Hey guys! so this is a new story that Tufftywings (on tumblr) and me created all because of a creative writing project for school. These are our own characters that we've created and the story kinda sounds like Romeo and Juliet but it's not honestly (I fucking hate R&J tbh). So I hope you guys enjoy the first chapter! More will definitely be on the way!

~JAY

Enemies for longer than either family could remember, constantly clawing at each other's throats for the top. Vicious sabotage and treachery was how the game was played. Two sides; one of welcoming, charming qualities while the other full of relentless revenge and malicious intent, two sides that always disagreed no matter what the situation. Though something very soon was going to change the course of fate intertwined between the two families and that something happened one sunny morning when two children of the rival families, Salus and Nocens, were born.

Small feet bounded past crates and boards with no thought other than to hide, and quickly as time was of the essence.

Stubby legs stopped abruptly, pulling up puffs of dust from the floorboards. They got down on their knees proceeding to back into a small space formed by the haphazard boxes, covering the opening with an old white sheet that wasn't all that white anymore. Waiting for her heart to stop thudding, the little girl calms her breathing. The seeker would hear her otherwise.

Minutes passed by, but she couldn't hear the excited yell of someone being found or the running of feet looking for other hidden players. So many minutes passed, in fact, that her eyes began to droop and her body relaxed against the hard wood of the crate.

The rest of her siblings giggled behind the basement door, the eldest hushing them lest the youngest would hear the laughter. They listened for the sounds of a confused hider, but heard none in return.

The siblings locked the door to enjoy the prank later when the youngest finally came out of hiding, and left without a backward glance at the wooden door.

Rubbing her eyes with dusty fingers she awoke to silence. It was comforting considering the earlier arguments of choosing a game to play. Realizing she had been asleep for an abnormal amount of time to be found she sat up, brushing the dust from her skirt. She poked her head out of her hiding place and glanced around before sliding out and standing.

As she starts to walk down the aisles of crates, a small flash catches her eyes and drags them to the left.

The nearby stonewall had a small ray of sunshine peeking through its cracks. Her gaze staying glued to the soft glow of light she nears the wall to investigate crouching down to peer through the small opening. Before her eyes could focus, a flash of blue occupied the other end of the small hole and departed in the same instant.

Immediately she wrenched her head back on instinct. When nothing surprising occurred seconds later, her curiosity took hold. Slowly she lowered her eye to the crack once again.

A deep blue eye, almost as deep as the sea surrounding the port down by the docks, returned her gaze. Startled once more, she gasped and pulled back even as she heard the stranger on the other side do the same. Deciding this person wasn't here by accident, she tentatively spoke.

"W-who are you?"

The blue eye on the other side seemed to hesitate, but after assessing that they were both as frightened as the other, they whispered, "Trespassing, I think."

Confused, she moved closer. "Your name's 'Trespassing'? I've never heard that before."

"That's not my name, you dolt, it's what I'm doing," the voice scoffed on the other side of the wall. The stranger had also drawn nearer in curiosity.

"Well, I asked your name. I've never met a trespasser before."

"Name's Jacey. But I guess ya' can call me Jay."

"My name is Claudia. I don't have a nickname."

With unguarded personalities of children, they spoke their names without consideration. An outside scuffling noise breaks the atmosphere bringing Claudia to more immediate concerns.

"What are you doing spying in our basement?" Her voice was now tinged with a hint of suspicion. It was strange activity after all, nothing she had ever encountered before.

"My older brother told me to come to this address and check out the basement. Said there's some important stuff."

"Well, he's right and you shouldn't be snooping in other people's houses."

"Yeah, but he's my older brother, I don't know these people, an' no one knows who I am… Oh. Would'ya, uh, mind not telling anyone I was here? Please?" the girl named Jay replies, her eyes crinkling into what was undoubtedly a smile. Taken aback by the girl's friendliness, Claudia unwittingly accepts.

"I just hope my papa doesn't find out you were here. I like you," she decides innocently.

"Eh, your pops couldn't lay a hand on me," Jay shrugs with an air of confidence tinging her voice.

"He could catch you if he really wanted to. So just be careful."

"Who does your dad think he is? Trochus Salus?" she says sarcastically, laughter filling the space between them.

"Uh, he is Trochus Salus, head of House Salus," Claudia replies matter-of-factly.

Jay chokes on a laugh her mouth becoming dry in pure shock. "So you… that makes you," she gestures towards Claudia.

"Yes. I'm Claudia Truth Salus, daughter of Trochus Salus."

Unsure of Jay's reaction, she inquires of her last name, "So then what's yours?"

"Jacey Brash Nocens... Daughter of Gill Nocens…" At this, Claudia's jaw drops.

"But that… that means that we're…" Claudia had no words, disappointment seeping in making her shoulders drop. So much for her new secret friend.

"Enemies," Jay finishes with a tinge of bitterness and tightness set in her jaw.

"But I don't want to be. You're nice. You're not like the other Nocens," Claudia struggles to understand the predicament at hand.

How can someone like this belong to that family? She thinks, not knowing the same things were circling Jay's mind as well.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Dee." And with a wink Jay was gone from sight.

Even though Claudia knew the girl was gone, she still strained for a glimpse of red hair and blue eyes. When she finally accepted defeat, she sighed, sitting back on her heels.

I've never met anyone like her before. I hope I meet her again. If father doesn't find out first…

Excitement fueled Jay's run through the streets. Finally, someone new! Someone her siblings couldn't scare or take away. Even if she was from Salus.

Her early training saved her from the face plant into the brick sidewalk, hopping neatly over the outstretched foot that peeked out from around a corner. Spinning around to confront the practical joker, she comes face to face with Clarence Doubt Nocens. The smug face she so desperately wanted to punch.

"So, did you check it out?" he asks curiously, eagerly awaiting a reply.

"Yeah, there was nothing interesting…" He narrowed his eyes at her nonchalant statement.

"Are you sure? I got that information from a very reliable source."

"Reliable source my ass. Ya just got info from Grans. You do know he's not very bright, right?" Jay says shrugging the accusation off like an annoying itch.

The bickering continued between the two siblings until they entered their home, the House of Nocens. Though the whole was Jay was distracted by thoughts of hazel eyes and brunette waves, and the same was to be said of Claudia as she peered out of her large window later that night.

It was then that they both formed a plan to see each once again.