𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑎𝑤𝑛 | 𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐒𝐎𝐍

4⋆☾⋆Old tricks

"Hey sis, long time no see."

I turned around with my hands slightly raised, to show him I had no weapons in my hands. The picture I was met with made me swallow thickly. I had a hard time holding back my tears when I saw this tall, thin boy whose eyes no longer shone brightly like a midsummer night sky . His cheeks were still hollow and dirty, but the worst thing was that he was wearing my old clothes. It was like looking into a mirror, only the reflection is someone else and you've thoroughly screwed up that person's life by abandoning them to become a Ranger.

"What happened?" I asked, trying to step closer to hug him, but my little brother quickly drew a large knife from his belt.

His brown eyes stared at me furiously, flickering from my face to my cloak. "You-" he started, but he had trouble keeping his voice intact, "you... you left me."

A single tear slipped down my cheek, I couldn't say anything back, because it was true. I didn't know what to say or how to even begin explain why I'd done it, so I pursed my lips and stayed silent.

"You left all of us!" he continued shakily, while sending the dagger dangerously close to my chest.

"And for what?" his nostrils flared as he spat at me: "to become a King's Ranger?"

He said 'king' like he'd just tasted something bitter, which was surprising for sure, because he'd always been very adamant about Araluen and its laws. I always thought, hoped, he'd be a Clerk.

"You were supposed to be taken care of-" I eventually got out, when I was past my initial shock, "I- Didn't you get an apprentice ship?"

He snorted and smiled joylessly. "I was fourteen, remember? I wasn't offered one, it went to Fred."

Once again I tried getting closer, now being in complete tears. His blade might've as well gone through my heart because it would've been less painful than this. "I'm so...I'm so sorry, I-I never meant for this to happen. I took the apprenticeship to help our family!"

"No you didn't!" Steven scoffed as his unbelieving eyes scanned my face to check if I was serious, "you did it for you, because you wanted to get a better life for yourself."

"I wanted to come back and help, but..." I looked away, "I didn't... I couldn't see mom again. You know how she is."

There was a quick silence as I was staring at the glistening snow below me and my brother was frozen in place with his daggers up. I knew what was going through his head.

"Why are you even here?" He then asked and I raised my head. His brows were still in angry frown but he'd lowered his dagger a bit.

"I'm here on important Ranger business." I folded my arms.

Steven scoffed and raised an eyebrow. "Really, Ranger business? You could've just said honeymoon."

"I didn't get married?"

"Oh, so that ring on your finger is just for show?" He gestured towards my hand and I suddenly realized I hadn't taken it off. After all everybody at the castle had to believe Gilan and I were actually engaged.

I took it off and shoved it in my pocket. Great. Not only did my little brother believe I abandoned him for my own gain, it seemed to only feed his beliefs more now that I was wearing that ring.

"Actually it is," I told him slightly annoyed with myself and Gilan, "my absolute genius of a mentor came up with the brilliant excuse that I was his fiancée to explain why he'd brought an entourage."