Estella opened her eyes, still leaning back against the sculpture. The early sunlight gently warmed her skin. She slowly turned her head… and then she saw him.
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Her brother was sitting right next to her.
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For a moment, her breath caught, her heart beating faster. She wanted to touch him, to tell him how sorry she was. But she knew it was impossible. He wasn’t really here. He was just a memory, a fleeting shadow of the past that had returned to haunt her.
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She watched him, the way the wind played with his short, black hair. And then their eyes met.
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Pain.
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That was the first thing she saw in his eyes.
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She swallowed hard, feeling something tighten in her throat. She knew that memory. She knew exactly what he was going to say next.
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“Do you think she’ll come back?” His voice was quiet, monotone, exactly as she remembered it.
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She didn’t want to answer. She didn’t want to relive it all. But she knew she couldn’t change the past, she couldn’t change what had already happened.
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“Who knows… Maybe she’ll come back, maybe she won’t,” she said finally, reaching for his hand and squeezing it lightly.
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“And even if she doesn’t, we still have each other, Anstellerette. I’ll never leave you.” The words left her lips easily, but even she knew it was a lie.
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A faint smile appeared on her brother’s face. He stood up and stretched, his long tail sweeping the air. Estella watched him, feeling the weight of this moment.
She knew this was the last time she could talk to him in peace. No arguments, no hurtful words, no tears.
“Are you hungry? Because I am. I was thinking of going for waffles,” she said quietly.
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Anstellerette nodded. Arm in arm, they began to walk away from the sculpture. Each step Estella took became heavier, slower, as if something inside her was trying to stop her.
She looked at her brother. She saw his lips moving, but his words sounded like a muffled echo. She couldn’t hear them.
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Except for one of his last sentences.
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“I love you, Estebella. You’re the best sister.”
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And then the world around her fell apart.
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The silver leaves of the tree, the warm rays of the sun, the gentle breeze—everything dissolved into nothingness, and she found herself back in the familiar chamber of the tree castle.
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That was the moment.
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The one she regretted the most.
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“Please… hear me out for once…” His voice was quiet, full of desperation. There was an almost pleading gleam in his eyes, but Estella didn’t want to see it. She didn’t want to listen. She didn’t want to hear another word.
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“Silence!”
Her scream echoed off the walls.
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“Estebella, please, give him a chance…”
Estella looked up.
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Sitaka stood right behind her brother, one of her hands resting on her stomach. At the sight of her, Estella gritted her teeth, then stood up abruptly, pointing an accusing finger at her.
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“This is your fault, you slut! If you had never come here, this wouldn’t have happened!
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She had had enough. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want to cause her…him…them pain. But she couldn’t stop herself. All that screaming made her feel better.
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She saw tears streaming down Sitaka’s face, and her brother hugged the woman standing by his side.
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For the first time, she saw anger in his eyes.
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“Leave her out of this,” he growled. His voice was sharper than ever before. “This is between you and me!”
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Estella laughed coldly.
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“Oh, really, Anstellerette? And who came here and announced she was pregnant? Pregnant with your child?!
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She saw his jaw clench, his lip bit. His tail curled between his legs.
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“That’s exactly what I thought… Now get out of my sight.” You… and that rag of yours…
Anstellerette, however, did not move. He only sighed heavily and placed his hand on his heart. before he continued.
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“You know, I decided to return to Nokta, to…”
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“And?” she interrupted him sharply. “Maybe it’s for the best! Maybe at least I won’t have to see that cursed child of yours! Or Sitaka! And especially you! I hate you for it!”
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Silence.
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Estella saw the muscles in his jaw tense, his hands clench into fists.
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“Do you really think so?” he asked quietly.
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“Of course I do.”
She didn’t look away. She stood tall, proud, with cold eyes.
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But deep inside… deep inside, everything in her was screaming for her to stop.
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His lips moved, but she didn’t hear his words.
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Then he took a step back.
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“I understand…” His voice was empty.
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“If these are your last words to me… then fine. I won’t be coming back anymore.”
“Fine,” she hissed, though every word he said cut into her like a knife.
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He looked at her one last time.
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His tail twitched slightly, as if waiting for her to stop him.
But she was silent.
She didn’t even turn around when the door closed with a dull thud.
She didn’t know how long she stood there.
Her gaze fell on the place where her brother had been a moment ago.
And then it hit her.
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He was really gone.
Not just from this room. Not just from her castle.
From her life.
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….
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Forever.
….
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Her memory shattered again, and she came back to reality.
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The sun was slowly setting.
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Estella looked in the direction where Kigami and Kimoko had disappeared, following their path to Nokta. She placed her hands on her heart.
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“Goodbye, my loves… May my blessing protect you.”
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She closed her eyes.
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“I hope to see you soon… Brother.”
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