Cór lay almost flat on his stomach in the tall, gold grass, the blades scratching ever so delicately at his sides making him almost desperate now to change position as the sensation grew rather ticklish. But Cor resisted the urge and instead focused on regulating his breathing so it was as quiet as it was humanly possible for the boy. He couldn't afford to give away his position at any cost and he all but froze as he tried to avoid being seen. His heart was pounding furiously in his chest and his muscles coiled- ready to spring at any instant to allow Cór to bolt out of the messy situation he currently found himself in. He listened quietly for any signs of movement nearby, but he heard nothing. 

As the sun began to set, Cór knew that he would have to make his move soon. He couldn't stay like this forever and in a few minutes he would have no choice but to give away his position anyway. There were three left now. Cór had already taken out two but now the hunt was on as the numbers boiled down.

Deep breath in.

Cór moved himself as slowly as possible to be prepared to sprint forwards to make his move. He gripped the handle of a bucket as he readied himself for the moment. He could do this.

Breathe out.

Cór felt himself beginning to lurch forwards at lightning speed as he pushed off from the ground and he looked ahead as he tried to spot the nearest target. But before he could even move a yard, he felt the sudden shock as the surprisingly cold impact hit him hard on the right as Meera emptied her bucket of water on him.

Good heavens that was cold! Cor thought as he laughed at how quickly his plan had failed. He should have known that Meera, of all of the children, would have had her eye on him since the beginning. There was no bloody hiding from that girl.

But before he could even finish his thought, Meera herself was suddenly hit by a wave of water as Harper jumped out of nowhere and took care of the final player.

"Victory to Harper!" The young boy cried as he lifted his arms up in excitement and stuck his tongue out at both of his elder siblings. He was so happy that even when Cor emptied his bucket on the little victor, it did nothing to diminish the wide smile on his face.

The family's youngest was then carried down back to the farmhouse by Cor and the other 9 soaked siblings as they made their way home for the night. And after a long day of physical labour, the fatigue finally began to take over and Cor couldn't think of any place he wanted to be more than in his own bed. And washed up in his own thoughts, he didn't notice Bael trying to get his attention until his younger brother jabbed him in the sides.

"Hmm?" Cor looked down at his younger brother and saw that Bael had gone a deathly pale colour and seemed to be staring at the path ahead as though he had seen a ghost and following his gaze, Cor himself stood dumbfounded beside his brother.

It couldn't be... Cor thought incredulously as he searched for another explanation to what he saw before him. Walking along the lonely, winding path leading to their home was Lyra. She was still quite some while away and hadn't seen the group yet just coming over the hill but Cor was certain it was her. Cor wasn't sure what to feel- she had left them with no word of explanation, she had not written to them in two years and now here she was at their doorstep. Most of the family had never really thought to see Lyra again as she had only ever seemed interested in leaving what she considered the most despicable place on earth.

He looked around him to find all 10 of the others had stopped to gawk at the sight as well. "Why don't you lot carry on back into home," He said- not particularly certain what would happen if Lyra was faced with all of them together at the gate and so decided it'd be best to do this alone. The others nodded quietly and headed back home, the only person  still capable of talking was Cendwyn firing a million questions at the others.

Cor himself slowly walked down to the gate to be there when she arrived. And he struggled to believe she was actually there let alone think about what he needed to say and a thousand thoughts swam round his head as she came closer and closer. By this stage, he was fairly sure she could see him but he could not bring himself to look up quite yet. He could not bring himself to look at that same face he had thought he had seen the last of two years ago when she ran away. 

One thing was for certain though: She had a bloody lot of explaining to do...

At this turn of her journey, Lyra suddenly stopped. Trancing out towards the blurry, vague outline of the farm hauntingly, she unknowingly tripped over a tiny stone that lied in her path, and continued walking.

She was wearing a set of traveling suit that was made exclusively to her needs, and anyone who seen it could tell that it cost a fortune. With one hidden sheath for her little knife, and beautifully sewn patterns and ornamentations, Lyra headed luxuriously towards home. She was carrying the large Instrument on her back, and indeed it was a heavy burden to bear, but Lyra felt no weariness. Of course, with an outfit like this no one could have guessed the purpose of her journey towards -- home, and indeed it was a strange and cheeky one.

Lyra had not been eating steadily for months. In winter it seems that people abandon the streets and stay in their cozy little homes more, and soon Lyra was unable to pay for the home that she stayed in. The host gave her some money, and left her on the streets. She sang with a coarse throat that hadn't been assuaged with spring, and her hard cash just seemed to be... wearing thin. She borrowed and offered to perform even more, and had got on with that struggling for a few months, and finally passed the harsh winter time. However, when spring finally came, hope wasn't exactly what had struck her -- poverty. Lyra realized that she need a steady rest for at least a season before she could do anything else. Recharge herself, write more and compose more, and to fine-tune and refine her Instrument. But where to go? She ran all the list through her mind, and having considered that she had borrowed from all her friends in winter time that it was impossible for her to bother them again in spring, she came to her last resort. Home.

She did not hesitate, and immediately went to work. She counted her money, took half of them to a tailor and got her outfit made. She also checked through her belongings and dug out some silverwares and miscellaneous little presents that will at least make her presentable, or to at least hide the money-begging purpose for a period of time. Deep down Lyra knew that it had been too long a time, and it was time for her to settle it. The incident that happened years ago forced her onto this road, and she was actually grateful for it. She used the starter money that she took from the savings of the family wisely, and it got her onto the right track of being a minstrel. Over time she had grew curious, about what had happened in two years in the family while she had been away. But she knew that criticism and condemnation would immediately splatter on her the minute she stepped upon the threshold, and now she decided to put an end to the continuous and intermittent nightmares that struck her, and the haunting dodging and forgetting matters, once and for all. So away she went, and here she was now.

Lyra gazed forward and stared in am almost spiritless fashion: She could see the farm region by now. Though not able to see anyone doing anything in there for it was still fairly far away, Lyra could make out the small, dilapidated shape of their residence and the farming areas. It did not change much at all, and was exactly how she remembered it. Small, shabby, and not worthy of any special remembrance. Lyra sighed, if life had not pushed her to this stage, she would never come back. Never. But it's still time to put things down for a while and recharge, and then she could... be gone again, forever. Though Lyra do feel a bump somewhere in her heart, something unsettling was at work. A thing that has been planted into her for some good reasons -- conscience. Lyra avoided thinking about this, but wasn't she just pushing again and again the well-being of her own brothers and sisters to the very edge for her own... dream? Lyra shook her head, and went on walking.

Slopes went up and down, greeneries appeared and disappeared. One more hilltop to cross, and the road would lead straight to the farm. Over hill and under tree, destination was not so far away anymore.

Now by this time Lyra could already see the farm fairly clearly. The gates, the livestock, the fields... And was that... Cór? She spotted a lonely figure standing at the gates, looking at her direction, and as she moved her gaze Lyra could see the rest of the family heading into the residence while firing looks towards her direction. Now this looks perfectly natural, but something was not quite right: Lyra could not spot the tall and brotherly figure of Mordred anywhere, her hateful mother was also nowhere to be found. She slowed down and continued going at a slower pace. Her heart started to beat like a drum, for after all she was still unwilling to actually face the situation. She tipped her toes and opened her mouth. Lyra meant to say "Cór, is that you?" But the syllable 'k' barely escaped her lips before she decided to shut up.

Plenty of talking to do when I got there, so maybe save it for then is the best decision.

Lyra stumbled. She sat down and took a deep breath -- Inhale, exhale. For a good many times, until she was utterly and truly ready for it. Lyra stood up and tidied her clothes, and then raced up the hill. Sprinting, panting, tiny dirts jerked up into the air. Lyra let loose her light-caramel colored hair, and went for it at the gates. Closing her eyes, she stopped at the angle where the ground became flat. It was finally made clear to her that her brother was standing right by the gate. Lyra tilted her head and walked forwards.

Cór hadn't change much, or Lyra just merely thought so by what met her eyes. Still that boy when she left home. But why was he there to 'welcome' her? Should Mordred usually be the one to do... this sort of task? Lyra thought of many things as she slowly paced towards her brother, who seemed so close and so distant all at once. And at once she started to notice something that she hadn't noticed before. Lyra was wrong to think that he hadn't changed much. The childish spirit was gone in his eyes, and was replaced by a much graver look of maturity. His facial expressions clearly showed that there must be a lot to settle today, and Lyra knew it too clearly in her heart.

What had happened in these years? Inevitably, this question aroused to Lyra's mind.

One step, another step. Lyra finally got close enough to Cór -- if she speaks he would be able to hear, and the distance wasn't too uncomfortably close. She swung her belongings on the ground beside her, and began tying her hair. Though she tried to make it sound soft and polite wholeheartedly, what actually came out of Lyra's mouth were:

"So. This is it."


//so finally... 

As Cór looked between himself and Lyra, the difference between the two siblings could not have been more noticeable. The years had done little to change Cór's appearance and he stood at the entrance to their home in clothes that he had owned before Lyra had even left and that were a little too small for him, his messy hair was still dripping from the water fight they had just had, his skin and his clothes stained with dirt. Whilst Lyra could not look like she belonged in their homestead any less than she currently did. Her garment was rich, made with fine cloths and materials that Cor had only ever glanced upon whilst wandering through markets, by her side hung trophies of her wealth and success coloured silver and bronze and far beyond anything that the farm boy would ever earn from his labour and the way in which she carried herself- proud and above the simple life she had left behind was almost enough to put Cor to shame.

Well at least there was little doubt in Cor's mind at how well his sister was doing. And he could only wonder that after she had found the fame and fortune that she had left to seek, why she would ever turn back to her humble home in Rohan. Could she possibly need anything from them?

Cor stopped immediately before he continued with that train of thought. And he almost felt embarrassed that he was about to think up of reasons of why Lyra was here. She was his family, his little sister no less- she didn't need a reason to come back besides to see her siblings again. 

He watched her approaching and tried to think of something to say but with what felt like a thousand different emotions running through his head, he had no idea how he was supposed to feel. Shocked? Angry? Happy? Worried? Proud? He didn't think he really felt anything negative towards his sister- but confronting a sibling he had thought to be dead for years was no easy task an he felt as though his thoughts were scattered all over the place.

In fact they were so much so, that in what felt like the blink of an eye she was standing mere inches from where he was and he still had no clue what to do or say. And it wasn't until Lyra broke the silence that he stepped forwards and he gave her a warm embrace. If not because he was overcome with relief to see her fairing well, then to be sure that she was real and not a figment of his imagination. He let her go as he felt his eyes beginning to sting a little and threatening to well up.

"S'been a long time Ly.." He said, giving her a small smile. Though it faded as he looked to her with a more serious look in is eyes and he felt the worry that he had harboured all those long years that he had not seen or heard from her and couldn't help but express the stress she had caused them all with her disappearance "It'd have been nice a letter Ly, just something so we knowed you were doing good."

Though once he finished speaking, he looked to their home and lest he not be mistaken, he saw several curious faces at the window straining to see what was going on at the gates. They all had the right to ask Lyra their questions, but perhaps it was best that Cor hears what she had to say first. He had a feeling that not everybody would be so understanding- the period after she had left had been very difficult indeed and with almost all of their money gone and an extra pair of helping hands gone, they had struggled to make it through the year without losing anybody to hunger, sickness or cold.

"'Ere, why don't we talk privately until we go meets the others. I'm sure you got lots t'share." He offered as he carried her belongings for her and made his way to the barn.

Lyra measured her brother with her eyes. It seemed that nothing have changed much. She was sure that everybody was there, alive and breathing, but not in good living conditions. Lyra felt pity rising inside her, not for the starter money that she took from the family deposit, but rather for not saving accordingly in her later life. Lyra felt no regret whatsoever in her action of taking those starter money from that drawer. She used it damnably well, and kicked herself off the ground, into the clouds far above, and for that Lyra was grateful. She did not suppose the family would have much use of the money either, since she never saw anybody taking money from that drawer as when she was smaller, Lyra wasn't particularly interested financial matters. But no, she could have saved more and stop bothering this family with her stupid request for more money... At least Lyra could spare that jug of wine or ale every night. And the weekly visit to the tailor too. And also the monthly visit to the exotic fair in Dale... There just seemed to be so much cause for using money, and Lyra was never good at resisting.

She looked on to Cor without saying anything. Could he possibly recognize her true purpose of coming here? Lyra thought no. Right now she was too embarrassed to speak of it, and she decided that she should at least wait a few weeks before attempting to make the move. Let them think of it as family bonds... Which is partly true as curiosity indeed was part of the reason she came back here.

Is this boy before her truly her brother which she had not seen for nearly three years? Or is it three years... Why it felt like so long ago? Lyra felt distant, distant to this person before her who has water dripping from his hair (presumably from some romping-arounds) and the large farm behind him. Yet from all these emotions, Lyra couldn't help but wonder. What had happened during my leave? Are there any new addition to the family? Has there been fifteen or sixteen of us now? They ought've been little boys and girls now... The ones who are still baby-in-arms and toddlers... They won't recognize me at all. I am just a stranger to them. Lyra thought sadly as she tried to say something, but no words came out of her mouth. Lyra felt like crying, but she didn't knew the reason why - had this not been the poor family that she loathed for years? Had the mother that she thought was so kindly wanted to marry her off? But why did she feel... So sad now?

And then the sudden embrace from her brother broke her last barrier of defense. Lyra returned the hug with affection, as drips of tears streamed from her face out of her control. She wiped them out as soon as she can without making a sound, and that was the moment she knew - in these years she had been wandering around the world, seeing things that she had never imagined to see, and receiving attention and fame that she would never dream of gaining as a peasant girl. Yet of all those places she deemed magical, she belonged to none of them. This was her home, and these were her family. No matter how she seemingly hated them, no matter how poor they were, that was still her home, and that means a safe haven.

The rational part of dealing with her leave and the pile of messes she had left behind however, have came sooner than Lyra imagined. She looked at him warmly as Cor spoke, and lowered her head out of heartfelt shame - "Yes it has been a long time, Cor..." She stuttered, finding it hard to speak, "I didn't have the gut to take up the quill and write." She concluded simply, not saying that she have been avoiding thoughts about home ever since she left. Lyra followed Cor's gaze as he turned around and saw the little faces of the rest of the family, she sighed lightly.

Lyra didn't even have the chance to be polite before Cor offered to talk privately and carried her baggages for her. She made several hand gestures but no word of gratitude came out of her mouth. Lyra followed silently, every step she took so heavy upon her heart and mind. She swallowed as she looked onto the ground. Every inch of this earth was so familiar, so homelike to her, yet so strange and foreign. She hurried on, lest she lost this chance of explaining herself.

I've got tons to share, my dear brother.

Cora tried to keep a smile on her face as she ushered the children back to the house. She didn’t feel like smiling but keeping a brave face on for the children was the only thing she could think of doing. The older children, whose memories of Lyra had held out against the ravages of time, kept trying to look back and catch a glimpse of their estranged sister, unsure of what to make of this girl- this woman they hardly recognised and even less sure what to make of her return. Cora would have done anything to block their view, to keep them from seeing the stranger they had once called sister, but there was nothing she could do. Instead she hauled Harper up in to her arms and held him close, guiding his head in to the crook of his neck as she had done when he was a babe. Harper had long passed the age where he could be easily carried but Cora couldn’t bring herself to care, she needed something familiar, something she could feel, something that would bring her comfort. Harper seemed to feel her distress for he didn’t try to squirm out of her grasp, instead he wormed himself closer and wrapped his arms around her neck.

As she closed the door behind her Cora caught a glimpse of Cor and Lyra talking. She admired her brother’s calm, the fact that he had been able to keep his head. Had she been in his place she wouldn’t have been able to keep a civil tongue nor would she have been able to have resisted the urge to slap some sense into the stupid girl.

She certainly wouldn’t have been able to listen to her excuses, the lies and the poison. There was no explanation that could possibly explain why she had done what she had done.

Turning away from the scene Cora was surprised by what she saw. She had expected to find the children whispering amongst themselves, sharing theories and ideas and jokes as they were prone to do, but instead she found them all huddled on the bed, silently staring at her. The sight before her was so strange that Cora found her breath catching in her throat, her chest tighten.

Slowly she went over to them and carefully sat down in their midst. She pulled Harper on to her lap and wrapped her arms around the others, pulling them closer to her. Resting her cheek on Moreen’s head Cora closed her eyes and wished she could restart the day, wipe the slate clean and start again, leave the children playing with Cor and go home early, intercepted the girl and sent her home before she could do any damage.

“What’s she doing here?”

It wasn’t a question siblings should ever have to ask about each other and yet Cora had little doubt it was the only thing going through everyone’s mind. What was she doing here?

The fact that Lyra had left them had been a knife in the gut on its own. Were they not good enough? Were they not enough for each other? Could there be other things that were more important than each other? Clearly there was something wrong with them, Lyra wasn’t the first one to have left them after all. The way Lyra had left them had been a sharp twist of that knife, the fact she felt she had to sneak away in the dark of the night showed that maybe the family members weren’t as close as they thought they were. Maybe they had secrets, big secrets, secrets that could one day rip them apart. Cora had been unable to let any of the children out of her sight for days and even now, years after Lyra had upped and left, Cora felt a tinge of anxiety when one of her siblings was late coming in from the field.

The worst part had been when they’d found she’d stolen from them, when they’d found out just how much she had stolen from them. It hurt to find out that she valued them so little that she would leave them to starve, to scrape and scratch for scraps.

Cora would never be able to forgive the girl for what she’d forced the family to go through.

“D’you think… d’you think she’ll stay?”

No.

No, she would not be staying. Not if Cora could help it. Cora would give her what she wanted and then she would go, go and never come back. She would never get a chance to hurt them again.

Cora disentangled herself from her siblings and set Harper down.

“Moreen, Connor, look after the others. Get the dinner started. Keep them from going outside. Cor and I will be back soon.”

She wouldn’t ordinarily talk to them like that, would normally trust them to know what to do and be willing to do it but this time she just couldn’t leave anything to chance.

As she left the house she saw that Cor and Lyra had moved since she’d last seen them and were now heading towards the barn.

Briskly Cora headed off after them, pausing only when she was certain they would be able to hear her.

“What do you want from us?”

---

So I was given permission to post in to this thread a while ago, sorry it took so long