Soot & Ashes

Nine: Twins

The Palace, a tall fortress that shines like colored glass in the distance. It has many towers and turrets and around it great walls to separate it from the forest surrounding it.

Within its gleaming walls, two prince's prepared for a ball to be thrown in their names.

The Prince's were unfortunately twins, the eldest born the  Queens favorite, the youngest the Kings. This meant choosing an heir had become extremely difficult, for no one could agree on which brother would be best sat on the throne and which would be best advising from beside it. The King was also impatient that both sons were married and secured heirs of their own. So he devised a plan that everyone could be happy with.

The first brother married should be crowned King when the time comes.

If his sons had been any other pair of Prince's they would have both rushed off to find someone to marry for the crown. The King and Queen had raised two respectable noblemen, both with gifts and weaknesses all of their own. Their shared weakness was one of a dreamy eyed condition. They both believe very strongly in love and would not marry just any maiden.

None of the Ladies of the Court could get their attention, none of the daughters of noblemen that they had paraded about on long drawn out visits. One son began to disappear quite frequently just to be away from the endless procession.

It was noticed in him a great change. He would walk about the Castle sighing as if he had a full heart. His lavender eyes soft and starry. It had been suspected that perhaps he had fallen in love, but without a maiden to show for it. One day his brother had followed him to see. That day the Prince came back with an odd sort of depression hanging over his head. Instead of sighing with a full heart, he moped with less than half of one. The starry eyed look had melted away, and now his eyes seemed dulled wherever they glance. His whole countenance had changed.

His brother did not explain what had happened that day. He himself had fared well. He'd returned endlessly amused by something for days. Humming to himself and being generally more thoughtful than his servants were used to. If anyone asked what amused him so, he answered with one cryptic word. "Dishcloth." He would chuckle.

Still with no progress the King and Queen devised a plan for a grand ball so that their sons may meet someone that they could accept as a wife. Instead of just inviting the gentry, their patience had worn thin and they vowed that any Maiden may attend as it so pleases the Prince's. This would be a momentous occasion, for never before had their Castle been open to the common people. Now throwing open their doors they hoped an heir would be decided.

The youngest Prince, by only ten minutes, sat in his room moping. He was supposed to be taking care of some important papers but his mind kept wandering painfully back to a green little clearing amongst the forest. There he imagined a faerie with hair that glowed like the golden harvest moon and eyes such a pale hazel, that they shone as bright as starlight. She was all dressed in rags, but wore a delicate little smile on her face and for her frailness she carried with her a strength he had not known before meeting her. He was sure she had to be a vision, for he'd met no creature like her before.

"Theodore," His brother called his attention from where he stood at the door.

He glanced up reluctantly to acknowledge his twin. "Ivan," He sighed.

These twins looked nothing alike.

Theodore had deep chestnut hair, it was straight and framed his face neatly. His eyes were so soft a blue they were lavender and he was quite tall. He very rarely wore anything that made him formal, he was more for practicality and hated to feel as if he were above anyone else's station.

Ivan's hair was curly, platinum blonde and his eyes bright blue, he was also a few inches short of his brother's height. He was almost always in formal attire, he rarely went without his favourite blue jacket with a double line of gold buttons down its front. On the buttons was the royal insignia, a bear standing on its back legs and a crown on its head.

"Have you really not been back to the wood since that day I followed you?" Ivan asked, glancing towards the wide windows at the other side of the room.

"I thought you would be happy I've been taking my responsibility seriously." Theodore crossed his arms.

"Of course, " Ivan agreed, before walking in and looking over his brothers shoulder at the papers sprawled out across his desk. "Only you've been miserable since then." He muttered. "Besides, with Mother and Father's plans, it wouldn't be so bad for you to marry a commoner."

"Marrying a commoner was never a problem for me, brother." Theodore stood up abruptly, pushing his chair back and turning around.

"Then what is it that scared you away, was it what the dishcloth told you?" Ivan inquired slyly.

"Of course not." Theodore paused, "maybe... yes." He sighed heavily once more. "I am worried to find out that she spoke the truth. I don't think I could take it if Soot found it so hard to be around me."

Ivan put his hand on his brothers shoulder reassuringly. "I am sure the dishcloth was lying through her grubby teeth. She was a mere dishcloth after all."

"Why do you speak of that poor girl with such cruelty?" Theodore frowned.

"I am doing my best to not be a thing like you. If I were to dwell on her wretched state I would have wanted to whisk her away from her painful circumstances, even as rude as she was." Ivan admitted sheepishly.

"Do you ever think our parents took a wrong turn with us at some point?" Theodore chuckled a little.

"Not at all." Ivan joined him.