#eldarra

"It is my job to worry." Eldarra called back, her voice flat as she turned the corner to see her younger sister trying to shuffle a sword behind a screen. After taking a moment to look her up and down to be sure it actually was fine, her voice softened despite the new dent in the wooden walls of their home. "Practicing again?"

Haeleth didn't answer, instead muttering back "A storm is rolling in, so I can't really do much outside."

Eldarra shook her head as she carefully looked at the walls, searching for any other possible accidents. "You've still not told me why you have taken up a sudden interest in the sword." She said, almost absently as she walked towards the screen.

Haeleth stepped forward, as if to stop her sister, but did not keep her from reaching for the simple weapon that she had put there moments before. "It's not sudden."

"Shall I rephrase?" Eldarra said, inspecting the sword's edge almost out of habit. "I know you've been practicing for about two years now. You never told me why."

"I said family tradition-"

"Which you and I both know is false." She cut in, tilting the sword at her sister with a stern glare. "You have never cared one bit for tradition, especially in this family." Her voice grew quiet as memories flashed before her with the strike of lightning outside. "Neither of us have."

"You've cared for traditions, just ones very different from our family's." Haeleth corrected.

"So why… this?" Eldarra asked, carefully turning the sword around in her hands to hand it back. "We walked away from our family traditions, away from this. Are you having second thoughts?"

The rain poured outside as Haeleth stared at the polished blade before her. She did not reach for it as she finally answered with her own question.

"Do you remember whose that is?"

Eldarra could only blink. "I can't remember if you ever told me."

"This sword…" Haeleth finally grasped the handle and took the blade, raising just high enough to catch another flash of lightning. "...is why I followed you to The Evenlight."

The sound of the rain seemed deafening as Eldarra thought back to when they joined the order, when they both sought out the priesthood. Memories rushed back to her, but none held answers.

"When our family split in petty squabbles and competitions about their hunting prowess, when their sisterhood failed because their concerns became about who was the better fighter, we looked to the past. Beyond when our mother's mothers vied to be called Sentinels or Wardens."

A disgusted look crept across Haeleth's face, finally making Eldarra realized just how dishevelled she was. How long had she been practicing? How long had she been awake?

With a deep sigh, her sister continued. "You had always been the true rebel in the family. Respectful, but no one was the wiser when you so effortlessly slipped away and found your true calling to Elune. I… didn't have that. I just had you. I knew I didn't fit in with them either, but my path wasn't the same as yours. I never knew what to do with myself… until you brought me to Kistra."

The picture in her mind finally came into focus. The day before they had made their final decision to leave, there in the Temple of Elune when they met her, when they learned of The Evenlight.

"You were always meant to be a priestess." Haeleth sighed and stepped backward, peering down at the sword in her hands. "But I always felt more complete with a weapon. I felt lost, torn between you and the rest of our family. Until Kistra said her name."

Eldarra remembered all at once and spoke without thinking. "Eisuna."

"She saved our family. And barely anyone even remembers anymore." Haeleth could look at the blade no longer, placing it on the table beside her.

"Grandfather's sword…" Eldarra remembered the stories, about the knights in the family who fought Azshara's traitorous guard. Only a few managed to survive as the rest of the family escaped.

Haeleth's hand began to shake. "She blessed this blade as the simplest gesture, to help our grandfather when he asked to simply protect his family. He asked for nothing else but a chance to fight. And now all 'fight' means in this family is to bicker or have a pissing match." She closed her eyes, her voice beginning to fail her. "I just feel like I should be doing more. That I should be like that. That somebody should remember what this sword means."

The thunder roared once more, drowning out a sob as Haeleth could say no more.

"You are doing exactly what you were meant to." Eldarra stepped towards her little sister and took her in her arms. "You remember what this family was meant to do. Your instinct has always been to protect. As long as you follow that, that is enough." She felt her sister crumple forward against her shoulder and just held her.

It pained her to remember Haeleth ever feeling so small to her, the rare sight of doubt in her headstrong little sister bringing her back to holding her when she was a child. She shushed her as the rain continued to pour.

The previous week saw several under her care slip away, a few soldiers who had helped a small village escape from an invading force of demons. For all she and others tending to the wounded could do, they were too far gone. Even after being moved to simpler tasks it stung as she remembered their faces and voices as they fought to survive for another day, to maybe return and help others again.

At least they could rest now, she told herself. There would be no more pain, no more suffering. They would live on in the memories of those they had saved in sacrificing their own wellbeing.

But this had become almost too familiar. She was tired of telling herself that, of losing those who had kept others safe, of losing anyone at all.

On her knees before her window, she bowed her head and breathed slowly. The windowsill bore a small morning offering, incense burning beside a handful of poppies and sage. The scent helped her meditate, easing the pain of the memory.

Slowly, she focused on what there was for her today. Simple tasks; preparing bandages and other supplies, purifying and consecrating them as needed to fight demonic corruption. With how much the medics and others required such supplies, there was always a need for someone to prepare more and she was happy with even such a seemingly small or even boring thing.

It was easy sometimes to forget one's importance. The tasks assigned each day could become so rote, taking away all of the spark and light out of one's own heart. Eldarra was careful in her prayers each morning to ensure she never forgot.

She was not of any lofty position and the things asked of her were never truly large, especially compared to what she knew others faced in such times, but it was still important. To the people who depended on her, to the people she could help, and to herself.

To forget that would mean forgetting the very light that enabled her to help in the first place. Complacency could endanger her effectiveness and she held firm to her perspective.

“I’m fine! Don’t worry about it!”

“It is my job to worry.” Eldarra called back, her voice flat as she turned the corner to see her younger sister trying to shuffle a sword behind a screen. After taking a moment to look her up and down to be sure it actually was fine, her voice softened despite the new dent in the wooden walls of their home. “Practicing again?”

Haeleth didn’t answer, instead muttering back “A storm is rolling in, so I can’t really do much outside.”

Eldarra shook her head as she carefully looked at the walls, searching for any other possible accidents. “You’ve still not told me why you have taken up a sudden interest in the sword.” She said, almost absently as she walked towards the screen.

Haeleth stepped forward, as if to stop her sister, but did not keep her from reaching for the simple weapon that she had put there moments before. “It’s not sudden.”

“Shall I rephrase?” Eldarra said, inspecting the sword’s edge almost out of habit. “I know you’ve been practicing for about two years now. You never told me why.”

“I said family tradition-”

“Which you and I both know is false.” She cut in, tilting the sword at her sister with a stern glare. “You have never cared one bit for tradition, especially in this family.” Her voice grew quiet as memories flashed before her with the strike of lightning outside. “Neither of us have.”

“You’ve cared for traditions, just ones very different from our family’s.” Haeleth corrected.

“So why… this?” Eldarra asked, carefully turning the sword around in her hands to hand it back. “We walked away from our family traditions, away from this. Are you having second thoughts?”

The rain poured outside as Haeleth stared at the polished blade before her. She did not reach for it as she finally answered with her own question.

“Do you remember whose that is?”

Eldarra could only blink. “I can’t remember if you ever told me.”

“This sword…” Haeleth finally grasped the handle and took the blade, raising just high enough to catch another flash of lightning. “…is why I followed you to The Evenlight.”

The sound of the rain seemed deafening as Eldarra thought back to when they joined the order, when they both sought out the priesthood. Memories rushed back to her, but none held answers.

“When our family split in petty squabbles and competitions about their hunting prowess, when their sisterhood failed because their concerns became about who was the better fighter, we looked to the past. Beyond when our mother’s mothers vied to be called Sentinels or Wardens.”

A disgusted look crept across Haeleth’s face, finally making Eldarra realized just how dishevelled she was. How long had she been practicing? How long had she been awake?

With a deep sigh, her sister continued. “You had always been the true rebel in the family. Respectful, but no one was the wiser when you so effortlessly slipped away and found your true calling to Elune. I… didn’t have that. I just had you. I knew I didn’t fit in with them either, but my path wasn’t the same as yours. I never knew what to do with myself… until you brought me to Kistra.”

The picture in her mind finally came into focus. The day before they had made their final decision to leave, there in the Temple of Elune when they met her, when they learned of The Evenlight.

“You were always meant to be a priestess.” Haeleth sighed and stepped backward, peering down at the sword in her hands. “But I always felt more complete with a weapon. I felt lost, torn between you and the rest of our family. Until Kistra said her name.”

Eldarra remembered all at once and spoke without thinking. “Eisuna.”

“She saved our family. And barely anyone even remembers anymore.” Haeleth could look at the blade no longer, placing it on the table beside her.

“Grandfather’s sword…” Eldarra remembered the stories, about the knights in the family who fought Azshara’s traitorous guard. Only a few managed to survive as the rest of the family escaped.

Haeleth’s hand began to shake. “She blessed this blade as the simplest gesture, to help our grandfather when he asked to simply protect his family. He asked for nothing else but a chance to fight. And now all ‘fight’ means in this family is to bicker or have a pissing match.” She closed her eyes, her voice beginning to fail her. “I just feel like I should be doing more. That I should be like that. That somebody should remember what this sword means.”

The thunder roared once more, drowning out a sob as Haeleth could say no more.

“You are doing exactly what you were meant to.” Eldarra stepped towards her little sister and took her in her arms. “You remember what this family was meant to do. Your instinct has always been to protect. As long as you follow that, that is enough.” She felt her sister crumple forward against her shoulder and just held her.

It pained her to remember Haeleth ever feeling so small to her, the rare sight of doubt in her headstrong little sister bringing her back to holding her when she was a child. She shushed her as the rain continued to pour.