The cold

Prologue

It was a normal night , at least as normal a night as it gets in a country that had a tyrant for a ruler. The sky was dark and cloudy and a slight drizzle ensured that the streets were nearly deserted , the streets weren't fully deserted ,no ,if one looked hard enough one could make out the shadowy figures huddled in corners and of course the rats and things that would send chills down a nobles spine. Sailee had seen better days ,the country was once ,years ago ,even called warm and welcoming ,a far cry from what it is today.

The boy huffed , tightening his cloak ,an action that served both the purpose of making himself warmer and signalling his annoyance at having been forced to wait for so long. He couldn't look more out of place if he tried , it wasn't the expensive clothes that gave him away but rather the way he carried himself ,with an air of importance .He wasn't often one to wait ,nor was he the type of person that agreed to meet people at such unbecoming places but alas he knew that any hardship is better than getting at the shadow's bad side.

At this point the shadow was pretty much like it's name ,without a solid form at least to those not a part of it ,assuming it was not an individual. It was not known weather it was good or bad or what it's objectives were. The restless streets just knew that a change would happen , common folk could only huddle in their downtrodden homes and pray it was for the better. He looked down at his watch for what seemed like the nth time but was surprised to see the second hand stagnant . One could always assume that the battery died but he knew that wasn't the case as his watch wasn't battery operated.He couldn't help the little shudder that went down his spine. He wasn't really superstitious by nature but given the day he couldn't help but take it as a bad omen ,anyone would if they were in his shoes.

The boy knew he didn't have much of a choice in this, not when it was his father that was in the wrong , his dead father. He didn't even know the nature of his fathers crimes and normally this would've lead any son to trust in their father's innocence and strive to protect it but Neil knew his father well , he knew how his vile father would resort to just about anything to feel in control, he knew his father's greed. When his father did die, stabbed multiple times in a dark alley , he felt not a tiny bit of grief , only relief . He could only hope that whatever his father had done that led to him standing here waiting for somebody so obscure would not affect him much whilst even the smallest morsel of grey matter in his brain screamed that his hope was in vain.

The boy felt hot breath down his neck while something ever so slightly touched his shoulder . Startled he scrambled back screeching very much like a girl which made the large man behind him let out a sinister laugh. The giant was a sight to see , alright ,but this wasn't what made the poor boy find it difficult to breathe. It was the fact that the man behind him was the tyrants brother , his younger twin , the 'heir presumptive ' since the king had no sons. He immediately stumbled to one knee murmuring something along the lines of " your Highness"all the while realizing that the matter here was truly out of his hands. The implications of the younger twin being the or a part of "The Shadows" left him highly perplexed.

The boy was literally shaking by the time he was told to get to his feet . The prince knew the effect he had on the boy , the fear he instilled in him that quite literally jumbled his thoughts. His original plans included calling the boy out to the middle of nowhere and giving him a swift painful death. He was after all that disgusting imbeciles son , but upon looking at him he decided that he wasn't going to kill him , there were quite a few ways to punish him rather than taking his life. Despite the obvious fear he did quite like the tiny spark of defiance that shone in the boys eyes. Since he wasn't going to kill the boy he decided he'd rather take this further someplace else in daylight.

The boy was staring at the prince quietly waiting for the prince to say something hoping that said something wouldn't in any way be related to a short drop and a quick stop. That was just not the way to go , at least not for him. Instead he was told something along the lines of "being called later". All the waiting and endless worrying for this! He decided at once that he didn't like this prince....after all he had to walk all the way back home in this cold weather like some thief looking for booty in the night.

He finally reached home quite out of breath , the walk was in no way short and mother nature's gayness seemed to be missing off late what with her weeping all the time. He didn't hate the rain per say but he wasn't one of those people that enjoyed getting wet in the dead of night , now those were a drying ,no ,dying breed. He felt a lot better upon reaching the safety and warmth of his house . He smiled at the guard who held the gate open whispering a quick thank-you and quietly sneaking into the house not wanting disturb his mother . She was quite unaware of the situation regarding his father and he wanted it to remain that way. The man caused her enough pain when he was alive ,there was no need to let anything he did affect her , at least not when he can help it.

He climbed onto his bed , his dog Spot jumping into the covers with him. He fell asleep with his dog by his side and not a thought shed for the next day ,figuring it wouldn't be worth worrying about something that revolved around a fickle shadow ,.....a hot ,evil ,fickle shadow!