The first thing Wilhelm was aware of was a cold sneaking up his spine and down his limbs. He shivered against it then finally forced his heavy eyes open, blinking disoriented at his surroundings. He was in the middle of a street in a town with tall broken down buildings. Snow covered the ground reaching up to his ankles. He shivered again, brow knitting in confusion.
where was he? How did he get here? Where was Jacob?
Suddenly his memories filled in the spaces. He remembered angry words and a broken cup. He remembered Jacob storming out of the house. He remembered the forgotten journal. And he remembered the strange transparent woman, with her ice touch and sad eyes. And he remembered her question, What is it you would change . . . ?
And this was his answer. Will recognized the area now. His home town, though it was never very welcoming. The poor slums of Germany, broken homes, broken families, people struggling to get by. This is where his family had lived for many years. After father had died, of course. Their father would have never allowed his family to live here and Will always sensed his mother's shame that she was forced to bring her family here. A shame she had died with in the very house sister died in. This place more than there home represented their cursed family.
Bracing himself against the cold, Will took a look around to gain his bearings and to figure out which direction to start in. Finally choosing a small familiar alley he turned to walk down it when he was stopped by a small figure walking in the opposite direction. A small boy not even to his waist height was walking toward him, pulling a pathetically scrawny brown cow beside him. His face was tilted toward the winter sky as he stared up and absentmindedly adjusted his glasses. An expression of awe was on his face and then a huge smile that made his eyes squint. Will followed his gaze to see that he was staring at the moon showing quite clearly in the daylight, obscured only slightly by clouds.
The cow, who was just as tall as the boy, nudged the side of his head pulling him away from his admiring. A serious, determined look set on his face and he walked just a bit faster.
As the boy began moving away from him Will seemed to come back to himself. His heart beat inside him, with excitement or fear he wasn't sure. "Jacob . . ." He whispered in disbelief. He was under the impression that he was living a dream but how could he be sure? Finding his voice he called after the young Jacob. "Jacob! Jake!"
Upon hearing his name Jacob turned around and paused waiting for the stranger to come to him. He didn't look concerned or apprehensive about being approached by a stranger. Instead Will was looking down at a smiling face full of trust and curiosity.
"How did you know my name?" He asked excitedly staring intently at Will. "Do you know my mother?" He paused as an idea struck him and his smile grew wider. "Did you know my father!" Jacob was bouncing now from his toes to his heals. His expression brimming with impatient excitement. The cow stood forgotten again at his side.
Will wasn't sure how much to tell the younger version of his brother. He wasn't sure he understood it all himself. But when he thought about it he was talking to the one person most likely to believe what he said. And Jacob would be more likely to follow (and remember) his directions if he told them to him in there full fantasticness.
Will stuttered before he began. "I-I, well. I'm Wilhelm Grimm, Jake." He said simply. "I'm your brother. Not the brother you know now but the one he will be fifteen years from now."
Jake paused for a moment and his eyes grew wide before he spoke very abruptly. "How did you end up here? Were you cursed? Was the family cursed?" Jacob spoke so fast that Will could barely keep up. "Why did you come alone? Are you alone? Where am I?" At this Jacob stopped in his rambling to look behind Will as if the older version of himself might be hiding there. "Were you sent here on a mission? Are you suppose to fix something that went terribly wrong? Is something bad going to happen? Is the world going to end? Am I going to die? Is that why you are here and I am not? Did you get here through machine or magic? I read once of a whole that appears that could take you to different times. It's named a worm hole for how it snakes through time. If that's how you got here then you best go back. Those things can close up and the chances of you finding another are nearly imposs-"
"Jake, stop! Please." Will gasped for the air he was sure Jake needed. He wasn't use to this Jacob. The one he knew was quiet, just as assessable to the world of fantasy but lived alone in it. His Jacob didn't think out loud, didn't express these sort of wild ideas. Not to Will. His Jacob was no longer this openly excited, this passionate, this trusting. His Jacob was resigned to loneliness and it took seeing how Jacob was to see who he became. Will felt a stab of regret shoot though him. His voice sounded sad as he spoke again, "No Jake. It's none of that."
Young Jacob was easily overcome by his excitement but he was no idiot. He knew when he had pushed to far. And he knew that it was time to let Will supply the answers and to be patient. He stood for a moment hoping from one foot to the other partly to warm up but mostly because he couldn't keep still. Finally he decided on a relatively safe question, or so he thought.
"Could I see the mark?" Will's head shot up from where it had been bent deciding on his next choice of words. His hand moved instinctively to cover the thick scar that ran across his heart. His chest ached again at the memory and chills went up his spine at the thought of that blade. He looked down at his brother. Not his Jacob but a younger one full of life and faith. This Jacob did not know about this mark it had not touched him yet. It had not tainted him. He did not know such evil and he did not know Will's sacrifice.
Will searched for the younger version of himself lost somewhere deep in his memories. Before death and before anger he found the Will that understood every detail of this younger Jacob. And that Will knew exactly what Jake was referring to.
"Will, let me see the mark!" Jake bounded up to his older brother eagerly bouncing as he stood in front of him.
"Jake, you're obsessed!" Will laughed but obliged and pulled up his pant leg to reveal a small star on the outside heel.
Jake smiled and mimicking his brother pulled up his pant leg showing Will the crescent moon shape.
"Yes, yes I've seen it!" Will laughed again, amused. "What's your theory professor?" Will asked with mock seriousness.
Jake plopped himself next to Will his chin in his hands and his forehead creased in concentration. Will watched him with a smile leaning back on his hands.
"It's got to mean something . . ." Jake said softly.
"Does it?" Will lead him on, honestly interested in what his brother was thinking. "Couldn't it just be a strange mark we both have on our heels?"
"But to be two symbols so closely related, it's too much of a coincidence." Jake stated as if that disproved Will's claim of it being nothing. He continued to think out loud. "The sun and the moon. They are associated, yet opposite. They are together, yet apart. The sun lives for the day and the moon lives for the night. They pass by one another never really meeting. I don't know!" Jack ended with a sigh.
A comforting silence passed between the two for a few moments.
"I've got it!" Jake turned his complete attention to his brother. Will smiled and sat up straight now.
"Well!" Jack couldn't contain his inpatients. "What is it?"
Will smiled satisfied. "I'm a Sun god." He said simply. He leaned back waiting for Jake's response. When Jake seemed to be thinking it over Will burst into uncontrollable laughter.
Jake turned surprised eyes on his brother. Now seeing he was being teased he whined "Will!"
"Oh, Jake! It was only a joke!" Will wiped the tears from his eyes, smiling devilishly. Calming down he started again. "Don't fret brother. If we are meant for great things those things will come to us." And Jake smiled with him.