Guardian (Sequel to Fearless)

Chapter Twenty Nine

Dear diary,

Today is the day of the Harvest Festival and I'm really excited to go. Father says I don't have to watch Iris tonight and I get to eat as many sweets as I want. Today is the first day in a long time that I get to be free. To really be free! And be myself and make friends and I'm really excited to go. Mother even bought me the dress I really wanted from the market. I had to pretend like I wasn't really excited about it because I don't want them to know I still like wearing dresses sometimes. I think mom still knew, though. Mom always knows. Today is a really good day. Father also gave me another sword lesson today. I like those too. He told me if I was good tonight, he'd teach me twice next week. So I will try to be good. I can't wait until one day Iris gets to play at the festival with me. That's all for right now!

Until I write again,

Cricket.

Kayde read the entry beside Iris. It had been two months since they'd started reading a page of the diary each morning. It had been even longer since Iris had learned of her sister. The rogue turned to the next page... out of simple curiosity. A tear threatened her eye when the following page was blank. All the rest of the bound book stared at her with vacant, yellowing parchment. She'd reached the end of the diary.

She'd just read the last thing Cricket had ever written. Kayde simply squeezed Iris's shoulder, and for a long time, she had no idea what to say. So much of Cricket's little soul --Iris could identify with it. The girl had wanted to be a warrior. By the end of the diary, Cricket hadn't wanted to be the little princess who got saved. She wanted to be the hero --who only sometimes wore a dress.

"She was so like me," Iris whispered to Kayde. "In a different life, I might not have been alone." The gods were cruel indeed for her fate. "I wish I had have known her."

"She wanted to know you too," Kayde replied, but even he realized it was terrible consolation for what had happened. "It's written on every page --I can't wait for Iris to grow up. I can't wait for Iris to talk. I can't wait until we can play together." Those words stung. Cricket had loved her. Twenty years ago, Iris had had a sister that loved her beyond words --a sister that had held her and sang her to sleep at night. A sister that Irila and Elliot --her mother and father-- had cherished.

Iris closed the journal and turned to Kayde.

"We should forget about this. For now," Iris said. "I don't want to upset myself. Whatever happened to her in this life is far beyond her now. She's with my mother and father --I have to think that."

Iris got up and took a quick few steps around the room, circling back to her friend after a couple of seconds.

"I agree. We should think about something else," Kayde agreed, standing up beside her. "For now." Now, he gave her a comforting squeeze on her shoulder before changing the subject entirely. "How about this? You've faced more than half of your training, dear girl. How do you feel about that?" Iris met his small smile with one of her own as she considered the words.

"I feel like time's flying," she answered. "I feel like I just got here a few weeks ago."

"Then you're having fun?" Kayde asked. "That's what it usually means when time flies."

After some though? She found that the answer was yes, she was. "Yes, Kayde. I suppose I am. Despite how many injuries I've received, and despite all the hours I've had to spend meditating... I would say that yes, I am having a good time here."

"Here's a bigger question," Kayde said, turning his head to look forward --to look away from her. "Do you miss home?"

"What do you mean home?"