cheeks puffed out as she chewed.

While Dahlia focused on her plate, Rose busied herself in the background. She straightened the few remaining chairs, folded the worn blanket from her makeshift bed, and gathered stray scraps into a small pile to burn later.

She glanced over her shoulder at Dahlia, who was now fully engrossed in her meal. A faint smile tugged at Rose’s lips. The girl was eating like someone afraid the food might vanish/ With a soft sigh, she turned back to her cleaning, brushing stray crumbs from the table into her hand. It wasn’t much, but at least the space now felt a little less chaotic.

Dahlia struggled to keep her eyes open as she finished her meal, her small frame leaning heavily against the table.Rose noticed the little girl’s exhaustion and moved to her side, gently lifting her into her arms. She was struck by how light Dahlia felt, almost weightless in her arms.

Carrying her to the bed, Rose carefully laid Dahlia down and tucked the blanket snugly around her. The girl didn’t stir; she was already fast asleep, her chest rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm. Rose stood for a moment, watching her rest, before shaking her head.

“All right then,” she muttered to herself, her voice low. “Two things. I need two things.”

She nodded, thinking aloud as she picked up the plate to return it. “The first is a job. The second…” She hesitated, her voice softening as the words came. “…is a prayer.”

With the plate in her hands, Rose stepped out of the house. The evening air was cool, carrying the faint scent of ash that reminded her winter was approaching. She sighed. “That’s great—wood’s aslo is expensive,” she muttered under her breath.

As she approached the old woman, she found her looking as miserable as ever, arms crossed and eyes narrowed in disdain. Rose held the plate out to her. “Thank you,” she said politely.

The old woman scoffed. “Hmm, trash isn’t something to say thank you for.” She snatched the plate and leaned forward, grabbing a large spoon to slop more food onto it.

“Hey!” the woman called after her just as Rose turned to leave. Rose spun around just in time to catch the plate being shoved back into her arms.

“What’s this?” Rose asked, frowning down at the plate.

“Trash. Return the plate when you’re done cleaning it,” the woman barked.

“I—” Rose started, but the old woman waved her off dismissively.

“Get out of the way. You’re blocking my customers,” she snapped, causing Rose to look around and finding everyone focusing on setting up their own stalls. Not a customer in sight.

“Thank you,” Rose muttered.

“Yeah, yeah. Just remember to ditch the girl,” the old woman called over her shoulder.

Ditch the girl. How could she ever do that? Easily, if she thought about it, but... Rose sighed, no way she could do anything close to abandoning a child. She wasn't a saint, just a fool. Shooking her head, she started the walk home. At least she’d managed to get some more food. She had her prayer; now, she just needed a job.