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You find Kade in a pretty nice tent near the dwarves. But you resist the urge to tease him about Cherta again, though it is your right as the older sibling. Don't want to spook the poor guy.
The moment he lets you in, you flop boneless across the bed. You're too tired of being The Hero to keep it up when the only eye on you are your brother's. The mask doesn't work on him anyway.
Staring up at the ceiling, annoying him just a little, you let yourself feel like a kid again. Let knowledge of the brutally powerful Ash Empress drip out of your head as you start to grin at nothing. Tonight, for just a little while, you can spend time with your brother. “Tell me a story.”
Kade lies down next to you and you scooch over to make space. “A new one?”
You grin at him. “Yeah. You must have learned something in the last year.”
“Hmm… Okay.” After a moment of consideration, his hands fan out in front of him, like he can conjure an image you could see. Sometimes, you would swear you can. Kade’s own magic. “In this story, the Realms existed side by side. No, I don’t know why, so don’t ask me. Seven princesses from the Light Realm snuck off one day to swim in the Shadow Realm.”
You smirk. “Wouldn’t recommend it.”
Kade shakes his head fondly. “Yeah, not my first choice. But they did and while they were skinny dipping, a cowherd came by and stole their clothes.”
“Classic prank. Also, gross.”
Kade barrels ahead, ignoring your very funny interjection. “So one of the princesses goes to find their clothes. When she finds the cowherd, the two of them lock eyes. And in that instant, they feel something that changes their lives forever. They fall madly in love. The princess brings her sisters back their clothes, but tells them she’s staying. They all agree to distract the queen as long as they can, so she doesn’t notice.”
You smirk. “Based on the prince and princesses I know, that shouldn’t be too hard.”
Kade smiles at that. “Yeah, apparently it works. With the other princesses distracting the queen, she doesn’t realize one of her daughters is missing for months. The queen is furious when she learns what happened, storming off to the Shadow Realm. She blows down the door to the princess’s home, radiating terrible magic!” Kade sweeps his arm out with a series of dramatic explosion noises that have you holding back laughter. “With the time different in the Shadow Realm, the queen is horrified that the princess has two young children with a commoner. She demands her daughter return home immediately. The princess tries to resist, but the queen holds her under an inescapable compulsion. So they leave the children behind.”
“Bad parenting!”
“Very bad parenting. When the cowherd gets home, the children quickly tell him what happened. He immediately takes the children to go get their mother. But before they can reach her, the queen uses her hairpin to severe the Realms. Now, they wait on opposite sides, reunited just one day a year, on the equinox, when the barrier weakens enough to slip through.”
Your light mood dissipates, reality coming in around the edges again. It’s so staggeringly unfair. All the people in Ironbreach, Valax…
Kade nudges you in the side, eyeing you with concern. “Hey. What’s wrong?”
“Just… a lot. It’s a lot. To have to be the one who decides for everyone else.” Adventuring always seemed like it would be so freeing. Like growing wings, an escape from the endless responsibilities of a life barely getting by. But instead, it’s a weight you can’t put down. Because by some accident of magic, you’re the only one capable of holding it.
Kade’s voice, firm and gentle in equal measure, draws you out of your head. “It is. But you don’t have to do it alone. Even if we can’t open portals, we can help. Bounce ideas, protect each other, order people around.”
You're not alone anymore. And just like that, the weight on your chest doesn’t seem so heavy. “You’re right. Thank you.”
“Of course.” After a pause, Kade props himself up on an elbow to look at you. “I want to come on your next adventure.” You raise a skeptical eyebrow and he replies with a laugh. “A moderately sized one! Like, going to Zaradun or a cool cave. Not fighting Gods.”
You smile widely at him. “That sounds good to me. I’ll find an appropriately sized adventure for you.”
“I appreciate it. What do you want to do after this?”
That’s… a good question. Once everyone is safe. Once you have time to relax for more than half a day. It’s hard to even imagine what that’s like anymore. “…I want… to spend some time with you in Whitetower. Meet your new friends. Watch you try to trade stories for drinks. Hear more about you starting fights with the head archivist about where books go.” You grin at him. “Maybe steal a pie for old time’s sake.”
Kade laughs brightly. “Because that went so well last time.”
You wave that away with a laugh. “I’ve seen you knock someone out with one punch. I think we could take a goose.”
“That was kind of a special situation. Also, he was a bigger target than a goose.”
“But you’re proud of it.”
“A little.”
The two of you just stay there in comfortable silence for a while. Just... existing.
But you have other people you need to see. Before... So you stand. “I’m going to head out. Thank you for the story, Kade. And earlier. In town.”
He joins you with a smile. “Any time. Someone has to look out for you.”
You pull him into a tight hug. “I’ll be careful if you will.”
Kade’s smile is obvious in his voice. “Joke’s on you, I’m always careful.”
You ruffle his hair as you pull away. “Nerd.”
Kade pulls away with a laugh. “Yeah, yeah. Go enjoy your flirtations.”
You wink at him before leaving with a wave over your shoulder. “I always do!” You’re back in the cool night air when you realize you forgot something important. So you poke your head back through. “Hey, Kade. Love you.”
He smiles back. Somehow, despite it all, he still smiles at you. “Love you too.”