Only Winter Knows

Just Once

Too loud- all screaming too loud-

Run! Nonono DON'T!

Help us- just listen ple-

Just a minute- Please.

No!

They'll ask.

Questions questions questions quest-

A scream? Who? SHUT UP.

Silence.

Rowan's head feels foggy. Too silent.

Too quiet- not okay- where's the sound??

No.

He squeezes his eyes closed and tries to breathe. In. Out.

Not enough air! You're dying Rowan.

In. Out. In. Out.

Rowan sways on his feet and opens his aching eyes, squinting against the harsh sunlight. There are tree's all around. No one else. Nothing else.

The sorcerer drops against a thick tree and let's his legs spread in front of him. Still feeling like his lungs can't get enough air. Rowan looks around, feeling utterly lost, the paranoia starts creeping in.

"It's all good. I'm all by myself, they're not real, Rowan."

Said boy sighs shakily and buries his hands in his silver hair. How did it become this bad? This wasn't supposed to happen. Why didn't they tell him?? It isn't fair.

"Thought it would be nice to let you know. You're actually not 'all by yourself', as you so nicely put it."

Rowan's hands shoot to his belt where he keeps a sword. His spells are out of question now. The sorcerer's eyes land on a lean figure sitting on a nearby rock. That fucking prince charming again. Does he have nothing better to do?
Rowan let's go of the sword handle.

"I would say it's a pleasure to meet again but it's not nice to lie."

Kata rolls his eyes and checks the other out, still leaning against a tree.

"You know, I've been here for quite a while. And I'm not even gonna ask what's wrong, I'm not that nice", Kata says before jumping off the rock and continuing. "But I do want to know what you could possibly be doing at the elf territory? Again, may I add."

Rowan looks around, as if to confirm to himself that yes he is, indeed, not where he last remembers being. The boy turns his head back towards Kata.

"Whoops?"

The prince bites his tongue hard to keep the insults in his mouth.

"Whoops? That's it? You know I'm starting to think you really are a spy." Kata snarls.

Rowan takes a breath and pushes himself up with the help of the tree he was leaning on. After he's sure his legs can carry his weight again, the sorcerer let's go of the trunk and dusts his long coat.

"Think whatever you wish, I'll be on my way now." Rowan says and quickly spins around.

"Now hold up you little shit! Didn't I say that I wouldn't go so easy on you if I ever saw you here again? I'm not one to break promises." Kata says with a raised brow.

Rowan sighs and slowly turns back around. He can still feel his hands shaking and his pulse has to be unhealthily high.

"It's not against the law now is it? I'm allowed to be here as long as I'm not bothering anyone."

Kata's about to reply before he's rudely interrupted.

"And no, you don't count. Besides, it seems you're the one not letting me leave."

Kata pouts his lips and takes a few steps forward.

"I changed my mind. I really wanna know what the fuck you were doing now."

"Too bad it's none of your business", Rowan shrugs.

"Oh but I definitely think it is. You know what would happen if I told my father there was a spy from your people here?" Kata smirks with fake confidence.

Absolutely nothing. He wouldn't believe me for a second. He'd think I'm just playing around.

Rowan shuts his eyes tightly and rubs them. He drops his hands to his sides and looks defeated.

"I don't think anyone could take you seriously but since you wanna know so badly. I was practicing magic." Rowan looks at Kata straight in the eye with an unreadable expression.

"Wow, intense methods you sorcerers have there." Kata says, unbelieving.

"I didn't say it was sorcerer methods I was doing, did I?"

The elf prince stands quietly for a while, thinkging. Rowan thinks it's absolutely hilarious to see the realisation hit the other boy. Kata's eyes widen and he opens his mouth, trying to find words.

"Is there a problem, your highness?"

"You tried black magic?! Have you been taught nothing!? I knew you must be stupid but not to this extent!" Kata yells loudly.

"Care to yell a bit louder? No seriously, the whole kingdom couldn't hear you yet."

Kata throws his head back in frustration, gripping his hair with both hands. He looks like a mad troll in Rowan's unbiased opinion.

"I don't give a flying fuck about who hears this. You are a complete psycho, or just a suicidal freak. You do know that's like ridicilously dangerous, right!? Not that I care but it can, and will, drive you mad and I'm feeling highly threatened just standing close to you."

"Stop being ridicilousl. It's a form of magic, just like anything else we do", Rowan sounds like even he doesn't believe what's coming out of his mouth.

"Oh yeah sure, just a slight side effect when you arrived here talking to yourself and looking like a mad man?" Kata questions with a look of 'are you a complite idiot'.

"First timers problems", Rowan says with an innocent smile.

"Not that I give a shit about you, but you should keep it at this one time. We have enough problems on this planet already, you don't need to become one, too."

Rowan does a salute and bows as if on a military camp.

"Yes sir."

Kata rolls his eyes and looks up at the colourful sky.

"Well I better go. Either stay out of that demonic shit or stay away from our kingdom."

"Yeah yeah will do. See you."

"Hopefully not, to be honest."

Rowan smiles and shakes his head. He starts walking away slowly, still feeling heavy and unusual for the lack of a better word. Looking back, he can't see the young prince anymore.

The black magic is based on the dead more than living, so Rowan doesn't know what else he was expecting would happen. It's nearly impossible to control the dead anyways. But just nearly, so with enough practice...who knows?