((Disclaimer: See previous chapter.))
Anger Management ~Some years later...~
"Keiko, Tama, where are you?"
Giggling, the twins dived into the shrubbery, peering out at the gardens where their adopted brother searched for them. The bright sunlight filtered through the leaves of the bush, and Keiko blinked rapidly as she squinted.
Tamasine met his sister's eyes, and grinned mischievously. He reached up into the branches and rustled the leaves quietly. Sure enough, Toru heard and crept over, searching the surrounding bushes. Keiko silently counted to ten.
"Hiiiyah!"
"Ungh!"
The twins sprang from the bush and pinned the boy to the grass, laughing. He wriggled and slipped free, launching himself at Tamasine with a grin and engaging in a friendly wrestling match. Keiko scrambled up and cheered both.
Eventually, with a heave, Tamasine pinned Toru and sat on his stomach. Toru struggled vainly and then went limp in a mock faint. Tamasine got up and helped him upright again, grinning, "Next time, maybe, Toru."
"Definitely," agreed Toru, brushing down his tunic and tucking a stray wisp of bright hair from his face.
"Twins; Toru! Do you want to come to the market place with me?"
The children exchanged glances, then charged up the slope to the Castle; Keiko replying in a shout, "Yes please!"
The maid named Indya smiled fondly as the royal children raced each other up the slope. She shooed them along in front of her, a basket over her arm. The twins were identical in appearance: pale skinned, with slightly wavy golden hair and bright blue eyes like the summer sky. Tamasine was slightly taller, and the more outgoing of the two. Keiko was quieter and more prone to thinking, but no less adorable.
And Toru... the stranger of the three, skin a blend of dull green and light blue, straight red hair and pearly ever-changing eyes. It was plain to see he was different. Yet he had grown up with the twins and was now a firm part of the family. All three were eleven years old.
Indya started her round of the stalls, after lecturing the three children on where they must not enter (Back Alleys) and whom they mustn't talk to (anyone). Toru watched until she was out of sight, then rubbed his hands, "Right. We'll play Tag, and Keiko's It!"
Keiko tore after her brothers as they evaded her, giggling and shouting. Intent on the game, she failed to look where she was running, and all of a sudden, fell. She landed hard on the cobbles and heard the fabric of her dress tear. She glanced back to see what she had tripped over and saw a girl, barely older than she, seated on a small rug and clutching her foot in pain.
Keiko was transfixed by the sight and didn't take her eyes off the girl, even as Tamasine and Toru hauled her upright. Toru whistled as he saw the rip in her dress, "You'll be in trouble for that, Kei. Keiko?" Puzzled, he followed her gaze.
The girl seemed to realise she was being stared at, and turned her head. "What?"
Tamasine, less skilful at hiding his emotions, blurted, "You've got pointed ears!"
"I have?"
"Can't you see?" asked Toru, scornfully.
"As a matter of fact, no," returned the girl, scowling. Toru reeled, and now he noticed that her eyes were sealed shut by a thin white scar running horizontally across the length of her face. Other than this, she was very pretty, clad in a patched worn-out dress, and seemed to be selling little bracelets made from coloured threads. "Why are pointed ears so different?" she enquired.
"Just... I thought only Royal Family members had pointed ears," stammered Tamasine.
"I think you're misinformed - unless there's some part of my family that I've never heard of before."
"Did I hurt you?" inquired Keiko, shaking off her brothers' arms and sitting beside her.
"No, not really. Thanks for asking. Won't you stay and talk to me? It's quite nice having someone to talk to: most of 'em walk past." She gestured to the crowds thronging the market place. Tamasine caught sight of Indya searching for them, and he whispered quickly, "Our guardian's looking for us; can we hide so we can talk more?"
"You could duck behind here," suggested the girl, motioning, and they slipped behind the cloth flap she indicated. The children squashed together in the gloom of the niche, stifling giggles as they imagined Indya searching for them.
Keiko elbowed Toru in the ribs as he snorted in laughter and pressed her ear to the flap, listening. She heard Indya's voice asking loudly if the girl had noticed three children around, and the girl's quiet voice in reply that she hadn't.
There was a tap on the curtain, and Tamasine could stand it no longer. As they tumbled from the alcove, he burst into fits of giggles, "Heehee! If only she knew!"
The girl smiled, for the first time since they'd met her. Keiko grinned and shook her hand, "Thanks... um, what's your name?"
"It's Cici."
"Pleased to meet you, Cici. I'm Keiko, my twin brother is Tamasine, and the other one is Toru."
"Nice to meet you." Cici inclined her head politely. The boys bowed, then realised she couldn't see and grinned sheepishly.
Keiko dropped down on her knees beside her, "Where are your parents?"
"Dead. They were both merchants, and I was left in the care of my cousin, who makes the bracelets I sell. Here, do you want one?"
Cici ran her fingers over the braids laid out neatly on the mat before her crossed legs. "Just pick one. Go ahead." She smiled encouragingly.
Keiko, Tamasine and Toru each chose a bracelet, and Cici with delicate fingers helped each tie to onto their left wrist.
They were talking about the market place when the boy appeared. He was older than they were, but not yet old enough to be a man, around thirteen. He had dark brown hair, and pale blue eyes. Those eyes looked down in scorn and sniggered at the blind girl and her wares, "Here, Bat. Did you make them yourself?"
Keiko glared at him, "Leave her alone! How dare you call her Bat!"
The boy sneered at her, "Ooooh, feisty aren't we? And who might you be?"
Tamasine, sensing the danger, jumped in before Keiko could blurt out their heritage, "What's it to you, snot brain?"
The boy frowned, and his grin evaporated into a snarl of anger, "I'll teach you to insult me!"
He reached down swiftly and grabbed Tamasine by the tunic. Toru gave a cry and leapt up, but the boy had flung Tamasine onto the cobbles and kicked him furiously in the stomach. Tamasine doubled up, winded.
Toru's eyes blazed in anger, the blueness of the outsides flaring into dominance over the calmer pearly colour. He flung himself at the boy and tackled him around the legs, bringing him heavily to the ground. The boy lashed out and beat him around the shoulders, but Toru sank his teeth into the boy's leg, and he howled in pain.
Shoppers turned to stare and a couple of young men in official garb darted into the fray to try and break the two up. Keiko dashed over to Tamasine and pulled him to where Cici sat in confusion. He had recovered his breath, but he was bleeding from a head wound from the cobbles. Keiko gritted her teeth, "The nerve! You should've let me tell him who we are!"
"No, Kei, he would have done something worse," gasped Tamasine, pressing a hand to his throbbing head.
Cici touched Keiko's sleeve, "Who *are* you?"
"We are the children of Princess Impa," replied Keiko quietly, eyes still trying to make out if Toru was winning.
Cici paled, "I should not be talking with you!"
"No! We too desire people to talk to; you've no idea how lonely it gets!"
"Try me," murmured Cici.
One of the young men stepped up, gripping Toru by the arms. He had a cut lip, and his left eye was beginning to bruise. His chest heaved in rage. The young man pushed him towards Keiko, Tamasine and Cici with a wry smile, "Here; I believe he belongs to you." He glanced around then knelt and added in an undertone, "I would have let him continue: he was winning. Nobody likes Aiden. However, I'm employed to keep the peace." He touched his forelock respectfully and strode away.
"Aiden," repeated Tamasine thoughtfully.
Toru began sobbing in frustration, "I'll kill him! He's an ungrateful little Wolfos pup with less brains than a Cuckoo!"
Keiko, alarmed, hugged him briefly and whispered to Cici, "We'd better go. We'll be back, promise. Or come and visit us and the Castle if you like!"
Cici nodded and embraced her, "I'll try."
The twins pulled the still-sobbing Toru upright and scampered off to find Indya. She found them first however; seizing the twins with such a strong grip it made them jump. "How dare you!" she hissed angrily, "You caused that fuss, and brought embarrassment upon the household! You should be ashamed of yourselves! And look at that rip in your dress, Miss Keiko! You'll be punished for that, I'm sure!"
Still berating them, she marched them back out of the market place and up to the Castle.
***
Anger Management ~Some years later...~
"Keiko, Tama, where are you?"
Giggling, the twins dived into the shrubbery, peering out at the gardens where their adopted brother searched for them. The bright sunlight filtered through the leaves of the bush, and Keiko blinked rapidly as she squinted.
Tamasine met his sister's eyes, and grinned mischievously. He reached up into the branches and rustled the leaves quietly. Sure enough, Toru heard and crept over, searching the surrounding bushes. Keiko silently counted to ten.
"Hiiiyah!"
"Ungh!"
The twins sprang from the bush and pinned the boy to the grass, laughing. He wriggled and slipped free, launching himself at Tamasine with a grin and engaging in a friendly wrestling match. Keiko scrambled up and cheered both.
Eventually, with a heave, Tamasine pinned Toru and sat on his stomach. Toru struggled vainly and then went limp in a mock faint. Tamasine got up and helped him upright again, grinning, "Next time, maybe, Toru."
"Definitely," agreed Toru, brushing down his tunic and tucking a stray wisp of bright hair from his face.
"Twins; Toru! Do you want to come to the market place with me?"
The children exchanged glances, then charged up the slope to the Castle; Keiko replying in a shout, "Yes please!"
The maid named Indya smiled fondly as the royal children raced each other up the slope. She shooed them along in front of her, a basket over her arm. The twins were identical in appearance: pale skinned, with slightly wavy golden hair and bright blue eyes like the summer sky. Tamasine was slightly taller, and the more outgoing of the two. Keiko was quieter and more prone to thinking, but no less adorable.
And Toru... the stranger of the three, skin a blend of dull green and light blue, straight red hair and pearly ever-changing eyes. It was plain to see he was different. Yet he had grown up with the twins and was now a firm part of the family. All three were eleven years old.
Indya started her round of the stalls, after lecturing the three children on where they must not enter (Back Alleys) and whom they mustn't talk to (anyone). Toru watched until she was out of sight, then rubbed his hands, "Right. We'll play Tag, and Keiko's It!"
Keiko tore after her brothers as they evaded her, giggling and shouting. Intent on the game, she failed to look where she was running, and all of a sudden, fell. She landed hard on the cobbles and heard the fabric of her dress tear. She glanced back to see what she had tripped over and saw a girl, barely older than she, seated on a small rug and clutching her foot in pain.
Keiko was transfixed by the sight and didn't take her eyes off the girl, even as Tamasine and Toru hauled her upright. Toru whistled as he saw the rip in her dress, "You'll be in trouble for that, Kei. Keiko?" Puzzled, he followed her gaze.
The girl seemed to realise she was being stared at, and turned her head. "What?"
Tamasine, less skilful at hiding his emotions, blurted, "You've got pointed ears!"
"I have?"
"Can't you see?" asked Toru, scornfully.
"As a matter of fact, no," returned the girl, scowling. Toru reeled, and now he noticed that her eyes were sealed shut by a thin white scar running horizontally across the length of her face. Other than this, she was very pretty, clad in a patched worn-out dress, and seemed to be selling little bracelets made from coloured threads. "Why are pointed ears so different?" she enquired.
"Just... I thought only Royal Family members had pointed ears," stammered Tamasine.
"I think you're misinformed - unless there's some part of my family that I've never heard of before."
"Did I hurt you?" inquired Keiko, shaking off her brothers' arms and sitting beside her.
"No, not really. Thanks for asking. Won't you stay and talk to me? It's quite nice having someone to talk to: most of 'em walk past." She gestured to the crowds thronging the market place. Tamasine caught sight of Indya searching for them, and he whispered quickly, "Our guardian's looking for us; can we hide so we can talk more?"
"You could duck behind here," suggested the girl, motioning, and they slipped behind the cloth flap she indicated. The children squashed together in the gloom of the niche, stifling giggles as they imagined Indya searching for them.
Keiko elbowed Toru in the ribs as he snorted in laughter and pressed her ear to the flap, listening. She heard Indya's voice asking loudly if the girl had noticed three children around, and the girl's quiet voice in reply that she hadn't.
There was a tap on the curtain, and Tamasine could stand it no longer. As they tumbled from the alcove, he burst into fits of giggles, "Heehee! If only she knew!"
The girl smiled, for the first time since they'd met her. Keiko grinned and shook her hand, "Thanks... um, what's your name?"
"It's Cici."
"Pleased to meet you, Cici. I'm Keiko, my twin brother is Tamasine, and the other one is Toru."
"Nice to meet you." Cici inclined her head politely. The boys bowed, then realised she couldn't see and grinned sheepishly.
Keiko dropped down on her knees beside her, "Where are your parents?"
"Dead. They were both merchants, and I was left in the care of my cousin, who makes the bracelets I sell. Here, do you want one?"
Cici ran her fingers over the braids laid out neatly on the mat before her crossed legs. "Just pick one. Go ahead." She smiled encouragingly.
Keiko, Tamasine and Toru each chose a bracelet, and Cici with delicate fingers helped each tie to onto their left wrist.
They were talking about the market place when the boy appeared. He was older than they were, but not yet old enough to be a man, around thirteen. He had dark brown hair, and pale blue eyes. Those eyes looked down in scorn and sniggered at the blind girl and her wares, "Here, Bat. Did you make them yourself?"
Keiko glared at him, "Leave her alone! How dare you call her Bat!"
The boy sneered at her, "Ooooh, feisty aren't we? And who might you be?"
Tamasine, sensing the danger, jumped in before Keiko could blurt out their heritage, "What's it to you, snot brain?"
The boy frowned, and his grin evaporated into a snarl of anger, "I'll teach you to insult me!"
He reached down swiftly and grabbed Tamasine by the tunic. Toru gave a cry and leapt up, but the boy had flung Tamasine onto the cobbles and kicked him furiously in the stomach. Tamasine doubled up, winded.
Toru's eyes blazed in anger, the blueness of the outsides flaring into dominance over the calmer pearly colour. He flung himself at the boy and tackled him around the legs, bringing him heavily to the ground. The boy lashed out and beat him around the shoulders, but Toru sank his teeth into the boy's leg, and he howled in pain.
Shoppers turned to stare and a couple of young men in official garb darted into the fray to try and break the two up. Keiko dashed over to Tamasine and pulled him to where Cici sat in confusion. He had recovered his breath, but he was bleeding from a head wound from the cobbles. Keiko gritted her teeth, "The nerve! You should've let me tell him who we are!"
"No, Kei, he would have done something worse," gasped Tamasine, pressing a hand to his throbbing head.
Cici touched Keiko's sleeve, "Who *are* you?"
"We are the children of Princess Impa," replied Keiko quietly, eyes still trying to make out if Toru was winning.
Cici paled, "I should not be talking with you!"
"No! We too desire people to talk to; you've no idea how lonely it gets!"
"Try me," murmured Cici.
One of the young men stepped up, gripping Toru by the arms. He had a cut lip, and his left eye was beginning to bruise. His chest heaved in rage. The young man pushed him towards Keiko, Tamasine and Cici with a wry smile, "Here; I believe he belongs to you." He glanced around then knelt and added in an undertone, "I would have let him continue: he was winning. Nobody likes Aiden. However, I'm employed to keep the peace." He touched his forelock respectfully and strode away.
"Aiden," repeated Tamasine thoughtfully.
Toru began sobbing in frustration, "I'll kill him! He's an ungrateful little Wolfos pup with less brains than a Cuckoo!"
Keiko, alarmed, hugged him briefly and whispered to Cici, "We'd better go. We'll be back, promise. Or come and visit us and the Castle if you like!"
Cici nodded and embraced her, "I'll try."
The twins pulled the still-sobbing Toru upright and scampered off to find Indya. She found them first however; seizing the twins with such a strong grip it made them jump. "How dare you!" she hissed angrily, "You caused that fuss, and brought embarrassment upon the household! You should be ashamed of yourselves! And look at that rip in your dress, Miss Keiko! You'll be punished for that, I'm sure!"
Still berating them, she marched them back out of the market place and up to the Castle.
***