The Deathly Nothing

Chapter 12

It was a quiet evening, where we bathed in the last of the warm sunlight, upon the wild and untamed grass of our garden. Away from the mahem on the inner city, over the prison like walls and within in our own little paradise. Even if it didn't seem like that to others but they never knew home like we did.

The breeze was pleasant but cold enough to nip at our skin, for the hairs on our arms to raise. The sound of the swaying grass and trees carried for miles, the odd coversation from people walking by the river a few metres down the slope in front of the house. The sun was setting earlier each night, summer was nearly over, as it began to slink away under the hills, leaving behind a golden stain upon the sky.

"Do you feel it yet, the cold?" she asked quietly from where she lay on the ground, her blonde curls sprawled over the grass. I looked over to her from where I sat near by, she looked so peaceful. So content with life even if it was ever so far from perfect, not that she cared. Mireille would choose how her life was and she chose a happy one. Those stoney-grey eyes looked up to the sky, wide and wondering.

"Yes unfortunatley, if only the warm days were longer," I replied with a sigh, twirling a strand of grass between my fingers. Mirielle smiled, her cheeks glowing with crimson red a colour that stood out upon her olive skin. I could see my Mother in her with every glance I took, except she had her own strength and creative mind. Graceful but with a ruthless determination for what ever she would put her mind to. Power hidden beneath that beauty and innocence. It was as if she was oblivious to her strength, she didn't seem to need it. Mireille was stronger than any of us.

"I don't think it's so bad, in fact the cold can be quite soothing to me," she mumbled reaching an arm up into the air, her fingers feeling around as if she were trying to cling to something invisble. I watched her as I usually did, she fascinated me. My sister expressed everything to people, she did not hide what she felt or conceal secrets. Easily readable you could say or 'too easy to read' as Zarek would comment.

"Try saying that when your curled up in bed tonight and your toes feel like icicles," I laughed, leaning back onto my elbows looking towards the glistening water of the lake. Mirielle laughed as she turned on her side to face me, brushing the hair from her face.

"That's a different kind of cold Fabien, a very nasty one." I grunted and closed my eyes for a moment to simply feel the evening's touch, to hear the small sounds of the village- to remember this moment. Distant calls of orders drifted across from to castle, guards directing people in for the night. Mirielle turned to listen to the commotion, her face looked disappointed. "Things are changing here, they are more punishing these days with all the curfews," she muttered quietly, cautious, as if she could be heard all the way from out here, "I've seen them do things Fabien. Things they couldn't do before." I shifted closer, my face hard with concern.

"What did you see in that castle?" Mirielle bit her lip nervously, was it a crime to speak of such things?

"Magic. They can control it differently now, use it differently-"

"From their hands, they can summon magic willingly from inside?" I asked desperately. What more were they hiding from us all? What were they planning?

"Not all of them only the odd few," she ventured, "I'd never seen it before." We simply stared at eachother, thinking- wondering. "I heard rumours of an execution, something to do with one of the King's advisiors becoming power hungry. For magic."

"That's impossible, everyone knows magic can only be gifted from the Life Crystal it's untouchable-"

"Not to a King's advisor, they could get close enough to touch it. They could use it's magic and change all of this, for the worse or the better," Mirielle stated, her voice seemed calm and clear as if she was presenting to a class.

"They would know it's risky, the court uses magic but it doesn't mean they don't fear it," I muttered and I could feel my jaw tensing.

"People overcome fear in the pursuit for power Fabien and if you ask me everyday is uncertain. The court is learning and using magic more each day, and well, I feel the consequences are catching up on them."

"What can we do? It's only going to get worse Mirielle-"

"We can do nothing, nobody can change this," she asserted, jesturing to the castle. My sister had always been brave but I knew my fathers death had damaged her in a way that could not be fixed. This world scared her in a way it hadn't before, to hide from reality was easier than to accept it.

Clearing her throat she lay flat once more blinking quickly, "But we're safe aren't we Fabien. All of us are safe?" she whispered urgently. I sighed. I wasn't a liar but sometimes I had to become one for my sister's sake. I smiled and my chest lowered as I relaxed. I knew my family could never be safe here, maybe it would be a mistake to grant her such a dream.

"It's going to be okay." It was all I could manage but it was enough. Mirielle took a breath of relief and smiled at me, the warmth returning to her face. The evening was quiet once more, the distant hum of crickets and the odd cry of an owl bellowing from the forest.

I could feel her watching me, those eyes unfaltering. Finally I opened one eye, a smirk upon my face but Mirielle did not seem amused as she usually would. Instead she seemed deep in thought, as if she had come to some sort of realisation.

"Are you happy Fabien?" she asked quietly, her brows furrowed as she continued to look at me. I did not know what to say as we lay there. I swallowed and looked at the ground,

"Sometimes," I said lowly, and it was true. I believed no-one could be perfectly happy in a world like mine, darkness was always somewhere around the corner. Watching you, listening ready to creep up and tap you on the shoulder when you least expected it. I cleared my throat awkwardly as I looked back to her. "You're the happiest person I know," I admitted with a grin, her eyes twinkled- brighter now the daylight began to fade completley.

"I'm not always happy really, I feel quite sad at times," Mirielle breathed, "but I wouldn't change anything." I frowned at her words. Our life had been miserable for as long as we could remember.

"Nothing at all? I'd change alot of things. First we'd live somewhere else, somewhere better away from all of this rubbish," I exclaimed looking towards the distance castle, where it's lights flickered through the dusk. "Second I'd like an invention room where I could create anything," I continued, flaring my hands up in an exaggerated gesture which made my sister laugh. I laughed to, together we laughed in the settling darkness. Then, I stopped and looked towards her inhaling slowly, "and if I could change just one thing, I'd bring Father back." Mirielle glanced to me, her eyes looked sad at the thought but still alive and dancing.

"I guess that's something I'd change too if I could," she whispered softly with a nod, I smiled back and didn't hide the tear that now slid down my face. I didn't have to hide anything in front of her. Mirielle's lips parted as her chest rose, she reached out her hand wiping the tear from my cheek slowly. "Don't" she said sorrowfully. Guilt consumed me at the thought of spreading my own sadness to her, even if she did feel it day in day out. Mirielle had been the closest to my father, glued to his side wherever he went. I should have been more like her. To love him whilst I still could. I wiped my face in hope it would rid me of the emotions that consumed me. Mirielle patted the grass next to her before she lay on her back, "Will you watch the stars with me tonight?"

"Of course," I replied quietly before falling down next to her-

"Ouch, Fabien!" she snapped holding onto her hair, the ends of it I had settled upon. It has always been too long.

"Sorry," I smirked and she smiled before we looked up to the sky. To feel lost was what we craved most of all, to forget the world just for a few minutes. To be lost in my thoughts under the stars. Dotted within the gloom like sequins, shimmering through the blackness. I listened to each breath she took, before our hands entwined together between us.

"We just have to live for something Fabien, that's all," she sighed. What could I live for? I could always live for her, and Mother. There was a subtle noise behind us, so quiet I wasn't sure I had heard anything at all. Mirielle seemed to remain unaware as she simple gazed up into the night. Slowly I rose up and peered over my shoulder. There at the kitchen window was Zarek, watching us. He didn't look angry or resentful but almost sadenned by something- as if he had been abandoned. Forgotten. As I looked at my brother I decided I would live for him too.