Sisters

Diana Quanteria is a 28-year-old woman who has a 7-year-old sister named Xyreine Quanteria. They are staying at a farmhouse owned by an old couple, Athenia and Xian Spedleway. The couple was a complete stranger to them but they welcomed the siblings heartily after learning what happened to them.

It's been a week since they first arrived at the couple's farmhouse. It was mere luck for them to be saved from death. Thanks to this couple who opened their house for them despite knowing the danger the two siblings might bring, they finally found a place to stay in the meantime.

Two weeks have past but Xyreine was still unconscious after the accident in the forest. Diana is worried about her sister's condition. Her wounds have healed already. She sits beside Xyreine, hoping that she'll wake up.

"Xyreine," she mumbled in worries.

"Please come back to me!" she whimpered as she wipes her tears. "I promise to cook all of your favorites. We'll have fun. We'll play all day in the fields."

She hopes that everything is fine. Being unconscious for weeks is a serious business.

"There is a place in here full of flowers of all kind! It's like a flower paradise with hundreds of butterflies flying all around!" she said.

She is afraid that her sister might not wake up ever again. She will never forgive herself if that happens.

"Come on, little monkey!" she begged as she caresses her hair. "Come back to me. I promised to bake you a chocolate cake for your birthday. We'll have fun all day. Please wake up! Please come back to me!"

She hugs and kisses Xyreine. She couldn't stop her tears from flowing down.

"This is all my fault!"

There is no day she would not blame herself for what happened to her.

"I should be the one in your place, not you!" she cried. "I should be the one hit by the arrow."

She sobs even more after recalling how Xyreine protected her in the jungle. Seeing Xyreine being shot by an arrow was a very traumatic and devastating sight to see.

She laid her head on the bed while holding Xyreine's hand. As she continued to blame herself for what happened to her, she suddenly felt a sudden grip from Xyreine's hands. She stops crying and quickly checks her. She was filled with hope. She then witnessed Xyreine opened her eyes and have consciousness after a long slumber.

"Sister?" Xyreine weakly mumbled.

Tears of joy gush down from her eyes. She felt intense relief seeing Xyreine opened her eyes.

"Xyreine!" she exclaimed in joy.

She embraces her tightly as tears continue to flow down from her eyes.

"I'm so sorry! I am so sorry!" she cried. "I'm so sorry that your big sis didn't protect you!"

Xyreine looks at her and smiled. That was a smile that she wanted to see. A smile that she longed for so many days.

"It's okay, sister! I'm glad your okay," she mumbled.

She still needs time to regain her strength after the long-time of being bedridden.

"Are you still hurt?" she asked. "Are you okay now?"

Xyreine looks weak. She does need some more time and rests to regain her strength.

"I'm okay now sister."

Athenia entered the room and was surprised to see her recovery. She immediately put the flowers she picked from her garden into the flower vase. Athenia then gazes at Xyreine.

"I am so glad you're awake now!" Athenia let out in relief.

Xyreine looks at her and smiles genuinely.

"Hi, I'm Xyreine," she introduced.

"I am Athenia," Athenia replied.

"Athenia and her husband were the ones who helped us," Diana said as she caresses Xyreine's hair.

Xyreine smiles even more.

"Thank you for helping us, ma'am!" Xyreine thanked.

"You can just call me, Athenia!" Athenia said in a gentle voice.

Xyreine returns her gaze at Diana and saw tears from her. She raises her hand and wipes Diana's tears. Diana was filled with hope that everything will be okay.

"Hey, monkey?" she said. "Your birthday is in next week, what do you want?"

She must at least distract Xyreine and let her feel that she is safe. It surely might have traumatized her. Maybe by celebrating her birthday, it might ease some pain and erase the fear. She must at least do something.

"It's okay sister. You don't need to prepare something for my birthday," Xyreine weakly mumbled. "As long as you're okay."

"No, no, we'll celebrate it. Do you remember, I promised to bake you a chocolate cake," she insisted.

Xyreine smiles at her but she suddenly looks away. She then saw tears in Xyreine's eyes. She might have remembered what happened two weeks ago. Xyreine surely is traumatized. Diana hugs her and comforts her. She is deeply hurt just by seeing Xyreine cry. She couldn't just forgive herself yet she must remain strong for her sister. She must do everything to make Xyreine safe and endure everything so that Xyreine will be happy. She promised their parents to protect her and look after her. But, she thinks she had failed to do that after what happened in the forest. She wasn't able to protect her little sister and that's why she got shot by an arrow.

As Xyreine fell asleep again, Diana let her rest and leaves the room. She doesn't know how to erase the fear from her. She couldn't control her emotions. She burst out crying after closing the door. She is heartbroken knowing that her sister did felt fear and got traumatized. Athenia approaches her and hugs her.

"Stop blaming yourself, dear," Athenia comforted. "It's not your fault. Please stop blaming yourself."

She knows that she must be strong. She must remain strong for her sister.

"If you wanted to celebrate her birthday, we'll help you," Athenia said. "I just can't stand watching you feel down. We will make her happy. We will help you erase those bad memories."

She felt relieved from pain knowing that Athenia is willing to help her.

"Thank you for everything, Athenia!" she said. "Thank you so much!"

She is deeply touched and thankful that they are in good hands. She didn't expect that they'll end up under their care.

Days have passed, Xyreine can leave the bed and can now walk around, but not entirely all the time. Xyreine still needs some assistance although her wound on her belly completely healed. They were grateful nothing vital was harmed by the arrow. Despite this, Xyreine still shows signs of fear. She is even afraid of going out of the farmhouse and chooses to stay inside her room. They didn't force her since she's still scared. They promise that they will always be by her side and showed her how much they love her. The couple showed great concern and care to the two siblings. They often mention how happy they are for having them since they don't have any neighbors to visit or talk to. Surely, it's kinda lonely living in the middle of nowhere, away from the glorious empires. Since the two siblings arrived in the couple's farmhouse, Diana felt relief and ease even for a short while.

After the day Xyreine regained consciousness, Diana has the urge to call Rexford, a person she thinks could help her. However, she has no device that she can use to contact him. That's why she asks Athenia for help.

"We do have a communication device here but I am afraid it would be useless because it can only call one person."

"Who might that be?" she curiously asked.

"Our son," Athenia answered. "He's a sweet young boy. I think you'll like him."

Athenia chuckles after saying that.

"Anyway, maybe Xian has something that might help you," she added. "He's in the barn."

"Thank you, Athenia."

She went over to the barn and look for Xian. She saw him hammering the wall of the barn while on a wooden ladder.

"Xian, may I have a moment with you?"

Xian looks at her and decided to climb down. As Xian slowly descends from the ladder, one of the steps of the ladder broke and Xian fell.

"Xian!" she yelped.

She runs quickly at him to check him if he's alright.

"Xian? Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm alright. It's—" Xian grunted.

Xian had sprained his right ankle.

"I'm so sorry," she apologized.

"It's alright. It's not your fault," Xian said.

Diana assisted him to stand up as they saw Athenia rushing towards them who looks so worried.

"What happened?" Athenia inquired. "Oh, Xian. Are you alright?"

Athenia immediately helped her husband and assists Diana to carry him. They laid him on his bed as Diana looks for first aid. Xyreine saw her and followed her.

"Let me take care of it," Diana insisted.

Xyreine saw them and asks, "What happened to you, Xian?"

"It's just a little sprain. I was a bit careless, that's why," Xian smiled.

"You should be careful next time," Xyreine said, looking worried about him.

"Okay, I'll be more careful next time."

"Xian, just let your sprained limb rest until it fully heals," she advised as she puts a pillow under Xian's leg after wrapping it with an elastic wrap. "We'll put ice on it later, to limit the swelling."

"Thank you, Diana," Xian thanked as he smiled at her.

"I am so sorry again," she apologized.

"It's not your fault. I was being careless by using an old ladder," Xian chuckled. "Anyway, why were you calling me?"

"I was wondering if you have a spare phone that I could use," she requested. "I have a friend back at Droid City that could help me."

Diana had already told them what actually happened to them. They know her story and the reason why she runs away with her sister. They know what happened to them in the forest and how a woman saved them from those men in the forest.

"Once you get help, that worthless asshole who did this to you including those scumbags in the forest, make sure they pay and get imprisoned! That dirtbag who was the cause of all of this, I'll make him regret hurting you! Once he is in custody, don't expect that I would hold back! I wouldn't mind going back to jail!"

Xian looks so angry. It looks like he really means what he says.

"I have a guy who might have the thing you needed," Xian said. "But I am afraid I can't go there since my leg is quite broken."

"Where can I find him?" she inquired.

"At Tradesville," Xian answered.

"Okay, I'll go!"

"I hate to say this but I can't let you go there because it's dangerous and you might get lost since it's far," Xian disagreed.

Diana felt hopeless. Her downcasted eyes impelled Xian to let her go.

"Tradesville is a bit far from here. You need to cross several bridges and climb Drues mountain. When you reach the peak of the mountain, you would see a valley with a lake, surrounded by a thick growth of very tall and huge trees and bushes. Go in there and you will arrive at Tradesville," he instructed. "However, it's a 2-day trek by horse."

Diana listened to his instructions.

"Do you know how to ride a horse, Diana?" Athenia asked.

"Yes, but it was so long since the last time I rode a horse," she honestly answered.

"Don't worry, dear. I'll help you with it," Athenia said.

"Sister, can I come with you?" Xyreine asked.

"Hey, um, maybe you should stay," she said. "It's a long journey and I don't want you to be exhausted. And besides, Athenia might need your help here since Xian is hurt. Will you take care of them while I'm gone?"

"Okay, I promise to take good care of them," Xyreine replied with a smile.

"I really couldn't believe he could do such a thing!" Xian angrily expressed. "I will beat the light out of him if I get the chance!"

"Xian!" Athenia chided.

"Well, he deserves it actually," Xian reasoned out. "I will certainly hit him in the face. I will never forgive that Darryl Richard!"