'Twins?' I found him sat on a cold stone bench in the garden, near the red rose bushes. He didn't respond to his name being called and kept his head high and looking straight forward. He would probably have too much pride to open up to me but it was worth a try. I sat down beside him and waited for a response.
'I hate him.' He said mostly to himself.
'You seem to have a past with him.' I muttered and Twins scoffed.
'A past? He took away my past.' He laughed bitterly. 'If that wasn't enough he tries to ruin everything that I have now.' I was still curious to this past.
'What past did he take away?' I asked.
'Why would you care?' He spat and looked at me, his thick eye brows furrowed.
'It sounds like you don't open up to anyone and I am willing to listen to you.' I said. 'I won't tell anyone, who would I tell to be perfectly honest?' I promised and he exhaled.
'I don't resent Mortals because of Peter, or because I think they're inferior, I resent them because they have what was taken from me. Mortals complain about never wanting to grow old and how hard it is, but I want that…' He mumbled. 'I would have loved a family of my own, a grand house and to have enjoyed what else there is to growing up.' I felt awful for him already, all this time he was just jealous.
'Would you go back right now if you could?' I questioned.
'No, I don't have anyone to go back to. Besides, I do love all my brothers, I couldn't leave them and I shouldn't complain about the joys of being young. I'm just bitter about it still.' I found it sweet how he referred to them as his brothers and he smiled, supposedly thinking about all his adventures here.
'How does your cousin come into this?' His smile dropped as I asked this.
'I was his pride and joy, we were more brothers than cousins. I should have noticed something odd about him when it got to his twenty fifth birthday and he still looked eighteen. Randal never missed a family occasion that included me and spent as much time with me as he could. I was really close with my parents being an only child, my father was a great man, he would always manage to balance work and family evenly, and sometimes he would push his work aside for extra time with us. My mother was there all the time, she refused to have nannies because she wanted to have as much time with me as she possibly could and cherish every moment.' His parents were in direct contrast with my parents, they sounded wonderful and I couldn't blame him for not wanting to leave them.
'Randal was my father's brother's child. My uncle was not the most respected man but my parents gladly accepted Randal's visits because they knew how much he loved spending time with me and how much I used to enjoy his company. It was the evening before my seventeenth and my parents had gone out to a party, promising they'd be back before midnight so we could watch the clock strike midnight for the day of my seventeenth. Randal had stayed with me that evening and he was acting overly happy and eager. Then he brought out that accursed glass of red wine, or what I thought was wine. He urged me to have a drink for my seventeenth, I knew Randal was notorious for getting drunk but I laughed and allowed myself one glass, thinking it couldn't hurt. He watched the red, glimmering substance trickle down my throat and into my body. It warmed me from the inside and I felt invincible, I thought it was just the alcohol. He asked how I felt and I told him I felt really odd, almost like I was in such bliss I could fly. He had spiked the drink with fairy dust and I had been turned immortal in that moment. He began chattering about some great adventure and that I had to go with him. I refused and refused but he told me the side effects of the fairy dust and I began to cry, knowing I wouldn't get to grow up and I knew I would never see my parents again if I went with him. I begged him to reverse it and to leave but he slapped his hand over my mouth and dragged me out of my house, I struggled the whole way. I was then taken to a similar portal that you must have stepped in and he took me through.' Twins hands were shaking with anger and I felt livid for him. I was mad at myself for following my own brother but to be taken against your will here? If Jack had done that I would have been infuriated.
'Randal lied and told me there was no way home, even though this was before the portals were closed off by Peter. After weeks of crying, sobbing and being miserable I finally met Peter. He made it bearable here, he was so full of life and laughter it was impossible to mope around him.' Was this the same sulking Peter I had met? 'I was taken to meet the other Princes and they were all the same as Peter, really good people to be around and I was happier. I was asked to join their monarchy and I did so gladly. Randal saw this as an opportunity for more adventure and asked to join, Peter immediately rejected him as he was too close to what Peter called "Pirate age" which was not allowed to rule this island and ever since Randal has made it his duty to make me even more miserable than he did when he took me from home.' I held back my own tears hearing his story, he had a perfect life and it was taken from him. 'I was jealous of every Mortal who came here on own will but Peter loved them. Until the Wendy incident, and after that it was deemed compulsory to hate Mortals which I gladly took up due to the jealousy I held in my heart and bones. When the portals were closed I was almost relieved, no Mortal would arrive here again.' I felt a whole avalanche of guilt crash over me.
'And then you… You came along by act of stupidity. You angered me because you were so naïve as to follow your brother here, now your parents have to go through a horrific pain of losing you, as mine must have.' He frowned at me.
'Correction, my parents couldn't give two shits about me.' Twins looked confused. 'They're opposites of your parents, my father is all about business and my mother's contribution to my upbringing was which nanny to hire.' He looked saddened by this and shocked that a parent could have such little involvement in their own child's life.
'I'm sure they miss you now. They'll regret all that time they didn't spend with you.' I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in his soft skin. I let a few tears slip, not for self-pity but for him, I felt a need to comfort him. I was surprised when he returned the embrace.
'Maxim, I'm sorry for everything that happened to you.' I sniffed the remaining tears away and he pulled back, wiping a few tears away with his thumb.
'The last thing I want is pity, you wanted to know what happened and I told you. It happened and nothing will ever change it.' He shrugged. 'I need to stop being soft on you, you called me "Maxim" and we can't have that can we?' He chuckled.
'Twins!' Peter barked and we both jumped, turning to face the doors leading out onto the garden. We stood up and walked towards him.
'I told you nothing ok?' He mumbled and I nodded. I walked past Peter but he stopped Twins. I hid behind a corner and listened to what Peter would have to say.
'Twins, what was that?' Peter said lowly.
'She broke down crying, I couldn't leave her there to sob.' He explained.
'Don't show it pity.' Peter muttered. 'I don't need you going soft on me, you're my strongest fighter.' Peter laughed. 'If you carry on giving Mortals cuddles, she'll begin to feel more and more at home here. We can't have that.'
'Why not?' Twins asked.
'We can't have another Wendy.' Peter sighed.
'But she can't leave…' Twins pointed out.
'What if she does find a way home? Or joins the pirates? She's like a dog, you'll get attached to it and when it runs away you'll be broken.' Peter stated, lovely, I was referred to as a dog.
'I understand.' Twins replied coolly.
'Grand, now about battle planning…' Peter's voice trailed off as they walked into the garden. I went up to bed after that, not feeling entirely in the party mood after hearing about Twins. The party did roll onto the next evening and everyone had left halfway through the second night. In the morning I headed down for breakfast as usual, everyone was in their places looking rather tired and slightly ill from the lack of sleep and the liquids they had been drinking the two previous nights.
'Eden, how would you like to go out of the Palace today?' Slightly asked over breakfast.
'I would love-'
'That's not wise Slightly.' Peter interrupted, giving him a harsh glare.
'Why not? No one had a problem with her at the party? She's bored out of her brains being locked in this place all day.' He justified.
'Where would you be going?' Peter exhaled in frustration.
'Only visiting Luca.' Slightly said and took a sip of orange juice. I waited eagerly as I watched Peter ponder his thoughts and think about it.
'You go straight to Luca's and I expect Miss Booth back here by late afternoon. Don't forget the meeting at the lagoon at 3 o clock today either.' Peter warned Slightly and the rest of them.
'Yes, I will take Eden home and then I'll join you.' I got excited when he said "home" but then it faded as I realised he meant here, not exactly the place I'd call home.
'Very well.' Peter accepted and carried on pushing his food around his plate, smiling as he made pictures with the bacon strips and his eggs. I looked over at Twins, we hadn't spoken since his confession about his past that night and he avoided eye contact at breakfast, abruptly excusing himself once his plate was clear. 'What's wrong with him?' Peter frowned as he watched Twins leave the dining area. I decided to excuse myself also, to get ready to go out and also hoping to catch Twins on the way to my room. As soon as I was in the corridor my wrist was caught lightly, I looked behind me and was surprised to see Peter. 'What were you and him talking about that night? He hasn't been the same since.' Peter scowled, waiting for an answer.
'I don't know why he is acting strangely, all we talked about was archery practice.' I lied, knowing I needed to keep his story a secret, in case Peter or the others didn't know. I'm sure Peter must have known, it would be pretty worrying if Peter didn't know.
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