章 22: Brothers

Clifford shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His lovely sister was sending glares directed at him and he tried his best to avoid her prying eyes by looking outside the window of the moving wagon.

"Why did you behave like that?" Iris's eyes narrowed when he ignored her question.

"Brother!?" She called him in a stiff voice and Clifford finally turned to her with an awkward smile hanging on his lips.

"Ye-yes?" he hesitantly asked.

Iris frowned, "Why did you behave like that in front of the Grand Duke? He is royalty and we cannot afford to offend them"

Clifford understood her concern. The Grand duke himself is a higher noble compared to them and he is also the eldest son of the prevailing emperor. He knew that offending such a powerful person was risky, but he couldn't help it. One of his sisters has already died because of that damned engagement. Clifford was not blaming the Grand duke, but he had to admit that his sister would be still alive if not for that engagement.

"Brother, are you listening?" Iris called him when he didn't respond to her words.

"What did you say?" He asked confusedly coming out of his thoughts.

Iris pursed her lips, "Where is your mind wandering Brother?"

He scratched his chin guilty, "I'm sorry, I was lost in my thoughts.....You were talking about Grand duke right?" she nodded and he continued, "It was indeed impulsive of me to talk like that to the Grand duke but I was furious when I heard about him meeting you from your guards. Father has already decided to break your engagement, he also mentioned to me about discussing this with the Grand duke and said that his Grace approved"

"Did his Grace really agree to annul our engagement?" came her quick question. She didn't know why but seeing Clifford nod made her sad.

"Yes, our father wouldn't be able to one-sidedly annul the engagement ordained by the emperor himself. For approving the annulment, both father and Grand duke have already sent individual letters to his majesty"

Iris nodded with a gloomy face and turned her face to look at the scenery outside the moving carriage. Her eyes were focused on the window but her mind was somewhere else. Thinking back to her encounter with Cassian, a small smile unconsciously adorned her lips but in the next instant that smile dropped remembering her brother's words. She felt uncomfortable...She didn't like annulling her engagement with Cassian. Iris paused and her eyes widened, 'What am I thinking!?' she chided herself, 'Why is this bothering me so much!? NO! Why am I this affected by the stranger that I just met!?'

"Are you alright Iris?" Clifford's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"What?"

"You suddenly went quiet...What's wrong" her brother asked with a concerned-filled voice.

"It's nothing," she said shaking her head.

He frowned, "Really?"

Iris blinked, "It's really nothing" seeing him still skeptical, she changed the topic, "Why didn't any of you inform me about my engagement as soon as I got up?"

Clifford sighed, "It's because we were thinking about annulling it even before your accident. You already woke up without your memories, so we didn't want to burden you with more unnecessary things. Your recovery was more important at that time"

Iris smiled, "Thank you for taking care of me Brother Cliff...Ah!" harsh pain shot through her head as images of a little boy with honey-colored hair flashed in her mind. The boy got on his knees with his back turned to her, 'Get on Rea!' his worry-filled voice rang in her ears, 'You cannot walk with your injured leg, let me carry you' Following that she heard a little girl's voice, 'Thank you for taking care of me brother Conr...'

"Iris, What's wrong!?" she snapped out of her thoughts as Clifford shook her shoulder. Tears flowed out of her eyes, "Brother?" she asked with uncertainty, and Clifford nodded, "I'm here...Tell me"

She held her forehead, "My head is suddenly hurting....and some unknown images flashed in my mind, I think it is my lost memories"

Clifford's face turned dark hearing her words. This was bad.....she was slowly recovering her memories, "What did you see in those images?" he carefully asked.

"I-i don't remember everything, but I think I addressed someone as Brother"

"That must be me" he hurriedly replied, "I think you must have remembered your memories with me"

Iris nodded, "I think so too...It must have been you"

He smiled and rested her head on his shoulder, "Now get some rest until we reach the duchy. Your headache will also get relieved after sleeping"

She smiled and closed her eyes falling asleep.

****

Inside the lush forest of Findara, a small wooden cabin dwelled. One would not be able to notice it at first sight because it was thickly concealed with green vines. A man entered the abode holding a piece of purple-colored clothing in his hands, "My Lord, I found this beside the riverbed"

Another man sitting opposite him took the purple clothing in his hand, "Any traces of her....." he struggled to say the word 'Dead body', "My sister?"

"Nothing my lord" answered the guard, "I think she survived, Young lady's body would have already floated to the riverbed if she drowned"

Conrad released a sigh of relief that he had been holding since his sister's missing. He knew that she could swim, His sister was not someone weak to give up her life so easily but his worry started when he learned about her getting injured by an arrow on her shoulder. Arms are crucial while swimming and seeing the strong current of the river, he was anxious.

He was devastated when he heard about his parents' demise by his informant. The past few weeks were hell for him, but he composed himself for his sister. She was there waiting for him in that vampire-filled place, he had to save her but Astrea fled to look for him and stop him from returning to Nethilor. He felt warmth but soon that got replaced with anxiousness. She was chased by the imperial guards and fell off of a cliff. The only thing that kept him going was the hope of her still being alive.

Conrad didn't blame her for their parents' death. He would also have done the same thing as his parents to save his little sister. He got up from his seat and went out of the cabin. Greenary greeted his eyes as soon as he stepped out, taking a deep breath he recalled the first time he saw his little sister...

(20 years ago....)

Little Conrad sprinted into the yard behind their manor. He was skipping his class because they bored him. His honey-colored locks wafted because of the wind and his platinum eyes sparkled with life.

He stopped after running out of breath. Putting his hands on his knees, he tried to catch his breath. Conrad got up and thought about returning but paused when he heard a baby' wail behind the bush. Carefully, he stepped towards it and widened his eyes. Inside a small basket, a tiny baby was wailing. Her adorable cheeks were flushed red but what shocked him more was the grey wolf lying beside the baby. The wolf was covered with wounds, it's grey coat was thickly covered with crimson blood. Taking a small stick from the ground, little Conrad nudged the wolf's body and sighed when it didn't move.

Gathering his courage, he took hold of the basket with the baby and walked inside the manor. He struggled to hold it because of his small body, but something motivated him to keep going. He was averse to any others seeing or touching the baby. This emotion was first for him, being this protective of someone. He didn't stop until he reached his father's study.

The door was partly opened, so it was easy for him to sneak inside.

Howard Campbell was going through some paper works when he noticed his son entering his study with a basket in his hands.

"What...?" rest of his words were swallowed when he saw a baby inside the basket. He was given a fright when Conrad stumbled. Hastily he reached to him and took the basket away from his son.

Conrad widened his eyes and shouted, "Give it back...Give the baby back to me"

Howard chuckled seeing his son throwing a tantrum, "Where did you take the baby from you brat?"

"I found the baby in our yard" he replied. He was getting restless seeing the baby in his father's hands, He didn't want anyone besides him near her, "Father...Return the baby to me!"

His father frowned, "You will drop the baby...You are not strong enough"

Conrad looked at his father with a frown, "I'm strong!"

"Conrad!" his father's stern warning stopped him from talking further but he started to sniffle, "I can take care of the baby.....I'm strong" as he finished his words, blinding white light encircled his little body.

Howard widened his eyes and muttered, "No way...." his son's sword aura was waking up. Thier family was known swordmasters, as they were light wizards, it was easy for them to direct that power into their sword fighting. But it usually took one almost decades to wake up the powers, but his five-year-old son was already obtaining the powers.

He turned his eyes towards the baby in the basket. Tears fell from his eyes, "Is it you, my lady?" his throat burned with a surge of emotions, "You finally came back.....Lady Charis" The baby giggled hearing his words whereas Conrad stood frozen in his place.

Back in the forest, he came out of his thoughts when he heard his subordinate's words, "My lord, the river current slows down at certain points. We should investigate those places"

"Do it" Conrad ordered as he went back into the wooden cabin.

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