The Story of Our Evil

VIII

Lumine's steps were quickening. How many hours-or days- had she been walking?

She felt faint with hunger and exhaustion. However, something in her told her that she needed to keep walking. There was a burning feeling inside her that she didn't even know that she had. The burning feeling was so strong that, even though it was a cold afternoon, she was close to sweating.

Her small hand closed tightly over a small bottle in her pocket as she finally made it to her destination-a beach that was quite far away from the Kingdom of Light.

As Lumine stepped onto the beach and into the water, she took the bottle out of her cloak pocket. She was suddenly hit with a sad wave of nostalgia as a memory arose from the last time that she was at this beach...

•°•°•°•°•°•

Aether had gleefully kicked off his shoes and removed his socks. He jumped into the water with only his servant uniform on, splashing around in the waves.

Lumine had looked at Aether in disbelief and disgust.

"How barbaric! What kind of servant plays in the water and has fun in it?!" Lumine had shouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "And might I add that you're doing this in front of your queen, no less!"

Aether scoffed jokingly and replied, "Oh, forgive me, my queen. I didn't invite you to come with me, did I?" He giggled as these words came out of his mouth, and he extended his hand out to her, inviting her into the water.

Lumine puffed out her cheeks and turned away, crossing her hands over her chest again and shutting her eyes. "How dare you suggest that I play something so childish. Queens never play in water."

Aether rolled his eyes. "Of course a queen wouldn't play in the water, but my sister would. Come on, Lumine, the water's fine!"

Lumine opened one of her eyes and turned towards her brother, who was making a ridiculous, yet adorable, puppy dog face. Eventually, she sighed, knowing full well that she couldn't win this battle. "Alright then," Lumine muttered, "but only for a little while."

Aether jumped up and down with glee, whooping happily and making a small giggle escape his sister's mouth. Aether took Lumine's hands, and he brought her to where he was in the water.

The twins danced around in the water, and they splashed around for a while, overjoyed to feel like children again. A large wave suddenly came and made them topple over into the mushy sand.

Aether began to howl with laughter, but his laughing abruptly ceased when he saw his sister sitting in the water, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"Are you okay, Lumine?" Aether asked, picking his sister up and steadying her on her feet. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"No..." Lumine sniffed. "I...just thought I was going to drown, for a moment there." Her face began blooming into a violent shade of red, as the embarrassment began flooding in like the ocean waves.

She expected to hear her brother laughing at her at any moment, but it never came. Aether crouched down in front of her, wiping tears and water from her face.

"Don't worry about that, Lumi." Aether said softly, using his pet name for her. "You don't have to worry, because I'll never let anything hurt you."

"I'm glad." Lumine said gratefully. She raised an eyebrow as Aether took a miniature bottle from his uniform pocket, and she said, "What are you going to do with that?"

"Haven't you heard the stories and legends of the sea before, Lumi?" Aether asked. Lumine replied with a shake of her head. Aether continued, "The stories say, that if you write down a wish, place it into a bottle, and send it off towards the horizon, your wish will come true."

"Hmm." Lumine mused, taking the bottle from her brother and twirling it between her fingers. She immediately noticed that it was empty, and out of curiosity, she asked, "What were you thinking of wishing for?"

"I don't need to wish for anything, Lumi. My life is already perfect because you are in it." Aether said sweetly, as he embraced her in a warm hug.

"Aww, me too, Aether." Lumine smiled. "My life would be so different without you. I feel like the luckiest queen in the world just knowing that you're my brother."

The twins sat on the beach and they watched the sunset. Aether placed his hand on Lumine's and he murmured, "You know Lumine, there's actually one thing I would wish for."

"And what is that?" Lumine whispered in reply.

"I hope and wish that you will always be happy." Aether smiled, as he circled his arms around his sister, hugging her gently.

"Well then, your wish has already come true." Lumine said softly, returning her brother's gentle hug. "I will always be happy as long as you are by my side."

"I promise to keep that beautiful smile alive on your face by remaining as your loyal servant, standing by your side." Aether said, his eyes sparkling as he looked at his sister with joy.

•°•°•°•°•°•

Lumine was standing in the waves, barely realizing that tears were running down her cheeks.

Why Aether? she thought sadly. Why would you sacrifice your own life for someone as selfish as me? Why did you forget and break your promise to me? I can't smile if you're not with me...

Lumine collapsed to her knees, not caring that the seawater and sand was soaking into her dirty cloak. "It's all my fault," she murmured, tears from her eyes continuing to fall and splash into the ocean. "It's my fault that you're gone..."

"I'm sorry!" Lumine sobbed, her cries of pain and regret echoing throughout the empty cove. "I'm so sorry, Aether! I'm sorry all that I have done! I realize now how much I've hurt you, though you've never said anything about it. You'll probably never forgive me, but just know that I'm sorry..."

The tears upon Lumine's face continued to fall, yet her sobs began to slow. Her grip on the bottle in her pocket tightened as she took it out.

She hadn't written her wish down, since she was so shocked about her brother's sudden plan. She didn't even know that she would be coming here, to a place of so many memories. Lumine, however, had one last idea.

Lumine was crying so hard again, but nevertheless, she pressed her lips to the cork of the bottle and whispered, "I'm not really sure if this will work... but I wish...that you can accept my apology. I wish that we can reborn again as twins, my dearest brother. I'm so... so... sorry."

And with that, Lumine placed the bottle gently in the water, pushing it away in the direction of the now setting sun. As she watched the bottle drift away dreamily along the currents, she felt something on her shoulder.

"I hope that we'll meet again in the next life too, Lumi. I love you..."

Lumine whirled around in shock. Was that her brother's voice?

After a moment, she shook her head, and she stared out over the horizon with a wretched look on her face. It must of been a trick of the wind or her grief.

As the sun disappeared over the horizon, the sky darkened into night. Only when the moon had fully risen into the sky, Lumine got up from the sand and left.

All of her sins... had taken everything away. Her loved ones. Her brother. Her kingdom. Her humanity.

No matter how hard she tried to forget... the young girl would always and forever be living with the guilt of being the Daughter of Evil.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•

end