A Princess Forgotten

July, 21, 1998

"Hello?" Aislin busy colouring a picture for her big sister Keira so she wasn't to concerned about what the man was saying. He asked for Bran, her father, and nodded, forgetting that they were on the phone and he couldn't see her. "Yeah, hold on please." Aislin put the phone down, hopped down from her perch, heading out to the porch.

Her father had insisted that the family needed a new deck, and had begun work on it the moment he had gotten the supplies. "There's a man on the phone for you Dad!" Aislin waited for his relpy. His head come through the hole infront of her, grumbling something in a heavy Irish accent.. " Stupid beams. All I want ye to do is to stay where I put ye” He grabbed the closest phone and began talking while his too-bright-for-her-own-good daughter left laughing about his complaining.

Taking her drawing upstairs, she walked into her room. Her room was an all over rosie-pink colour. When she had been born, so the story went, they had seen her cheeks and fell in love with the colour. Luckily her cheeks had stayed like that until her father could find the right paint and set to painting her room. Slumping down on her bed, she listened to her new baby brother babble and goo in the other room. “Rian, you’re going to goo your self out before mummy gets home.” Shaking her head she continued to draw.

“Aislin dear, grab your brother and come downstairs now.” Aislin looked up from her drawing, confused. I get to pick up Rian? Shrugging and smiling, she left her room and walked into the baby’s room. “Come on, up you get.” Heaving Rian over the edge of the crib, she returned downstairs and sat him in her lap, playing with his fingers. “Whats up Dad?” Bran looked up, her eyes red. Aislin laughed nervously. “Come on dad, it isn’t the beams fault you can’t build.” Her father smiled and smoothed his hand over her hair and touched Rians lips before turning to the window. “We are going to wait for your mother. Ye and the bairn can watch some telly.” He got up and walked out of the room. She watched him go then looked at Rian. “Something up Bairn and I’m not sure I’m going to like it.” Turning on the tv she soon forgot about her father and became involved in the show.

“Alright Aislin, hold Rian tightly now.” Her mother scolded. Moer Karryc was a nervous woman, but she was kind and gentle. She watched as her middle child handled her youngest. She turned to her husband. “Now that we’re all here, we can talk about what you wanted to talk about.” She faced Bran, not expecting to see him in tears. “Oh honey what is it? Tell me? Do you want the kids here?” A million questions only got her one answer. “Keira’s dead.” Moer sat back and a smile crept across her face. “What are you talking about?” Bran sighed and stood, his hand running across his neck. “Just that Moer, our little girl, she’s dead and all we have left are these wee, sweet bairns.” Aislin sat still. Rian gooed and she was snapped from her stare. “I think we wee bairns are over due for bed.” She choked back tears. That’s what Keira used to say to father. The couple looked to their only children and the mother broke down, rushing past them to Keira’s room. Bran stared at his only son. “Good, take him away from the madness.” Aislin nodded, lowering her eyes as she had been taught to do. Walking to Rian’s room she lowered the now sleeping baby into his crib. “Sleep little angel, sleep tight and dream.” She chanted as she left closing the door behind her. Walking past her sisters room, she saw her mother sitting in Keira’s rocking chair, holding one of her dolls quietly singing. Shaking her head she went to her own room. Laying down, she willed the bad dreams away, instead dreaming of a place where Keira was still alive.