After getting five fishes, and losing to Alice by ten. Einar walked back to the manor of his house after receiving news from a falcon. The falcon landed on a tree branch and let it untie the scroll on the falcon’s legs. The family wanted him to return to the manor, simply, because his parents were back after their five-year quest.

***

In the second floor of the Elior Manor, inside the room where the head’s office usually works was a man and a woman sitting together alongside a little girl whose silver blond hair was braided, and laid across her left shoulder. She was a tiny lady, carrying a doll around her arms, she had puffy cheeks, tiny limbs, but, noticeably, her legs were thinner than her already thin arms. She has hazy purple eyes and her lips were pink. She wore a silk dress with a ribbon adorning her chest.

The man, who seems to be perpetually smiling, looked at the woman, “What is it?”

“I am nervous,” the woman’s forehead was wrinkled... “It has been five years and for us to come back with another child.”

“Our Son isn’t so petty, and he’s an eccentric. Let us see what his reaction.”

“Pa, Ma, will, I meet Brother?” The tiny girl said.

“Yes,” the woman smiled gently. “Your Brother will be happy to see you.”

“Will he really?” She looked at her legs. “He won’t bully me?”

“I will disciple him if he does!” The smiling man said sternly.

“Einar is odd, but I don’t think he has the heart to be mean to her. Lionel, please thoroughly explain it to him.”

“I will, Selina,” Lionel held the hand of his wife and daughter. “I’m sure he will understand Layla and why we weren’t able to explain things to him.”

The little lady named Layla watched her parents. She held to her little doll, shaking slightly, eager to see the Big Brother that her parents have been praising ever since she barely could speak. However, she looked worried, looking at her tiny legs that have made people call her mean things.

“Layla,” Lionel said. “Your brother will surely cherish you, if he might appear angry, then don’t blame yourself okay? It is our fault that we haven’t informed your brother about you. The Holy City was the only place that could nurture you when you were still inside your mother’s womb. We had no way of contacting everyone about the situation other than we would be gone for five-years. So lift your chin up, and make sure to greet your Big Brother okay”

Nodding at her father’s words, Layla nodded, “I will do my best to make Brother like me! Layla will do her best!”

Lionel and Selina nodded their heads. The door opened, and Camilla entered, she walked to the three and said, “The Young Lord has arrived, he should be coming.”

“I see,” Lionel said. “Did he tell you where he was?”

“Fishing.”

“Oh,” Selina nodded. “Let him clean up and have him enter!”

***

Einar had to remove the clothes he wore because of the fishy smell. He took the fishes that he had and handed it to the cook of the family. The cook was happy to make a meal out of the fishes that he got from the Young Lord.

“Young Lord.”

“Camilla, so my parents are back, huh.”

“Indeed they are.”

“How are they?”

“Good. But I think that the Young Lord should see them.”

“Okay then,” Einar left Camilla in the hallways and entered the room. Upon entering, he saw his father and mother, however, his eyes caught the figure of a little visibly shaking, her head lowered.

“Father, Mother,” Einar said. “It has been a long time Father you look well, and Mother, you sure is still beautiful.”

Selina sized up her son, “You’ve become a fine young man. Have you bee doing well?”

“So-so, things are complicated as always. So, is she my little sister?”

“Oh?” Lionel said.

“Come on, five years without saying a word and now I see a tiny lady with the same hair as mine and should be around five or so. Doesn’t take a sleuth to figure out that mother and father have been busy. You two are still you, and considering that your son has a strange dream, it doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.”

“Sigh,” Lionel exhaled and looked at Selina. “See? Nothing to worry about.”

Selina smiled, “I know. I’m glad that you aren’t angry.”

“Oh, I am angry,” Einar said with a serious. “You don’t show up for five years, handed me all the task, and I have to swing around by our men, and then I have to make sure that our relations are not so bad with the other nobles. Parties, they make me attend parties and have a chat with their daughters. Father, Mother, I am angry, you two should have at least sent us a message. We weren’t even able to reach you when we had people contact you both.”

“This,” Lionel folded his arms. He was about to speak when a tiny voice spoke out, her voice shaking, and she seems to be unable to bring her voice out.

“P-please, don’t be mad, Pa, Ma, didn’t mean to hide it,” she said with a shaky voice. “Ma and Pa wanted Layla to be healthy so she had to stay in Holy City, please don’t be angry…”

Einar shook his head, “No, I need to be angry with them. Father, Mother, I know that I might not be that much of a filial child. But we are family, and to think that you would hide that I have a little sister! Seriously, at least tell us so I could have at least be ready.”

The little girl was shaking. She was looking at Einar with her little lips shaking. Einar noticed.

“Sorry,” he kneeled. “I don’t mean to scare you, so, what’s your name?”

“My name is Layla, brother,” she said, holding to her doll tightly.

“Nice to meet you, Little Sister,” Einar smiled, placing his hand in front of Layla.

Layla’s little hand grabbed on to Einar’s finger and she shook it.

“Hello, Brother!" Layla said, gathering her courage.