The London air was once again heavy with mist as the fog covered the land. Everything was grey and other colors were subtle. The world looked as if it was sad, dismay, and a little calm. The earth breathed in shallow breaths as the air above softy and almost lazily blew past the branches of trees.
Emmett Jackson, son of the Earl of Coventry, stared up worriedly at his twin brother with wide eyes. His brother was just reaching for a branch above when his black, shining, leather shoes almost slipped on the branch. Emmett made a concerned noise and his twin didn't fall.
Instead his golden eyes looked down at Emmett and frowned, "Why are you yelling? I'm fine." His attention went back to the branch above.
Emmett was not convinced, he looked around nervously, "We might get caught. Again."
"Oh for the love of the great Queen of England!" he grumbles cursing out loud, "Must you be so petrified in almost everything?"
Emmett hugged himself, "I'm not afraid!" he chided.
"Are too!" his twin calls.
"I'm not!"
"Save it for Mother to hold you at night, because you are too frightened of the darkness." He laughs at his remark as he held tight on the branch and lifted himself onto it, "Heave ho!"
Emmett tilted his head and watched his brother reaching for the Chanticleer Pear flower, "Be careful now, and get me one as well!"
His twin smiled down at him and shook his head, "Climb up and get one yourself."
Emmett couldn't believe his words and yet he knew it was coming, "That's not fair! You made a deal with me."
The golden eyes looked down at him again with amusement, "Are you going to cry again?"
Emmett held his tears back, "No." he sniffed.
The boy laughs, "Oh alright, since I am a kind man and kind to their brother, I would get you a flower as well. Besides, I am a man of my words." He plucked two large, beautiful, flowers and dropped them bellow.
Emmett quickly rushed and caught them in his small palms. The flowers were a bright white, like milk, brighter than his pale hands. The fragrance of the flower was sweet and strong, such a pleasing smell. Emmett smiles and looks up, right at that second his brother fell and landed on his back hard.
"Ouch!" he yelps.
Emmett drops the flowers and quickly went to him, "Alois! Are you alright?"
Alois's blond curls curled with the grass underneath him. His eyes were closed shut as his gold lashes swept the skin on top of his cheeks. His pink lips were partly open as heavy breathes came in and out from it. He now looked like a boy, Emmett mused, he always acted as if he was an adult, but now he looked like a small boy who got hurt in his small waistcoat, small coat, long socks pulled up to his trousers, and his cap that fell a few steps away.
Emmett waited for him to cry.
And of course he didn't.
He opened his eyes and smiled bright, "That hurt like the bloody hell ghastly people burn in!"
"Alois and Emmett!" a maid behind them yells as she ran towards him, the gardener trailing right behind her from the thick fog.
Alois turned is head and Emmett slowly stood up, "Uh oh." Alois murmurs.
"We are in so much trouble." Emmett mumbled.
"Not if they can catch us."
Emmett looked down at him and Alois was smirking up at him, "You don't mean…?"
He got up on all fours, "I'll meet you back at your room." And he blurred disappearing, leaving a gust of breeze.
The maid had seen this and shook her head furiously, "Emmett, don't you dare-!" she screams.
Emmett picked up the flowers and turned using his gift. He ran and the world around him blurred. The feeling was amazing each time he used it. He felt superior, stronger, and free. He felt as if he could bend the impossible. He felt like he was better than his twin brother who was better at him at everything.
This was the only thing he was better at Alois.
"Lighter on his feet!" Alois had rolled his eyes when he had found out he was slower then him, "His skinny, therefore he would naturally be somewhat lighter and faster. It's pure science!"
Emmett smiled and after a minute from escaping the forest, he arrived in his room sitting on his bed. Right at that second Alois arrives and glares at him.
"What?" Emmett smirked, "I got here first."
Alois who hated to be last at everything waved a hand, "I can clearly see that." He went to sit on the windowsill bench. He stretched out his legs, dirt particles falling from underneath his shoes, "Did you see the look on Poppy?"
Emmett laughs, "It was hilarious!"
Alois grins looking out the window, "Oh, there she is right now."
Emmett got off the bed and ran to the window. He knelt on the soft cushion on his knees looking out. Poppy, the maid, was running back clearly upset.
They weren't supposed to use their gift for their own personal needs. That is what their trainer had told them. He said they would expose their power to the people in England causing war, fear, and division in society. Only those who worked in the manor or those who were close with Papa and Mummy knew of their gift.
The gift their grandparents had.
It was a few minutes later when their nanny, Miss. Torrent, pushed open the door and sighed when she saw them. She shook her head and closed the door behind her, her blue eyes holding disappointment.
"What am I going to do with you two?"
"It was Alois idea!" Emmett blurted.
Alois rolled his eyes, "Can't keep silent under pressure can you? Such a dandelion!" he kicked Emmett on his side.
"Ow!" the pain raced all over his left side and he started to begun to cry, "That hurts!"
"Oh there you go crying, that's all you do; tattle tell and cry. Waa, waa, I am Emmett and I am a snob!" he yells now standing on the seat.
Emmett frowns up at him through tears; he looks blurry like the world when he uses his gift, "You are so cruel!" he yelled back.
Alois spread his arms, "Come get me then you low life boy! Come get me dandelion!"
"Alois and Emmett stop it!" Ms. Torrent called rushing towards them.
"You tyrant!" Emmett roars and jumped at him.
Alois disappears using his gift, and Emmett used it right after him. He saw Alois in front of him; he looked like he was normally running although everything was slow around them. Emmett having advantage of his gift, and fueled with anger, jumped onto his back. The boys toppled at the center of the room and Emmett threw a punch.
Alois moved his head and his small fist came in contact with the wood floor. Alois laughs with a "You miss!" and chocks Emmett.
"Stop it!" Miss. Torrent yells grabbing Emmett's torso and lifting him off from Alois, "Let go Alois. I said let go!"
He lets go and Emmett gasps. He wrapped his arm around Miss. Torrents shoulders and starts crying looking down at Alois with a glare, "You are the most horrible person ever!"
Alois sat up and crossed his arms, "You are the most infuriating person ever!"
"Enough!" Miss. Torrent called.
Alois looks away and Emmett buried his face on her shoulder. Miss. Torrent placed a hand on Emmett's head and patted, "Alois stand up."
"No." Emmett heard.
"I said stand up." She repeated again calmly.
Alois grumbles and Emmett heard him standing. She nods and started to walk to the windowsill. She sat down and placed Emmett on her side and pulled the slow walking Alois to her other side.
"Apologize. Both of you. Now."
Emmett looks away, "He started it."
"Now."
"Oh alright, since I am the oldest I'll apologize first. Dear, awful, horrible, dandelion, stupid-"
"Alois!" she snaps, "Do not call your brother a dandelion!"
"What? I'm simply stating what he is."
Emmett looked at him, "Should I state what you are? You are a bully, a disrespectful and hideous being!"
"Absolutely not," Miss. Torrent shook her head, "I'm not going to accept this behavior." She stood up, "I'm going to lock you both in here and let you out in the morning like last time."
They both remembered last time and how dreadful it was.
"With extra academic work," she adds.
Emmett didn't want extra work, he looked away, "I'm sorry."
"I am too." Alois grumbles, "I'm really sorry for calling you all those terms."
She sat back down again.
Emmett turns and Alois for once looked sincere, "And I'm sorry for telling on you."
"I'm sorry for hurting you." Alois smiles, "Although I did got a good grip on you."
Emmett rubbed the tears away, "Perhaps you did."
Miss. Torrent smiles and pulled them close to her, an arm over their shoulders, "There we go. You know, you two did awful things today. Left your class before you were dismissed, went into the forest when the both of you know how dangerous it is, started climbing when it's clearly risky, and used your gifts for your personal reasons."
"We were very active indeed." Alois says.
Emmett giggles.
Miss. Torrent sighs, "If your father finds out, how would you think he'll react?"
"Amused." They both answered.
"Upset," she corrects, "Very upset. You can't simply sneak out and do whatever you so please. You have duties to carry, important roles. You are causing havoc for your desires."
Alois wraps his arms around her, "Are you trying to imply that we must both behave?"
She looks down at him, "Yes, yes I am my dear. I care for you both deeply," she turns to Emmett, "And I am in charge of you both. If anything were to happen, we all would be in trouble."
"We just wanted to give you a flower." Emmett admitted.
Her smile widen, "And that's very sweet of you," she looks at the bed where the dying flowers were on, "Although there are flowers in the garden."
Alois scoffed, "The gardener wouldn't dare let us touch it."
She turns to him, "Have you tried to ask?"
Alois turns his head and his face disappeared at her side, "I wouldn't ask him, he told on us."
She sighs, "The point is, both of you need to behave and act appropriately. Both of you need to advise each other and assist each other. No fighting- fighting wouldn't get you anywhere. You need to care for one another, and take care of each other. You are brothers, twins, powerful twins." She looks at them both, "Promise each other you would always stand by each other's side and love each other forever."
Alois's face appears and his large gold eyes looked at Emmett's matching gold eyes, "I'll always stick next to him, he needs it."
"And I'll always stick next to you, you need it as well." Emmett replies.
Alois reaches out a hand and Emmett took it, "Promise and forever?"
"Promise and forever."