PREAMBUL; And Now... You're Dead. Again.

Dust and Sands

"What are you doing?"

Askar flinched, almost direct the flashlight until he realized that was his sister.

"Making weapons."

"In the middle of the night?"

"I..." He paused, "what are you doing?"

"I can't sleep."

"Oh." He bits his lip, glanced at her who yawning while rubs her eyes, "come here."

"'Kay."

She bent her knees, focusing on metals and screw and... Stuff. Her brother does his work as quiet as he could, silently glance at her.

He realizes how he almost forgot about, no matter how scary she is, his sister is two years younger than him. A literal child, who probably got a nightmare and goes to her parents' room at night to get comforted.

Or at least used to, she's not that young either.

He wonders do Alesh still did that, though. War changes people a lot, who knows she may still love that kind of thing.

"What are you making?"

"Oh. Uh... Bow and arrows," he answered, "perhaps I could master it."

"You could," she said, "hoooaahhm. Oh sucks, my head spinning and I can't even sleep."

"Just... Try it."

"Yeah."

"I mean I know it's hard," he pats her back, "but—"

She flinched. A kind of flinched he knows for sure, make him feel ice filled his lungs.

"Hurts," she said.

"Can I...?"

"Sure."

The next thing he saw took his breath. Bruises right in the middle, with a long scar which seems fresh.

"What?"

"I..." Askar shook his head, "where were you?"

"The cave?" She frowned, "what?"

"You have fresh bruises and scar!"

She opened her mouth, then closed it and looks away. She can't hide her frown, while Askar can't ask anything anymore.

"I'm just tired, I must forget to heal these."

"Oh, yeah."

He wants to ask. It's just... It's hard to ask something like that. He just has no idea how to.

While his sister slowly lays on the ground, unconsciously falling asleep and the wounds seem to be gone, Askar finished his weapons and took his emergency blanket — One of other stuff he puts on his small bag, and gave it to her.

That night, Askar chose to sleep near her, make a little tool to warm them, thinking maybe next time, he could be a little bit better.

*****

Morning comes too early. The twins and Eidlan have practice, didn't dare to interrupt the siblings. They woke at the same time. She frowns at her blanket and smiled a little, while her brother grabs the weapons and goes without saying anything.

"You gonna practise or not?"

"I'll grab my swords first!" She answered her brother, "I'm ready!"

Eidlan gave her a swung of a spear as a replied. She laughs, stroke him with her sword and kicks his stomach. Eidlan laughs as well, nearly make a new scar in her stomach.