On the day of Astrid's blessing celebration, after the cake had been eaten and everyone had retired for the night, Anya immediately went to her mother's room.
She found Fauna sitting by the window, moonlight streaming in and illuminating her gentle features.
Anya didn't say a word at first.
She just walked over, crawled into her mother's lap, and burst into tears.
The sobs came from somewhere deep inside her, a place she had been trying to ignore for months.
Her small body shook as she buried her face in Fauna's chest, clutching at her mother's dress like a lifeline.
"Mo...Mommy." She choked out between sobs. "A-Am I strange? Am I weak? Do I even belong to this family?!"
The words tumbled out of her in a flood, all the fears she had been holding inside finally breaking free.
"All my sisters got their blessings! Charlotte, and Astrid, and everyone!"
"B-But I didn't. I still don't have one!"
