The Journey of Two Sisters: Book 4 of the Kinstone series

(Marron)

I hold Aria closer to me, closer than ever before. She’s always been so tiny whenever she’s with me, never more than a child. I still remember when I had her three years ago. I often slipped into her room and watch as she slept.

The girl truly appeared to be nothing more than a doll. It’s one of the many reasons I added the term “baby” to my pet name for her. No matter what happens in her life, what trials or pain she encounters, she always manages to return to being the loving little girl that I call my sister.

I continue to stroke her hair as her hands cling desperately to my jacket. I give a soft smile, she must think that she lets go then I’ll leave her again.

I plant a kiss onto her cheek as I press her body against my own, feeling her heart beating against my chest. A strong heart, yet fragile. While able to return to being a happy girl, there’s no denying the fact that she truly has changed over these past few years.

Nervous from the start, she has steadily grown stronger and more confident. Yet still manages to be the most brittle of girls. She constantly worries about her stance with her friends and more importantly, her family.

I peer down to the girl in my arms, letting out a soft, inaudible sigh. I’ve been such an idiot. In my shame I nearly abandoned this girl yet again. It was so easy for me to leave her, not only in that shack upon waking up from that dream, but again the night she woke up after her battle. I am such a coward. I still remember her pleading for me not to leave, to just stay with her and talk. She’s right about always being able to talk with one another.

“Will you stay, Marron?” she asks, peering up at me with her deep sapphire eyes.

My heart thuds in my chest. I know that I should, no, have to stay with her. I must stay with her. There was no lying in her voice when she said that her mother was gone. But Lady Rachel, gone? How is that possible?

Aria’s mother is one of the most powerful people in the world. For her to be lost, it’s unheard of. But for Aria to lose her mother, the mere idea would shatter this girl’s heart.

I peer over to her knights. There’s no doubt in my mind that they have tried their absolute best to console and support her during all of this. Fenris probably has never been too far from her. Always close at hand when Aria needs him.

Now she needs me, has always needed me. I’ve known that from the very moment I heard her name and then saw her face. It’s one of the fundamental truths between us. Even after I was recalled and couldn’t visit her as often as I’d want to, she would always call me, seeking my advice or simply to hear my voice.

There have been so many times when I would just scoop this girl up into my arms and swing her around, knowing the simple act of holding her meant giving her some measure of support only a big sister can give.

Whenever I get at least a single night alone with her, if only for the briefest of moments, it would be like it was when I first had her. I nearly had that again, but now I will take care of my sister.

I lift her chin, smiling, “I will stay. I will never again leave your side. I promise, my sweet baby sister.”

She giggles, with tears rolling down her face as her hands clings ever tighter to me. “I’ve missed you. For every day we were apart I’ve missed you.”

I smile, wiping away her tears, “I’ve missed you as well, sweetie. You have no idea how much it hurt being way from you.” I then plant yet another kiss upon her forehead. I don’t care how old this girl gets, I will still baby her as if she were one. She giggles softly, seemingly aware of this.

I peer into her deep sapphire eyes once more. They seem to glisten in the light, but something else within her stirs my heart. She’s…complete. That strong sense of familiarity I possessed from before the moment I met her seems to have strengthened, as if it’s telling me that she is now who she was meant to be from the very beginning. Either it was seeing her ninth tail or…something else. I smile to myself; this girl has changed yet again.

Something cold then breezes against my cheek, feeling a familiar aura attached to it. I look up to see Fenris standing beside us. My heart instantly quivers as I feel unsure what to do while he’s in front of me. Another truth in the life of this girl is that very moment they met each other, he became like a father to her. Whenever apart, even if to be with me, he would always be nearby to watch over his little girl.

“Are…are you going to kill me?” I ask.

The massive wolf shakes his head, and then presses it against mine. “No, Marron. Why would I seek your death?” He then lets out a soft whine. “I have missed you deeply as well,” he says.

I look at him in confusion, “Why not? Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I’m asking you to kill me. But I took your little girl from you. Should you at least hate me for that?”

He pulls back and stares into my eyes, “I could never hate you, Marron. While you did take her, you were being used to get to her.” He gently lies down beside us, wrapping his tails around his body. “Even if I were to claim your life,” he adds, “nothing good would have come of it.”

I still hold onto Aria as I tilt my head.

The wolf’s massive body rises and falls, eyes staring right at me. A gentle smile then forms on his lips, “Your choice to stay accomplishes far more than by simply taking your life,” he then looks to Aria, “if I were to, it would only cause my little girl more pain.”

I still look on a bit confused. I know someone easily turned my long-buried feelings for Aria and twisted them into hatred and resentment towards her mother. In some dark corner of my heart, I wanted to lash out the moment I was recalled, outright refusing the order. In that same corner I wanted to snatch up this little girl and take her as my own. But…I didn’t.

The stinging reality is that if I had been in a more rational state of mind, I would have indeed simply gone and confronted Aria about the diary and what it contained.

I sighed to myself, so much had been lost, and there was so much pain all due to my inability to be patient. I really screwed up.

I nervously raise my hand and rest it upon his head. My fingers feebly stroke his fur. The wolf groans happily, pushing his head into my hand as he looks to me. He then raises his head and gently licks my face, causing me to chuckle tearfully. Aria grins, reaching over and stroking his fur.

“Papa Wolf,” she whispers. The wolf softly wags his tails at her touch.

She then stares up at me as the failing sun’s light filters through the trees. “Don’t you even dare think about sacrificing yourself for me,” she says firmly.

My eyes blink for a moment as my mouth hangs open in surprise. I have never heard her saying anything like this to me.

Her face grows stern. “I mean it, Marron. I don’t want you to die for me, either trying to defend my escape or taking a shot for me, thinking that it’ll redeem yourself. I’ve lost too many people that way and I don’t want you to even consider it.”

I grin, flicking her forehead, “You’ve been reading far too many books.”

She giggles, leaning in closer, “I’ll protect you.”

I sigh, shaking my head, “How about we protect each other?”

She grins, “Deal.”

I smirk and tap her nose, “Okay sweetie, now I want you to tell me everything. I don’t want any more secrets between us alright?”

She smiles, nodding, “Okay Marron. Trust me, there’s a lot to unpack.”

I smile to her, “We have nothing but time, Baby Ahri.”

She giggles as the both of us rise from the ground. I pan around, seeing how the creek empties out towards a cliff. I walk us over to a large rock that overlooks the forest below and each taking a seat upon it with her on my left.