Tell Tessa

      Do you remember that time we went out to buy some new dresses and we came across a poor, homeless, little Ixi? And then remember you felt so sorry for her that you gave her all your week's pocket money and one of your new dresses? I'm sure you do remember even if you try not to.

      Think harder and then you'll remember that we adopted her. And it was only after we had everything organised did we realise 'she' was in fact a boy. And you had given him a dress! You were so ashamed! But we adopted him as our little brother. And you were the most loving sister to Leon. Leon adored you. He loved you so much and looked up to you.

      I remember when you would both go out adventuring together, leaving me to do the house chores, which I didn't mind. The day I remember most was when you both came back from a day at the Lost City of Geraptiku. I was making dinner when Leon crashed into the kitchen to tell me how he had entered the Deserted Tomb all by himself and I feigned disbelief to tease him. But then he said, "Ask Tessa!" So I did and when you confirmed it true, he was so proud, as if a word from you made everything right again.

      Which was true. Remember when he first started Neoschool and he was teased and bullied for being so small for his age? One word from you put a stop to that. And after that, Little Leon was popular. It was like you had some kind of magic. He depended on you. Maybe too much for his own good. Maybe too much for yours.

      Every night, when I put Leon to bed, he would say, half asleep, "Tell Tessa goodnight." It was always the last thing he said. Every single night. I don't deny that I had little jealous twinges, hearing the love in his voice. The love for you. I was the older one of us sisters but yet, he preferred you. I admit it was the first time that I had to experience being second best. And I now know what it must've been like for you when I was always first best.

      Tessa, I know you've blocked Leon out of your head. I know you have. You've blocked him to stop the pain and the sadness. Blocking him out will make it worse. You have to remember. You have to remember Leon.

      Remember that cold and wintry day only a month ago. The house was warm and cosy. The firelight gave the room a orange colour. You were reading to Leon by the fire and I was watching you, whilst pretending to sew a patch on one of Leon's shirts. You looked so animated and cheerful. It was like a scene from a Faerie Tale. You were sitting on a stool, the heavy book balanced on your lap, Leon sitting cross-legged beside you on the floor. You were pointing out parts of the text and pictures but he was hardly glancing at them. He was looking up at your face with adoration.

      You were barely halfway through the book when there came a knock on our door. As usual, you told me to stay where I was, warming my feet by the fire. You closed up the book, using a piece of cloth to mark where you were, stood up and went to the door. Leon hid anxiously behind your skirts.

      I remember you giving a slight gasp when you opened the door and I thought it must've been because of the strong winds blowing through the door. But when I came to see what was going on, I saw that you had not gasped because of the wind but because of our visitor.

      On the doorstep, was standing a very haughty looking Moehog. He was dressed splendidly. He probably had his clothes tailor-made at a professional tailor whilst none other than you or me made our humble clothes. And behind him stood a magnificent carriage made of silver with delightful flowery designs on the sides.

      The Moehog said, "We have searched far and wide and we are sure this is the place." Before you or I could utter a single word, he said, "Please welcome Lord and Lady Lawson."

      And from the carriage, helped by another Moehog footman was a blue Ixi dressed even more beautifully than the first Moehog. A beautiful purple Ixi, wearing a dress that was so beautiful I saw your hands itch to touch the satin, followed him. It was only then that I realised these two Ixis were Royalty of some sort. A Lord and Lady, the Moehog had said. What did they want here?

      The Lady immediately ran up the path, or as much as a Lady tries to run. Her skirts were probably so heavy; they would pull her to the bottom of the ocean. "Leonardo!" she cried. She barely registered you or me.

      It took several minutes for me to realise who Leonardo was but you knew straight away. You said, "No! He's not yours! He's ours! He won't leave!"

      Leonardo was none other than Leon.

      "Leonardo!" Lady Lawson cried when she saw Leon peeking out from behind your skirts.

      It was then explained that when Leon was younger, a servant who was intent on getting revenge on the Lord and Lady had taken Leon out to the woods and left him. He learnt to fend for himself, homeless, and then we found him and took him in. The Lord and Lady had Faeries searching everywhere for him, but the Faeries had been looking for a poor homeless and miserable boy, not a happy, healthy and loved one. But they had eventually found him and were taking him back to their castle.

      "You can't just take him away!" you yelled.

      "Of course we can!" the Lord retorted.

      "Well, he doesn't want to!"

      "We'll ask him and see!"

      I don't know what made you do what you did next but you did it anyway. You ran from the room, tears pouring from your eyes.

      Leon, sitting on the little stool, sat shocked. His face looked so hurt and his eyes filled with tears when he saw the book you had been reading him earlier next to him on the floor. He was hurt; he thought you didn't love him anymore. I sometimes wonder that if you hadn't run out, he would have stayed. But even if he had wanted to, the Lord and Lady would not have allowed it.

      He left that same night. They wouldn't let him say goodbye to you but he managed to hug me close and whisper in my ear, "Tell Tessa not to be sad." Then he was dragged away.

      The Moehog looked at me with no sympathy. He said to me, "I'm sure he enjoyed it here with you two humble sisters in this humble cottage, but the castle life is for our little Lord."

      I jutted out my chin and said, "Believe what you will believe, Sir. But I know what our little brother wants."

      You were crying and screaming uncontrollably when I came up to your room.

      "He'll hate it! He won't like it there! He'll be miserable, being waited on hand and foot by snooty servants and having those sorry excuses for parents!" Nothing could make you stop that night but you woke up the nest morning and didn't say a word. Haven't said a word since.

      You miss him. I miss him too but not as much as you. And I know he misses you. And I don't know what cruel fate decided we should have our little brother taken away from us, from you. I can't pretend that he loved us equally.

      One day, he'll come and find you. I know he will. You never knew about what he said to me that last night. You won't let me near you, or anyone else for that matter but he told me to tell you so I have. So for Leon's sake, don't be sad. I know he'll be trying to enjoy his new life, for your sake. He won't want you to be unhappy.

      In fact, we can go and ask if we can visit him. And if they say no, it won't matter. Because it doesn't matter where Leon is physically, he's always here. He's always in your heart. It sounds cheesy, doesn't it? But that's the good thing about cheesy sayings. They're always true.

     Your loving and caring sister,

     Heather

The End