Chapter 6: The Siblings Reunited

This was the fourth time in ten years that Lady Elara had seen her brother, Lord Kael. After she had gone to Tarim at thirteen, they had not seen each other again. Lord Kael remained in the Swordfall Marches, and in ten years, he had only visited her once during his military deployments. It was a rainy day, and he was on his way to battle. Rainwater ran down his armor as the young man parted the mist to stand before her.

The first thing she thought of when she saw him was not their father, but their mother. Both siblings had their mother's face. He was in a hurry due to his duties, coming and going in a flash. Their second meeting was at her wedding. Three years had passed, and the boy was gone, replaced by a young man who had come specifically for her big day. He was not wearing armor or a sword. He was dressed in luxurious silks, but his skin and his voice were like stone, ground by sand and wind.

"Sister, you should dress up extra pretty," he had laughed, showing his white teeth. "I'll be the one to carry you."

She never got the chance to be carried by him. The third time she saw him, it was his corpse.

She had never expected their fourth meeting to come so quickly. Elara reached out and cradled Kael’s face, examining him carefully in the light of the hallway lanterns.

"Little Gem," she whispered, using the pet name she had given him. The family called him 'Young Lord,' but she had named him 'Little Gem.' He had been born prematurely, a tiny mouse, and she had watched him grow. Though they had been separated for ten years, they had exchanged letters every month. They were the most important people in each other's lives. She had watched him grow up, and then watched him die. It was a pain almost too deep to bear.

Lord Kael did not notice his sister's sorrow. He only looked at her with wide, astonished eyes. "Sister! What happened to you?" he cried out.

He had rushed here the moment he heard she was missing. News of her condition since returning had not yet reached him. And now, he was terrified by the sight of her, her face and head wrapped entirely in black cloth.

"Nothing," Elara said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Don't be afraid."

How could she say nothing had happened? She couldn't even fool a child. Kael stared at her, but he did not question her. He knew she was lying, but he also trusted she had a reason for it. He was so clever. A boy this clever should not have died the way he did.

Elara's hand trembled on his shoulder. "Something happened, yes. But it's fine now. I will find a way to fix it."

Kael nodded. Elara took his hand and led him into the room. She summoned Mistress Glynnis, who lit the lamps, removed his travel cloak, and brought him a cup of warm tea. Kael held the mug with both hands and drank it in a single gulp. He had been well-cared for on the road, but a continuous journey was still hard on a ten-year-old boy. The lamplight revealed his gaunt face and a lingering terror in his eyes, like a lost lamb who had just escaped a wolf.

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Under normal circumstances, she would have sent him to get some rest, and they would talk in the morning. But the Elara of ten years ago had not seen the future. The Elara of today knew that tomorrow was not a guarantee.

Glynnis set the teacup down, closed the door behind her, and stood guard in the courtyard.

"Who brought you back?" Elara asked.

Kael sat up straight. "Valerius told me something was wrong with you, and Lord Blackwood said I should come back right away. Uncle Galen escorted me back with them."

Elara remembered Valerius, but she had never interacted with him much. Her father had been alive then, and she had no need to. She had dismissed him in the past, but she saw now that he was more than a mere retainer. He had been her father's most trusted confidant. It was to him, not to a family elder, that her father had entrusted her and Kael.

"Entrusted" was the word her father had used. Not "ordered."

She remembered now. In the future, he had died early, either at the end of this year or the beginning of the next. Kael's letter had been filled with sorrow and fear. When a loved one passes, it is always unsettling. To console him, Elara had sent her own loyal retainers to Swordfall. She had moved on, having endured her father's death, but now she understood. Valerius was no ordinary man, and his death was no ordinary passing. He had been the first to receive the news of her disappearance, not through her family, but through his own channels. He commanded her escort’s loyalty, a private army that her father had entrusted to him.

Valerius had not consulted with the elders; he had gone straight to Kael. He believed Elara was important, and that she had to be seen by the only other person in the world who was equally important.

"Valerius did well," Elara said, her voice filled with approval.

Kael's face broke into a happy smile. "He said you would not blame me for coming back."

Elara caressed his hair. "Why would I blame you? You risked your own life because you feared for mine. You were so devoted to me. How could I ever be angry?"

She knew it was dangerous for him to have made the journey. As a big sister, she should lecture him on the dangers. But what was the point? They would die anyway. She had accepted her own death when she had heard the news of his passing and rushed into the courtyard, refusing to flee. Now, they would live together.

"Lord Blackwood also said that I had done well," Kael added happily. "He told me to come back as soon as he heard, and he even convinced Uncle Galen to come with us."

Elara's face was wrapped in a black cloth, leaving only her eyes and mouth exposed. Kael couldn't see her expression, but he felt her hand withdraw from his head.

"Do not call him uncle," she said.

Kael looked up, his eyes filled with confusion.

Elara paused, then said, "You must call him Lord Blackwood."

Kael blinked. "Sister," he said in a small voice, "are you… are you unwilling to marry into his house?" He straightened up and slammed his hand on the armrest. "If you don't want to, you don't have to!" His voice was playful, but determined.

Elara closed her eyes, tears soaking the black cloth on her cheek. Kael’s expression, his tone, his very mannerisms were exactly like their father’s. Of course, she would not marry. She would not go through with it.

It took all her strength to open her eyes. She looked at Kael, her little brother who was trying to act like a man.

"I don't want to," she said.

Kael slammed his hand on the armrest again. "Then you won't!"

Before his voice could rise in triumph, Elara gasped, a hissing sound escaping her lips. Her body lurched to the side, and her hand shot up to her shoulder. "Sister, what is it?" Kael cried, leaping up. He stumbled, hitting the table and sending the teacup crashing to the floor. The door flew open, and Mistress Glynnis rushed inside. She grabbed Elara’s arm as Kael did the same.

"I'm fine," Elara insisted, sitting up. But she saw the look of horror on both their faces. Their eyes were fixed on her arm. Her sleeve had fallen back, revealing her skin. In the lamplight, her fair skin was covered in patches of festering, red welts