𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 [ꜰᴇ3ʜ ᴏɴᴇꜱʜᴏᴛꜱ]

Replacement [Seteth]

     A light orange sun was streaking towards the horizon, bathing the Gareg Mach monastery in the beautiful shades of the sunset. I wandered aimlessly through the vast halls, the stack of graded papers waving a tiny bit in the slight breeze. As I passed by the fishing hole, I noted how the sun reflected on the water and made a mental note to describe the scene to Ignatz later. I'm sure he would adore to paint such a beautiful sight.

     On the creaky wooden dock a familiar green head of hair sat staring out at the peaceful waters.

          "Evening, Flayn! Doing a spot of fishing I see." Startled, the young girl let out a shriek and jumped back.

          "Ah it got away... H-hello professor, lovely night, isn't it?"

          "Say Flayn, I never knew you like to fish!"

     Pleasantly surprised at the intrest her professor was taking in her, Flayn let out a big smile, "Yes! My mother and I fished together back when... Back when..."

     I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, hoping to make her feel at least a little better. Wordlessly, I took the fishing pole from her hand and gave her a tight embrace.

          "I know I'll never replace your mother, Flayn. But if you ever need a buddy to fish with, I'm here for you."

     A child-like smile lit up the green-haired girl's face, and she immediately enclosed me in a crushing hug.

          "Oh Professor, I can't express how much that means to me!" Internally, I laughed at Flayn's strange and old fashioned mannerisms, how someone can simultaneously seem incredibly young and incredibly old is beyond me.

     "Now Flayn," I add with a smile, "Let's fish!"

~Later~

          "Flayn?! Oh thank the goddess you're okay!" Seteth's worried voice cut through the peaceful silence that had settled between Flayn and I.

         "Brother? What are you doing here?"

         "I could ask you the same thing. Do you have any idea how worried I've been? I thought you'd been kidnapped again!" Seteth grabbed his little sister's small hand and pulled her to her feet. "Come on. You're going to bed.

         "Seteth, I'm sorry." I stood up, fishing pole in hand, to face the man currently dragging his little sister away. "I should've kept better track of the time and sent her in sooner. I'm truly sorry. We were just having such a good time fishing together."

     After a little bit of thinking, I added, "Maybe you should let her out more often. Let her do her own thing, ya know? Make friends and form bonds without you hovering over her constantly. Let her be a kid."

          "Professor Y/N is right, brother!" Flayn ripped her hand from Seteth's grasp and stood next to me with a defiant look on her face. "I want to communicate with all of the lovely people at the monastery, but you shut me out from them!"

     Seteth said nothing to quell his little sister's protests, he wordlessly grabbed Flayn's hand yet again, and lead her away from the fishing hole.

     Just as they were about to round the corner and disappear out of sight, little Flayn turned around to give you a wave, but was yanked away by her brother.

     Flayn stood up from the hard wooden chair in her brother's office that she had been sitting on for the last twenty minutes as Seteth lectured her about the same old things as always.