Chapter 18 - A Sister's Longing

Rion wiped Anwen's tears and said, "No. You are my sister and I will always love you. So stop crying."

"Is that true?" Anwen looked at Rion with her wet eyes.

"Of course," Rion smiled.

Anwen hugged Rion again.

"I love you very much, Brother," she said.

"Me too."

"Brother, don't hate me, okay."

"No. Never."

***

Little Anwen, who was thrown from the horse, was now eleven years old.

From behind the pillars of a dark room lit only by two torches in the corner, Anwen peeked out.

CRACK!

CRACK!

Anwen was shocked and shuddered every time the whip struck the body of a woman with golden hair and purple eyes, whose wrists and legs were bound by chains.

CRACK!

"Cough." The woman vomited a lot of blood. The blood covered almost all of her chin and seeped down to her neck.

"Why did you have to do all this …? Sob …" Anwen wept as she watched her mother received a hundred lashes.

Time passed. After the room was quiet, Anwen came out of her hiding and walked over to her mother, who wa