Words Unspoken - A Hermitcraft Story

The Twins

Quite Some Time Later

The city was normally busy, but busy couldn't begin to describe it now. So many had come into town for the celebration. Shops and homes were decorated carefully, not a single wilting flower or dusty windowpane. Even the clouds were clear from the sky, as if mother nature herself was looking over the town just for the day. It made Zara sick. Such frivolous actions for a simple birthday.

He growled quietly, at nothing in particular. It was all just so maddening.

"Are we pretending to be dogs now?" Zara's brother asked with a smirk. Not that he could see Xisuma's smile, but he could definitely hear it in his voice.

"Shut up."

"Wow, what a comeback."

Zara stood up and turned towards his twin. This time he was the one smiling mischievously, right before he tackled his brother. The pair wrestled playfully on the packed dirt floor of their cottage. It was small, barely more than a shed, but it was good enough for them. They didn't need a castle to be happy, just each other. Any outsider would say that they were unhealthily dependent on each other, but neither one of them cared.

The pair finished their false brawl and lay on the floor, dusty and sweating.

"Didja at least get the food from town?" Zara asked his brother.

"Yea! Come here, let me show you what I got!" Xisuma pulled out his leather backpack and unbuckled the straps. Out came, not one, but two breakfast muffins.

"One for each of us!"

Xisuma smiled happily at his brother, who crossed his arms in mock exasperation.

"What did this cost?"

"That's the best part. Nothing. This guy at the bakery was just giving them away to celebrate the prince's birthday."

At the mention of the young royal, Zara scowled. But only for a moment. His smile took over again when Xisuma shoved a blueberry muffin in Zara's face.

"Eat."

Zara, instead of simply taking his food in his hands, took a giant bite out of the muffin while still in X's hand.

"Oi!"

The twins laughed. Zara took the rest of his muffin in his hands, and turned to look back out the window. The town center looked so happy. If only it could stay that way.

Xisuma's voice took on a darker tone. "I know, bud. But it has to be done."

"You know what I'm afraid of."

"You can control it."

"And if I can't."

"Then I'll protect you."

Zara smiled, but no warmth came with it. Tonight would not be a good night for him. But he chose this.

'You chose me.'

Zara slammed his eyes shut. Not now. Please.

"Is he there?"

Zara nodded.

'Come on dude. You can talk to me.'

The voice smiled slyly. Zara wasn't quite sure how he knew the voice in his head was smiling, but he felt it as if it was his own.

'Just leave me alone.'

'Why? We're gonna know each other much better by midnight.'

'Please Ex, I'm giving you control, just give me some peace.'

'Whatever.'

The voice went quiet, settling back down into Zara's mind. He opened his eyes back up.

"He gone?"

Zara nodded again, keeping his view focused out the window.

"If he hurts you," Zara choked out, "I'll never forgive myself."

"I won't let him."

The voice chuckled. Even if he was in the back of Zara's mind, he was still aware enough to hear and see everything going on around him.

"He thinks otherwise."

"Well," Xisuma moved in front of Zara, locking eyes with his twin, "you tell him that he's just a lonely coward."

Zara laughed as he felt Ex try to take control, but right now, Zara had all the power.

'Give up, Ex. You can have your fun tonight.'

Ex humpfed and settled back down.

'You don't know what it's like stuck in here.'

'I do know, Ex, we both know that's true.'

Zara turned his attention back to his brother.

"We ready to get going?"

X nodded, and tossed a leather pack to Zara, who swung it onto his back with a practiced motion.

"Let's go."

They opened the creaky wooden door of their house and walked out, knowing they would never return to the small wooden shed they called home.

The town was even more crowded than it looked from their shed. Zara hated it. His instincts were telling him to run, to get away from the chaos and watch from above. Trained as an archer, his close combat skills were less than good, and defending himself in this crowd would be impossible. But this wasn't a war. This wasn't a battle. This was a town. Filled with citizens never bothered by the horrors of combat.

Bakers and blacksmiths and weavers and gardeners bustled. They had prepared for months for this day. They did not plan to disappoint. Somehow, the large crowds moved effortlessly, each person arriving exactly where they need at exactly when they want. Xisuma moved in this way, letting himself be taken by the current of people, while Zara had to frantically try to keep up.

Before long, they arrived. The castle's giant walls loomed over them, but the drawbridge was down, and the guards let them through without a word. Dressed like servants of the castle, the pair blended into the well oiled machery of the hidden side of the royal building. Xisuma and Zara looked at each other, their task now truly begun. There was no going back now. 

917 Words