Dear Diary

Twenty

When morning came, Xavier and I started getting ready to leave. We finished off the last of his rice and attempted to pull ourselves together. It was tough, but we managed. We weren't in calm waters just yet.

"Ready?" Xavier asked me, starting to open the door of the carriage to get into the front. He looked at me over his shoulder.

We had spent the night together in the carriage; him on what had once been Hunter's side and me on the other. It felt nice not being alone, but I didn't like that he wasn't Hunter. I missed my brother.

I sighed, looking down at my hands. It didn't feel right to just leave Hunter behind, even if we couldn't find him and knew he hadn't survived the fall. It felt wrong. It felt like I had forgotten about him and was completely disregarding him.

"It'll be okay." Xavier said softly. He reached out, placing his hand over mine.

"I don't feel right leaving him behind." I confessed to him, knowing he was only going to help. I couldn't be against him any longer. He was all I had.

He paused, looking me over. He glanced towards the sun, no doubt predicting how much sunlight we had left before the day was done and gave my hand a little squeeze before pulling his away. "I will admit, it is disrespectful to leave the deceased without some kind of memorial. How does that sound?"

I started to smile. A memorial sounded nice. Hunter deserved all we could give him. I nodded and got out of the carriage with Xavier.

"Just a few words though, I'm afraid. The duchess is expecting us any moment now. If we're too late, she'll have our heads." He teased, leading me a few steps away from the carriage and further into the forest. We tried to find somewhere nice.

I liked the idea of mourning Hunter a little longer. I knew that the second we arrived in Edaesa, things would be entirely different. I'd be the daughter of a duchess and her only child from that time. No one would know of her son. No one would ever remember Hunter. He had lived such a great life that it only seemed fair that I be the one to remember him until time itself stopped. I was his sister. I could do that and more.

When we reached a little clearing near a stream, Xavier took out his dagger. He knelt at the bottom of a tree and carved a cross into the trunk. "There you are." He stood, glancing at me. "You can speak first."

"Are you sure?"

Xavier chuckled. "I'm fairly positive. I don't have that many stories and good memories with him. We did go drinking that one night, but other than that, it was arguments." He motioned towards me.

I rubbed my arm, staring at the cross. I couldn't help but wonder if Hunter stood with us right now. I hoped he was.

"If I stood here and shared nothing but memories, we would be here all day and longer. So, instead, I think I'll just remind you of how wonderful you were. Hunter, I was lucky to be able to call you my brother. There has never been a time in my life where I haven't had to experience anything without you. And to be honest, I'm petrified to go into Edaesa without you. It'll be a first." I could feel the tears threatening to sting my eyes again. "I hope that even in your new home in Heaven that you will walk alongside me for the rest of my days. I ask that in my dreams, you appear and laugh with me as you once did; smile at me and encourage me through it all. The one thing I ask above all, Hunter, be in peace. Rest, finally. You have long deserved it. I love you."

I stayed silent, half-expecting Hunter to come clapping out from behind a tree to confess it had been an awful prank. I waited for it until I could wait no longer.