Completed Of Books & Brothers

[Elspeth Sirl]

"Ah, well -" Elspeth brightened with knowing as she gently handed it over to him and tapped at the cover. She had to stop herself from spoiling it by catching the breath of words and sucking them back in. She nodded with finality, "you will find out why an elf wrote this book."

Her smile persisted at his oath to keep the book well and she cupped her hands over his as he held it, "Thank you. I look forward to the day you bring it back for the next, brother."

 

[Elias]

He indeed would find out. It seemed an odd coincidence that this would fall into his lap. Or hands, rather. As if he were being pulled along by a string toward the answers he sought.

Silence fell between them for a second. Elias' lips pressed into a thin, uncomfortable-looking smile. He pulled one hand out from under his sister's grasp and grabbed her shoulder, gently squeezing.

"Yeah, me too."

He walked from the Solar to the foyer, where at the doorway leading to the street he turned around to face Elsi.

"Normally I know what to say when I'm leaving a woman's home," he breathes a chuckle, "But I reckon I'm at a loss right now. I guess I just anticipated that you'd be like, like the rest of them. That I'd hate you." Another chuckle, then under his breath: "But you're making that hard."

Eli smiled. Easy and relaxed. "Goodnight, sister. I'll be writing you."