Brink of Despair

Brother -Brink

He reached the door in the hall and tapped lightly on the panel, hoping that if she was awake and in another room she would hear, but that it would not seem intrusive if she was asleep. "Come in!" called Hope from her room.

Brink took a deep breath and opened the door. Hope was sitting on her bed, Hallack's book before her, a journal in her hand and the end of her pen in her mouth. She flipped a few paged in the book and then looked up. "Oh Brink, hello! I thought it was a tanverse to come light the fire. Even during the summer nights it still gets a little chilly." she said, hopping out of bed. The dark nightgown she wore had long flowing sleeves, and swept at the floor beneath her feet. In the dim candlelight the material occasionally sparkled like stars in the midnight sky.

"What is the occasion that I get to have you visit?" she asked, meeting him on her side of the bedroom door. She folded her arms and began to rub her hands up and down her arms in a futile attempt to keep warm.

"You're cold." Brink said.

Hope rolled her eyes and shook her head. "That did not answer my inquiry."she pointed out.

Brink sighed, "Well, I was wondering if you were up for some sweet dessert, maybe some frozen sweets, but if you're cold-" he trailed off, shrugging his shoulders, and dropping his hands to his pockets in his bedrobe.

"No, no, let me grab my shawl, we can go out into the garden too, it's a full moon tonight." She glided into her closet, as Brink looked up into Hope's high bedroom window, there the moon floated in, bathing Hope's bed in light, only one candle beside it.

"Well, I suppose it is." Brink breathed, astounded at the little and yet big factor he had not even noticed of the night.

Hope came bounding out of her closet, shawl around her shoulders and slippers on her feet. "Ready!" she called, sliding on the floor to Brink.

Brink laughed and jumped out of the way. Hope's momentum sent her sliding into the hall, her own bubbly laughter echoing in the palace hallways.

Stepping out of the doorway, Brink closed the door. "Ready?" Hope asked, standing in a runner's position just beyond the door.

"Ready for what?" Brink asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hope giggled, "One. Two...Three!" Hope took off down the hall, her shawl and dress flapping in the air behind her.

Brink ran after her, his legs longer, steps faster, and heart beating in his ears. He beat her out into the garden. He had such a great victory that he had to wait for her for several minutes. Over by the pond with the fish swimming in the lantern light he sat, elbows on his knees, hands clasped, and back hunched over.

After several minutes of silence, on the breeze Hope's voice came singing in the garden. It was a bell above the flora and fauna. Moonlight as you guide my way tonight, guide me to dreamland, take me away. Away where the stars are sugar crystals, and the clouds are cream. Away were the daydreams go, send me away.

As Hope sang, Brink made his way through the garden, trying to find her. High above the trees her voice blended with the wind while below it hummed with the wings of the summer insects, harmonizing with the existence of the plants, making everything reverberate with hope. She can always do that. Brink thought. Nothing she does or says or sings doesn't sound hopeful. He supposed it was her namesake, but it was almost as if her name accented her, not that she was who she was because of her name.

Brink found her in a clearing picking blades of grass that were too long from the ground, and weaving them into a bird's nest. "You won. I decided hide-and-seek would be a good second game." Hope turned to him, over her shoulder, "but you won again." She smiled, glowing brighter than the moon.

Brink laughed, and sat next to her in the grass. He nudged her with his shoulder, his silk night robe a plain black against her night gown. "Thanks"

"Thanks for what?" Hope asked, glancing up at Brink and then leaning back on her hands and looking up at the sky.

"For being there, here." Brink said, still watching Hope as he leaned back himself.

Hope turned and met eyes with him. "Of course." They both turned their heads and looked up into the sky, the full moon washing everything with a pale white color. Crickets chirped in the night, and far into the garden, an owl hooted.

"Do you hear that?" Brink asked.

"What?" Hope inquired, still looking up at the sky.

Brink smiled, "Listen." he watched as Hope closed her eyes and listened.

A gentle "Whoo Whoo" came from the far garden, and Hope's face broke into a smile. "It's an owl."

"Do you know what kind?" Brink asked.

"Probably the barn owl that sits in my windowsill every night." Hope said turning to Brink, "her name is Ishel."

"Beauty." Brink said, pondering and nodding his head, "It fits."

Hope smiled and turned her face back up to the evening sky, "You know all those stars up there?" she asked.

Brink nodded, "What about them?"

"Somewhere out there, I think there is other worlds. Other people. Some two people, probably just like us are looking into their sky, and talking about two people somewhere in the sky, and Hallack is probably laughing at us in our similar actions, miles and universes apart."

Brink turned and watched Hope, her blue eyes sparkling in the dark. "And all of these things all happening at the same time, we don't even know about, can you even imagine?" Hope sighed, "the problem is that everyone believes that makes them insignificant. But that is incorrect on so many levels." Hope turned to Brink and met his eyes. "It means that out of all of that Hallack still knows you." Hope said, "You are important."

Brink's throat tightened, and his eyes threatened tears. She always knows what to say. Brink thought

"So what do you need?" Hope asked, "How can I help?"

Clearing his throat, Brink began to speak. "I think we need to immerse."

Surprise flashed on Hope's face, and then was calmed. "Ok. how are we going to do it?"

Brink relaxed, and smiled, "That's what I need your help to decide."

"Mine?" Hope asked "What can I possibly help you with?"

Brink nudged her shoulder, she nudged him back, Brink repeated, Hope retaliated with an elbow, both began nudging each other until they fell into the grass. They laid, laughing for a moment, then when the laughter subsided, they laid looking at the stars for a moment, and Hope broke the silence. "I will see what I can do."

"Thank you." Brink stood, and offered Hope a hand. She stood, and readjusted her shawl.

Hope then took his arm and Brink led her to the palace kitchens for some dessert. As they walked, Brink looked at Hope. This incredible girl entered his life only years ago, just a few, when her family disappeared. He was lucky enough to take her in as his 'sister', but for some reason that feeling of being her brother had become harder and harder to wrangle. He leaned down into her ear, and whispered; "Thank you"

Hope turned and looked up to him as if to say 'For what?"

Brink hesitated, three words threatening to escape his mouth. Instead, he said what he always said. "For being the older sister I never had."

Hope smiled, "Thank you for being the little brother I--" she stumbled over her words, "wish I had." she finished.

Brink squeezed her arm, and as they continued to walk he swore he saw a silver tear drip down Hope's cheek.