Nixiesocean: Hello! I'm ba-ack! I know; I didn't get my five reviews. I've got three faithful reviewers; I'll have to be content with that.
Responses:
CascadeOfBeauty: I'm glad that your enthusiasm is so great. Ah, the case of Lovely and Asnarinith. : - ). Did you read Lady in Shining Armor? In it Asnarinith referenced his 'lovely'. Hint, hint.
Simplegrl007: Aww I'm so sad that you don't want dramatic elements? What fun would it be if one of them didn't encounter Draining? After all that work I went into describing it to be so horrible, to have them dodge it would be… odd. In any case, no, this is not a sequel. The story will remain the same story with little mini-parts inside it. If each were separate, the stories would be very small.
Classy Lady Elegance: May I ask why it was good that Ade died? He's a main character! Heck, the story's named after him! In any case, yes, he died.
Read and review, please!
Part Two of The Younger Twin
The Hardest Journey
Chapter 9: A Broken Soul and a Broken Heart
I kept him from society. He wasn't ready for the evils of Humans, I told myself. In truth, I wanted him to heal quickly. I wanted him to heal so he could keep his promise of marriage. I wanted his love. In fact, I desired it. I wanted a reason to be out in this hell. I wanted things to be what they were before, as escape from the bores of palace life, and here it was: Ade's death, life and hardships. Each day, those jade eyes saw me, but without that fire of love. Each day, my heart broke because I knew it possible he'd never recover. I knew he might die in a week, so I tried to focus on the little things.
I taught in wilderness lore.
"This is monkshood, right?" He asked, pointing to one. I never taught him it. Where had he learned it? I had taught him once, before then. I slept in on the floor in his tent, to keep watch over him. He might have nightmares, and he did. I would awake to his whimpers and go over.
I caressed a lock of his hair, hoping to calm his nerves. He grew quieter, but was still uneasy. I pressed a hand to his face. I got a shock.
The pain was inhuman. It burned so hard; it scarred his soul. It ripped at his very being. He knew he'd never be the same. But Ceara! He could not leave Ceara! So he gritted his teeth against the pain and went in a little farther.
I released my hand so suddenly his nightmares started all over again. I breathed deeply and pressed my hand again. The contact seemed to help a little. I got another portion of his nightmare.
The burning! It ached, somewhere deep! It was a thousand knives, cutting his soul into bits. It was a fire, reaching up his arm!
I gasped, but held my hand there, steeling myself against the pain. I had an idea. I could sleep without having to lash a hand to his face. Without making my hand leave him, I slipped into his covers. I wrapped my arms around his body and flung myself full-force into his nightmares.
The dome was there, flecked red and silver. He reached out a finger. It hissed at his touch. Love made him go on. Love of a woman, love, love, love…
I, weeping silently, kept waking during the night. Ade seemed to sleep peacefully, however, because each morning he'd awake (not knowing sleeping with one's friend was simply not done) with a jolly attitude and a grin.
"How did you sleep?" I'd ask.
He'd reply, "The first part, was a little bad, but everything after the first bit was completely restful!"
I'd bite back the truth and say politely, "I'm glad you had a good sleep, Ade."
And he'd give me that foolish smile that broke my heart. It reminded me of the old Ade, the one I'd given my heart to. He was the one who had stolen my heart so long ago, the one who promised me marriage, the one who loved me enough to kill him so I could live, and the one who did not live.
I'd cry myself to sleep every night on Ade's sleeping shoulder, thinking of what could've been, yet would never be.
He woke one night. "Why do you cry?" He asked softly. It wasn't the caring tone he had once used, but a friendly tone wondering.
"A – a nightmare." I murmured. I had gotten better at lying, though it truly wasn't a lie. I was in a living nightmare and I was ready to wake up at any moment.
"I see," He said carefully. He gave me a kind smile and went back to sleep. The next morning, he asked me, "Did you sleep well?"
"No," I replied. "I never do. I have insomnia." At least his brain and mouth remembered Common. The best thing: it wasn't a lie.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
My parents noticed the difference. I didn't rage anymore, I adopted Ade's calm disposition. I didn't duel or swordfight, I stayed in his room, catching up on lessons I never paid any attention to. I didn't flirt with girls or care of the weather. It was always cool in the palace. I grew paler.
"Why?" My mother asked. "Why did you change?"
I breathed deeply; I knew she was holding back tears. "He," We never spoke his name. "Would've made a better king." I touched her shoulder. "You know it and I know it. I'm merely trying to be a better king."
"By acting like him? By being him?" She cried. "You no longer live in your own room, you live in his, act like him! What next? Should I call you Ade next?" It was the first utterance of his name in what felt like a long time. She turned. "I will never call you such. You are Aram and will remain Aram inside until your dying day." She strode out of the room.
I sat on his bed. I pulled out the book he had left – before going to his… death. Yes, death. Admit it Aram. Your brother is dead! I breathed deeply, controlling my rage. I opened the book to the first page and began reading A Study on Dragons.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Where are the other people?" He asked. "You say we are not alone in this world, but I cannot find any others." I was glad, for once, he had forgotten my, rather, non-Human heritage. He peered at me. "You say I am Ade. What was I?"
He was beginning to detect my lies. I bowed my head. "The lost prince Ade. You are a prince of Furde." I replied meekly.
His cool jade eyes looked at me, confusion in them. "Why did you not tell me this when I awoke," So that was it. He thought he had gone unconscious. "Why did you hide it?"
My eyes were still downcast. "You," How to tell someone they died? "Did not survive the nightmare." I referred to it as such. "Before I could help you, you died. I couldn't do anything about it." I felt a light touch.
"How did I come back from… death?" He asked.
"The Goddess gave me the gift of Life." I looked away. Tears brimmed in my eyes. "I gave it to you," My heart constricted. I stood and ran from our campsite. I ran far, hugging a great oak tree. I cried so hard on it, all anguish rushing out to encompass the ground, spreading my sorrows far away from me.
It was a long time before the beating of wings reached my ears. The Dragon landed. "Sister in Wing, what is wrong?" She asked in Draconic.
I ran toward the Dragon, hugging her neck and weeping. Our contact allowed her to read my thoughts, and she received the whole story. "Ade of the Palace was a truly Draconic soul." She mourned. "Even a Dragon could not have suffered a worse fate."
"He lives though!" I cried. "He lives somewhere inside that broken soul!"
The female Dragon cocked her head. "You have just enough hope not to be called hopeless, Sister." She nuzzled me. "Come, we will take you and him to the Dragon Palace for healing. He is not the only one." She added kindly. I clumsily crawled onto her back and we lifted off. She flew upward. I realized I could hear Aram from even this far.
I saw his thoughts. They were mournful. Does that mean he didn't know Ade was alive? Ade's death must've ruined their tender connection. I cocked my head. I might be able to send his brain a message from here but…
He will not change. Rea whispered. He may, when he sees his brother, but a whisper, from an unknown source, will not change him. I lowered my head.
I understand, Sister. I murmured. Camp is just here. She landed; Ade's eyes were wide. I climbed off. I will be back. I went over to him. "Climb on Rea – the Dragon – we're leaving Furde."
"Did you not say I was the prince?" He asked. His jade eyes were dulled, I noticed, they weren't the sparkling ones he used to have.
"I did." I nodded. "But in the wild, I am the commander." I said.
"I am a royal." He replied, defiant. "I will not climb onto that thing."
Rea knew Common, and a growl emanated from somewhere deep. "She knows where is going, Your Highness, and we are going there now."
"No." He refused.
I rolled my eyes. "The Goddess as my witness, you are leaving with me, and we're leaving immediately."
"I refuse." He said simply. "I will not ride that thing. I barely know you!"
I held back tears. He didn't remember the years we'd spent as friends, from birth! "Ade. Come with me. The palace is no place for you. We left for that reason."
His eyes flashed. "I will not leave!" Why was he so stubborn? "I will not leave!" He shouted to the wilderness. I knew he was angry. I bowed my head, as if in submission. Ade fell for the trick; he came over. "You are submitting?"
Quick as lightning, I reached out to snag his arm. He hadn't been prepared for such a quick attack. I pulled his arm around and wrapped his arm onto his back. I kicked his knees out and he was facedown onto the ground. "I hate violence, but I'll use it if necessary." I turned to Rea and called out in Common, "We're leaving."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Somewhere dark, a figure was huddled. He had cuts, bruises and other assortments of wounds. His eyes were faded and held terror. He shied away from any glow that seemed to enter his confinement. His wounds never seemed to heal. He kept from moving; it would open old wounds.
He kept his silence.
From an unknown source, a soft beam of pure and simple white reached his prison. He slowly moved to another corner, avoiding any contact with something that would betray his hideous wounds. His body, since he was barely clothed, was visible and covered in dried blood. He never spoke, never cried out to anything.
He kept his silence.
He had nightmares of someone seeing his decrepit state. He had nightmares of being shunned from villages and towns alike. Worst of all, he had nightmares of being unloved.
He kept his silence.
The beam moved, something nothing else had done. It aimed toward his hiding place. The prisoner couldn't move fast enough; it saw his crippled state. It retracted quickly, as if scared. Then gently, it came back, shining just as bright.
He kept his silence.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Let him sleep, daughter." My mother, who had come to the Dragonhold to see me, said. "He needs it."
"Mother." I whispered. "I don't know how, but if I stay with him it helps his nightmares." I looked her directly in the eyes.
She was still Draconic. My brief brush with that emptiness left me more human-like. Her eyes filled with tears, "No."
"Please Mother." I murmured. "Watch." Ade was having a particularly bad nightmare. Gently, I caressed a cheek. He stilled, breathing softly. I got his nightmare.
He ran along a road, never truly getting onto the easier ground. Men chased him, holding pitchforks and torches. "Demon!" They called. "You are insufferable!"
I squeezed my eyes, trying to hide that it hurt me. She noticed, like everything. "It harmed you."
"No," I lied. "It doesn't."
She cocked her head. "It does, I will not have you hurt yourself for a Human."
"My love is inside, somewhere dark, and by the Goddess, I will set him free." I replied, eyes blazing.
"How do you know he loves you? How do you know he's not using you to gain his desires?" She asked. "I appreciate Katharine greatly, but I would never marry Lance!" She said.
I rubbed my eyes. "That is for me to decide." I said coolly, almost numbly. "I have a life to live, and this is my path!" I declared.
"I am still your mother and you will do as I say." My mother, the despicable Lady Cyrun, replied. "Leave this room, I will attend him."
"No," I said. I went over to the bed he laid on. "You will leave, Mother Dearest." When she didn't budge, I stood. "I may be young, of eighteen years, but I have fought another Dragon, and I survived. I will save this Human and I will be alone!"
My mother laughed. She had never been so evil to me before. "You did not kill Asnarinith." She shook her head. "You did not remember that Reds could project images, did you? Did you think Reds are so easily killed?"
I gripped her arm tightly. "You will leave!" I hissed. She flipped her arm around and pulled it loose.
"No." She said. "I will not!"
Was she trying to make me angry, because it worked… "LEAVE!" I boomed.
She smirked. "You lust too much, daughter." She turned.
In my angry state, I responded, "Is that why you and father slept together before marriage?" She slammed the door. I calmed as soon as I saw Ade.
Somehow, he was covered in small and large cuts. He had eye bruised from something and from the way he sat, some broken bones. He sat up, struggling the whole way, of course. He spoke one word. "Ceara?"
I ran over, tears sparkling on my cheeks. "Ade?" I whispered. I took his hand in mine. A few small cuts healed in front of my eyes. "Oh Ade!" He leaned in and kissed my lips. His lips were dry and bleeding, leaving little spots of blood on my lips. The passion in the kiss was unmistakable. My heart surged.
His breathing was labored. "I can't stay long, love." He held me to his chest.
"Ade! Don't leave. We'll let you see a healer, since I'm not that good, and we'll bandage you up and we'll be just fine!" I cried. I saw those long-desired sparkling jade eyes.
He breathed deeply. "These aren't those wounds, sweet." He said. "They're wounds far deeper." He lay back, exhausted from the effort. I wept on him. The blood sticking to him faded slowly. "Why are you crying?" Another voice, different from the loving one Ade used, said.
I sat up sharply. Ade was there, but the wounds were gone. His eyes had dulled over again and it broke my heart. "I – I'm just angry." I lied. "Go back to sleep, it'll help." I reached out and gently massaged his broken mind. Before he could remember we had flown to the Dragonhold, he was fast asleep, in his world of nightmares and hurts. I crawled into his bed and fell asleep hugging his chest.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The dark figure was huddled again, though less painfully. The light didn't go out and the man was constantly reminded of why it was there. Love.
A/N: Thank you to CascadeOfBeauty, Simplegrl007 and ClassyLadyElegance for reviewing my story.