A Little Sister's Love

Love is Putting Your Differences Aside

I trudged into the dining room for breakfast the next morning with drooping eyes, still not fully awake. I tossed and turned most of the night, barely sleeping at all.

I stared at the assortment on the table in front of me. Pastries, eggs, fruit - all the breakfast foods I usually love, and yet I felt ill just looking at it. I hadn't eaten anything since lunch the previous day, but I still couldn't bring myself to eat anything.

I looked at King Dedede. He was having no problems chowing down on a croissant and chugging a large glass of orange juice, albeit slower than usual and with a distant expression, like he was deep in thought.

"Good morning, Sire." I tried to sound somewhat upbeat, but my words came out in a monotonous drone.

"Hm?" He quickly swallowed his mouthful of pastry. "Mornin', Erika."

A small Waddle Dee trotted up to me, holding up a cup of coffee.

"Ah. Thanks buddy, but I don't feel like coffee this morning."

"Don't you gotta take them pills what the doc gave ya?" the King reminded me.

"Oh. Yeah. Well, I can take them without coffee," I stubbornly insisted.

Dedede shrugged. "Whatever. Bring that coffee over here, Waddle Dee."

The Waddle Dee obeyed, and King Dedede threw the hot coffee down his throat in one big gulp.

I pulled the pot of pills out of my pocket, which was still there from yesterday, and tipped two small white tablets into my hand.

I decided I might as well get it over with.

I opened my mouth and tossed them inside, almost gagging as they resisted against my dry throat, but I forced myself to swallow repeatedly until I was sure they were gone.

My predicament didn't go unnoticed by Dedede, who was already laughing at my disgruntled expression. "Looks like you should've had that coffee!" he teased smugly.

I grumbled weakly. I wasn't in the mood.

Waddle Doo suddenly burst into the room, startling both of us. "Your Majesty, I have news!"

"For cryin' out loud!" the King yelled. "You had me jumpin' outta my skin! Don't be chargin' in here like a bull at a bullfight!"

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I have good news and I wanted you to know right away," he announced. "We've just received a message from the Cappy Town hospital. Escargoon is awake and ready to return to the castle this evening."

My heart skipped a beat, hardly daring to hope it was true.

A wide grin spread across Dedede's beak. "He is? No foolin'?" The King jumped down from his seat with a clatter and dashed at Waddle Doo, swooping him up off the floor and spinning him around with delighted laughter. "He's OK! Ya hear that, Erika? He's gonna be OK!"

The news finally started to sink in, and I gave a yelp of joy. "Oh, thank goodness! I'm so glad he's awake! I was so scared!"

"Yeah, ain't it great?" Dedede put Waddle Dee back on the ground, much to the dizzy messenger's relief. "Erika, you go and pick him up from the hospital later," he ordered.

My smile immediately dropped. "M-Me?!" I was horrified. Surely I was the last person he'd want to see. But I knew I had no choice - once His Majesty gave an order, it was almost impossible to get out of it. I gave a despondent sigh. "Yes, Sire."

Despite this, I ate well that morning. I was glad to finally be able to stomach food again.

Of course, I still had work to do around the castle before leaving for Cappy Town that evening, but I couldn't seem to focus. I knew Escargoon was alive, which was a huge weight off my shoulders, but I still couldn't fully believe it until I saw him myself. The entire day I spent dusting the castle, fetching the King's afternoon snacks, keeping the Waddle Dees organised, all I could think of was Escargoon. I promised myself that I'd be nice to him from there on, even if he hated me for the rest of my life.