Here is the first of what will hopefully be a series of one-shots featuring the Davidson twins, Gilan, Halt and anyone else that winds up in here. These one-shots are only for the Davidson Twins line of stories (have no idea what to name the series). I love doing one-shots because you don't need a plot for them just a idea. In this one-shot Arald tells the twins how their parents died, or at least the version that will sustain them for the next ten years or so.

Disclaimer: I only own the twins, Clare, and the other Wards all other characters go to John


Who We Are?

Five year old Justin and Rodney Davidson sat side by side in Baron Arald's massive study. The two twins passed a glance wondering what this was about. Rodney was bigger than his brother Justin and that wasn't the only difference. Rodney had blond hair and clear blue eyes while Justin had brown hair and vibrant green eyes.

"AT ATTETION!" Martin the Baron's secretary shouted. Both boys winched slightly but then stood. In came Baron Arald, he was broad shouldered and had the look of a knight even if he was slightly rounded.

"Thank you Martin you may leave," Arald said firmly. Martin, looking a little deflated, nodded and left the room closing the door behind him.

"Now come here," Arald said. Justin and Rodney rose from their spots and walked over to Arald.

"You asked me the other day who your family was remember?" Arald asked. Both boys nodded.

The Ward had just accepted some new children coming from families in Redmont. Justin and Rodney were the only two kids in their age group before the new arrivals had come. There was Trevor O'Neil, a big boy with black hair and green eyes who had come from a horse breeding farm, William Brooks, a boy slightly smaller than Justin with blond hair and brown eyes, lastly Hope Williams, a slightly chubby girl with red hair and blue eyes. They all had family they could remember but Justin and Rodney weren't so lucky and naturally was curious.

"Well you two are sons of Sir David of Caraway Fief," Arald explained. Justin and Rodney's eyes widened.

"The Sir David the one who trained with MacNeil from a young age and was the supreme army commander?" Rodney asked.

"That is the one yes," Arald said.

"Wow," both boys said at once. Arald chuckled.

"Wait if our dad was in Caraway what are we doing here," Justin asked.

"Caraway Fief has no Ward so you were brought here since you were too young to work the land and no one wanted that live for sons of the Battlemaster," Arald explained.

"What about our mother?" Justin asked.

"I didn't know her well but I hear she was a lovely woman and your father loved her very much," Arald replied.

"You know Justin, you look like your father and Rodney you look like your mother," Arald added. The boys looked at each other.

"What happened to our parents?" Rodney asked.

"They died in a house fire. A man was able to get you two out before the building collapsed on your parents. He brought you here," Arlad explained.

"That was nice of him…will we get to see him sometime?" Justin asked.

"I am sure you will," Arald said with a gentle caring smile. The boys had no idea that outside of the room was a Ranger listening to the conversation. Arald knew of course but didn't say anything.

"What were our parents like?" Rodney asked.

"Well again I can't speak for your mother because I didn't know her that well but your father was a trouble maker. He was very close to Sir Rodney if the two of you want to badger him," Arald said.

"Why isn't our mother so well known?" Rodney asked.

"Your father and she just got married roughly five years ago. If I remember correctly her name was Clare. Your father had his eye on her for a while I heard," Arlad said, trying to remember what Gilan had told him.

"Thanks sir," Rodney said.

"You are welcome now why don't you go badger Sir Rodney. I am sure he can tell you some funny stories about your father," Arald said. The boys laughed and ran out of the study. Justin may be smaller but he was the faster of the two twins.

"Come in Halt," Arald said. Halt slipped in through the open doors the boys had left.

"That went well," Halt said. Arald nodded.

"I think Gil made the right choice about keeping the murder from them. Now they can just tell all those new Wards that their father was Sir David. They will be the most popular kids in the Ward by nightfall," Arald said.

"Yes I think this will turn out better in the long run," Halt said. He left the study and headed towards his cabin. He wrote out a letter to Gilan giving him a update on both boys (something he said he would do regularly) and slipped it in with Ranger dispatches headed towards Gil's fief.

He knew Gilan was still struggling with the idea of having his half-brothers being raised in the Redmont Ward so far from him. He also knew that at the end of the day it was the best thing for the boys and he was happy Gilan could see that.


Not all of my one-shots will be this short but it is a good start. Please review and enjoy!