The Journey of Two Sisters: Book 4 of the Kinstone series

Just as quickly as I knew it, Christmas arrived.

For the first time, I really don’t care about receiving gifts. I myself had none to give. Okay, I’m lying. The one gift given that I do care about is the second Han Kote that Yukari and Asha said they would make for me.

The truth however is that this year's gifts don’t really matter to me. My family does, and this is the largest gathering of family I’ve had in a long time. For the past two years, it’s really only been Mom and myself. Well, last year Fenris joined in with us, seeing how he arrived a couple days after my first Christmas with her.

I lean onto the table, sighing softly. Speaking of Mom, this will be the first time spending Christmas without her. Not to mention the fact that I am on the other side of the world from my home on the Estate.

I can still recall sitting with her in the parlor unwrapping gifts, sitting by the fire. This was still a couple months before I became her daughter, but to us it didn’t matter. In that moment, we really were mother and daughter.

I feel a hand tenderly stroking the top of my head. I pan over to see Marron sitting beside me, bearing a warm smile. She then pulls me against her body, holding me close. I curl up into her like a child as she continues stroking my hair.

“I don’t care what I get,” she says. “My gift is being able to spend Christmas with you for the first time ever.”

I smile, clinging to her. “Same here, Marron, I guess it’s better late than never.”

She chuckles softly. “I agree, sweetie.”

We hear the door knocking loudly.

“I’ll get it,” I said, slipping away from my sister.

I hop over to the entryway and slide open the door. “Merry Christmas, Aria-chan,” exclaims Asha, carrying a few boxes with her.

I grin broadly as she looks down at me. “Merry Christmas, Asha. Come on in, everyone is in the living room and kitchen.”

She smiles, slipping into the house. “Oh, there are a few others who wish to see you.”

I look around her to see a dozen or so people standing out in the snow, all carrying wrapped bento boxes. I grin, bowing to them, “Merry Christmas.”

They do the same, bowing and greeting me. They all come inside and begin to place the boxes on to the table and counter in the kitchen.

“We couldn’t very well have you celebrate without food,” says one of the villagers.

I giggle as Yukari, Marron, and my knights help place the food onto the table and spread it out. I look to them, smiling as I see Hashibaba among them. I quickly slip through the crowded house and find myself being pulled into a tight hug.

“Merry Christmas, my lovely granddaughter,” she says, kissing my cheek.

I giggle, “Merry Christmas, Hashibaba. It’s good to see you again.”

“Likewise, my child,” she replies. “I just wanted to come by and see you for a moment. As well as bring over my own little contribution to your feast.”

I giggle, panning back over kitchen with a flabbergasted Marron and astonished knights as they open each box, revealing more and more food. I turn back to my grandmother, “I think you guys brought us a bit too much.”

She chuckles, “I believe we did. But we want to you have wonderful meal tonight.”

I smile, “Thank you, Hashibaba.”

She pulls me into a tight hug, “You are welcome, my Aria-chan.”

The villagers then all come by and each give me a hug, all wishing me a Merry Christmas. I smile, thanking them and walking them all to the door.

Hashibaba is the last to leave. “Come to the village afterwards, my dear. I know everyone will be glad to see you there.”

I smile, “I will, Hashibaba, and thank you.”

She smile, giving me one last hug before heading off into the night. I slide the door and return to the kitchen.

Marron looks to me, “I think we have more food here than the eight of us can handle.”

I giggles, looking over the numerous boxes. “You might be right. But on the bright side we’ll have plenty of leftovers.”

She smiles, as we then begin to fill our plates.

Well it turns out that Marron’s prediction came true as there really was more than we could handle. Even poor Fenris had to stop at some point. Although, I think if Silvi were here she’d have little issue. I giggle to myself, remembering how at my first winter festival I constantly saw her at the food tables with a leg of lamb in her clawed hands.

I look over to Asha, “Hey, where are shirohebi?”

She smiles, “They traveled to their families a couple days ago and won’t return until the end of the year.” I nod, smiling. I’m happy she did that. Everyone needs to be with family no matter the season or country.

Marron looks to me, “Sweetie, since the Coven didn’t host the festival this year, why don’t we do it ourselves?”

I smile to her, nodding rising up off of the floor and walk over to her near the inner sliding doors. We open the first set of doors and then the second, but erect a barrier to not freeze everyone. We take each other’s hands and begin to recite the opening prayers of the solstice.

“We offer our prayers to the spirits of the earth, rivers, and winds,” we recite in unison. “For the old year has passed us by like an old friend, turning to sleep one last time. We now wait for the dawn of the New Year, a chance for rebirth and new possibilities that will come our way. Let us now reflect upon the passing year and all that has transpired within it.”

We lower our heads, and close our eyes. It has been two years since I attended the festival, but Mom and I also performed our own version as well. This prayer once more stings directly into my heart.

The first time I did this was shortly after losing my birth family. The entire year had been one long roller coaster of experiences, ranging from good to horrible.

This year seems to a mix of being good but far more horrible than my first with my mother. It started off innocently with the completion of my final obligation to my old life, moving onto my training trip here in the mid-spring.

After my return is where everything started to go wrong. My nearly being killed numerous times of the summer, learning the truth of my family’s murder, discovering that my birthmother had been not only resurrected, but also transformed into a vengeful teenage girl.

My hands ball tightly into fists as I remember having to flee from my home, watching my new mother kneeling on the driveway as I flew away, Silvi being shot out of the air, the greenhouse being destroyed, with Velhemina possibly being inside.

So much pain had been endured this year. But some good also came out of it. I found my sister, forgave her and now she is standing beside me.

I open my eyes and look over to her, seeing my sister smiling to me. I grin as she gently pulls on my hand and we begin to dance the summer dance of the festival, albeit at a greatly reduced speed and with fewer movements given our limited space. Even without music, we still know the steps to the dance.

Our feet lightly tap as we hop about on the wood deck as the silvery light of the moon showers down upon us. We smile to each other, grateful and happy to at least celebrate some of our traditions.

We skipped the fall and winter portions of the festival, and end with the prayer of “The Parting Glass”. Granted I’m still too young for the wine segment, but Marron and I did perform the dance.

We lightly stepped and twirled on the deck, holding up our hands to each other. We kept our eyes locked, but our smiles never dimmed. We each felt a longing to return home, home to our family, home to our lives there. But each knowing that right now we can’t. There’s a lot waiting for us, and it's simply too dangerous.

We stop and again face outwards, gazing up at the moon.

“This old year now has come to pass,” we start singing.

“We gather now and pray for spring’s soft kiss.

Winter comes and shields the grass.

The sun will come give us bliss.

Now we go and leave this place.

Sharing love and brotherhood.

We will miss each other’s eyes.

Yet shall seek the Everwood.

And then return to loving skies.”

We open our eyes, with Marron wrapping her arm around my shoulder, and holding me close to her. The fact that this was the ‘goodbye’ prayer, it actually holds an even greater meaning for the both of us. For us, it’s the longing to return home and to everyone we know and love. We don’t know when that will be, but we hope that it’s still there waiting for us.

“One day soon, sweetie,” she whispers, “I hope and pray we’ll do this again with everyone.”

I nod softly, clinging to her. “I’d love that, Marron.” She smiles, giving me another tight squeeze.

After a moment we close the screens and retake our seats around the table in the living room.

“That was lovely you two,” says Yukari.

I smile to her, “Thanks, but what we did was an extremely shortened version of what we normally do.”

She chuckles, “Is it now?”

Marron nods, holding me close, “Normally, the entire festival lasts for about five to six hours, with more dancing and plenty of talking.” She looks to me, smiling warmly. Her hand gently strokes my shoulder.

I smile to her, wrapping my tails around my sister. “It holds a lot of meaning to me, especially the first and only one I’ve attended.”

“How so, Your Highness?” asks Orga.

I pan over to him. “It was when my mom formally introduced me to our coven. From that single night, I made several friends,” glancing off slightly, “many of whom I’m worried about.”

Marron holds me tighter to her. “They’ll be just fine, sweetie. Miriam will make sure they don’t do anything crazy.”

I sigh into her, “I hope so.”

She kisses the top of my head, “You worry too much.”

I smirk, “Can’t help it.” She smiles, stroking my hair.

“Honoring your traditions is important,” says Asha, “it’s a way of connecting to loved ones, no matter how great the distance.”

I smile at my aunt, “You’re right.”

She grins.

“Speaking of traditions,” adds Yukari, “next week will be New Years. With it comes the visit to the shrine.”

I grin softly, “This should be fun.” I then look over to Kateryna, imaging her in the kimono Hashibaba gave us for her. There’s not a doubt in my mind she’ll looking stunning in it. What I’m really curious about is how her husband will react to her wearing it.

The elf turns to me, “What is it, Your Highness?”

I giggle softly, “Nothing.”

She tilts her head, looking unconvinced, “Is that so?” I let out another giggle.

Later in the evening, Marron and I retreat up to my room.

She holds me tenderly as we rest up against the wall with only the moon’s light shining in on us. The room is quiet and still, just our heart beats filling the silence.

“You know, I wanted to come visit you and your mother last year for Christmas,” says Marron.

I look up at her, “You did?”

She nods, “Yup. I was all set to go right after the festival, but a blizzard of all things, blew into the area and shut everything down until it cleared. So I remained in St. Louis until it passed.” She chuckles, “Jenn couldn’t stop talking about her visit with you. How the both of you went shopping together and even went out horseback riding.”

I giggle, nodding. “It was a lot of fun. Her visit was also the first time in months I had traveled through the tunnel, and back to my old world.”

It wasn’t easy to say the least. I remember the entire month of December that year was leading up to my return to school and then my trip here after that. Before that however, I still had not even gone beyond the tunnel. Oh, I left several times elsewhere in the world and country, but never through the portal into where I once lived.

It was rough having to come to grips with me going back. It wasn’t my world any more, it wasn’t my life.

She holds me tighter, “That’s all in the past, sweetie. I know it was a rough time, still feeling the connection to your old self. Now you are you.”

I nod, then smirk, “Well, if you did come and stayed past New Years, you would’ve met Arcturus.”

“Oh?” she exclaims curiously.

I giggle, “Yep. When I met him, I sort of took a liking to him. That really changed when Mom appeared and the pair couldn’t stop gazing wistfully into each other’s eyes.” My grin broadens, “I even teased them about just kissing if all they were going to do was just stare at each other.”

She chuckles, “You’re the same way with Kenji.”

I blush softly, which causes Marron to laugh. “We should start talking about what our plans are going to be in the future, but that can wait until after the New Year starts.”

I nod, then turns, curling up into her as my tails wrap around her.

She smiles, “Still a baby, even after all this time.”

“Would you have me any other way?” I ask giggling.

I feel her kissing the top of my head, “No, sweetie.” She then strokes my hair, “Sweet Baby Ahri.”

I giggle, “I still love when you call me by that name.”

She grins, “It’s a name that I have always taken great pride and joy in calling you. Names are powerful things. They bind us, connect us. They show the love we share to others. Your mother gave you the name ‘Aria’ when you were reborn. I gave you the name ‘Baby Ahri’ as a way of showing much you are my baby sister.”

I smile. She’s right. From the moment I first transformed, ‘Aria’ is who I became, and from that moment is who I forever am. But there’s in lies yet another question, for yet another time to ask.

I peer down at my chest, seeing the necklace dangling. “It’s been three years since Mom sent me this.” I hold it tenderly between my fingers.

She smiles, “It’s hard to believe it’s been that long.”

I continue to stare at it. “It feels like a lifetime has passed since then. I’ve been through so much; it’s almost as if I’ve always been who I am now.”

She gently strokes my hair. “Very true, to us you’ve always been our little Aria. But it’s been a long time since you and I first met and became sisters.”

A grin stretches across my face, looking up at her. “I have the best big sister in the world.”

Her cheeks blush softly as she grins as well, kissing my forehead, “And I have the best baby sister that anyone could’ve ever asked for.”

I giggle softly. Despite everything that’s happened between us, the pain and betrayal, we still are sisters through and through. No matter what. We are together and that’s all that matters. But deep down in my heart, I also wish Mom was here with us. I’m not complete without her.

She strokes my hair, sighing softly. “Your whole world would’ve been so much better if Regulus hadn’t screwed it all up,” she says.

“True,” I reply, leaning into her. “But despite his constant failed attempts to kill me and claim me, his real success was in him driving me ever closer to those I now call my family.”

Marron blushes softly, squeezing me even tighter to her. “You’re right, sweetie.”

It’s true, him leaking my existence to the Court, which prompted Beltrok to appear at the Estate. That event resulted in only deepening my loyalty to my mother, not to mention proving that I was willing to defend her and myself against anyone coming after me. The murder of my birth family drove me completely into the arms of my mother, forever cementing my bond and reliance on her.

Even his manipulating of Marron only served to strengthen my bond with my sister. Now she is here with me, much like we were in the old days.

I smile softly. “I just thought of something.”

She grins, stroking my face. “What is it, Aria?”

“When Mom made you my legal guardian,” I start, “didn’t she essentially give you back your old mission to watch over and protect me?”

She leans over and kisses the top of my head. “That she did. Only now it’s for an even greater purpose and reason.”

I smile to her. A greater purpose. Her words dug deeply into me. But it her voice wasn’t filled with pain, just the simple truth. She is here to be my sister and protector. It doesn’t matter how strong I am on the battlefield, that I can redirect the flow of a river, or even rain holy hell onto my enemies.

Yet when everything is said and done, I’m just a child, regardless of my old life. I’m not who I used to be, so am still in need of guidance.

Marron drapes a blanket over us, bundling it tightly. I lay my head onto her chest, curling my tails around us, forming yet another blanket. My eyes slowly begin to grow heavier as I feel more and more tired.

She smiles, caressing my face. “Sleep, baby sister. Sleep, and let your dreams be filled with gentle joys and happiness.”

I smile, listening as she then begins to hum softly into my ear. The tune was gentle, something I’ve heard her sing to me many times before. It’s always wondered where it came from as it never felt like a normal lullaby. It sounded old, something you might hear in a dream from a faraway land. Yet somehow it’s not like those of the fae, which believe it or not, where most lullabies come from.

It dips and rises, changing gently from high to low tones. It feels like a warm breeze through the trees, tenderly kissing the branches. Yet it gives the image of a town or city the more the tune progresses, then floating towards endless trees. Strange, but I love it nonetheless.

I had asked her about it when I first started spending the odd weekend with her. She often told me she never knew where it came from, not even her own mother sung it to her as a child. Just one more mystery to add to the list.

My hand clings tightly to her as I begin to drift away, feeling her kiss the top of my head.

“Sleep, baby sister. Sleep.”

I drift further and further away, finally succumbing. Simple as it may have been, but I love this Christmas just as much as any other, and those around me.