Chapter 314: Great Sister Standoff

(I’ve updated the last Chapter because of a mistake so if you read it early, please re-check it as I’ve added a extra part in the end)

Both Cassius and Julie turned at the sudden sound of her voice, startled by her outburst and Julie’s brows rose as she took in Aisha’s flushed, flustered face storming toward them. And instantly, she understood why she was running over.

In response, she let go of the reins and stepped slightly in front of Cassius, arms folding across her chest protectively. Her expression turned stern, guarded, not cold, but clearly defensive, like she wasn’t going to back down.

Aisha skid to a stop, panting a bit, but her face was already red from frustration and embarrassment, while Julie raised an eyebrow at her.

"What is it exactly that you want, Aisha?" Julie asked, voice calm but sharp. "Why are you shouting like that near the horses? Do you know how dangerous it is to startle them? One kick, and we could all be in trouble."

"I don’t care about the horses!" Aisha fired back immediately, panting slightly as she came to a stop. "They can run off for all I care!"

She pointed, eyes blazing.

"What I do care about is why Cassius is standing beside your horse. And why it looks like you’re about to get on it with him!"

Julie gave a slow sigh. "If you must know, it’s exactly what it looks like. I’m going to be riding with Cassius today."

"What?!" Aisha practically shrieked, eyes bulging. "Why?! Since when was that the plan?!"

"Since this morning..." Julie said, cool as ever. "Cassius has learned the basics now, hasn’t he? So I thought it was a good time to switch things up. Let Skadi ride with you so that she can have a break andI’ll ride with Cassius...It’s perfectly logical isn’t it?."

"Logical?!" Aisha gawked. "You seriously think this is logical, Captain? Cassius only learned to ride yesterday!"

"And you, you can’t even stay on a horse without grabbing the poor person in front of you like a drowning puppy!"

"You’re the one who clings to everyone and topples over sideways, so how do you think a beginner like Cassius is going to manage you?!"

Julie turned a light shade of pink. "That was one time."

"One time, my ass!" Aisha shouted. "Every single time we ride out together, you end up flopping over like a fish and dragging someone down with you!"

Julie straightened, still determined. "Cassius is sturdier than you think. I trust he can handle me. He said it’s fine."

"Fine?!" Aisha shook her head in disbelief. "Of course he’d say that, he’s Cassius! He’d carry a whole castle on his back if some pretty girl asked politely! That doesn’t mean it’s a good idea! And besides..."

She took a step forward, narrowing her eyes.

"I was supposed to ride with him. We had plans. I even packed books to show him today, you know?!"

Julie’s brows furrowed. She wasn’t expecting that. Aisha wasn’t yelling now, she was visibly upset. Her lips trembled slightly as she clutched the strap of her bag like it held all her feelings in it.

There was a pause.

Julie hesitated...but didn’t step aside.

"I know you had plans." She said, quieter now, though her arms were still crossed. "But sometimes plans change."

"And sometimes..." Aisha bit back. "...people take things that don’t belong to them."

Julie’s eyes narrowed. "Cassius isn’t a thing."

"I know that." Aisha snapped, feeling her throat tighten. "But don’t you dare act like I’m being unreasonable when you swooped in like that without telling anyone."

"He agreed to it." Julie said calmly, glancing at Cassius behind her.

And that...that made Aisha’s stomach drop just a little.

He agreed?

She looked at him, her expression suddenly more fragile. Her voice, softer. "Did you really...say yes?"

Cassius looked like he’d just been handed a lit stick of dynamite and wasn’t sure where to throw it.

"...I didn’t think it’d be a big deal." He muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

That stung.

Aisha’s gaze dropped for a moment. Her lips pressed tight. She looked like she wanted to say something else, but she bit her tongue.

Julie also watched her carefully, but didn’t speak this time.

The silence between them was heavy.

To be honest, the main reason Julie wanted to ride with Cassius was pure and noble, knitting.

Glorious, life-changing, yarn-wielding knitting.

The idea of spending hours with him behind her, hands gently guiding hers, whispering wisdom like a knitting sage into her ears while she practiced loop after loop, filled her with so much joy that she had made her decision instantly.

She had to sit with him. It was the perfect opportunity!

The whole day stretched before them like a blanket just waiting to be woven. By the end of it, she’d be a master, knitting socks, scarves, maybe even a sweater for herself. Who knew?

She didn’t even think about Cassius himself all that much...Really. It wasn’t about him.

It was about the art. The yarn. The craft.

...Or so she thought.

Because the moment she saw Aisha, her cute little sister, the same one who used to follow her around with snot on her face and steal her books , suddenly wanting to ride with Cassius so vehemently, her internal temperature rose like soup on a stove.

At first, she tried to reason with herself.

’It’s okay. She’s your sister. You’ve shared everything since forever. Blankets, food, books, your bed, even underwear even though it was quite loose for Aisha.’

But now, something was different.

This wasn’t a cookie.

This wasn’t a pillow.

This was Cassius.

And suddenly, Julie, usually the big sister who shared everything without a second thought, wasn’t feeling very big-sisterly. In fact, she felt very greedy.

She didn’t want to share Cassius. She didn’t want to give in.

Not today. Not when Aisha had that hopeful little sparkle in her eyes and that suspicious tilt in her voice.

And then it hit her like a ball of tangled yarn to the face.

It wasn’t just about knitting.

If it were only about knitting, she wouldn’t care.

She’d let Aisha have him and go practice on her own with a rock if needed.

But no, she wanted to be with him. Spend time with him. Hear his voice, feel his warmth, maybe fall over backwards into his arms if the horse hit a bump, entirely by accident, of course.

The realization made her cheeks heat up with embarrassment, but she clenched her fists and forced herself to stand tall.

Now was not the time to get flustered. Now was the time to fight for what mattered.

Her fingers twitched. Not from nervousness, but like she was preparing to cast on for battle. Her eyes locked with Aisha’s.

Aisha’s narrowed, irritated and Julie’s narrowed back, burning with determination.

There was no going back now.

Cassius had unknowingly become the prize in the Great Sister Standoff of the century.

And neither one of them planned to take a step back...