I stood there in the hall for what felt like an entirety waiting. The hall was narrow with cinder block walls and a linoleum floor. I could hear the echo of my own hooves as I passed side to side.
"Easy hon, You'll do fine." My wife assured as she placed a hoof on my shoulder. I looked her in eyes and and hoped she was right. I remember a day when she couldn't stand me. Who would have ever though I would marry the element of honesty. I know she loves me but looking at her only makes me feel all the more guilty. I felt like I choose her over my own brother. I choose the life I have now over my loyalty to my kin. My son AppleSeed sat against the wall watching me pace. I hadn't noticed his eyes on me until AJ stopped me. I had to try and get a hold of myself. He didn't need see me like this.

Just then a sudden loud ringing nearly gave me a heart attack. I turned around and there he was. Standing on the other side of the gate was my brother. I hadn't seen him in years, we hadn't even spoken. His head was hung low as one of the guards removed the cuffs around his forelegs. The opened the gate and let him through, cutting the disabling spell he'd been subjected to for the last 15 years. He looked up at me and our eyes meet for the first time in years. My whole body froze in that moment and for a while we just stood there silently staring at each other. I felt AJ rubbing my foreleg with a hoof as she whispered something in my ear but I was two overwhelmed to register it.

Suddenly the sound of hoof steps woke me from my momentary emotional coma. I looked down to see my son walking up to him. He sat down in the middle of the hall and held out his hoof.

"It's nice to meet you uncle Flam." He said.