(KBTCM) Ch 11: The Bond Between Brother And Sister!

(A Few Days Later)

Rowena stretched her arms as she walked into the kitchen, the early morning light filtering in through the tall arched windows. She was hoping for a quiet breakfast before the chaos of the day began—maybe some fresh bread, a bit of fruit, and a steaming cup of tea. Simple, peaceful.

But as she stepped inside, she immediately spotted Sylara sitting at the wooden dining table, lazily eating a bowl of cereal.

Rowena sighed internally. So much for peace.

"Good morning," Rowena greeted, offering her sister a weary smile.

Sylara barely glanced up, taking another slow bite. "Morning."

Rowena walked toward the counter, reaching for a loaf of bread before pausing. "Is Theron up?" she asked casually.

Sylara lifted an eyebrow, spoon halfway to her mouth. "Why are you asking me?"

Rowena turned, mirroring her sister's expression. "What do you mean, 'why am I asking you?'" She placed a hand on her hip. "You two were practically inseparable back in the day—though, to be fair, that wasn't exactly a good thing considering how much you loved to pick on—"

She stopped mid-sentence, her sharp gaze catching something off about Sylara's expression.

Her younger sister was suppressing a smile.

Rowena's eyes narrowed. "Sylara..."

Sylara kept her head down, focusing very intently on her cereal, but the corners of her lips twitched ever so slightly.

Rowena's stomach dropped.

"Oh, Sylara, you didn't—"

She rushed over to the table, peering into Sylara's bowl.

Her breath hitched.

There, paddling frantically between the floating pieces of cereal, was Theron.

"H-help," he gasped, arms flailing against the waves of milk as a massive spoon swooped down and nudged him backward.

Rowena clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh, for heaven's sake!" She immediately scooped him up, lifting his soaked form into her palm.

Theron coughed, wiping milk from his face. He was completely drenched, his hair sticking to his forehead as he glared daggers up at Sylara.

"Sylara, for shame!" Rowena scolded, shaking her head. "I can't believe you actually—"

Sylara, unfazed, leaned back in her chair with a smirk. "Oh, come on, it was just a bit of fun."

"Fun?" Rowena echoed in disbelief. She glanced down at Theron, who was practically seething in her palm. "I doubt he sees it that way."

Sylara waved a hand dismissively. "He's fine. I wasn't actually gonna eat him. Not this time, at least."

Theron's eye twitched. He clenched his fists, mentally cursing her in every language he knew.

Rowena sighed, rubbing her temple. "I swear, the two of you..." She looked between her sister and her little brother, shaking her head. "I was hoping that your attitude toward each other would change for the better. But it seems nothing has changed."

Sylara stood and stretched, then—without warning—wrapped her arms around Rowena in a loose hug. "Oh, come on, sis," she said in a playful tone, looking down at Theron with a sly smile. "He knows I love him."

Theron, still soaked in milk, did not look convinced.

All the while, deep in his mind, he continued to curse her with every ounce of energy he had left.

Breakfast and Burdens

Rowena carried Theron over to the kitchen counter, her fingers gently curled around his tiny, milk-drenched form. Sylara, meanwhile, stretched her arms and gave a nonchalant wave.

"Well, that was fun. I'll leave you two to it," she said before casually strolling out of the kitchen, as if she hadn't just used her brother as a makeshift cereal ingredient.

Rowena sighed, setting Theron down on the counter. "You alright?"

Theron shook his head, flicking milk off his arm. "I will be. Eventually."

Rowena chuckled and turned to prepare herself a sandwich. She grabbed some fresh bread, slicing it effortlessly with a knife before layering on slices of cured meat and cheese. As she worked, she glanced at her brother.

"You hungry?" she asked. "Especially after your early morning swim?"

Theron let out a small laugh. "Yeah, actually. Haven't had a proper meal since I got back."

Rowena tore off a generous portion of meat and set it before him like a feast. With a practiced motion, she lifted him up and carried him over to the dining table, setting him down before taking a seat herself, sandwich in hand.

For a while, the siblings ate in silence.

Theron, perched on the wooden surface, chewed on his meal thoughtfully. He glanced up at his sister, noticing the way her expression was unusually neutral—calm, yet distant. After a moment, he spoke.

"I heard you'll be meeting your first suitor soon," he said, his voice casual yet pointed. "The prince of Draymoor."

Rowena nodded, taking another bite of her sandwich. She chewed slowly before swallowing.

Theron studied her. "How do you feel about all this?"

Rowena paused. Then, carefully, she placed her sandwich down on her plate and looked down at him. A small smile played on her lips, but there was something behind it—something he couldn't quite place.

"This is my duty," she said simply. "My feelings do not matter."

Theron frowned.

He stood, stepping closer to his sister's face. He placed a small but firm hand against her cheek, his touch warm against her cool skin. Rowena blinked, surprised by the gesture.

"That's not true," he said, his voice steady. "Mom and Dad want you to be happy, you know that."

Rowena sat up straight, inhaling slightly. "I know..."

She sighed, leaning back into her chair. "Honestly? I don't know how I feel about it. I've never met him before, but I've heard good things. He's ambitious, but also fair and strong." She smirked down at Theron. "I think you would like him."

Theron tilted his head. "Yeah?"

"He's a warrior," she said with a shrug. "Brave, apparently. You respect those kinds of people, don't you?"

Theron nodded slowly, but his concern hadn't faded. "And you? Do you think this marriage will be good for you?"

Rowena exhaled through her nose. "Maybe. It's best not to think too much about it."

She leaned down suddenly, her lips pressing against Theron's face in a swift, overwhelming kiss. When she pulled back, she chuckled at the look of slight exasperation on his milk-streaked face.

"Thank you for worrying about me," she murmured.

Theron wiped at his cheek, shaking his head but smiling nonetheless.

The two continued their breakfast, a comfortable silence settling between them.

Yet, even as they shared this moment, doubt curled around Rowena's heart like a creeping vine.

She wouldn't burden her little brother with it. Nor her parents, who had already given her so much.

But as she took another bite of her sandwich, a quiet thought lingered in her mind.

Please let this work...