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MeganBryar
MeganBryar's Gallery (2127)

Big Sister's Promise

Always Here For You
bigsisterspromise.rtf
Keywords female 1006144, fox 233155, hybrid 64006, vulpine 34842, child 9775, kid 9103, red fox 8239, princess 7227, city 6636, family 6255, sisters 3383, medieval 1996, royalty 1896, swift fox 1461, affection 1002, little sister 185, big sister 96, promise 60, heir 15, baby sister 5, bastard child 2, city-state 1
Big Sister's Promise

Megan Bryar





The ritual was always the same.  As soon as Ciara passed through the big steel and wood gates that guarded Cearnach City from the rest of the world, she went straight to the castle.  While she was in the city she could forget about everything else for a few days and devote herself to her sister.  When Brigit was born, she made a promise that the child wouldn't want for anything and that she wouldn't have to grow up alone, as Ciara had.  No matter what, Ciara was determined Brigit would always have her big sister there to look after her.
When she reached the castle steps, she looked up and smiled at the child waiting for her there.
“How have you been, little sister?” she said.
Brigit ran down the steps and wrapped her arms around her big sister.  At nine years old Brigit was almost as big as she was, but Ciara could still pick her up and twirl her around the way she'd always done. This was Brigit's share of the ritual and she was, if anything, more eager for the reunion than Ciara.  Brigit never missed a meeting, no matter the weather or the time of day.  It gave her mother fits, but Fithir had given up trying to stop her.
“How long are you gonna stay with us this time?” Brigit said.
“I'm expected back in two days, but for you I'll stay at least a week,” Ciara said.
Brigit gave her a smile in return and shook her head in unconscious mimicry of Fithir.
“That's what you always say, and then you stay a month,” she said.
“Maybe two,” Ciara said.
Brigit's smile widened and she wagged her little cut off stub of a tail.  Then her face fell, and she clutched at Ciara's shirt the way she did when she needed her big sister.
“You promise?  Only, I don't have anyone to talk to when you're not here.  Mom's too busy and there's nobody else who knows,” Brigit said.
“Knows what, pup?” Ciara said.
“Tell me about my father.  What was he really like?” Brigit said.
Ciara put a hand on  Brigit's shoulder in what she hoped was a comforting gesture.  This was part of the ritual too, and it was only natural for Brigit to be curious.  Connor hadn't been around much when Ciara was a girl, but at least he'd been there when she needed him.  Brigit never had the chance to meet him.  That made Ciara's promise even more important.  She, at least, had had the luxury of knowing that, as Connor's bastard, she was free to pick whatever life she pleased.  Brigit had to grow up to be Connor's heir, which meant she had to live up to his legend.
“He was my hero,” she said.
“That's what Mom says, too.  She says he died to save us all,” Brigit said.
“That wasn't his general intention, but I suppose you could look at it like that,” Ciara said.
“Isn't that what a king is supposed to do?” Brigit said.
Ciara fought back a grimace and she hoped Brigit hadn't seen it.  That was Fithir's major contribution to Brigit's education, filtered through her pride like everything was these days.  Fithir meant well, but she always had to turn everything into a melodrama.
“Maybe that's how it used to be in the days of our grandfathers, but these days a king, or queen, has to know a lot more than how to swing a sword.  If Dad taught me anything it was that, sometimes, you can do a lot more good by talking than by fighting,” Ciara said.
“But he died,” Brigit said.
“Yes.  That doesn't mean he was wrong,” Ciara said.
Brigit's ears drooped a little and Ciara felt a pang of guilt for disappointing the child, but part of her promise was that she'd never lie to her sister.  Brigit scooted a little closer and Ciara felt the girl trembling, on the verge of tears.  She stroked Brigit's ears and wondered if she should have broken her rule this once, but Brigit was tough.  Stoicism was a flaw that ran deep through their family.  The pup only sniffled a little before she pulled herself back together.
“Were you there with him?” Brigit said.
“I tried to stop him,” Ciara said.
“But you said--”
“I was so young then, and all I knew was my father was in trouble.  Nobody is ever a hero like you read about in books.  I've never believed in them.  All Connor wanted was to protect the people he loved, and I wanted to do the same for him,” Ciara said.
“But he didn't run away,” Brigit said, and now there was a note of challenge to Brigit's tone.  It was the same tone that Connor always got once he made up his mind about something.
“It never crossed his mind.  Even when I begged him to turn back, he kept going,” Ciara said.
“Then maybe you and Mom are both right,” Brigit said.
“Maybe so.  Fithir's a pretty smart vixen, you know.  I think that's what Dad liked about her,” Ciara said.
“Would he have loved me?” Brigit said.
Ciara looked at her little sister as Brigit looked up at her.  Brigit was Connor's fifth daughter and the only one, besides herself, to live past infancy.  The child looked more like their father than she could know, and Ciara had always wished Connor could see what a fine fox his youngest child had become.
“He would have loved you very much, and he'd have been very proud of you.  Every bit as much as I am,” she said.
She led Brigit up the steps into the castle and she thought that, this time, it wouldn't do any harm to stay for three months.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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A little while ago, I commissioned someone to draw a picture of my vixen Ciara and her baby sister, Brigit. When she sent me the WIP sketch I decided it would be fun to write a little bit of flavor text for the image, as I sometimes do. Given that Brigit was only a year old in her last appearance, I've been itching to flesh her out a little bit more. However, I wanted to keep it as short as possible, as a sort of challenge to myself. I've always been interested in flash fiction, but I've never been much good at it. So I thought I'd give it a whirl.

I don't know how well it works, but I think it's kind of a cute story nevertheless.

All characters belong to me.

Keywords
female 1,006,144, fox 233,155, hybrid 64,006, vulpine 34,842, child 9,775, kid 9,103, red fox 8,239, princess 7,227, city 6,636, family 6,255, sisters 3,383, medieval 1,996, royalty 1,896, swift fox 1,461, affection 1,002, little sister 185, big sister 96, promise 60, heir 15, baby sister 5, bastard child 2, city-state 1
Details
Type: Writing - Document
Published: 10 years, 9 months ago
Rating: General

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NikkiWolf315
10 years, 9 months ago
such a sweet story Megan, I really wouldn't have minded reading it if it was 20+ pages long like some of
Jacinth
Jacinth
's stories, it was so well written, and like I said, a really sweet story :)
MeganBryar
10 years, 9 months ago
Thanks so much! I'm really glad you enjoyed the story, and I appreciate the kind words. Most of mine do tend to be considerably longer than this one, too. The last story these two were in topped out at about ninety pages. The project before that was better than 300 pages long. But every once in a while I like to try to challenge myself to do something different.
NikkiWolf315
10 years, 9 months ago
good grief girl...I honestly doubt I could keep attention that long ^^;  20-30 pages are plenty for a story for here, but needless to say, keep up the good work.
MeganBryar
10 years, 9 months ago
Neither could I, to be honest. That's why I usually post my longer stories in chapters, so I don't drive my readers nuts. Though I've posted a couple of them in their entirety on FA, as some people asked me to.

And thanks!
NikkiWolf315
10 years, 9 months ago
makes sense, now that I know how good of a writer you are, I'll read more stories that you post in the future :)
MeganBryar
10 years, 9 months ago
Thanks so much!
D4488
10 years, 9 months ago
Very cute story and as was said well written :3 though some do like long stories I was reading some that were multi-200 page posts :P the swiss mix I think it was? And to dream of darkness was another lol :3 need to read the rest of thief stories if they are good like this one lol
MeganBryar
10 years, 9 months ago
Thank you! I appreciate your taking the time to read, and I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope you'll like the rest of my work as well.

As for long stories, I like those as well, and most of my work does tend to be significantly longer than this. I'm primarily a novelist, in fact. But I've always been fascinated by flash fiction, and it's a form I'd love to master.
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