Cinaed
I’m am a sound sleeper so I knew the horse could have taken me halfway across Angleland without my knowledge. I awoke in a cave, at least that was what I assumed it was. It was dark and gloomy, and the only things I could see my new horse, (and only friend) was sitting by the mouth of the cave, grass on his mouth, snoring rather loudly. I was astonished that that hadn't woken me up.
Well, I suppose if I have nothing better to do I’ll practice swordplay. I reached back for my sword, only to realise there was nothing there. I twisted around feeling for my sword. Panic closed my throat. The sword was the only memory I had of any family, if I lost it, it would be like losing a hand. I felt the breeze against my bare arms, and I realized I was only wearing a shirt. My cloak! These two things would end me. I slumped dejectedly against the rough wall of the cave, and put my head in my hands.
“It’s Ok,” said my horse. I recognized its voice. but then I realized that it wasn't in my head anymore.
I leaped up against the wall, raising my knife, which was still in my sheath at my belt. I pointed it around the room fear gripping my mind. “Who’s there?” I asked. My voice shook, my eyes darted around the room.
“You have dark skin, Cinaed. Your name does not suit you.”
“Tha, thats not important!”
“Of course mine does not either brother, my name is Coinneach, although Notus was not a bad name either. The old greeks said that the strongest horses were his sons. But tell me, why would you name me that?”
“I, I don't know! It just came to me! Who are you?”
“Don't you recognize me, my twin?” A flame erupted in the middle of the room, and lit a small fire, with wood I did not realize was there. I saw my sword and cloak propper up against the wall. In the light, I saw a boy who looked almost exactly like me. He seemed about 15 or 16 years old, with unkempt brown hair like mine, and with the same height too. We were identical, with the exception of his eyes. They were silver, like the moon, and it took him a moment to realize that his bronze skin was the same color as Notus’s coat, and I realized with a start, that his eyes matched too. The only notable thing that was his linen robes, while I was wearing a ratty green tunic.
“You, you were my horse, and, and now you are my.. my... twin?.” The last word came out as a small squeak. As soon as I said it, I knew it was true. The only difference between us was the color of our eyes. Mine were what most people passed off as Hazel, but I knew that they were golden, and not many people saw, because not many would look. The boy looked at me, thought about something, and looked at his sandals.
“How?” that was the only word I could think to utter.
The other boy, who was presumably my twin brother, sat down next to me. He sighed, and looked into my eyes. “CInaed, do you know who our father was?” He sounded like he had been preparing for this a long time. I shook my head. I knew baseline nothing of my parentage, and even less about this long lost brother.
“My father is dead.” I told him. “He died a hero’s death in Egypt, fighting the romans.” This was the imaginative side of me, telling myself what I wanted to hear. The only thing I really knew about my father was that he was Egyptian. People all my life had been telling me that I was Egyptian, and I knew it wasn't from my mother. I had known my mother, Jill, until I was seven years old. She had died, falling off her horse on a ride. I had been thrown onto the street, but i did not know what had happened to my brother.
“Our father was a wizard in the court of the pope.” said Coinneach. “I know that this may be hard to bare, but our father is a good man. When I was 3 years old, our father took me back to Egypt. He said that our mother let me, but I don't believe him. I dont think that he ever told me a single truthful word about our mother, which is one of the reasons I found you.”
