[Kath]

Cir had been so utterly gobsmacked by the events of the last few minutes that she almost obeyed her aunt without question. She was already heading inside after Mithalwen when her thoughts caught up with her and she remembered that she had unfinished business before she could settle back into this inn.

"Cir!" She called, turning to find her brother moving away from her. He stopped and faced her automatically and she found herself cringing at the look on his face. During the ride with their aunt Cir had had ample time to think over what had happened between them and had found herself feeling ashamed of her behaviour. They had been on the move and in trouble and trying their hardest to think only of behaving recently and though what had happened had been in her mind Cir hadn't found the time, or more accurately hadn't desired to find the time, to really think about how her brother must be feeling. She had shut herself off from him deliberately, knowing how much that would hurt him, but it was only now that she truly felt the guilt of that action.

"Well?" Came a voice, and she realised that Cir had been speaking to her. He now looked more irritated than hurt and she thought she'd better get her apology in quickly before his annoyance grew to such a level that he couldn't accept it.

"I'm sorry." She blurted out. "I'm sorry I was so horrible to you. I think you were entirely wrong not to tell me what our father said about us, we don't keep secrets from each other and especially not when it affects both of us. I know that you were upset about it and that you probably didn't want me to feel as bad as you did but you should still have said something. But when you did tell me I shouldn't have reacted like I did so I'm sorry."

The speech was hardly eloquent but the feelings in it were clear as day and Cir knew that her brother would appreciate the fact that she wasn't shutting him out anymore. She knew that she was right about this by the smile that spread across his face.

"You were being an idiot." He said, his voice slightly uncertain as he wasn't sure they were quite back to joking with each other yet.

"Coming from you." Cir replied, gently hitting her brother's arm to indicate that yes, they were alright again. She understood why Cir had acted the way he had and knew that he now understood why she had been so angry with him. She also knew her brother and knew that she would get an apology from him for his behaviour in just the way that she had apologised for hers - they were too similar for their own good sometimes. In this case though it allowed her to accept the apology and forgive him before he even gave it.

"I'm sorry too." Her brother spoke softly.

"I know." Cir replied, smiling.