[Legacy of a Martyr #2] Liberation from the Masquerades (A Key Keepers novel)

Episode 29: Useless Sister, Useless Queen

Alain and Duke went into a spare bedroom. I hid around the corner.

Duke leaned against the dresser. "What on Engrada happened to your brother? He was acting like a four-year-old."

"Why do you care?" My little brother kept his hands in his pockets. "My brother was four for twelve years. It makes sense for him to slip sometimes. We will handle it the best we can."

He looked out the window. "That was bad. I've never seen someone act like that before. You can't handle it by yourselves."

"Let us handle it." Alain glared at the boy. "He's our baby brother."

"You care for him. That doesn't mean you have to be the only one. I've seen what happens to people who live like that."

Alain laughed. "Oh, yeah? Really...?"

"Yes! Marshall lived like that for seven years! I couldn't tell you how he managed for so long!"

My brother turned his head. "He did have Lie for three of them."

"That didn't mean they were easy! Masquerade screwed them over!"

My little brother completely turned his back to Duke. "Mouii... Tsukareta..."

I knocked before I came in. "You alright, little brother?"

He almost wasn't looking at me. "Onee-chan..."

"Why don't you go take a shower?" I ran my fingers through his hair. "I'll be in our room in a little bit."

"Okay..."

Alain then left.

"I don't get what just happened." Duke ran his fingers through his hair. "Wasn't that a bit of an overreaction?"

"Don't worry about it." I sighed. "We'll get it taken care of. We always do."

Duke looked at me sideways before he left.

I shut and locked the door behind him.

"Noelle?" I slid my back down the side of the bed. "Can you hear me?"

"Yeah." She appeared in front of me. She was semi translucent. "You look terrible. What happened?"

A sigh escaped her lips. "Ali took Duke and Phoenix into Taradita."

The Protector folded her arms. "How did that go?"

"It went well... at first. They went into a café to look for clues." I flinched. "Then he saw a spider."

A teary film formed over her eyes. "How bad was it?"

"Bad." I buried my head in my hands. "He had a panic attack. Since I didn't know what else to do, I used my powers to put him to sleep. I've never seen him like that before."

"I'm not surprised." She sighed. "You were isolated in that place. The one thing that was good about it was that your fears couldn't reach you."

Maybe...

"I feel useless."

"Tiana." She made me look at her. "Don't say that."

"But I am!" Tears ran down my face. "I can't rule my kingdom! I can't protect my little brothers! I can't help the others!"

Noelle grabbed her hands. "None of that is true!" Fire burned in her eyes. "Tiana Willow Elizabeth Cunningham, you will be a wonderful queen! Your mother, Cecelia, set a wonderful example! You won't disappoint her!" Her golden eyes looked like they'd turned to glitter. "In fact, I know you'll do even better!"

How could Noelle be so sure? I was only seven. Had Noelle seen her reign?

She grabbed my hands. "You can. I know you can." The Protector turned her head. "If anything happened, you'd be right there. You'd give your life for them. They aren't kids anymore, either."

I would. I owed it to them. I was their elder sister. Aunt Sarah and her husband were the only family they had left. Not that my brothers knew this...

"I was there the last time your mother addressed the civilians—the day you turned seven."

My jaw dropped. "But I never saw you."

Noelle gazed out the window. "I hid in the crowds for that reason, and having the body of a thirteen-year-old certainly helped me blend in." She smirked. "I planned to hide from you until you got more involved in royal affairs."

"What changed your mind?"

"I saw you and Alain together. You both looked inseparable." Her lips twitched into a blissful smile. "I knew from a single glance. He was the Earth-Engrada Key Keeper." She stifled a laugh. "For the longest time, I thought you were his Soulmate."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"You awoke his powers that day." She turned back to me. "They went dormant after until he visited you more often around age ten."

"What made you realize you were mistaken?"

"Recah did." She smirked again. "Do you know how they met?"

My jaw dropped. My eyes widened. "I can't say I do."

Noelle took a breath. "He ran away from Lie and Marshall because they saw his powers. Before you or Phoenix visited him, he found a place to sleep already, which was good, because he passed out." The Protector took a breath. "When she entered the cave, I felt an energy spike, meaning she gave him some strength back."

She raised an eyebrow. "The energy spike had to do with them being Soulmates?"

"Yeah." The Protector put her hand over her heart. "It's the person they want to protect most, so their power increases to accomplish that." She rose. "I've also watched them interact."

"Watched them interact?"

Noelle nodded. "He opened up to her in an instant. That wasn't normal for him. The Protector who watched over him told me this themselves."

Tiana shook her head to fix her face. "Has he met this person?"

"Nope." She folded her arms. "He kept out of trouble and didn't go poking around, so meeting them was pointless. By the time he began moving, he'd left for Engrada, so it was my responsibility to look out for him."

"Are you Engrada's only Protector?"

"I am." She glanced out the window. "Engrada is smaller than Earth and only ever has a few KKs at a time."

Wow...

"Anyway, I should go." She flashed me a smile. "Everything will work out fine! I promise!"

Noelle then disappeared.

"Noelle! Wait!" I tried to grab the mist that was Noelle. "I have more questions."

I stood like a deer caught in the headlights for a minute.

I never noticed. Because of what she did last year, Noelle's body had aged two years. She looked fifteen. It made her even more beautiful, even wiser, but I still saw the same sweet girl when I gazed into Noelle's eyes.

Poor T feels useless! Thoughts on her interactions? Theories? Predictions?

~Shino out!