A/N: Finally got around to updating. I don't know when I'll get around to updating the rest of my fanfics, though.
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"Don't you recognize me?" the woman who claimed to be Princess Ellis whispered, voice trembling.
"You do look like my sister, but you just can't be. Ellis is dead. I wish I could believe you," Marth said sadly.
"Should we kick her out, or throw her in the dungeon?" one of the guards asked.
Ellis looked alarmed. "Please, just let me tell my story. It will all make sense if you listen. I know you think I'm dead, and this whole situation seems bizarre, but I beg you, hear me out." She gazed pleadingly at Marth.
"All right, I suppose you at least deserve to explain yourself," Marth agreed, not knowing if he said this because he was curious what this girl was up to or if he somehow truly believed this was his sister.
" You think I died in an enemy prison, correct?"
"Everyone in Altea knows that," Marth replied, with a bit of impatience.
"Everyone in Altea has been lied to."
Marth looked at her, puzzled. "I just don't understand how you expect me to believe you."
"Did you ever see 'my' body after I 'died'?"
Marth thought for a moment. "No, it was already sealed inside a coffin by the time it was recovered and sent home for burial."
Ellis sighed sadly. "I was sincerely hoping no one would fall for that fiendish trick."
"What fiendish trick?" Marth asked, confused as well as suspicious.
"When I was imprisoned," Ellis began, "I was originally supposed to be executed as a prisoner of war. However, my captors decided they could profit more by faking my death and selling me into slavery. The coffin buried in our family's tomb actually contains a prisoner who died of starvation. The other prisoners were forced to send a body back and claim it was mine. If you opened the tomb and coffin, you would find something completely unexpected."
Marth considered her story, then spoke. "If you truly are Ellis, I have no reason to doubt you are telling the truth."
Kyree, who had remained silent until then, said softly, "She is."
"Kyree, how can you tell?" Marth asked, completely baffled.
She smiled. "Not only can I alter my own form, I can tell if someone else is not using his or her true form. This is really your sister, strange as it may seem." She curtseyed. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess."
"Ellis hates formality almost as much as I do," Marth chuckled. He enveloped his older sister in a huge bearhug. "I can't believe you're alive," he murmured. "Where have you been since the war ended?"
"After Altea was victorious, the prisoners and slaves were freed, as you know. I've spent over a year journeying home. At first, I tried to explain my situation, but no one believed me. I had to find my way back here with very little help. It hurt to receive such a critical reception, but I can't blame you. You thought I was dead, just like everyone else, but it doesn't matter anymore. I'm just so glad to be home. I thought I'd never see you again, little brother!" Tears trickled down her cheeks. Kyree could see that Marth also had joyful tears in his eyes.
Marth continued, "Ellis, you said you were enslaved? Were you mistreated at all? Tell me what happened? If anyone touched you, I'll kill the bastard!"
"The man who called himself my master tried to force himself on me, but one blast of magical energy taught him a lesson he never forgot. I was severely beaten for that, but he never tried anything like that again. In fact, I think he was afraid of me."
Marth grinned. "I would have expected no less from you." Glancing at her ragged appearance, he added, "Come inside. Why don't you rest, eat, and get cleaned up? Your apartments have been untouched, except for an occasional cleaning. Just wait until everyone hears the wonderful news!"
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Short chapter, but I should have more soon, very soon. Next chapter should have more of Koryth.
