The Masquerade Ball (A tale of Eswor Book 1)

Memories

I giggled as my brother picked me up, and threw me into the lake.

"Ethan! Be careful with you're sister! She's only five!" Mama called.

Ethan face our mother an annoyed look. "She'll be fine! She knows how to swim!"

I giggled as I snuck up behind Ethan and tackled him. "I got you!"

"Yes you do Kavs. You finally got me."

I giggled and ruffled his hair while sitting on top of him. "Mama! Papa! I got Ethan!" I grinned and threw my little arms in the air.

They both cheered and Ethan chuckled. "Now c'mere!"

I squealed as he tried to get ahold of me. I fell from his back and started running towards the cottage. "Bet you can't catch me!" I shouted. I ran as fast as my little legs could carry me. I ran into the forest and heard people shouting behind me. I thought they were chasing me as part of the game, so I giggled and continued to run. I found a tree and hid behind the trunk. I couldn't hear any voices and that's when I realised I had run too far. The sun was setting and soon it would be dark out. Scared, I stood up and called for Ethan.

"Ethan! Ma! Da!" I started crying. I didn't know what to do, so I did as what any other four year old would do. I sat there and cried.

Soon I heard voices and Ethan came over and swept me up. I sobbed in his neck. "I'm sorry for running!" I hiccuped. "I thought we were playing a game!"

Ethan pulled me away and looked into my eyes. He rubbed the tears away and smiled. "You and I are going to make a deal okay?" He waited awhile until I nodded. "You and I are to stay by each other's side all the time, okay?" I nodded again. I pouted and held out my pinky.

"Pinky promise?"

He hooked his pinky around mine. "Pinky promise."

~

A year later, I was five.

I was torn from Ethan as he struggled to protect Mama. The house collapsed as the fire grew too strong for it. Papa had grabbed me and started running into the forest that I was just starting to know. The villagers were running and screaming as the men with swords killed and slaughtered. I buried my face in Papa's shoulder and stopped watching.

That's when Kinnley found me. Then six years later when I was twelve I had found a letter with my brothers name on it. It was about how slave traders were back and it would be good business. I didn't understand what that had to do with my brother, despite the fact that I knew he was alive.

Now I look into the man that was my brother. Now he is nothing to me. Now he is someone that I could never trust. After all, who could trust a pirate?

~

I held back the tears that threatened to show. I grit my teeth and clenched my fists. "So you're a pirate. That must make Mother and Father so proud." I spat. I looked into his eyes one more time. His eyes so like my own.

His gaze hardened. "You were adopted by the Captain of the Royal Guard, I was adopted by the Pirate King. I brought you here, so I could show you that I was alive."

"Well guess what brother," I said the word that used to hold so much meaning, with so much hatred. "Now I don't care. Now, I can't wait to see you're head on the gallows along with all of the rest of these blasted pirates!"