By the end of the day Takuya had decided that the silence of El Metriscule was rather eerie. None of the elves that he saw walk past made a sound as they moved, just like neither of the twins did. He sighed, and returned to reading the letter from the king for what felt to him as the hundredth time. The contents of the letter was dry, and extremely formal, and Takuya felt that it was with a violation of the king's trust that he was reading and rereading it, when it had obviously been intended to be read aloud to the council. He sighed again, then looked to Kouji, who was sat at the table, reading from a sheet of paper.

"Kouji, is all this usual with the council?"

Kouji put the papers he was holding down carefully. "For there not to be a quick decision? Of course. We don't have a single ruler, and for it to progress to the higher levels we must first convince Honoured-Satomi and then the council. Our banishment took a month, and that was lightning fast for our governing process. They must have really wanted us to leave." He moved a hand to run his fingers through the tiny braids hanging from his head. "Since living in your world, I've found that I'm not a perfect fit for either world. I'm too restrained and wild for you humans, but I feel too much and react too quickly to be an elf. I don't fit in either world."

"You fit with Kouichi," said Takuya. "And you fit with me. Without you I'd have no control over my magic, rather than the little I currently have. I can't use my magic here, for fear of causing offence, or destruction. Even so, you care about me, and I care about you. It might be love, it might not, I just know that I don't like to see you sad like this."

Kouji sighed. "It's hard not to be sad in a house that feels empty. The guiding force in my life was taken by a human, and part of me wants to destroy your people for it… But it would include my destruction, because I'm human." He ran a finger over the bridge of one of his ears. "I may have these ears, but the lords and ladies have never spoken so that I hear them. I don't know what path a mongrel with corrupted magic should walk on my brief life."

"Then walk with me." Takuya moved to kneel beside Kouji's chair. "I can't fight alone, not against things that even the Goddess fears. My family have all but disowned me for what I am, just like yours has. Let's be family for each other. Watch my back in the fight, just as I'll watch yours."

Kouji smiled. "Then who'll watch Kouichi?" He touched Takuya's cheek with a finger. "The longer I'm with you, the more I believe. I don't have the sight of my brother, but I can feel the path growing inside you, your purpose growing surer. The more I see of you, the more beautiful you seem to me."

Takuya smiled. "You were always beautiful to me. Something about the grace with which you walked, and the hidden strength in your movements. All I see around here are pale mockeries." He moved forwards, until his face was mere inches from Kouji's. "I think maybe it is love. Maybe we're meant to stay together in this."

Kouji pulled away. "You have your generals coming. You don't need me to fight for you."

"No. I need you to fight with me." Takuya pulled away, sensing Kouji's unease. "Please never feel that you have to leave."

Kouji nodded, and picked up the papers again, effectively ending the conversation.

******************************

The scream woke Takuya as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown over him. He sat up, finding the mattress next to him empty, signalling Kouji's movement elsewhere. It took Takuya a few moments to find him, knelt at Kouichi's side, holding his brother's hand in a tight grip.

Takuya loosened his noose of blankets, and half stumbled over to join the twins. "Wha… What?" he slurred sleepily.

Kouji looked close to tears. "He's never screamed before. The visions have never given him enough hurt before now."

Takuya smoothed Kouichi's hair, then froze as Kouichi gave out another piercing scream, his whole body tensing.

Kouji bit his lip, and ran his hand over the back of Kouichi's gently. "Kouichi, please… you're scaring me."

Takuya looked up as another entered the hut that the twins called their home, who bowed slightly, revealing a female figure.

"What fever is gripping your brother, Kouji? Do you wish my aid?"

Kouji looked up, and Takuya could tell by Kouji's wider than normal eyes that he was afraid. "Who speaks? If you know my name, you must know that I cannot name you in this darkness."

"It is Harra," replied the woman, drawing closer so Takuya could see her form. She knelt by Kouichi and ran a caring hand over his forehead. Takuya felt the faint prickle he was starting to recognise as meaning someone was using magic nearby. "He is not sick, yet it seems that he is in the grip of a fever dream. Is this a vision like honoured-Kousei described to me once? He said it brought his son no pain except for dim echoes."

Kouji lay by Kouichi, hugging him gently. "It should not pain him so, Harra. He has told me in confidence thought that the tug of destiny has increased on all the land that we have travelled. Maybe it has caused this."

Harra shook his head. "Sweet flower, I cannot give aid, although I wish I could. My art is indeed with the young and the soon to be young, but knowledge of your power and that of your brother is not something that your honoured-sire would share with us."

Kouichi screamed again, causing both Kouji and Harra to wince greatly, and then he fell deathly still.

"Kouichi?" Kouji shook him gently, his panic growing. "Kouichi, please wake and answer me! Kouichi!"

Kouichi jerked awake suddenly, sitting upright, gasping. "Kou… Kouji?"

Kouji wrapped his arms around Kouichi, and together they started to sob.

Harra shifted slightly, and Kouichi transferred half of his hug to her. "Harra! Harra I missed you, please don't leave us here alone in the dark."

Harra pulled them both close and rubbed their backs as they sobbed away their worry and fears. "Hush my sweetlings. You are getting too old I think for such tears." She turned her attention to Takuya. "If you can understand me, boy, fetch the draught of poppies."

Takuya shook his head, and Kouji disentangled himself from the muddle of arms. "He does not know how. I'll fix it." He moved to the herb cupboard, and removed the locked slat, pulling a flask from one of the drawers. "Will you remember still after this, brother?"

Kouichi kept sobbing. "I don't think I'll ever forget, Kouji."

Kouji passed the flask to Harra.

"Open," commanded Harra of Kouichi, who opened his mouth in obedience. Harra let three drops of a dark liquid fall from the flask onto Kouichi's tongue. Kouichi swallowed. Harra petted his hair gently. "Sleep, little flower. Sleep without dreams and horrors."

Kouichi's eyes started to droop as Harra continued to stroke his hair, and Kouji moved his hand in gentle circles on Kouichi's back. Kouji then released him to drag his mattress across the floor and took Kouichi in his arms, settling him to sleep.

"You have my thanks, Harra. I'll keep him safe until dawn."

Harra nodded, and smiled. "You know he will sleep peacefully because of the poppies. I hope he has strength enough to tell you what he saw when he wakes." She turned to Takuya. "As for you, youngling, watch over these boys for whom I care. It may be that poor Kouichi has seen things his young eyes should not have to deal with. Be kind to him."

Takuya nodded. "I'll make sure he's safe. I don't like seeing either of them scared."

Harra smiled and nodded. "I'll return in the morning." She gathered her skirts about her, and stood slowly. "I dislike seeing my children hurt. Look after them, boy." She moved silently out of the hut, leaving a confused Takuya behind. He turned to ask Kouji only to find that he also had fallen asleep.

***************************

Kouichi did not wake with the sunrise, as was normal for him, so Takuya and Kouji left him sleeping while they ventured out of the village so as not to disturb him. Kouji strode purposefully through the forest, obviously trying to find animal tracks. Takuya followed, his feet scuffing through the leaf litter.

"Hey, Kouji? What did Harra mean when she said you were her children?"

Kouji turned back and scowled slightly. "How am I to catch anything with the noise you make?"

"Tell me, and I'll be quiet?" ventured Takuya.

Kouji sighed. "Don't think that'll help much." He stopped walking and lent against a tree, slipping the bow from his shoulder. "Harra is our nearest neighbour, that's why she heard Kouichi's…" Kouji looked back towards the village. "I hope he's okay."

Takuya brushed his arms lightly. "He will be, Kouji. It'll just be that stuff he took keeping him asleep. If he needs you, he'll call to you."

Kouji nodded. "I shouldn't worry, I just do." He sighed. "Harra calls most of the children in the village hers. She's the healer who cares for children, and helps mothers give birth. She was there at our birth, and functioned as our mother before honoured-Satomi came. She fed us and washed us as much as our honoured-father did when we were young."

"Midwife," said Takuya. "We have those too. A woman without healers magic, but knowledge of how women give birth."

Kouji nodded. "I guess it's the same for humans. Men are not allowed to be present at birth. She shared duties with my honoured-father, and cared for us when he had council business. To her, we were almost like her own." He smiled. "It didn't matter to her that we were different from any other children she had ever had under her care. I guess she must've spoken much with our mother as she carried us."

"So she told you about your mother?"

Kouji shook his head. "No one has. Only our honoured-father did, and he told us that our hair comes from her, and that she would've loved us with all her heart. Other than that, who she was is a mystery to us." He turned his head slightly, and lifted his bow.

Takuya opened his mouth to speak, then stopped as Kouji made a sharp gesture.

Kouji fitted an arrow from his quiver to his bowstring and moved forwards silently. Takuya followed behind, moving as quietly as he could. Finally Kouji raised his bow, took aim, muttered quietly for a few moments, then loosened the arrow. A soft thud emanated from where the arrow had landed. Kouji moved forward, drawing his sword, and moved to where the arrow had hit, making a slitting motion near to the ground.

"What was it?" asked Takuya.

"Hare," replied Kouji, lifting the carcass up by its ears. "Should feed us for a few days." He yanked the arrow out from the dead animal's side, and then knelt to clean the arrowhead and his blade.

Takuya moved closer. "What was it you said before you loosed your arrow? I couldn't hear it."

Kouji sheathed his weapons. "It's a traditional hunting prayer. Lord Marnet let my blow strike fast and true if it is your will that this creature may die without suffering so I may feed my family. Hardly eloquent phrasing, but its designed for speed and quiet recitation." He picked up the hare, and started walking. "You go back to the village. I'll go clean this, then join you."

Takuya nodded slightly. "I'll check on Kouichi." He walked back to the village as Kouji walked in another direction, presumably towards the stream.