Hey guys! I'm participating in a short story contest hosted by the wonderful crazyprincesses2017! Thank you for my theme, kilzard and claudushka!

My theme was the love of a brother/sister. My story was 1458 words, just under the 1500 word limit, whoops! XD The title is: Love Is Not Weakness

***

"Lower the gates, we will soon have a visitor." I demanded, as I walked to the throne room. I knew for a fact that Princess Nora would follow me here.

"But, Your Majesty-"

"I said lower the gates, Rowan!"

The guard bowed his head and did as he was instructed. I smiled victoriously. This time I'd be ready - she had to die. I reached the throne room and approached the large mirror at the end of the room. Staring myself in the eyes, I again asked myself whether this was worth all the trouble. It has to be, I reasoned, or else he dies. I walked back to the middle of the room and followed the ornate carpet to my throne, sitting down as regally as possible - I must keep my composure. She would arrive soon, she had to.

"Your Majesty, she has arrived." Rowan shouted from the doorway.

"Let her in then, idiot." I mused.

"Of - of course." He bowed, then scurried off to see the princess in. What would I say to her? I hadn't had a real conversation with my sister for four years. Then again, I hadn't spoken to anyone outside the castle for four years either. I had no desire to - but I had to. I couldn't let him be killed because of me, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Not that I could anyway, after losing him because of my own mistake.

"Reigna," Nora acknowledged, striding into the room as if it were hers.

"Nora," I nodded back.

"Why have you run?" She asked innocently. She very well knew.

"Why have you followed?" I challenged.

"I cannot allow you to have everything, now can I?"

"Nora, I never had everything. I know your kingdom adores you and believes the lies you feed them, that I did terrible things to you and that I somehow deserve what you've put me through all these years. And I do not expect you to understand how I feel. But I have been made out as the villain when your townspeople are being led by the real threat."

"You never wanted me to find happiness, did you?"

"Nora, I loved you!" I practically shouted at my sister. She scoffed.

"Love does not exist. It is just a lie that we distract ourselves with. I had to teach you that."

"By taking him away from me?"

"He made you weak, Reigna."

"He makes me happy. Like family should."

"You will not learn to rule a kingdom with happiness." she sneered, shaking her head. "I'm going to kill him for your own good."

"You made the townspeople believe that he committed such an awful crime against you, so they would agree with his execution. If your intentions are, as you say, good, why would you lie to them about it?"

"All they needed to know was that he associated himself with you, a villain and no sister of mine." she laughed. "You killed our father."

"We were all under a spell, Nora! I finally broke out and realized he was trying to kill you, I had to stop him!"

"You know I don't believe you. You just wanted the throne, and now everyone will know how evil you really are. Do you plan to kill me?"

"Nora-"

"Because if you do, the people of my kingdom will know. They will never treat you any differently than they do now, Reigna. You either kill me, or let me kill Jhay."

"When did you change, Nora?" I wondered, "When you were my age you were kind and loving - now that you've become a ruler... What happened?" She stopped and stared at me for a long time. What was she thinking about this time? Maybe she would let him go, maybe-

"Or I could kill you both," she thought aloud.

"What?"

"Why shouldn't I?" she reasoned, "I would go down in history as the hero that saved everyone from the evil princess and her wicked brother."

"I'm sixteen! You can't kill a child..." I said, more to calm myself than to reason with my sister.

"I may not be able to kill you now, but I will in time. The boy, however..." She trailed off and smiled maliciously. "He has just turned eighteen, if I'm not mistaken?" I stayed silent. "That law has no power over him now."

"Nora, he's our brother, you wouldn't-"

"Wouldn't what, Reigna? Kill him? If you believe that, you're quite mistaken."

"Well, you haven't yet. Doesn't that show how weak you've become? If you really meant it, you wouldn't have waited so long. What do you want?"

"All I've wanted for the entire year since I captured the stupid boy."

"And what is that?"

"To see the look on your face when I tell you he's already dead."

Time stopped. My eyes widened, and I barely felt my knees give out before I was already on the ground, sobbing.

"No, you're lying, he can't be-" I sobbed too hard to speak any more. Nora spun around and walked out of the room, laughing. I was left on the ground, feeling every negative emotion I've ever had the ability to feel. After what felt like a lifetime, I stood slowly and walked back to the mirror. I straightened my crown and dried my eyes. She had to die.

"Are you alright, Your Majesty?" I heard Rowan whisper as he walked into the room behind me.

"Prepare the army, Rowan," I instructed, "Prepare them for a war."

She was no longer my sister - when I thought of her, a traitor is all that came to mind. There was no way I could let her get away with killing our brother, my best friend.

"I-if you're sure, Your Highne-"

"If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't be instructing you Rowan," I said matter-of-factly. "And call Xander - I need a skilled escort to get me into the castle."

***

"This is the most undetectable way in, Your Majesty," Xander whispered as we approached the back of Nora's castle. The wretched building was thrice as large as my own, but I wasn't jealous - that made it harder to defend, and her staff was even smaller than mine. I followed him under the gate in a tunnel he quickly dug.

It was just as I suspected: there were no guards here. All the guards and soldiers had presumably moved to the courtyard to fight my army, a well-timed diversion. I knew the castle well, having grown up in it, but I still had to follow Xander around this area. It was the entrance to the dungeons, a place I had no business being before today.

He lead me through traps and locked doors, finding his way around safely and easily. I thanked him silently as he brought me to the farthest reaches of the dungeon - not only the room directly below Nora's, but also the old holding place of my brother Jhay. Once the first door was opened, we rushed through, closed it, and opened another, and another... And another. Ten doors opened and closed later, we reached a small room with a single bed.

Sighing and choking back my emotions, I walked throughout the space my brother had been held. I grabbed the pillow and hugged it to myself as I sat down on the bed. Suddenly, I felt fingers clasp around my ankle and let out a scream, muffled by Xander's quick hand. Ripping his hand off my mouth, I drew my sword and stood up off the bed, looking under it. A familiar set of grey eyes looked out, slightly covered by dusty brown hair. My breath caught in my throat.

"Jhay?" I asked, not daring to believe my eyes. He dragged himself out and into the middle of the room, clearly injured but very much alive. Xander stepped out of the cell to give us time.

"Reigna..." he whispered, a smile breaking out on his dirt streaked face. I fell to my knees and wrapped him in a tight hug. "I knew you'd come eventually," he said, struggling to speak.

"I thought... She said she... Well, that you were..." I stopped, wiped my tears and looked at him. "I'm so glad to see you!"

He smiled wider, but only a moment before his face darkened. "Where is Nora?" He asked. "She told me you were dead."

"And she won't get away with it. We have her cornered."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." I smiled.

"I don't know what I'd do if something had happened-" he began.

"We can think about that later. We have to get you out of here," I replied quickly. He squeezed my hand reassuringly and hugged me again.

"I love you, Reigna."

"I love you too, Jhay."

***

Author's Note!

So yeah, I hope you liked it guys! I took a story idea I had awhile ago and changed it to fit the theme so I could write this short story. Let me know what you all think! Love you all <3

MostlySleepDeprived