Yes. I know this is short, and very badly written. I'm sorry. This last week has been super busy, and next week might be kinda busy too. Anyways, thank you to anyone who actually takes the time to read it. You're amazing. 💚💚

“Rissa, this is Felton.”

Felton? My brother had been gone for years, and I had long supposed he had been killed during or after the fall of our king. Why had he never returned? A million questions bubbled up in my mind, but nothing came out. I suddenly felt shy, and I looked down at my dark brown hands. If Felton had been alive all this time, why did we not know?

My sister was confused too, but for a completely different reason, “What happened? Did I say something wrong?”

I tried to figure a way to explain this to my sister. Felton shifted his feet, a nervous look on his face, and then spoke.

“Hey, Kathy, how ‘bout you go git yourself somethin’ to eat, an’ I’ll talk to… your sister, here,” my brother’s accent was drawled, and I gulped in surprise when he spoke. None of the rest of my family spoke that way.

Kathy’s face twisted into a frown, “What’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you later. I have to go do something right now, but I will come see you before bed,” I promised, watching as my sister shrugged and walked slowly away. Once her chocolate head had disappeared in the crowd, I exploded.

“How could you do such a hideous thing!”

Felton hung his head. I took a step towards him, planting my feet firmly.

We thought you were dead! For years, you let Father stew in his guilt, and then, when you decided you were ready, you thought you could just come back and play jokes on my sister. Kathy doesn’t even know who you are!”

“I didn’— “ Felton tried to speak, but I had no intention of hearing him.

“You knew that if you stayed away for a while, Father would regret what he said, and when you did return, he would be so happy that you were finally home that he wouldn’t even remember what happened. That’s what you did, didn’t you?”

Felton’s gentle face looked pained, and his large grey-brown hands fumbled with his belt. “I didn’t know you were living here.”

I knew that was true. My father had been relocated to Cloud Mountain for work, and that was after my brother had left. But I was not yet ready to agree with this tall, broad shouldered buck who had suddenly walked back into my life.

Felton paced over to the wall, tracing his fingers over the wood panels. His furry ears drooped, and he was silent for a while. When he did speak, his voice was pained.

“Rissa, I didn’ mean to stay away. I thought… I s’posed you’d been… well, killed. If I’d known Kathy was my sister, I would ‘a told ‘er,” Felton turned, leaning his back against the dark slats, “I’m sorry.”

I bit my lip, trying to build the strength to admit my wrong. I sighed, then brought my gaze to face my older brother’s. Despite his relaxed position, he seemed to tower above me.

I lowered my eyes, diligently studying a knot in the floor

Felton studied me, “I would ‘a come sooner, if I’d ‘a known you was here.”

“Have you heard much news? Of our family, I mean. You must know as much as I of the outside.”

“Kathy didn’ want to tell me much. She wan’ed me to me ya on my own.”

“Has she told you about Mama?” My eyes watered, but I blinked back the tears.

“What about her?” Felton’s brow furrowed.

I jerked my head away. If I tried to speak, the tears would come, and I didn’t want that now. But Felton seemed to understand. He slipped his strong arm around my trembling shoulders, and I once more found strength. I had received something very valuable - my brother was home, and I loved him more than I could ever say. I turned to look my brother in the eyes, looping my hands around his arm.

“I’m glad you’re back.”