The Horses of Brimleigh

~3~

​Brillia dabbed at her red eyes with her sleeve and rested her head on Thorn's withers, her fingers twined through his smooth mane. "Yes?"

​Aderyn frowned and gently placed a hand on Brillia's shoulder. "Is it Brage? Brill...what happened?"

​Brillia answered her slowly. "I don't really know how it happened...I was just brushing Thorn...and then Brage's face just entered my mind, and I couldn't be rid of it...it was stuck there."

​Aderyn nodded sympathetically. "Come. Change back into your gown, and I'll get a maid to prepare you a cup of tea...would you like that?"

​Forcing out a smile, Brillia nodded. "You are so wonderful, Aderyn. I really don't know how I'd ever manage to live without you." She stroked her sisters hair lovingly as she pulled Aderyn close.

​"I love you, Brill," Aderyn sniffed and hugged her sister. "And even if Brage doesn't-"

​"Stop talking!" Brillia pleaded, and pulled away from Aderyn. Aderyn's smile left her face.

​"Look, Brillia. I know things are hard for you, but you have to stop thinking about just yourself! Do you have any idea about what I am going through? Things are just as difficult for me, Mother and Father! Brage leaving pains all of us...this whole family, not just you!" Aderyn finally spoke. Her tone softened. "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have spoken like that...I just...I'm so sorry."

​"No," Brillia clasped Aderyn's thin shoulder. "Thank you...I really did need to hear someone say it. You have to understand though...I'm not going to stop feeling unhappy. Until Brage returns, I most likely won't be able to shake this awful feeling, but if you work with me...and put up with me...I may get through this."

​"I think you will too," Aderyn flashed Brillia a crooked half smile.

​Brillia nodded her head, and wiped at her red eyes. "Well," she said, "I'm glad we agree on something."

​"Anyhow," Aderyn lead Brillia from the stable and into the yard, under the dappled sunlight and white clouds, "I myself am rather hungry, and I believe that after that long ride of yours, you must be too."

​Pressing her hand against her empty stomach, Brillia grinned sheepishly. "Well...I don't suppose it would hurt to have a bite to eat."

​Aderyn stepped carefully over a puddle, grinning as the hem brushed against the water. "Do you think that if I ruin all my dresses, Mother will finally relent and allow me to just wear pants?"

​"I think that if you ruined all your dresses, Mother would never let you leave the house again, in fear of you ruining all your clothes," Brillia laughed, "besides...why do you despise your dresses so much?"

​Aderyn stuck up her nose. "They're annoying. You can't do anything in them, and it's a real pain trying to run, climb trees or frankly, just enjoy yourself when trying to untangle yourself from long skirts. They trip you up, and I wish I could slash mine into pieces!"

​Brillia raised her light brown eyebrows, and peered down at Aderyn. "Well I'd advise you not to do that."

​Together, they entered the building of the Estate, and after requesting a cup of tea, made their way to the drawing room where they settled themselves down on one of the couches. Brillia ran her hand over the rough green fabric, embroidered in an intricate paisley design, and pressed her finger nail against it, moving the threads against their natural flow, so that the colour changed from light to dark.

​"Brage used to do this," Brillia said sadly, as she traced an embroidered flower, "he used to leave me messages in the fabric. Usually I didn't get them, because they got wiped away or sat on, but on occasion, I'd get them. They were always in code, too."