Sibling Summit

This was it. Vacation. There was no turning back now.

If only it didn’t coincide with the Tri-National Summit.

Neopia to Jeran, he chided himself, we’ve had these plans for over 8 months, long before the Summit was even on the table. Plus, Lisha had been looking forward to this long weekend for so long… they both had. Even more so after the recent string of incidents in their lives.

For a fleeting second, he thought about running after the carriage. No, stop it. He tapped a finger to his temple and forced his gaze away from the long and winding road. It’s only a few days. What’s the worst that could happen?

Then again—no. Best not to think about worst-case scenarios.

Unlike him, Lisha proved much better at “turning off” her brain. It was something Jeran deeply envied of his younger sibling. If only his brain was even half as forgiving or a quarter less anxious. But when you’re in charge of others' training, their daily routine, and their probability of survival… every decision counts. He learned that the hard way.

But now wasn’t the time for such thoughts. He was on vacation. Away from it all. He could finally relax.

Or could he?

Lisha, to her credit, seemed keen on finding every distraction in her arsenal to keep them both busy. From fishing rods to books, trail maps, even blunted arrows and targets, he had to admit, she prepared well. Or overprepared, but nothing could stop his bookish sister when in the middle of one of her planning tornadoes.

The cabin itself was rustic, albeit amenable to their needs. A kitchenette and two separate bedrooms made up the inside. Two rocking chairs and a swinging chair decorated the porch, with a wooden picnic table and fire pit outside. A serene lake lapped at loamy soil just a few steps from the porch. Cattails ringed the perimeter except for a cleared area with a small dock. Distant bird and amphibian song rang clear in the air and echoed off the water.

Splash!

That was fast, thought Jeran. She’d hardly been at the campsite for 15 minutes, and already, she was immersed in the world around them.

Jeran couldn’t help but chuckle when he saw the tops of Lisha’s ears poking above the water. When she popped up, they flattened against her back. Seeing him, she waved.

“I’ll join you in a bit,” he called, his gaze travelling towards Meridell again. It was hard to say why, but knowing it was so far away, knowing that he wasn’t there… it made him feel uneasy.

“You… sure?” Her voice softened as she studied him. “The water feels nice and cool.”

“Yes.” Jeran smiled sadly as he went to unpack his belongings. Surely Lisha picked up on his worry—she was always so good at reading social cues. “Thanks, Lisha.”

Even from inside, he could hear her shouts of delight coming from the water. It was nice to see Lisha taking a break from her role as the Court Librarian. Far too often her duties would be so well wrapped into her day that she had little time for anything else. Not to mention all of the various events that had happened these past few months—Kayla’s disaster sleep potion hitting top of the list. Jeran still had nightmares about the ordeal. And based on what the others told him, all of them did, too.

Jeran started putting away his clothes into the drawers as his foot tapped the dirt floor. What if the Summit went poorly? He knew exactly which Neopians would ultimately squabble… And the risk of having all three worlds together in one place. What if something sparked another war?

A tunic from his pack slipped through his shaking hand and onto the floor.

Relax, Jeran. He picked up the garment slowly, brushing off any dirt. Everything will work out fine.

Would that he could to believe it.

He changed into swim trunks and walked outside, giving Lisha a tired wave before sitting at the edge of the water. Little waves lapped over his feet.

“You remember the pool in the backyard?” She was swimming freestyle, splashing about like a fish.

“Maybe?” Truth be told, there was only the slightest inkling of a memory. Even his parents’ faces were long-lost shadows now. Although his sister knew most of this, there were things he kept hidden, even now.

“I wasn’t such a great swimmer back then.” She paused, as if recalling something unpleasant. “You saved me more than a few times, you know.”

Jeran shook his head, chasing away his anxious thoughts. “Oh, right. I remember that.”

“You feeling alright?” she called.

“I’m fine.” Jeran waded into the lake without another word.

It was a tad cold, perhaps expected for the late springtime, but refreshing nonetheless. For a few minutes, he let the water float him like a leaf, bobbing aimlessly. When Lisha kept trying to engage him, he swam closer and pushed a wall of water at her.

“Hey!” She ducked beneath the water, coming up just inches away, then skimmed the surface with a splash that soaked Jeran’s snout. The two of them played about for a while before drying off and lying on the grass.

I wonder if Setarian will—Wait. Jeran clicked his tongue. Serian. I wonder if Serian will be able to keep his cool this time… In years past, the ex-Kass General had a short temper and brusque personality that caused all manner of trouble. As he got older, it was replaced with a cool, brooding demeanour, like the weight of the world had fallen onto his shoulders. But Lord Darigan favours him, same with Darigan’s advisor, Galgarroth, and he has a few allies in Brightvale and even a fair number in Meridell… so, maybe it’ll be okay. And I have Danner and Rohane there, too, so—

“Neopia to Jeran!” Lisha cupped a handful of water into Jeran’s head. “Is this thing on?”

“Bwah!” His bangs flopped over his eyes, making him look like a Tyrannian rock star. He blew the fur out of his face, trying to take in the sun and the cool breeze. “It’s on, all right,” he groaned.

“Thinking about Meridell?” she asked, before crouching beside him.

He turned his face towards her. “Is it… that obvious?”

“You’re my big brother.” She smiled sadly, as if reminded of something. “If anyone’s going to know you, it’s me.”

There was a moment of silence between the two as the springtime breeze passed peacefully around them.

Jeran sat up from the grass and grabbed a tuft with each paw. “Hey. Lisha?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I be honest with you for a minute?”

Lisha reached for her glasses and placed them on her face. After blinking a few times from the bright sun, she looked him dead in the eyes. “Always.”

“Okay.” Jeran took a deep breath. “I’m worried about the Summit, about how I’m not there to keep everyone in check. To keep Serian from annoying our allies or prevent one of those pompous windbag professors from causing another international incident. And here I am, relaxing while they’re fretting and I feel guilty about not being there even though I know we planned this months ago and have been looking forward to it for a long time. And I just… I feel like I should be there even though I want to be here. With you. Being your big brother for a change and not just the Champion of Meridell.”

“Wow.”

“That… was more than you were expecting.” He scratched at his chin, suddenly feeling guilty. “Sorry to unload that on you.”

“Don’t be sorry,” she reached an arm around him and leaned over. “What are siblings for?” She then pointed to a wooden rack against the cabin wall. “How about we talk about this more on the canoe?”

He rose an eyebrow. “Because you have something profound to say, or because you want an excuse to be on a boat?”

“Both.” She grinned broadly. “Definitely both.”

They dragged the boat out into the water and paddled into the centre where pink water lilies bloomed. When the siblings made it to their destination, she laid back on the seat and placed an oar across her stomach. Jeran waited with anticipation. The entire trip out, he seemed anxious, fidgety even.

“Jeran.” Her brother stiffened up. “You have to trust in the Neopians you’ve trained. Trust that they’ll do a good job without you there. Because you,” as she said this, she pointed at him, “deserve to take some time off.”

“I know, but—”

“Danner will keep things under control—Rohane, too—they’re both level-headed and fair,” she hesitated for a second, “at least most of the time.” Her gaze lingered on her brother. Sir Rohane and Jeran had a notorious stubborn streak and would often butt heads over differing opinions. And even without Jeran there, Rohane had his off-limits topics. Things that could bring him from 0 to 100 in a few seconds flat… not that any self-respecting Neopian would go out of their way to trigger him.

“You’re not wrong…” He wanted to believe things would work out, but…

“And King Hagan’s niece, Roberta is also there—she’s really strong, compassionate, and kind. Serian, too—you have to believe that he wants peace just as much as the rest of us. He defected from Lord Kass to fight for a better world.”

“Yeah…” Jeran stared at the crystal water for a while, watching the occasional fish swim by as he rested his head on a paw. All of a sudden, he began to laugh.

Her nose crinkled. “What’s so funny? Serian really is—”

“No, no, it’s not him, it’s…” he caught his breath after a few seconds. “It always amazes me sometimes how mature you are for your age.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she jerked up quickly, rocking the boat so hard it nearly capsized.

Jeran worked desperately to stabilize the canoe as water splashed into the bottom. “Gah! Lisha, you almost flipped us!”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry…” she began to pump out the water as the boat calmly rocked with the waves. “I just have a lot of my mind…”

Jeran tilted his head to the side. “You? Ms. over-prepare and bring enough supplies for a week? I thought that nothing could faze you!”

“Nothing?” When the last bit of water had been forced out of the boat, she laid back against her seat with a long sigh. “The Summit’s been bothering me all week. Like, I know the knights will do great, I know my friends are ready to show them our country’s best side, but part of me worries…”

“What if it all goes wrong?”

“Yeah.” She stuck her oar back into the water and pushed it forward. “But you know what?”

Jeran hummed in interest.

“We can’t be everywhere. We can’t run at 100% every moment of our lives. We need breaks, time to refuel, and unwind. Because if we can’t protect ourselves, how can we protect everyone else?”

He crossed his arms. “Even when it’s something as important as this?”

“Yes.” As if looking for a place to move this energy, she began to paddle faster while Jeran gazed towards the far shore. “Because there will always be work to do later, always Neopians to speak to, always meetings and peace talks and moving forward.”

At that, Jeran finally took his oar and paddled along with Lisha while they glided about the lake. “I really hope so.”

Lisha gripped the oar handle so hard you could see her knuckles. “After what happened in the Second War, most of us want peace. I have to believe that there’s a brighter future ahead of us—I just… I can’t imagine an alternative, you know?”

The Second War. The Terror of Lord Kass. Such were the times of great challenge and change in Meridell and the Citadel alike. If not for Lisha and her friends, the War might have taken a very different turn. Even Jeran Borodere, considered the strongest of the knights, nearly fell to the corrupted tyrant. And even the Citadel, relishing in Kass’ fervour, nearly ate itself alive, fracturing into those who followed, those who feared, or those who fled.

Jeran winced at an uncomfortable thought before muttering, “I know, Lisha. Believe me, I know.” He took a long inhale before letting out a shuttering breath. “I’m just glad you’re here.”

“Same.” She relaxed a bit as she began paddling towards shore. “Love ya, bro.”

“Love you, too, Lisha.”

She couldn’t help but smile. Even though the two of them had a strong sibling bond, he wasn’t much for vocalizing it—especially when the other knights were watching.

“You’ve always been the spark—the catalyst—for so many other Neopians, Jeran. Your passion, your dedication, it makes us want to do our best. Morris and Boris would agree; you’re their everything.”

“I could say the same.” Jeran took to paddling as well, trying and failing to hide the reddening of his cheeks. “Your friends are good kids. Oddballs, yes, but good hearts.”

“Isn’t that all of us time-travellers, though?” She said airily as her paddle pulled against the water’s resistance. “Oddballs with good hearts?”

“Yeah.” He stopped paddling for a second and offered a mischievous grin. “Maybe you’re right. And maybe you’re the oddest one of the bunch.”

“Hey!” she replied, flipping some water from the lake towards him with an oar. He narrowly dodged getting wet. “You’re the oddest one! I fit in just fine”-- she adjusted her glasses—”as the castle’s dedicated nerd, thank you very much.”

Jeran laughed. “Okay, okay, you win this time.”

After putting up the boat to dry and changing into casual clothes, the siblings set to catching and cooking themselves some fish. Lisha cast her line out again and again in the still late afternoon air. The bobber would sink, leading them both to shout with excitement. A half-hour into her effort, their anticipation waned. Starting with an old boot, a rainbow-coloured aquatic plant, a tree branch, and a mossy rock, Lisha had a knack for catching all things inedible. She kept baiting the line with worms, adding an extra lure in hopes that her luck would change…

It didn’t. The next catch was a pair of mouldy, tied-together tennis shoes.

“I’m honestly impressed,” said Jeran as he untangled the line.

“Thanks a lot, big bro.” Lisha barely suppressed a gag from the smell. “Need a new pair?”

Jeran’s nose scrunched up. “Not a chance. How’d it even get here, anyway?”

“It’s one of life’s great mysteries, I guess.”

The two chuckled as Jeran threw the shoes back into the water.

Jeran cast his line far into the lake each time, effortlessly flicking the line so distant that it was hard to see the bobber. For a long while, nothing wanted to bite.

“It helps that you have big muscles,” she said as she flexed her tiny biceps. Jeran responded by pointing his finger towards her heart.

“And it helps that you have the strongest, most courageous heart that I’ve ever seen.” Hearing this, Lisha blushed, waving away the compliment. “No one tries harder than you do.”

“Only because I have a great role model…”

In the same vein as Lisha, Jeran merely waved the compliment away, but a canine tooth hung over his mouth as he suppressed a smile.

After a while without, he caught a single breadfish and a butterfish. They gave each other a high five as they set off to cook a basic but filling meal. Meanwhile, the sun began to set, painting a wash of oranges, pinks, and purples in little ribbons that wound around the oaks, pines, and maples.

“So, what next?” asked Jeran, after cleaning and putting away the cabin dishes. When Lisha tried to help, he insisted on keeping his hands busy.

Lisha propped herself against the door. “Now? We relax. Read, write, sit around like a lump—it’s your choice.”

The Lupe chuckled at that notion. “My choice, eh? I can do anything?”

“Anything except fretting about the Summit, that is.”

He rubbed the back of his neck with a smile that did not reach his eyes. “You caught me.”

She shook her head with a sigh. “How about… we stargaze? The city lights block out most of the stars, but here… it’ll be like we’re touching the sky.”

“Touching the sky…” the words seemed almost familiar somehow. “Isn’t that something—”

“That mom said?” Her voice grew quiet as the corners of her eyes sparkled in the waning light. “Yeah. She also said that if we wished on a shooting star, it would—”

“—Come true.” The thought of that made him rub at his face. Unsure of what else to say, or how to explain the tightness in his chest, he wordlessly went into the cabin and held up two blankets.

She took hold of the smaller one and laid it on the grass. He sat right beside her, mere feet from the water. A sliver of Kreludor rose above them, leading the charge for hundreds of twinkling stars. Many of the constellations had grand names: Archer’s Ace, Path of Radiance, Blinding Blade, Radiant Dawn, Mystic’s Mark. All of these were stories passed through the ages, tales of mythical heroes overcoming the odds and claiming victory. When Jeran was but a boy, he gazed up at these same stars hoping to be great enough to earn his place in their ranks. After two wars and years of the aftermath, he yearned for a world where the next generation would never come to know such struggles firsthand.

At that moment, two streaks of light shot across the sky, one above Blinding Blade, the other atop Mystic’s Mark.

The siblings shared a look.

“You first,” urged Jeran.

“No, you.”

“Ladies first.”

“Big brothers first.”

He let out a little grunt. “Why don’t we say it together, then?” Lisha seemed pleased with this suggestion. “Alright, on the count of three. One… two… three—”

“Peace between worlds!”

Both of their voices echoed across the still lake. All the while, one of the stars within Blinding Blade and Mystic’s Mark seemed to shine even brighter than usual. The two Neopians looked on in awe.

“I wonder…” started Jeran, taking in the breathtaking sight.

“Do you think the legendary heroes heard us?”

The Lupe let out a tired exhale as he sunk against the blanket and let his head rest upon his hands. “I think any Neopian who has been called a ‘hero’, both now and then, has desired peace. Maybe their spirits are wishing the same for us.”

A gentle breeze rose up, tickling their fur and swaying the leaves.

Lisha held out her hand to the sky and cupped her fingers around the shining star. When she closed her hand, she brought it close to her heart. “We’ll make that wish come true—we’ll return, well rested and ready—to take on the bright new world.”

     The End.