The first glimmers of dawn showered the plains. Soran drove the carriage as the trio continued their journey. The road had gotten a lot rougher, and that hindered their travel speed.
Vivian sat upright with crossed legs in front of the long desk inside the carriage. Gloria was combing the little girl's hair in front of a mirror. As Vivian's brother, Soran was not well-qualified when it came to tending to her daily needs. Vivian had to take care of herself most of the time, and Soran didn't have the time nor energy to care even if he wanted to. Gloria's presence filled the void that Soran had been unable to fill—the role of a mother. Gloria always had a gentle smile, and she was now carefully tying a ponytail for Vivian.
"It's done," Gloria said as she tied the ponytail with a pink ribbon. "Our Vivian looks just like a little princess."
The corners of Vivian's lips rose as she smiled gleefully. She looked at the mirror and caressed the pink ribbon.
