the golden rule

The world itself seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as Sirius silently released his anger into the night sky. The small girl clenched her eyes tight and refused to let go. Only when her father whispered his love for her on a name did she breathe her own sigh of relief.

The giant man embraced his daughter and a moment later Azure was pulled into the embrace too. Aslatiel felt complete. The hole in her heart was instantly sealed. All it had taken was that one embrace.

"I'm so sorry, papa." She said again, her voice still soft and wavering. The daddy's girl had been shattered to pieces without him. Whatever he wanted from her from now on, she would do. Whatever rules he laid down, she would follow. No dying rabbit was worth a repeat of this pain.

Azure managed to catch her attention and he smiled at her. Though her father was embracing her, Aslatiel wiggled in his grip so that she might pull her brother into an embrace of her own. "Thanks, Az." She whispered, her forehead against his neck. "You saved the day."