"Don't you love me, sister?"

The question must have struck her as odd. Anna hesitated, looking quizzically at me. It's always been odd to see emotions in her eyes, because they are much as my eyes are. Cunning, and sea-green.

"Of course I love you," she said, seeming to have decided something.

"How do you love me?"

"As a brother: by instinct and without condition."

"Good."

By this point, we were close to one another, and she was smiling again. I kissed her softly on the cheek, and we passed the rest of the evening in companionable silence. I believe I was reading a novel at the time, and she was reading a tract of verse. As the evening turned into night, I dimmed the lights and bid her good-night. She wished me the same, and we parted to our respective chambers.