Three chances, Three left
Chapter Nine
* Corona P.O.V. *
"Make yourself at home dear. We ate a little bit before, but I could fix you something up real quick. Do you want anything to drink?"
"Um, sure."
This was... Very strange to me. Mostly it was men trying to spoil me and offered me some affection, never a woman, much less a woman I was related too.
I sat down at the table, admiring the ranch house that my Grandmother lived in. Carved wood furninture covered most of the floor, with some small knick-knacks on the shelves and a few paintings on the walls, mainly of nature scenes. A staircase led up to the second floor where Grandmother had told me where the bedrooms were, and a hatch led down to the basement. Through the door behind me led to the kitchen, while I sat in the dining room, trying to comprehend that this was where my family had been living.
"Corona, do you like Venison stew? It's a favorite of your brother's."
"Her what?!"
My eyes went wide at what she'd just said, and I almost couldn't believe what she'd just said.
"Oh, right! I'm so sorry! Of course you don't remember Torm, you were so little the last time you saw him. Well, he still remembers you little black bird."
She grinned at me, and I let my mind wander off to my brother. What did he look like? Did he act like me? Did he hate me? Would he hug me and promise to never let me go the second he saw me? Was his mother Gelo too? If she was, how come he wasn't at the tower as well with me?
The door that led to the first hallway in the second floor opened, and I heard somebody rushing down the stairs. Finally, a boy my age ran in.
"Grandma, did you just say... Corona?"
His hair was red like my father's, his eyes deep green like my own, his skin with a farmer's tan. His build was very muscular, and I could see laugh lines on his face. He wore a brown vest over a long sleeved, white shirt, chaps, and very large boots. And for what ever reason though... He seemed very familiar to me.
"C-Corona? Little sis? I-is that you?"
"Grandmother, is this... Torm?"
His eyes went wide in surprise, then a grin over took his face. Next thing I knew, I was being twirled around in his arms, him laughing the entire time.
"I can't believe it! It's you!"
"Hold it there boyo! How do you know she's not pretending to be your sister?!"
"Okay, one, your bracelet talks?"
"Yes, it's getting him to shut up that's the trick."
"And two, Grandma said that the only time she would ever say your name when I was nearby... Was when you'd come home! Now about that bracelet... Is it enchanted or something?"
"Nope! I'm just connected to this thing! So gingy, you're looking at a sword spirit here, kinda stuck in a bracelet at the moment."
"Don't call him gingy."
Much to my despair, Dread came out of the bracelet, crossing his arms and tapping his foot, acting like he'd found a new victim.
"I'll call you whatever I want."
"Fine by me, as long as it isn't late for dinner."
I could tell that Dread was a little shocked at Torm's comeback, obviously not having suspected that someone would do something like that other than Link.
"And if I called you that?"
"I still wouldn't care."
I giggled a bit at how flustered Dread was getting, loving every minute of this.
"By the way, I heard somebody mention Venison stew?"
"You can eat after your sister has some."
"What if I eat before she gets any?"
"I'm warning you, I may be getting on in my years, but I can still show you your place boy."
"You know I'm messing with ya' Grandma."
'So this...Is what a family's like.'
"Say Corona..."
"Yes Torm?"
"Have you ever ridden a horse?"
"Uh...Not in this lifetime."
"Oh boy..."
I stared at him, wondering what was wrong. Would he hate me for not ever riding a horse before? I never got to close to one, so how would I know?
"You aren't a proper version until you've been on the back of a horse. Would you like me to give you riding lessons?"
"You'd really teach me?"
"Of course! Besides, we need to catch up on some sibling time anyways. Teaching you how to ride a horse is the perfect way to do that."
"Thank you."
"No problem."
A mage to obsess over her.
A warrior to love her.
A brother to care for her.
Will she choose one or two?