ONE

The man felt the panic rising in his chest as he stared at the house. His house. He hadn't seen it in many years, so many that he had almost forgotten what it looked like.

But it was still standing. It was still here.

And inside of it were his brother and his sister-in-law.

The man took a breath and stepped up to the door, then knocked. One, two, three. His had was trembling as it did so.

She answered the door. His sister-in-law. The most beautiful woman in the world. Her soft brown was down around her shoulders and she wore a blue top and khakis. Her eyes widened when she saw him.

"Ki-" she began, but then she was in his arms.

His heart was reacing, his gold eyes fierce and wide. No, he ttold himself. You can't let yourself feel for her. She chose your brother and is married to him. Let her go.

But her arms were now aound his neck, her hot tears soaking his sleeve. "Kishan," she whispered. "I've missed you."

Kishan let her go and looked at her. She smiled at him with her beautiful smile and he felt happy for the first time in literally centuries.

"Kelsey," he breathed. "It's... been a while."

She laughed, a sond that was like music to his ears. "Yeah, quite a while! I just can't believe you're actually back!"

"Kelsey?" Kishan's brother's voice called from the other room."Who was at the..."

He froze upon seeing his brother standing in his entryway. "Hello, brother," Kishan laughed.

He looked the same as he had before: colbalt blue eyes, smooth brown skin, and dark hair. An older version of Kishan, though Kishan had gold eyes an his hair was a little longer.

"Kishan," Alagan Dhiren Rajaram breathed.

"Yeah." He responded.

Kelsey was grinning from ear to ear. "Isn't this great, Ren?" She said excitedly. "He's back!" To Kishan's surprise, she took his hand and held it tight.

Ren grinned too. "Yes. But brother... I thought you married Anamika and were happy with her? Phet gave us your letter,"

Kishan cursed in Hindi under his breath. His letter. One of the ony times he had lied to his brother, and pretty much the only time he had lied to Kelsey. "I- I'm sorry... I had to lie to assure you I was alright. I didn't know if I'd be able to come back to you once time caught up to me. Anamika and I never married; truth be told, she's a bitch." He laughed lightly.

Kelsey smiled and let go of his hand, going to Ren's side and planting a small kiss on his cheek. "We can let him stay here, can't we, Ren?" She pleaded, taking his hand.

Ren looked down at her, and his expression softened. "Of course, Kelsey. What kind of man prince would I be if I didn't let my own brother stay with me and my..." He looked nervously at Kishan. "-Wife."

Kishan looked at Kelsey, and then at the ring on her hand. It was silver, with a sapphire. His eyes glanced over all of his fingers, but he could not find the red shine of a ruby. His smile wavered. "Thank you, Kelsey," he said in a normal voice, but inside his throat was consticting.

Had Kelsey chosen to forget him?

Kishan found his brother on his balcony late than night. they hugged properly and caught up like brothers should. Then Kishan sighed.

"Kelsey's ring... it's the one you gave her," he said quietly.

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Did you expect any different? She is my wife. It's our wedding ring."

"What about the one I gave her, the gold one, with the ruby?"

He adverted his eyes. "Kelsey chooses not to wear it. It reminded her too much of you. But she keeps it in her special box, next to her bed."

His heart filled with happiness. She had not forgotten him after all. "Good. Dhiren..." Kishan hesitated.

"Yes?"

Kishan looked into his brother's blue eyes. "The curse... it broke for me last year."

Ren looked at his brother. He did indeed seem to have gotten older.

"I could no longer become a tiger, my immortality disappeared, and Anamika had no use for me any more. She disowned me and found a new tiger to enchant." He lowered his gaze to the pool below.

Ren placed a hand on his shoulder. "I understand. It's alright now, though. You're here; we're a family again."

"A family..." Kishan looked back up at Ren and forced a smile on his face. But something in his heart was not yet full, a part that had been hidden when he had met Kelsey, but now was showing through again. Something... he had forgotten something.

Or someone...

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