[1046] – Y05.046 – The Elder Sister

[1046] – Y05.046 – The Elder Sister

The stars in the sky illuminated the Iyr in their gentle light, the darkness seeping through into the hidden paths of the Iyr. The pair of figures reached for their cups, gently sipping on the tea. One should have left already, but seeing his sister trying to keep herself together for her family, it broke his heart.

“Father found it difficult to deal with how swift of foot we were,” Malfev said. “No wall, even one and half of my height, could stop me.”

“He found it easier to deal with me, since I could not become too small for his keen eyes,” Mulrot said. “He did not need to dance to find me.”

“Father could always spot you, since you were his favourite.”

“Could you run from mother?” Mulrot accused.

“No. I could not.” Malfev smiled, staring down at his tea, looking back to another time, a time he could not run to. “As I grow older, I notice how cold the noonval winds have become.”

“You should not speak of that now,” Mulrot stated, staring down at the dark liquid of her tea. She bit her lower lip, the tea unable to soothe the deep ache within her heart.

Malfev closed his eyes, recalling the past once more. When he was a boy, there was so much he was able to do in the Iyr during noonval, most of his memories including his mother and father. He remembered sitting beside the stream, the water rushing over his legs. He remembered taking a walk through the lush fields of the Iyr, the softness of the blanket beneath as they ate their snacks, much of which were made by their grandmothers and grandfathers.

Malfev finished his cup of tea, grabbing his staff, holding it behind his back so it ran from his left calf to his right shoulder. He clasped his wrist with his free hand, providing greater support, but mostly because it was how he had seen his own greatfather hold his staff all those years ago.

“They miss you,” Malfev said. “Do not make them wait for long.”

“Would they miss me?”

“You are their greatmother.”

“I? Who refused them?”

“In their hearts, who else can they call their greatmother?”

Mulrot could name Gangak, but she decided to let her brother leave without arguing. A tear streamed down her cheek, and her brother dared not to look back to see, silently leaving into the shadows of the Iyr, where he could unleash his own rage and grief, out of sight of his younger sister.

It was that night Adam awoke, hearing the muffled crying, but it was the calls for her father which awoke the half elf, who almost shot up, only to catch his eldest daughter as she fell onto his lap. She squirmed, the girl glancing upwards in confusion as she awoke, but she slumped back to sleep as her father peppered her cheek with kisses.

Adam stepped out, sans the accessory of his eldest, who like to clutch him close when she slept.

“Huu! Daddy! Huu!” Jirot called, rushing over to her father’s leg, clutching at his trousers. “I’m sorry, daddy, I’m sorry.”

Adam dropped to a knee, feeling the knife within his heart, twisting with every time his daughter apologised. “You silly girl, it’s okay, it’s okay, you don’t have to apologise.”

“I do not want to eat,” little Jirot said, pulling her head away from the food. “I drink milk too.”

Adam smiled, pouring Jirot some milk, but he leaned in to her ear. “Jibaby. Listen to daddy, this is a secret, so you must keep it secret, okay?”

“Okay,” the girl whispered back, her brow raised to let her father know she definitely wouldn’t keep it a secret.

“Little Jarot, he’s... a little sick right now, so could you do me a favour?”

“I do it!” Jirot assured. “My papa is sick, I look after him!”

“That’s right. He doesn’t want to eat, so it’ll make him sicker, but you must eat. When you eat, make sure you offer him some food. If he wants to eat, he’ll eat it. You must eat the food. The last bite, you should offer it to him, okay?”

“I eat food, Jarot does not eat food?”

“The first bite, offer it to him. The last bite, offer it to him. Okay? Can you do that?”

“I can do it, daddy, I can.”

“Hopefully, Jarot will get better soon, but you have to do this, because you are his big sister.”

“So big!” Jirot nodded her head emphatically. “I do it, daddy, I do it.”

“Okay, but, if he says no, don’t force him. Just offer it, and if he says yes, feed him, if he says no, eat it.”

“I know! I can do it!”

Adam planted a firm kiss on his daughter’s forehead. “I know you can. You’re so well behaved, my Jirot. You’re so good, such a good big sister, I know.”

Jirot smiled, enjoying her father’s affection, not noticing just how much pain her father swallowed to speak such words. “Such a good big sister!”

Adam watched as Jarot slowly sipped at the milk, hoping the magic continued to work even through the crushed berries.

Turot glanced towards the group to the side, wanting to go speak with them. He noted how Konarot perked up, and he followed her sight to an entrance as a heavily armoured figure stepped into the estate.



Our Jirot is never troublesome.

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