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14, Silence Between Sisters

The bottle dropped to the floor. It rolled in a curve over the uneven floorboards and came to a halt by her feet and that at least, became clear. Diana was the sensible one, this wasn't how she acted. It was so unexpected, completely out of the blue. Britta didn't stop to think of the sadness Diana had felt when Ed complimented her and the annoyance she felt when she and Ed were so close.

Hesitantly Britta stepped over to them. As much as she wanted to bury her head under the covers and ignore it, she knew she couldn't let Diana do something she would regret. But Diana's emotions were flooding through her head and it occurred to Britta that if it was all so clear now then Diana was blocking her before. Maybe she didn't want to be stopped.

Halfway across the room Britta paused, wondering what she could do. Making up her mind she strode over and pulled them apart, eyes on fire as she looked them over.

"Get out of here now." She said, a lot more certain than she felt.

To her surprise Ed stood up, wobbling a bit and then walked out, Diana lay there looking at the ceiling. She turned deliberately away from Britta and from the way her erratic breathing evened out she had gone to sleep.

It was a long time that night before Britta's mind went to rest. She was too confused to make sense of it all. When she woke up the next morning, groggy with lack of sleep she looked over Diana. Sighing she at least decided she'd make the morning after drink for her, but it did nothing to disperse the anger in her stomach. If Ed told, things would not end well – He did have a lot to use against them after all.

Most of all, she reflected as she steeped the tea, she didn't want it to change. When they were thought of as boys they could do so much more and be thought of the same. Britta would rather be laughed at for being scrawny than for not knowing how to wear a dress.

She had almost forgotten about her training with Micah and preformed miserably, she was so distracted. He looked her up and down carefully. Britta prepared herself for a rebuttal and was surprised by the look of concern in his eyes, though he said nothing. She put the cup filled with tea by Diana's bed and changed into her practice clothes, pointedly tying her hair back; nothing had to change just because her sister didn't think before acting. When she was done, Diana was sitting up, rubbing her head and looking dazed. By the red creeping across her cheeks Britta knew she remembered what had happened.

"Britta," She croaked, drinking down the tea.

Britta turned to her sister.

"I don't want to know." She said, annoyed. "But if he tells then we're both is trouble."

She knew she should let Diana explain, but instead turned and stormed out.

She felt Ed's eyes on her as they practiced sword fighting again. There was a higher success rate this time and Britta managed to win, which did improve her mood. She decided there was nothing like trying to avoid being stabbed to take her mind off things. Meeting The Fox's approving eyes as he scanned his trainees, she felt a small burst of pride.

Ed pulled her aside as they began to make their way back for lunch but she yanked her hand out of his.

"Just leave me alone." She growled. "I don't know, want to know, or care what you and Diana were thinking."

"What I said before still stands." Ed said in a fast, low, voice.

Britta rolled her eyes. "And can I trust you on that when you did that to Diana?" She asked scornfully.

"It was her choice too." He said pausing.

"Look, I have no idea what you and Diana were doing, her choice or not it wasn't a good one." She looked back at him; she had continued her swift walk. "When did you start liking her?" She asked, something she needed to know.