Thicker Than Blood

Chapter 3

Snow Wars

___________________________

"Destiny."

"Coincidence."

"Same difference."

- Judging Amy

___________________________

Timeless

Beings of the darkness began to devour beings of the light. Wars were fought, battles raged, blood was shed, and still the darkness conquered, swallowing all that it touched, hungering for still more.

Because of a star?

Yes, love. Because of a star.

___________________________

12,003 BC

Snow was in his robes, in his boots, in his hair, and had even slid into his underthings. Janus would have thought it would melt if it got that far, but instead it went into a semisolid form, sort of gel-like. It was not a pleasant sensation, to have snow sloshing happily about in one's clothes like fish in a pond, but the Earthbound were in much the same state and actually enjoying themselves. The little ragged children would tunnel around in the deeper drifts, popping up randomly and hurling snowballs at the nearest victim. They were engaged in a sort of war, and Janus watched them curiously from the relative safety of Kirby and Siris' sled; the one with the weapons. He was sitting on the back of it.

The children were split in teams, though they all looked like dirty rags to Janus and he couldn't make out how they knew who was on who else's side. One group stuck to the trees, pouncing on any poor child stupid enough to come within striking range, dragging him off. The victim would emerge a few moments later, reeling and stumbling, covered in snow and usually without his boots. The other group stuck to the adults, throwing random children into the vicinity of the trees and waiting for the first group to jump out and snag the poor little bait child, whereupon fierce combat would ensue, the purpose of which was apparently to steal all the shoes from the opposing team. Janus found it very amusing to watch, and became so absorbed that when the sled hit a bump he forgot to hold on and was thrown face-first into the snow. He lay still for a moment, having had the wind knocked out of him and was squirming to get up when a boot planted itself firmly on the small of his back, pressing down hard, crushing him into the snow. Just when he thought it was going to break him in half, the weight lifted.

"Oh?" A coarse mocking voice sounded from somewhere above him but Janus was too busy trying to breathe properly to respond. "I seem to have stepped upon some thing in the road." Rough hands grabbed him by the shoulders and effortlessly hauled him out of the snow.

Janus found himself staring into the narrowed eyes of an Earthbound boy about his own age and height. His eyes were the blue shade of stagnant mineral water found pooled in caves. Hair the color of rusted steel was matted up on his head. There was a jagged pink scar running from the right corner of his mouth to his ear. His tanned features were twisted into a disgusted smirk, and Janus knew that his own probably looked much the same.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" Rusted eyebrows arched in mock wonder as the sickly blue eyes traveled up and down, measuring him up. "Could this be...? No, surely not. But...it is. The bastard prince of Zeal, floundering around in the snow like an Earthbound."

Janus watched in grim satisfaction as his fist connected with the other's face and produced a pleasing crunching sound. The child let go of him, holding his hands over his nose and growling. He spit out the bloody fragment of a tooth.

"No one talks to me like that," Janus hissed through his teeth, breathing heavily. He was not surprised to see that they were surrounded by the other Earthbound children, and that the sleds had passed them by, already unseen far up the trail. The filthy little ragamuffins were shouting encouragement to their friend.

"Get him, Roderrick!"

"Wipe the little shit out in the snow!"

"Kick his ass!"

Janus was livid with rage, and the sight of him made Roderrick hesitate. The young prince knew what was said behind his back, whispered in hushed tones when they thought he wasn't looking. He knew about all the absurd rumors surrounding his premature birth -- the same night his father had been murdered. But no one had ever dared to say it to his face and this dirty pile of rags was going pay for being the first.

Blood was spurting from Roderrick's lip, and he wiped it on his sleeve. "Well," he said quietly. "You're going to regret that-" He never got to finish. Janus threw himself at the other boy, knocking them both to the snow and kicking swiftly where he knew it would hurt, he rolled out of the way to avoid the other's fist. Roderrick doubled over, wheezing. Janus took advantage of this, jumping on the boy from behind to knock him helpless to the snow and wrapping his hands around his throat. Roderrick squirmed wildly until Janus lost his hold and was flipped over onto his back in the snow. The Earthbound was on him suddenly, his face a twisted mask of rage, pale eyes wild and savage. A dagger was in his hands, upraised, ready to plunge into Janus' throat-

There was a hissing-whistle and an arrow shot through the air, so close to Roderrick's face the wind from its passing stirred his bangs. It landed in the snow beside his thigh. His eyes flicked upward instantly. On the side of the road, high in the branches of a dead tree, a small figure sat poised, its bow already fitted with another arrow, aimed at Roderrick. The Earthbound growled low in his throat and quickly stood up. The other children came in close, all staring up at the tree, anger clear in their eyes. Apparently forgotten, Janus got to his feet and brushed the snow from his torn robes.

"She'd do it, too," one child said quietly, glancing at Roderrick. The boy was breathing heavily, almost growling, his eyes narrowed into slits. He raised the dagger and pointed it at Janus. The figure in the tree stiffened, drawing the bowstring back further. Satisfied, Roderrick dropped his arm.

"I know," he growled, his fingers reaching up to trace the wicked scar on his face. He turned to the prince. "You're good," he said, glancing up at the tree through rust colored bangs. His eyes were fierce. "We'll finish this some other time."

The person in the tree didn't take their aim off him until he and the others had disappeared from view. It was starting to snow. Janus watched as the figure put away its weapon and began the laborious climb down the tree. It looked funny, sliding down on its belly, holding the branch above it until its feet touched the one below. It brought to mind the time Gaspar had taken the class on a walk through Zeal's tiny forests, and they had watched a porcupine climb down a tree in much the same manner. A loud crack brought Janus back to the present. He looked up just in time to see the branch the figure was hanging from snap cleanly in half, dropping the person to the deep snow bank beneath the tree. He clearly heard several expletives before the person managed to struggle to their feet and Janus finally got a good look at him.

The first thing he noticed was that it was actually a young Earthbound girl. She walked towards him, brushing snow off her ragged clothes and stopped about four feet away, crossing her arms behind her back and glaring suspiciously at him. She was breathing somewhat heavily from the fall. He thought her eyes were dark blue, but it was hard to be sure from that distance. Her cheeks and arms -- the only skin he could see -- were smudged with dirt and scratched from the climb. There were twigs in her shoulder-length black hair. For a moment neither one spoke, and then the moment became two and then the silence was broken only by the screams of the wind. It wasn't awkward, but it wasn't exactly comfortable either.

"...If you waiting for a 'thank you' there isn't going to be one," he snapped just when the Earthbound girl said, pointing east, "The Skyway is over there." They both narrowed their eyes. There was another long silence. Janus thought, eyeing the bow and daggers, that maybe he'd have been better off with Roderrick. It'd seemed a bit safer, or at least familiar. He was forever getting into fights with the other Enlightened children, but none had ever been armed, and none had certainly ever been female. Even if they were just as viscous as the boys, Janus was not about to fight some little girl.

After a few more long moments, they both spoke again at the same time. "I didn't need your help," he said, as she asked "Are you lost?"

Again, that long silence. And again, after a moment, they tried to talk at once. "You've got twigs in your hair," Janus said, reaching up to his own, and she reached up to touch her mouth saying, "There's blood on your lips."

"Look, I'm not trying to get back to Zeal," he said quickly, before she could speak with him. It felt just way too weird. "I'm going that way," he pointed, "with Siris and the hunting party."

A delicate eyebrow arched in skepticism, her eyes looking him up and down. She snorted. "Not in that condition. You'd attract every deer on Terra Continent." Her voice was clipped and precise, not like the slow drawl of most other Earthbound. It was more military-like than prissy.

"...Since when are deer such a bad thing?"

Both eyebrows went up this time, and she blinked twice. "Don't you know anything?" When he refused to reply to that, she added, "...The cannibal deer can smell blood from miles away."

Cannibal deer? ...Ew.

"They've probably already caught your scent." She paused, suspicion creeping back into her eyes. "Who are you, anyway? Why are you down here?"

"I'm...Janus, the prince of Zeal. As for why I'm down here..." He shrugged. Somehow, she didn't seem like she'd buy the 'I want to learn about your culture' shit, and he was not about to go into the whole spitball song and dance with a complete stranger -- and an Earthbound one as well. "Long story." He watched for her reaction. She just stared at him for a minute, her eyes dark and unreadable.

He didn't like that. Most of the Enlightened children were stupidly obvious, and he'd discovered the same of the Earthbound. There was something in her eyes that reminded him faintly of Schala when she was being Princess Ice. And that wasn't the only thing. All Zealians were telepathic, and Janus was no exception, but the Earthbound were obviously not, and he had to keep his mental shields stronger than usual to block out their thoughts. This girl had the same wall. Janus narrowed his violet eyes in a glare. She responded instantly in the same manner.

She was not truly Earthbound, he was certain of that. Neither was she an Enlightened who had snuck down to play in the snow -- he knew what all the Enlightened children looked like, and none had black hair. None could use a bow that well either.

'All right, let's cut the shit. There are three cannibal deer in the trees behind you. Coincidentally, we have three options.'

At least she wasn't denying her abilities. It made finding the truth that much simpler. 'Okay.'

'One: I leave you to go back to Uncle Siris, and he gets to give Schala the bloody remains of your boots. Two: we go back to Algetty.'

He noted the absence of his sister's title, and the lack of respect this strange little Earthbound had for her irritated him. It was one thing to insult him. It was another entirely to insult his sister, and that could not be forgiven. Was this weird girl the only Earthbound so forward and lacking in proper respect for Zealian royalty? It would have to be looked in to. Schala didn't protect herself as well as she should have; she was too trusting of people, too naïve and Janus was not about to let a bunch of filthy Earthbound take advantage of his sister's innocence. That voice had unsettled him and then here was some creepy Earthbound child speaking telepathically. He was certain someone was plotting something sinister. Schala must be protected at all costs. Even if that cost was befriending this smelly little ragamuffin.

'...And mystery option number three...?' Janus queried when she didn't go on. Her eyes narrowed even further, and he thought he saw the corners of her mouth twitch in what was almost a smile. The snow was falling faster now, whirling in little spirals as the wind teased it.

'You decide not to trust me, so I kick your ass and drag your unconscious body back to the village.'

"I'll go willingly," Janus said, executing a formal bow. "I make it a point not to fight with girls."

"Smart of you," she replied shortly, walking to where her arrow was still buried in the snow. Plucking it free, the girl scuffed a smooth place in the snow with her boot and bent over it. Using the arrow's tip she etched a squiggly line, with what looked like three webbed chicken feet coming out of it at random places. Beside that, she drew a box with one jagged edge then stuck the arrow point-first into the snow beside her doodles. She straightened and stared at him expectantly. It was a sort of test, he knew. Janus leaned over the drawings, eyes narrowed.

"A crown," he said, pointing to the box, and looking to her for confirmation. She nodded. Her eyes were indeed blue he noted offhand, turning back to the drawings. Squiggly chicken feet somehow did not seem the right answer for the other doodle. Squiggly line: a string? No, strings had no feet. He leaned over further. Were those petals of some sort? No...leaves. Janus straightened triumphantly, looking in her eyes.

"It's a vine," he proclaimed happily. The girl almost smiled for a moment, but quickly quashed it, and glared again.

"Ivy," she said simply, turning to walk down the road. Almost immediately, there were snuffling noises in the trees behind him. He hurried after her, and she spared him a measuring glance. "It's...my name."

"Pleased to meet you," Janus said automatically in his prince voice, looking worriedly over his shoulder. For once, it was almost true.

___________________________