The hairs on the back of Ellens neck tingled and she sensed someone hiding in the forest. a ranger, a deadly hunter and expert marksman. she smiled and pretended not to notice, then faked sleep. she wasnt worried she would get shot when the huntress revealed herself. She had to good aim for that. as expected, an arrow whistled over her. she smiled and opened an eye, looking up as her friend Sorin walked out of the woods.

"Good job, Sorin. you're good with that bow."

"Did I surprise you, lady sun?"

"no, I knew you were there. And stop calling me that or i’ll call you miss shadow!"

"Please do."

"No way. You're doing well in your studies. You’re going to be the best ranger we have."

"and you?"

"I'm going to be the best cheerer for a ranger we have."

"I'm sure you will. for me or for Krystan?" her tone turned teasing. ellen gasped in mock shock.

"I don't know what you mean!"

"Please, I've seen the way you look at him. i could ask him how he feels."

“Thanks!” she could too, but she would let Sorin have this one.

“I guarantee he will say you." she cracked her knuckles playfully. "we wrestled when we were kids. he knows his place." she smiled and winked at ellen.

"You wouldn't beat him up!"

"wouldn't be the first time."

"oh come on!" 

"Anyway, are you going to answer my question? what are you going to do?"

"I have… some plans." she wanted to be a warrior. Nothing made her feel more alive then dancing with a sword in hand. In secret, of course.

“What is it?”

“My business.”

“Is it baking? you love to bake.” Really, Sorin? Why did she keep assuming what Ellen wanted?

“No.” 

"your food is delicious. you should be a baker."

Ellen glared a bit. “I want something else. But i’ll never get it, so please. Stop telling me about dreams.

"But you have talents, Ellen."

"Stop! please, Sorin. I'm happy the way I am." 

"I'm sorry. I just want to help."

"But you don't! It's ok for me to want to do something you don't want for me."

"ok. Hey, I need to practice swords. want to spar?"

"Sure." she forced herself to sound uncertain.

Ellen caught the wooden sword tossed to her and started sparring. She didn't have real practice, and she had never practiced with a person, but Sorin appeared impressed. Ellen took back that alive feeling as she danced, enjoying it and clutching fully.

"I didn't know you liked to spar."

"I think i have a dream.”

“Warrior Ellen!” Sorin cheered, and Ellen laughed nervously, having finally told her secret. Admittedly to her best friend. 

Ellen sensed a ranger hiding in the forest. Only one ranger would be there. Sorin was still clumsy. Ellen pretended not to see her and kept training. She heard the faint whistle of an arrow.

"thought i couldn't see you, traitor?”

"Aren't you playing with your sword right now?"

"You failed the camouflage again." Ellen tossed the words at her offhandedly.

"I did. if I didn't want you to see me, you would be dead right now. i wanted you to know you were going to die. I wanted you to know i keep my promises too, friend." Sorin hissed 'friend', and she stepped out of the shadow.

"You didn't keep your promises when i was your pet Ellen." Sorin had forgot so many promises. Just like she forgot Ellen.

Ellen raised her sword and the two swords met. 

"This is familiar, eh?" Sorin said.

"I was stronger than you knew then. I'm stronger than you know now."

"So, how did things work out with Krystian?" why would she bring up his name? To hurt her, of course. Everything had been about hurting her, even when Sorin made her kill him.

"I know you did it on purpose." 

"It was your fault. He would never love a loser."

"You didn't know me at all. I was strong. Or i would have been, if you werent there." 

“So why did you kill him?"

"I never meant to. You know that."

"What are you saying?"

"I know you did it on purpose."

"How did it feel, Ellen?"

"I don't know. How did it feel to know you got your husband killed because of a stupid grudge? Or because I wasn't what you wanted?"

"I didn't get him killed. You’re the one who put the sword through him."

“You made me.”

“Oh, isn't memory so strange? It's making you come up with the strangest things.”

“You are a liar, Sorin.” Ellen remained calm, per her training. After she escaped Sorin, anyways. No matter how much anything Sorin said hurt, she would stay calm. Her strength was there. If she listened, it would be her downfall.

Ellen heard leaves and branches behind her rustle.

“Hello.” 

“Ellen!” She heard Sorins voice. “We missed you!”

“Yes, and I miss my life. I guess the way it works is if I have a happy life and it's not the life you wanted me to have, you start a war to destroy everything I love. That's what any good sister does, hm?”

“What? I… I don't know what you’re talking about!”

Ellen faced them. Sorin had dragged their cousin along, her husband now, apparently. “No more, Sorin. No more baby sister for you to choose my life. I had a life, and I was happy. I was my own person! Not Sorins useless twin. But you couldn't let me have that, could you? You took away my country, my family, and my child. I’m going to kill you, Sorin. I wouldn't if i didn't have to, but you've left me with no choice. If I don't kill you, you will never give me peace again.”

"Ellen, what do you mean? I would never! Please, come back with us and it will be like nothing changed. You can do whatever you want!"

"No, I would do what you want, I would go back to your plaything. Just your sidekick sister. No, Sorin. I'm going to do what I want. But you’re between me and any semblance of happiness. I have to kill you."

Krystian spoke. “No you won't."

"I’m sorry, Krystian. I wish you weren't involved with this."

“I know that's a lie. Sorin told me the truth."

"Sorin is a liar. I know you don't believe me, but I know she is. She's using you to get to me. I’m sorry, Krystian, I know you love her, but I have to take what's mine. Sorin, if you would just let me stop being your obsessive sister, we can walk away."

"No." Sorin said

"Uh, Sorin, why not let her go?" Krystian said.

“She would come back and destroy the kingdom.”

“Uh… ok… Ellen, this is your last chance.”

“I'm sorry, but I have to do this.”

They began to fight. Somehow, Ellen was the only one who thought two against one was unfair. She had the right on her side, and passion. She held her own, but only just. Then Sorin grabbed Krystian and pushed him forward, onto her sword. It happened so fast she had no time to react.

"I… what have you done? How deep is your hatred Sorin?"

“You killed him! You monster!”

“Sorin! What have you done?”

“I didn't do anything!”

Ellen dropped her sword and ran into the woods, shocked and horrified. That was the point at which Sorin had gone to far. Ellen couldn't forgive this. There was no going back, and there was no peace. Ellen was going to hurt Sorin for this. She was going to destroy her. Ellen hated her sister.

They kept fighting. 

“You know if you just let me go, hundreds of lives would be burning strong. You destroyed two kingdoms over this stupid thing.”

“No, you destroyed mine. You destroyed our home!”

“You gave me no choice. You could never just be happy for someone else, could you?”

“What do you mean?” sorin grunted and pushed her sword off.

“When i got into the fighting academy. You showed up and distracted my instructors on purpose and made me fail. When i moved away to escape you. You started a war. A war! Seriosly?!” 

“I didn't do it on purpose.”

“Oh? Very time the instuctor glanced at me you started talking again. Every time! No wonder i failed! But if i had succeeded it would have meant i was worth something. It would have meant i had a shred of something that wasn't you and you just couldn't let me be worth anything!”

“It wasn't on purpose!”

“I don't need your lies. I was there, i know the truth.”

“I'm not lying.”

“When you asked Krystian for me? I saw you, you were flirting with him!”

“No i wasn't!”

Ellen smiled as she walked into the new kingdom. This was her home! She was free! She instantly joined the guard. They gave her excellent training. She even met a knight… they married and had a baby daughter. Then a war started. She would have never suspected a thing… exept while she was fighting, she got lured into an empty field. Out of the trees came Sorin.

“Hello, Ellen.”

“I’m sorry, Sorin, but I can't talk. We’re at war. I should be fighting you.”

“You want the war to end, right?”

“Of course!”

“Then come back and i can make it stop.”

“What?”

“I started this war. For you! I did it for you because i love you and i want you to come home!” Sorin said it like she should be grateful.

“You did what?”

“I'm getting you home!”

“You're a psychopath! No!”

Sorin turned grim. “Then I will make sure this kingdom falls, and everyone you love in it dies.”

“Are you crazy?”

Sorin brightened again. “And then you can come home!”

“No! No, thats evil and awful and- just no! On so many levels. Stop this war and leave me in peace! I came here to get away from you!”

“Fine. if thats how it's going to be.” Sorin turned dark. Ellen ran back to her troops. As promised, the city burned. Ellens famliy with it. How could someone be so cruel and selfish?

“You told me to have dreams? Why didn't you let me live them?”

“They were the wrong dreams! I know what would make you happy! If you had listened to me, you would be happy!”

“I'm only allowed to have your dreams? I'm my own person! Being your twin doesn't make me you!”

“Of course it doesn't!” Yeah, Ellen couldn't be Sorin because Sorin was perfect. She should have remembered to tread lightly near the ego.

“Ellen! Stop, come back! You’re making a mistake!”

Ellen didn't turn. She was headed off to be free. She hurried to get the saddle on so she could leave sooner.

“Ellen! Stay!”

“No. this is my future where i have a dream i want.”

“Why are you leaving?”

“Because you can't let me have anything for myself.”

“But why Elderens?”

“Because I’m going to be a soldier and i'd rather not fight people i trained alongside, and we have a good trade alliance with them.”

“Don't, Ellen. There will be a war. I promise.”

“Uh… sure…” she finished at last, said goodbye to her parents, and left.

They kept fighting. The sun set. 

“I’m tired. We should go our separate ways and fight another day.”

“Then we will die of exaushtion.”

“No, this ends now. Leave. I hate you. I will never come back to you. Ever.” she felt her words sink in to Sorin. With a strange expression, she left. Ellen knew what she was going to do. 

She had been forced to burn down their kingdom by law. She had sworn to protect her city, and at that point, avenge it. She had no choice but to destroy the enemy that had ended them. 

The guards found out who she was as she was about to burn down the city, the only option for her since she was only one person. They threatened her family, except the ranger, who was to valuable. When her honor demanded she ingore them, they killed them.

 But Sorin acussed her. Sorin accused her of everything, even things she did. When they were children, she always got the blame for anything Sorin did. Well, anything bad. Not the mischief, because Sorin was proud of that. Reputation or something.

Ellen waited for the arrow to peirce her flesh and felt it impale her. She could have escaped or taken cover, even blocked the weak points in her armor, but what did she have to live for anymore? Besides, as she laying dying she knew Sorin would come to gloat, and she would be weak at that point.

Sorin came over. She was speaking, but Ellen couldn't hear over the ringing in her ears. She reached her belt and pulled out a dagger, then with all the strength left in her she reached up and shoved it into Sorin. Ellen died, and Sorin crumpled onto her.