Katrina and Nikolai are called down for dinner. To Katrina's surprise the table is filled with different morsels. When she lived in the tower her meals were simple but they did taste good at least. So she wasn't expecting such variety. It makes her mouth water just thinking about everything she can try tonight. But she stops herself realizing she doesn't know where to sit. The twins have already occupied two seats and there are four more open. She assumes her father sat at the head of the table at one point and she doesn't want to imagine how the twins would react if she sat there.

"Sit next to me and Mom!" Nickolai grins, pulling Katrina out of her thoughts and to a chair.

She looks to her left to see her mother smiling next to her. Again she manages a small smile without noticing. But Nickolai sees it. He smiles glad his sister is slowly coming out of her shell.

"Now let's eat!" Their Mom announces happily.

She watches Katrina fill her plate and taste each item smiling when she sees she likes it and chuckling when she scrunches her nose up in disgust. She missed all these things as a child. And her mother never got to experience anything with her daughter as a child. So she finds these moments precious. She wants to make as many memories like this as possible. Because Katrina isn't going to be on this earth forever like her siblings. She'll grow older and someday she'll die. But her mother is content in knowing at this moment she has her daughter, and she's never leaving her alone again.

Nikolai walks his big sister up to her room and then stands on the balcony turned away as she changes. He comes back in when she calls. He can tell she's tired but she insists on staying up.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Why don't you want to sleep?"

"I...what if I go to sleep and wake up and this was all a dream?"

"But it's not a dream and we're not sending you back there."

"What if you guys come to not like me?"

"We could never not like you. You're my big sister and you're Mom's first born. I know what Dad made her do makes it seem like she didn't care but she missed you everyday."

"But I'm weird."

"Look I would walk into her room some days and she would be crying into a pale purple swaddling blanket. I later came to find that it was yours. She's loved you all this time regardless of any difference you might have."

"Now go lay down and I'll tuck you in."

"No way I'm he Older..."

"Just do it!"

Katrina gets into her bed feeling the heat of a thousand suns on her face. While her deep brown skin hides the blush she can feel it's there as the youngest tucks her in. She does feel kinda happy in a way though, her nights in the tower were cold and lonely. But here in this room she can feel the warmth of her Mother and Brother. She can feel that they care and it feels good to feel such things she thinks. Her brother starts to hum something and her eyes quickly begin to close. When Nikolai is sure she is sleeping he gets up and leaves the room quietly.

While he is the youngest he understands her fears the most. Their father hated him and tried with all his power to separate him from their mother. But he died before he could accomplish that thankfully. Now he has to protect his sister from the twins. While they may not try to harm her themselves he knows that they are just like their father. Evil.