The Blood in Our Veins

Chapter Nineteen - Impossibility

- TRISTAN'S POV -

 I had been working on attack strategies in retaliation for the other destroyed encampments. Some of my generals suggested we target the source: the capital itself. Others said we should begin work on his more loyal towns and cities. Ethan quietly slipped into the tent. I looked up from my maps to meet his eye.

"We found the Maiden of the Pack as you requested, sir. She is more powerful than we expected." he informed us. I nodded once.

"All the better. We need as much strength as we can get." I said simply. He stepped to the side and pulled open the door flap. In strode an enormous white wolf, followed by three others of various shades of gray and black. On the back of the white beast sat Sindri, holding Lani. At first, I thought that my eyes deceived me. Lord Mason had taken her back to the palace.

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and looked again. She was still there. I wasn't dreaming. My long-lost twin seemed just as shocked to see me as I was her. Maybe even more so.

"Tristan?" she asked. I nodded quietly, tears welling up in my eyes. Sindri placed Lani  on the back of her creature. She slid down from the wolf on which she rode and easily leaped over the long table I stood at. Sindri flung herself into my arms and squeezed the life from me. I would have been annoyed had it not been a year since we had seen each other. She pulled away for a moment and looked into my eyes. I could see that she was also about to cry.

"I thought you were dead." she whispered. I shook my head, remembering the day that the incident happened. She had plunged her dagger deep into my back. Luckily for me, Tara had gotten her powers as a healer. We figured that the shock of the situation jolted her into action. I smiled down at my sister.

"I thought you went home." I replied. She tore herself from my grip. Her eyes had been cast to the ground. Sindri nodded solemnly. I stepped forward and tilted her chin upward so that I could see her face. I saw the grief and fear there and instantly knew what had happened.

"It wasn't your fault." I said. She scoffed.

"Just like it wasn't my fault that I stabbed you?" Sindri shot back. Ethan watched the event with horror.

"Wait a minute." he interrupted. "She stabbed you?" My sister nodded sadly. She looked back to me.

"And murdered the rightful High King and Queen of Arkenon." The tent was silent except for the occasional ragged breath of my twin as she attempted to hold in her sobs. After the long uncomfortable moment, I made an attempt at reassurance.

"That wasn't you and I know it." I said. She looked over to me in disbelief. I nodded. "I knew the second I saw you willingly in his arms." She smiled brightly and hugged me once more. I pulled away as I remembered something. I took a key from around my neck and opened a trunk in the corner. She watched as I rummaged through it.

Finally I found what I was looking for. I pulled out a square box and opened it slowly. Inside was a bundle of cloth. I unwrapped it and removed the silver circlet from inside. It had magically remained polished and untarnished for the year. I turned around with it in my hands. My sister smiled and shook her head.

"You kept it?" she asked. I nodded. I placed the circlet on the crown of her head. She seemed relieved to have it there again. Each member of the royal family got one. As the wearer accomplished great things, something would change about it. It might change color. A new jewel might appear. These were not as easy to acquire as they seemed. I beamed and turned her around to face the men gathered there.

"I want you all to meet Princess Sindri, daughter of King Aidan and Queen Catriana, heir to the High Throne of Arkenon."

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HE LIVES!! TRISTAN IS ALIVE!! WOO-HOO!! Until later today, WEEKENDS ROCK!

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