First art showing my new character, Talia... gosh, that feels weird to make it more "real" now, having 2 characters, with each their beliefs, mentality, goals and stories ^^'
And i really hope i did well... Besides having 2 blue dragons now, haha xD

I can't thank enough the artist, Ruddi , that made this wonderful and sweet art... it really has been a pleasure to me <3
It was a way to give context as to what happened to her, and also give insights into the relationship with her sister.
In here, they're several years younger than in the "present", Talia is 13/14 years old, against 16/17 years old for Piper.

I tried to write something a bit more dramatic, and sad than usual... i hope i did well, and that you'll be able to enjoy it if you decide to read !

Piper, Talia's sister, belongs to  KaylaFoxxo
Art made by  Ruddi
Go check their page ! ^^
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*Tac… tac… tac…*

…..

It feels too… silent…

*Tac… tac… tac…*

It’s already been a month, and Talia is finally out of danger. Her wounds have been taken care of, she’ll live well and long… It’s ok, just keep out of danger now, learn some responsibilities and grow through it, with me…
…

*Tac… tac… tac…*

… Why does it feel so… wrong ?

*I see myself walking around at night, restless… with only the “tacs” of the clock, and the steps of the few guards left to fill the void.
The last month has been… long, painful, for everyone here. But I guess a bit more for a few of us.

I end up asking myself for the thousand’s time “How could that even happen ? How so suddenly ?” … With only the same answer to appear, again and again.*

… *Siiigh* I should have known, I should have stopped her…
Why should you always be so… difficult, Talia ?! Why don’t you listen ?!
… And why don’t you talk...

*I… never felt so distanced from my sister before that. During one week, she was too weak to really talk well, being kept healed by the healers. The next few weeks… it was like we weren’t there. All we told just… slipping above her ears, she didn’t really want to talk, and asked often to be left alone, presents, books and scrolls being most of her company.
… Maybe she just needed… time. I guess. It’s pretty normal after all that happened… time.
But now… after a month… my heart aches.*

“... Princess.” *I got shaked a bit, hearing this waking me up from my “daydreaming*

“Y-yes… ?”

“It is really late, you should be asleep in your room by now.”

“... I can’t find sleep, I really need this walk Dandra… just, to breathe out a bit, and I'll soon be back.”

“... Sigh… You know it might fall back down on me if it happens to be known ?”

“I promise you it’ll stay between us Dandra, and I'll remember that… you can be sure of it.”

“Alright, alright, just… don’t do anything reckless, just stay around here, ok ?”

*I smiled brightly at him, and gave him a slight non-professional hug, surprising the young guard* “I will ! Thank you !... Really.”

Ok then… alone again… At least I know he won’t bother me for the moment, but I hope not to get stuck with another guard…
… I need to walk, just a bit more, at least I'll be tired enough to go sleep after…

*Just like that, I started walking again… And without even noticing it… my legs just instinctively brought me toward Talia’s room. When I realized it, I just got stuck here, not moving an inch, looking at her door.*

Wh-what… am i doing ?
…
I wonder how she’s doing… Does she sleep well ? I hope mom and dad took good care of her comfort at least… she’s probably being protected as ever, with people at her lap all day…
Yeah, I guess she’s probably too tired to do anything but sleep anyway…

“ … Sob… “

… Huh ?

“... Sob… Sic… Hic…”

*It was a very faint sound, if i didn’t clearly pay attention to it, i probably wouldn’t be able to hear it at all.
But now that I'm here, there’s no possible mistakes.
She’s crying…*

I need to enter.

*Knock knock* “Talia ? Talia ! I-... I know you’re awake. Let me in, please !”

---

……

No one cares, no one really wants to understand…
And now… that’s just all over, everything I'll do will be controlled, secured and used… just because… I missed my chance…

It’s been hours now… I'm glad I'm finally in my room, without healers everywhere around me, finally…
But now all feel just so… empty.

*I’ve been restless up until now, rolling on my bed left and right… before stepping outside of my bed. Phantom pain hitting my missing leg… my mind is still trying to use it naturally as it was before.
I make a grimace of pain for a moment, before sighing heavily.*

“... Sic…”

*I… surprised myself with that sob, feeling a tear running slowly, bringing memories with it. How I looked up to my parents, to my sister before… then all the restrictions, rules, behaviors, traditions i had to uphold and stand for. Always home, studying, working, exercising…
It felt… stifling.

And my only attempt ended in this…*

“...Sob… Sic… Hic…”

Why even bother.
Let me just… be whatever I have to be… And that should be fine now… right ?...

*Knock knock* “Talia ? Talia ! I-... I know you’re awake. Let me in, please !”

Oh no.
No no no no. I don’t want to talk, leave me alone ! Leave me…

*I try my best not to move, not to make a sound. Holding my tears… but i can’t stop a little sniff*

“I heard you sob… I… I really don’t want to hurt you Talia. It just… hurts… to see you like that…”

You have no idea what it feels like ! You’ve always been mom and dad’s perfect princess, so good at everything, famous future queen of the kingdom…
What would you understand about a little disappointment flying away ?!

“... I was so afraid, so worried seeing you like that… I… really thought I was about to lose you, when we found you there…”

…

“I… don’t know why you did that. That was… beyond reckless. Worse even. But… it’s only because you felt so wrong there, right ?...
… I felt terrible, still do… I feel betrayed, but also… as if I betrayed you too… and these weeks without any words from you only made it worse…
P-please… let me be a better sister… Talia ?”

…….

“Sob… hic… sob…”
*I just… couldn’t hold more of my tears… I felt… scared, awful. The weight on my heart nearly made me want to lay down forever… But my feets dragged me down the ground, toward the door… that i opened slowly*

“... T-Talia ?”

*I looked at her, tearing up heavily, without a word or a move*

“... I-I thought… I've lost you forever !”

*She put all her weight into an ultimate tackle, holding me so tight I felt my body constricted… her warm tears merging with mine, warming our bodies…
I’m frozen in place, and can’t help but shake…*

“Pi-... Piper…s-stop…”

*Realization struck her suddenly, relaxing her embrace and leaving me out… both of us flopping on the ground. I let out a big sigh… silence governing back.*

“... Talia… Why ?”

Why, uh ? Of course…

“I just… don’t feel… “me”...”

*She caresses my cheek gently, in a motion encouraging me to continue talking*

“Since little we were told how to behave, how to act, how to do everything for our parents' approval… And it felt… so wrong… I just felt… like I was nothing. A-and you… !”

*I stopped talking a second, looking at her, Piper seemed surprised… but genuinely concerned… a gasp escaped me… taking back my breath…*

“... You always were mom and dad’s little treasure, the future of the kingdom… a-and I'm… the second… little thing. Just here to behave in front of others… Useless… Hic…”

*Tears running again, I can't hold myself anymore… all the pressure and feelings making me crack…*

“... You’re not.”

“Uh ? W… What ?”

“You’re not useless… it’s… you, that pushes me forward. It’s true, I want to protect you… but all these years, you’ve been the one to make me surpass myself, think of things differently, I was afraid you’d catch up with all you did, and all your games… felt… good. Home…”

*A moment passed, while Piper looked blankly, right at me… as if… she had a realization of sorts ?*

“TALIA ! I-... I know ! I… can you trust me on this ? I want to make a promise… but I need you there. I really… really need you…”

“O-... Ok… I trust you Piper.”

*Piper took my injured leg suddenly, making me groan and wince… I'm afraid, breathing fastly… but I restrain myself to move. Trying hard to keep the little faith I have in my sister in this moment of doubt…
But then, something replaced the pain and fear… warmth. And light. A familiar icy blue light appears, surrounding my phantom arm and scars, Piper looking at it with attention… and softly breathing on it…

Forms appear, first very basic, coming out of my arm… ice forming, shaping, taking form, getting longer and more defined by the minute… I can’t help but look at it in awe, my eyes half-teary, and… hopeful…
An… arm. Piper… made me… an arm. Her work finally done… she fell on the ground, all the accumulated tiredness overcame her… as i gently moved my new arm, molding it with my own magic… Far more rigid, but strangely light and… warm… made by my sister’s magic.*

“T-Talia… I don’t know what the future holds… it may be hard… b-but please, promise me… that i’ll always be able to count on you. That no matter what, even if you disagree with me, or we oppose… that you won’t disappear. And I'll be there, too.”
*I’m… still shocked. Looking between her and the arm, wide eyed.
It feels so overwhelming… My world was shaken, destroyed, and rebuilt… in the span of a month. I need to take this chance… to move forward. And trust…*

“I… don’t know what the future might hold either Piper… I don’t know if I'll ever feel good here…
But I can promise you… I-I’ll be there for you too ! No matter what happens…”

… It feels… nice. For once, after so many months… I felt at home. At least at the moment.
Tomorrow might be different… and the day after, too… But at least… I know there’s someone I can trust, and trusts me back… even with how different we are. I’m not alone…