The Journey of Two Sisters: Book 4 of the Kinstone series
Chapter 2: Wandering the Manor

The early afternoon sun filters into the hallways from the window, casting a bright glow from behind the curtains.

I pan over towards the lake, wondering how the gossip is doing, and now that I’m out of my room, might go with a swim with them. Thanks to Silvi, who half-begrudgingly, half-happily acted as a mail flyer, I received numerous notes from the girls.

They all expressed their wishes for me to come join them in the lake. Tariel especially had sent over letters from Savero, wanting to let me know how much he’s misses me.

I blushed when he said that he wanted to personally escort me to the palace in Nerazon as his little sister in order to introduce me to his mother and father. So maybe a trip to the sunken city wouldn’t be a bad idea, that’s if my mother will allow it.

Summer was slowly coming to a close and with it, the possible return to our lessons, but knowing Mom, she’ll want to either take things slow or carefully ease me back into our studies. I still look forward to them, even the drudgery of writing long-winded reports of ancient sagas and epics seem to be a welcomed reprieve from all of the previous fighting we’ve be involved with.

I felt Fenris brushing his head under my arm. I smiled peering down at him, scratching behind his ears as we walked. Even when shrunk to the size of a large dog, the Uldulvan wolf was still a sight to behold, striking black fur which faded into bluish silver at his paws and tails.

He kept this size whenever we were inside for the obvious reason that an over five foot tall wolf could potentially cause a lot of damage merely walk through the hallways. But if outside or in the conservatory, he’d assume his real size. Oh…and my room. The big oaf loves being a huge wall of fur and often loves to drag him into his side.

I turn to see a pair of figures strolling in the hallway; one nearly drops whatever she was carrying as she stares at me.

“Young Miss. You’re…you’re out of your room,” the maid announces.

A smile rises on my face as the light outside shifts, revealing Abigale, the kikimora and head maid, and also the leader of the combat maids. Fenris and I stroll over to her. Her amber hair is still tied tightly into a high bun, with the feathers on her wrists neatly folded against her arms.

“Hey Miss Abigale, hope you’re doing well today.”

She quickly hands the towels she was carrying to the golem maid and pulls me into a tight hug. I cling tightly to her, hearing her heart beating heavily against her chest.

During the night of the attack, she had several teenagers ambush her and stab her. I fought them off and attempted to heal her, but was failing. If it hadn’t been for my mom and the others showing up when they did, I would’ve lost her.

She plants several kisses onto the top of my head, stroking my hair. “You can’t believe how happy I am to see you out of your room. We were starting to wonder if you were ever going to leave it,” she says, hearing her tail swishing softly behind her.

I nod, hands still clinging to her. “Thank you. Mom and I got into another nasty fight last night, and I told her that I wasn’t going to leave.”

I peer up at her, staring into her eyes, “How about you? Are you doing ok? I know it’s been three weeks since the battle, and we talked earlier, but are you really all healed up?”

She smiles, “I’m doing well Young Miss. I have fully recovered thanks to Madam Velhemina’s treatments.”

A soft blush rises on my cheeks, “I...I heard what you said the night my mom and Fenris came to save me.”

She smooths over my cheek with her thumb, “What I spoke was the truth, Young Miss. This place truly is incomplete without you in it. I, like many of the others, are still happy beyond words that you are home. Safe and alive.”

I giggle softly. After I passed out, we all were teleported back to the Estate. Naturally everyone came running out to see me curled up tightly in my mother’s arms.

I pull back slightly, seeing the feint outline of a scar across her neck. A reminder of the battle. The combat maids and I grew even closer that night, more than ever before. When a group fights together, they form an even tighter bond.

Before that night, we were merely close friends, teacher and student, sparring partners. But now, we were sisters-in-arms, having enduring combat together. That creates something special between people.

Then there’s me. I had personally led people into battle, fighting those who had come to kill me. I didn’t think of it changing me, but in some ways it did. I had truly put the skills and abilities I had been honing for the past two years into practice. But now I had to become stronger, there is still so much more to learn.

Despite having to defend my home, I gave only one order to my allies, the order not to kill. I don’t care if they were there to come and kill me, nor would anyone say that I had every right to seek their lives.

If I were to have allowed my friends to kill a bunch of teenagers, then I would have garnered for more resentment from their parents, not to mention the nightmares I’d be having. Killing is easy; living with the fact that you took a life is even harder. Call me childish in you want, say that I’m a naïve idealistic idiot. I really don’t care.

If there is also yet one more thing I always take into consideration is the reputation of my mother. If word had gotten out that I had killed, even if to protect myself, I worried how others would perceive it. Many would say that my actions would be justified and blameless. But there’d still be those would come after her. What can I say, I’m an idiot. I love my mother.

Abigale smiles, placing another kiss onto my forehead. “Are you heading downstairs?” she asks.

“I am. I need to make up with Mom. I don’t want to leave things as they are,” I say.

She nods. Her smile grows wider, “I still can’t believe you grew your ninth tail, Young Miss. When her Ladyship carried you inside, you were still in your kitsune form. We all saw your tails dangling from you.”

I blush softly, and then peer down to Fenris. He sat to the side of us, waiting patiently. I turn back to Abigale, forming a slight grin.

Before I could think of saying a word, she quickly places a finger over my mouth. “I will say this once more Young Miss, Fenris and I are not together.”

I tilt my head to the side, “Seriously? I’ve seen you two hanging out with each other. The day he and I came back from Japan the two of you disappeared together.”

The kikimora sighs, shaking her head, “Young Miss, he and I are truthfully close, but we are not that close. To answer you query about that particular night, he and I merely went off to spend a little time together.”

I continue to stare at her unconvinced, “Uh-huh. Come on Miss Abigale, you can tell me.”

She smirks, peering down at him, “We went hunting together, and then spent the night near the lake. It’s often what we do while together. We are friends. But the truth is, he and I are not compatible, in more ways than one.”

I look back to him, only to feel a swift swipe with a tail. “Clear those thoughts from your mind, little fox.”

I smirk, “Fine.”

Abigale then leans into my ear. “Besides, even if I were, I’d still have fought alongside you,” she whispers, and then pulls back.

I stare into her eyes, seeing her grin deeply. I sigh, rolling my eyes. “Okay…you win.”

She gives me another tight squeeze before letting me go, “Now hurry on, Young Miss, your mother should be in the parlor.”

I step back from her, smiling, “When you’re up to it, want to meet me at the training grounds for a session?”

She smiles, “Happily so, Young Miss.” She then takes the items from before back and both maids each bow to me. I watch as both disappear down the corridor.

Fenris loops a tail around me, “We should go, little Aria.”

I nod and turn, heading down the opposite way.

We exit out into the foyer. The sun shines brightly through the back windows, giving the room a golden hue. As we descend the steps, I first glimpse the minor impression I made when I rushed off of it the moment Irina made a dive towards Luna.

I then eye the front door where after saving the kobold pup, I blasted the vampiress, Mistral, and Lana out into the driveway. I accidently destroyed the old one, having obliterated it. Mom must’ve replaced it with a new one in the past couple of weeks. While it was an accident, I still feel guilty for having to do it.

Fenris and I finally step onto the bottom floor, to where I begin hearing voices come from the parlor. I knew that Viktor had left a couple days ago, needing to return to the Court to make a personal report of my condition.

I have truly grown to trust him, learning a bit more of Dewloura from him. But part of me still craves more. He lamented not having very much after our last meeting, saying all he truly had were fragments and even an old map of the city, which he only shared a copy of.

When he and I talked, I told him about Selene and what he had done with my birthmother. He was absolutely appalled by the news that Nethune had returned and not only had it, but had claimed my birthmother as its daughter. He told me he was going to inform the rest of his family of this.

“If you are ever in need of allies and friends, Lady Aria, you have but to ask,” he said to me.

I thanked him and said if I did, I’d let him know.

A smile rose on my face as I hear Miriam’s along with my mother’s. A tingle of fear then rose up my spine as I know she had traveled to Japan during the week of the attack.

She told me she planned on visiting Ashogihaga, and potentially meeting with Kenji. I have no idea what had happened when she arrived, because when news of both the attack and my kidnapping reached her, everything else seemed to become irrelevant.

I pan down the hallway, seeing that the living armor had long since returned to their pedestals. They really were a help that night, somewhat evening the numbers. I did however learn that we lost three of them that night. It hurt that we did. Mom didn’t say anything about obtaining more. I sigh heavily as their armor sat empty and lifeless, a form of memorial if you want.

I turn towards the parlor, hearing Fenris softly padding behind me. He trots over to me, again brushing his face into my hand.

I grin. He still loves to like a like a dog at times, a companion, a comforter. But also like my father, snapping at me if I say something stupid, and then disciplining me even whatever I did was worse. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FɪndNøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“Your Highness?” I hear coming from the hallway.

I look up to see my knights walking towards me. I smile to them, “Hey Orga, hey Kateryna.”

Both knights stop and bow to me. “We are overjoyed to see you out of you room, Your Highness,” greets Orga.

“Agreed,” adds his wife.

My smile softens as I reach around my back and hold my arm. “I want to thank you both for not only fighting alongside me during the battle here, but also coming to rescue me. I guess during our little chats, I never really got to say that to you both.”

Orga smiles, “It was our honor and duty to see to your safety, Your Highness. I believe my wife would agree however that it broke our hearts to see you in such a state.”

Kateryna’s fists clench tightly, “To think that someone of Nethune still walks this earth infuriates me.”

My fingers rasp over my hand, lowering my face, “Not to mention what Selene did to my birthmother.” I look up to them, “I guess Diana really is her daughter now isn’t she?”

Orga crosses his arms, “I’m afraid so, Your Highness. As detestable as it may be.”

I feel Fenris once more brushing against my hand. I smile, looking down at him. So many people went looking for me, the Coven, Viktor and Kerrigan coordinated with the Court. I even learned that Savero had gone looking for me, having arrived the day after the battle. I have so many people to thank, and many more to see.

But…unfortunately, I know that Mom won’t let me leave the Estate for some time. Nothing new, but this is worse than when Regulus sent those undead assassins after me. I sighed, shaking my head

“If you ever wish to begin train with us, Your Highness,” smiles Kateryna, “we will be waiting for you.”

I grin to her, “Count on it.” Both knights smile to me. “I need to head to the parlor to see my mom, catch you both later?”

Both knights bow. “Until then, Your Highness,” both say in unison.

I smile to them and head off.

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