The Sorcerer and Storm Maker

With a flash of light Anja, Braiba and the princess appeared in the middle of the forest, far from their home.

“Where are we?” asked the princess.

“I’m not sure, I used my magic to take us far away from the Dark Sorcerer but I have no clue where it would take us” said Braiba.

“Send me back home” said Anja with anger and bitterness in his voice as he spoke.

“I can’t Anja” said Braiba.

Anja’s eyes then began to glow like lightning, filled anger and rage, and then with his thunderous voice he spoke, “I’m not going to repeat myself sister. Take me home, NOW!!!!”

Tears fell down from Braiba’s eyes upon seeing the rage, bitterness and anger in her brother’s eyes knowing that at that very moment her brother hated her with every fiber of his being.

Tari, seeing the pain in Braiba’s eyes as Anja spoke to her bitterly, went to her side to console her and then said to Anja, “stop this now Anja, can’t you see you’re hurting her. She already told you that she won’t take you back there so stop insisting for to do so”.

Anja then turned to the Tari, looking at the princess with rage filled eyes that were now glowing like lightning before saying, “this does not concern you princess. We are not in you kingdom, we are in the forest miles away from your fallen homeland. Here, you are nothing but a little powerless girl”.

A small tear fell down from Tari’s eyes as Anja had just reminded her about her fallen kingdom and the home she was forced to flee from.

But Anja, after reminding the princess about her fallen home was not done with her, not being satisfied with reminding her of what she had lost, he wanted to add salt in her wounds by saying, “this is all you and your father’s fault. Not only did our parents die protecting your father and your kingdom but the Dark Sorcerer came after us only because we allowed you to stay in our home. You and your family bring about misery and pain much more than any curse or plague could”.

The princess upon hearing everything Anja said broke down in tears, feeling her heart completely break and shatter in to a million pieces, Anja worse hurt more than any form physical pain that could ever be inflicted upon a person, putting her in a state of pain no words can describe.

Anja looked at Tari without even an ounce of remorse or regret in over what he said about the princess but then as he watched as the princess’s tears fall down from her eyes, he felt something hit his cheek with a force so great it echoed through the entire force.

Anja, now holding the cheek turned to see who was responsible for that great slap on his face.

To his surprise, he saw none other than Braiba looking at his with a look of shock and disappointment.

“Is this how our parents raised you brother, to treat person with some much anger and hatred. I actually glad mother and father are dead, at least they aren’t here to see the disappointment you’ve become as a son” said Braiba pointing at Tari who was still crying due to painful things Anja said about her and her family.

Anja then looked at Tari and saw the state she was in, broken and miserable because of those few words he told her.

He then realized what he had done and upon doing so he bowed down his head in shame.

His eyes stopped glowing and with a weak and trembling voice he spoke, saying, “I didn’t mean to...”

Anja could not even finish his sentence, the shame he felt over his action would not allow him.

Anja, no longer being about to stand in the presence of both Braiba and Tari just flew far away from them.

Tari wanted to chase after him but she was stopped by Braiba.

“No, leave him be. He needs to be alone right now, he’ll be back when his ready” said Braiba.

Tari just sighed knowing that Braiba was right, a lot had happened after all and maybe a little time alone is what Anja needs at this very moment.

Anja landed next to a river not too far from where Tari and Braiba were.

Once there, he sat down on the grass covered floor next to the river and then sighed deeply.

He thought about how he reacted with Tari and every hurtful thing he said about her and her family.

He had crossed the line and he knew it, even though it was out of anger over everything that had happened he had no right to speak about Tari the way that he did.

As Anja thought about what he did to Tari, he thought about Braiba and the look she gave him after slapping.

It wasn’t one of anger or hatred, no, it was far worse, it was a look of disappointment, a look that made Anja’s heart sink down low with shame.

He had never seen his sister look that way before, in the past she would often look at him with annoyance and at times rage but those emotions did not last and would often disappear as soon as they came but this time was different, Braiba was truly hurt by what Anja did and that fact alone made Anja feel his heart begin to ache with a sharp pain.

Anja sighed once more before he began to think about the way he had been behaving ever since his parent’s deaths especially towards Braiba.

He had been pushing her away, punishing her for only trying to protect and keep him safe.

Upon realizing how painful it must have been for Braiba having to deal with his anger and hatred Anja felt even more shame.

Tears then slowly began to fall down from his eyes, feeling nothing but sorrow and regret over his action, now realizing the error in his ways.

Anja, after spending after moments alone next to the river mustered up the courage to go face his sister and Tari to apologize to the for everything.

Upon reaching them however, Anja was sad to see that Braiba and Tari were fast asleep on the forest floor.

Anja, not wanting to bother them any further decided to let them, decided to wait till the next day to apologize.

Anja then noticed Braiba shivering due to the cold forest winds that blew around her.

He then decided to make a small fire for her for warmth so he gathered up all the dry sticks and pieces her could find in to a pile and then breathe out a small fire out of his mouth, engulfing the sticks and wood in flames.

Once the fire was ready Anja went to his sister, lifted her gently of the ground and brought her closer to the flames for warmth.

Braiba, now feeling warmth thanks to the heat from the fire stopped shivering.

Anja then smiled at his sister as he watched her sleep peacefully like a baby.

“Anja, please don’t leave me” Braiba whispered softly while still fast asleep.

Anja then went to her and said, “I promise you I’ll always be here, right by your side sister”.

Anja then kissed Braiba on her forehead.

Anja then heard Tari sneeze; he turned to seeing her shivering like Braiba due to the cold while still fast asleep.

Anja just sighed for going to her, lifting her off the ground and taking her close to the fire.

While carrying Anja her Tari said with her eyes still closed, “you’re pretty strong for someone with skinny arms”.

Anja upon hearing what Tari said realized that she wasn’t sleeping; he then placed her gently next to the fire and said, “You can open your eyes now”.

Tari just smiled before opening her eyes.

“Were you awake the entire time?” asked Anja.

“Yes, I couldn’t sleep, mostly because of the nightmares I get every time I try to” Tari jokingly before sighing deeply.

Anja just sighed before smiling slightly and saying, “Yeah, I’ve had my fair share of nightmares as well”.

Tari then turned to the fire with a look of sadness on her face before saying, “Did you mean what you said?”

Anja just sighed upon hearing the question she asked, knowing what she was referring to.

“No, I only said those words because I was angry and *sigh* hurt. Please if you can, can you find it in your heart to forgive me, even though you probably hate me right now” said Anja.

“I don’t hate you Anja, I know the only reason you act so cold and bitter towards me is because you are hurt and you miss your old life. That’s a pain I can relate to” said Tari, understanding Anja’s pain as it was the same as hers.

Anja just smiled upon hearing what Tari said before saying, “I would never believe, even in my wildest of dreams, I would share something in common with a princess”.

“Do you think that a princess having something in common with a storm maker is normal thing?” said the princess jokingly causing Anja to chuckle a little.

“I’m sorry for everything princess” said Anja with a look of sadness and regret on his face.

Tari, seeing the look on Anja’s face, just sighed before saying, ” first of all, you don’t need to apologize for anything like I said before I know the only reason you acted the way you did with me was because you were hurt and second of all stop calling me princess. *Sigh*since I have no kingdom, I can’t be called a princess”.

Anja saw the sad look on Tari’s face as she spoke, knowing how hard it must have been to her to lose everything, her home, her kingdom and her family.

Anja then sighed before saying, “You know when I was younger my younger my mother used to tell me and Braiba stories at night before we went to bed. Braiba was the one who really like them; I could barely stay awake while she told them”.

Tari smiled a little not surprised when she heard Anja say he didn’t really like the stories his mother told him and Braiba when he was younger as he didn’t seem like the kind of person that would enjoy story of anykind.

“But on one of the very few times I actually listened to one of my mother’s stories all the way to the end I got to listen to an incredible story about a brave, beautiful and stubborn princess which you remind me ofyou” said Anja.

“I’m guessing that this princess had kingdom in this story” said Tari.

“No, she actually didn’t have a kingdom” said Anja.

“Then how could she be a princess” asked the princess, wondering how a princess could be a princess without a kingdom.

“According to the story she was a princess not because of riches, wealth or royal blood, she was a princess because of her pure heart. ’She was not born with a golden spoon in her mouth, having no form of wealth and her blood was that of a commoner not royal but she was still given the title princess because of her heart. Her domain was not limited to a single kingdom but the entire world and her subjects were everyone she met and showed kindness to”said Anja remembering his mother’s words as he told Braiba the story the story all those years ago.

Tari upon hearing what Anja said asked, “Do you think, I’m like the princess in your story”.

“No, she is just a character in a story. You’re an actual princess” said Anja.

Tari, upon hearing what he said could stop herself from tearing up and embracing Anja in a tight but yet loving embrace.

“Thank you” said Tari.

Anja then raised his hands and hugged her back; allowing himself to embrace someone for the first time since his parent deaths.

“It’s alright” whispered Anja as they pulled away from the hug.

Anja then used his hands to wipe away her tears.

“You’re a princess and as such you shouldn’t waste those valuable tears of yours crying” said Anja causing Tari to smile a little.

That night Anja and Tari stayed up together, talking about themselves, their family and their lives, they shared stories about their past and how happy they were before they lost everything.

This was the very first time Anja had opened up to someone who wasn’t his parents or Braiba and it was also the first time of Tari seeing a side of Anja he had never shown anyone apart from his family; his kind, loving and understanding side, something he never really showed much.

Eventually as time passed they both drifted to sleep, with the both of them sleeping next to each other, sharing the night with each other underneath the beautiful night stars.