It wasn't supposed to happen.

We were never supposed to see each other again. I would be free, free from the past that haunted me and she would be safe from it, never truly knowing the effect it had on me.

How did it all go so wrong?

It was my fault I suppose. I heard the rumours of a bad-tempered flat-chested sorceress with an affinity for fireballs in town and instantly the words "Lina Inverse" came to mind. I decided I would pay a visit- big mistake.

I'm still not sure how it happened. She was supposed to be in Saillune, playing the part of princess, not traipsing around with Lina.

She recognised me at once of course, despite everything that had happened since we parted. Lina seemed surprised at first but recovered quickly and allowed us our time with surprising grace and understanding.

I almost wish she hadn't.

There were tears in her eyes when she asked me why I never visited, why I never wrote in all that time. It had been years since I left them all…

What reason could I give? What explanation could I possibly offer? For shutting her-for shutting them all out of my life? People I cared so deeply for? In the end I settled for the truth, painful as it was; I didn't want her to see what I had become, I wanted her to remember me as she had known me all those years ago and most of all I didn't want her to feel the pain I'd gone through, she was always very empathetic with other people…

I expected her to shout at me, rant about justice, tell me she didn't care and only ever wanted to know I was alive and well, but she didn't. She just put her arms around me and held me close. It broke my heart, somehow her not judging me made it worse and I cried against her, terribly out of character for the lonesome wanderer I made myself out to be but then she always had a way of bringing out the emotions in me.

She had to leave the next morning. To return to her duties –she was supposed to be in Saillune playing the princess. I expected her to ask me to return with her, but again she surprised me. She hugged me and asked me to think of her from time to time and maybe drop a letter or two. She hinted that she would prefer a visit but I think we both know that's not likely.

I'm alone again now, wandering always moving. Although somehow I know that as long as she continues to think of me I'll never truly be alone.

It wasn't supposed to happen, but I'm glad it did. Glad I got to see her again.

Amelia

My darling sister.