"Hey, have you heard?" A female student asked while walking with her friends.
"Heard what?" The girl walking next to her turned to face her, a half eaten piece of bread stuffed in her mouth.
"About the new student."
The girl gave her friend a puzzled look, "No, I didn't know we had a new student."
"Yeah, apparently he's a Frenzel."
The girl chocked on her bread, "A Frenzel? That's not possible." She wiped at her mouth, crumbs falling onto the ground.
"Yeah the Frenzel's only have two children." The last girl in the group, walking slightly behind the other two, spoke up, her head still in the book she was reading.
"That's what I originally thought as well, but when I was walking past the Dean's office I happened to catch a glimpse of him and let me tell you he is most definitely a Frenzel."
"Really!"
"Hmm, isn't it odd though. I mean, why would the Frenzel household hide that they have another son? Wouldn't they be proud of that fact?"
The girl touched her chin lightly with the piece of bread, "Mhm. Maybe he was sick or something?"
"Sick? Do you even hear yourself." She laughed though it sounded more like a scoff.
"Yeah, you're right. A Frenzel being sick is practically impossible. Then what do you think?"
"I think there must have been a reason for him to be hidden. Maybe his unique ability is too powerful or perhaps he has an odd look like his sister." She pointed to her eye, a wicked gleam in her eyes.
"Hahaha, right! If that really happened a second time, then the Frenzel household would be the laughing stock of the Kingdom."
"Yeah, one odd eye and the entire Kingdom questioned their lineage. Imagine if they had two children with oddities, it would be a disaster." The group of girls giggled amongst one another as they made their way to their next class, unaware of the burning gaze coming from behind them.
Aria always knew that her one blue eye was a stain to the Frenzel name, but after awakening her unique ability and proving her worth as a Frenzel she had thought that the small oddity would become a talk of the past. How wrong she had been.
It didn't matter how much she proved herself. There would always be those who doubted her pure lineage.
She ignored the girl's gossip and closed her eyes. Focusing she reached out, picking through all the strings until she came across the dull gray string of her useless brother. It had always been easy to find, the pitch black string used to stand out amongst the brightly colored strings. Even now, with the new gray color it was still easy to find. Though lately she had been noticing the smallest changes to the string.
She frowned. She had always been diligent when it came to her unique ability. She made sure to use it at least once a day, but she had been careless and missed the slight changes in her brother's string. Was this the first time it happened? Or the second? She gritted her teeth in aggravation and anger.
She would never know.
She grasped the dull string with little hesitation, smirking when she noticed the brightly swirling red and black flaming string next to it. It seemed her two brothers were next to each other.
She followed the string until she came upon the two entering a classroom. Aria knew better than to skip classes, but her fathers words ringed in her ears.
[If anything strange happens to his strings, bring him home.]
She took these words to heart and had been watching him for some time. She glanced back down. The string was the same as before, still a dull gray, but the shape, the texture, it was all wrong. She didn't know how to describe it.
She glanced back up. Perhaps if she stayed close to her brother's side, she could figure out what was happening.
With that thought in mind she entered the room in silence and made her way to her brother's side.
The looks the other students gave her were a mix of disgust and fear. Internally she was pleased with their fear, but on the outside she could only keep her face stoic and her emotions hidden. It was for the best, after all she needed to keep up the image of a perfect Frenzel.
Leon scoffed, "This is not your class."
"I know." Aria refused to say anymore as she took a seat next to her younger brother, Aether.
Younger brother.
The words felt strange to her even if she didn't say it out loud. The concept of having a younger brother was erased the moment he had turned five. Having no abilities was a sin in the frenzel household, it was unheard of and unwanted. What used to be her younger brother became nothing more than a shell of a person.
She used to see him. Walking the halls aimlessly calling out for their father, for them, but she was always told to never acknowledge him, so she left him alone.
She had seen him a couple of times in the years that followed. His body was nothing but skin and bones. Bruises always lined his body and his eyes, she could never forget his eyes. They looked dead and empty as if the soul that had used to be living within him had all but disappeared.
She had heard him laughing once, the cruel and almost mocking laugh echoed in the hall. For a single moment it had terrified her, but the wretched sobs that soon followed only reminded her of his position in this world.
She glanced over at the boy that sat next to her. The image before was nowhere to be seen. This boy looked happy and healthy. His skin was pale and now flawless, the few remnants of bruises had long disappeared. He was gaining weight, though he still looked far too skinny.
And he smiled.
His eyes were like shining gems, sparkling with life. His cheeks would be painted red whenever his smile widened.
A sense of panic and worry crawled up her stomach and into her throat stopping on her tongue. The words she wanted to say were stuck. She glanced away from him, his look too blinding even for her.
What happened to him?
Did something happen to him when they weren't paying attention? It wouldn't surprise her. They never cared about what happened to him anyway, but this changed. It was too drastic.
He looked away, no longer paying attention to her. He pulled out a book and began to take detailed notes on whatever the Professor was teaching.
She glanced away for a moment, 'Oh? Language class?'.
Not even she was good at languages. It was one of the many things a Frenzel had to learn, but unfortunately for their father it was the one thing both of his children were lacking talent in. She glanced at the strange writing that decorated the board. The Professor looked so confident as he wrote, his eyes glancing over all the students. She didn't miss the way the Professor's eyes lingered in their direction.
She turned her focus back towards her younger brother. She sucked in a breath, her eyes darting across the pages in front of him. He wrote the strange letters like they were second nature. He hummed lightly and she drew in another breath.
Has her brother always looked like this?
She caught Leon's gaze and immediately she knew that this, what was happening in front of her, must have been a normal occurrence as of late. She pursed her lips and closed her eyes. The string was easier to find this time, sitting right next to her. She grasped it, letting it twirl in her hand as she watched it change and twitch in her hand.
Her eyes snapped open.
She wanted nothing more than to drag her younger brother away and question him.
How did he become so good at languages? Mathematical and magic theory? There were so many things that weren't adding up. She bit her lip and glanced back at Leon who was watching her intently. She knew that he understood that something was different, that something was wrong. Her fist curled under the table and she focused back on Aether.
The Professor asked a question and without missing a beat her younger brother raised his hand and answered without hesitation. The strange language coming out of his mouth was like music to the ears, but was it a gift or a curse?
The room around them had gone silent and the Professor smiled, but that look, she knew that look very well. The look of want. She glanced at the students, their eyes wide and envious, but underneath that initial shock was the obsessive want to control filled with a hidden agenda.
Her nails dug into her palm as she gazed at the crazed and deranged looks of her fellow students. She wondered briefly if it would have been better to hide her younger brother away rather than put him out in the open like this. Another quick glance and she knew she was right.
It would have been better if her younger brother was never shown to the world.
She glanced back at the two guards that stood silently behind Aether. They were flushed against the wall, but the moment Aether answered the question and everyone turned their gaze towards him, the two guards had made their way over to his side. Their cloaks almost brushed against his back.
The students and even the Professor cast their gaze elsewhere continuing on with the class. Aether on the other hand seemed as if he had no idea that the two were there. His eyes never left his book.
The class continued like this until it was over. Only then did Aria finally make her move.
"Leon." She called, gesturing over to a corner in the classroom. Leon eyed her then gestured for the two guards to stay at Aether's side. As if that was not enough he even stopped Aether and reminded him not to go anywhere.
"What did you see?" Leon crossed his arms and whispered, getting straight to the point.
Aria closed her eyes once more, reaching out for that dull gray string. It was back to normal, well as normal as it could get for now. Her eyebrows furrowed.
"I'm not sure what it is, but whenever he does…something…new…his string it changes." Her eyebrows furrowed even more, "Right now it's back to the strange dull gray color, but…" She trailed off.
Leon gazed at her with a serious gaze, "Does he need to leave?"
Aria clenched her hands once more. It was a question. A question that usually could be answered without hesitation, but now? Now she was unsure. Should she wait? Should she see if it happens again? Should she try to push it to happen again or should she retreat and take him home?
She weighed her options with a heavy heart. "No. I need to see a bit more."
Leon scoffed, "Fine, but if something goes wrong we leave immediately."
"Agreed."
They walked together over to Aether who was waiting patiently for them. His eyes were sparkling as he spoke with the guards who only stared at him with blank expressions.
"Are there other mythical beasts like the one I had seen? Are they dangerous? Can they be pets? What about- Oh Leon, Aria, are you ready to go?" His voice was light as he spoke.
Aria simply nodded and the three quickly made their way to their next class.
"Aria, do you also have this class?" Aether asked with a hint of surprise.
Aria glanced at Leon before answering, "No, but I have special permission to sit in these two classes due to a research project I am working on."
"Oh okay!"
Aether smiled once more. The same smile that made her heart freeze and the worry climb back up to make itself present once again. This was dangerous. A Frenzel should not smile so openly, especially like that.
The next class was Mathematical practices, the very class that apparently revealed their younger brothers intelligence. She clenched her hands, an itching sensation was clawing at her skin as if someone or something were watching them. She stopped and quickly glanced over her shoulder.
Her eyes narrowed at the two Princes walking towards them. They were dangerous, but her attention was drawn elsewhere. In the corner of the hallway, where two hallways would come together stood a shadow. It would have looked like an ordinary shadow if not for the bright blue eyes staring right at her, no not her, but Aether.
She snarled at the figure and quickly tried to usher Aether inside the classroom. She had let her guard down. She had assumed that Leon was just falling at his assigned task, she didn't think that he was working at keeping the pest away.
"Ah! Aether! Wonderful to see you again!"
Aria froze. Her eyes went from the Princes to the Professor standing in front of Aether.
Professor Rondell. An eccentric man that was dedicated to his research and would do anything to accomplish what he wanted. Including using her younger brother.
She clicked her tongue. It seemed that trouble liked to follow her younger brother.
"Hi Professor, It's a pleasure to see you again." Aether responded with a smile, but Aria could hear the slight strain in his voice as he spoke. It seems her younger brother also doesn't like this Professor.
"Oh! It's more than a pleasure!" Professor Rondell grabbed Aether by the hands, shaking them excitedly as he pulled him slightly away from them. Aria and Leon frowned at the action.
"I was so worried when you disappeared that day." He shot Leon a glare, "Absolutely horrible that your brother rudely removed you from my class, especially with that talent of yours." He patted Aether on the cheek while mimicking a coming voice that mothers used towards infants.
Aria felt sick.
Aether laughed, "Well it seems I will be in your class from now on. Please teach me well Professor." He gently pried the Professors hand away, in a way that didn't seem rude.
Professor Rondell's eyes widened and a shit eating grin made its way onto his face. "Of course! You must be my new student! Oh how exciting! I can't wait to tell the others that I got the Aether Frenzel! Hahaha, they are going to flip." He leaned in towards Aether, his face mere inches from Aether's.
"So tell me, how did you solve it? Was it easy? Did you use a complex theory? Did someone help you?"
Aether let out a small forced laugh.
"No wait! Don't tell me." The Professor's eyes took on a mischievous look as he gazed at Aria and Leon. "You solved it in order to gain a proper spot in your family." The words were like poison to their ears.
He took a step closer to Aether whispering, "You showed your intelligence as a means to survive in a household that wants nothing to do with someone with non abilities." He cast a look over at Aria and Leon, "Are you sure you want to stay in that household?"
Aether went silent. His smile faltered at the others' words. A flash of confusion and bewilderment crossed his face before the hints of truth and hurt slowly began to seep through his cracks. His eyes slightly dulled and his head lowered. It was like he was reverting back towards his old self.
Aria couldn't let that happen and yet it was. She snarled at the Professor and against better judgment closed her eyes. She searched for the Professor's string ready to toy with him, but stopped when she noticed that something was wrong.
It was like the void she was in, speaking with strings became empty. She could still see the strings around her, each one uniquely different, but something about them was off.
She shifted her focus from the Professor's string to Leons, then to Aether's. Her heart stopped. Where was his string? She looked to see if perhaps, just perhaps her younger brother had finally awakened his ability, but no matter how much she looked she couldn't find his string.
The string had vanished.
Her eyes snapped open and she grabbed Aether's arm.
"It's time to go." She glanced over at Leon who silently gazed at her. When she nodded her head, Leon immediately grabbed Aether's other arm and dragged him away from Professor Rondell.
"Where are you going? Hey! Class hasn't even started yet!" Professor Rondell yelled after them, but by then they were long gone.
The two guards had received an order by Leon and were already waiting with a carriage ready to leave. They shoved Aether in and squished him as they sat on the other side of him.
Aether let out a small chuckle, "What is wrong with you two. There is enough space for all of us."
Aria gazed at his smile. Something had been off. Something had always been off. Never had she seen her younger brother smile like that, not sense that day, but even that smile was slightly different. Even if it was long ago, she still remembers the way her younger brother's eyes would tear up slightly every time he smiled, or the way he would show his teeth whenever he felt like he was in danger.
Most importantly, she remembers his dead gaze as if it were yesterday.
She had seen him when he came home. His skin ghastly pale, his breathing coming out in short pants. He probably had been poisoned, but she thought nothing of it until the maid had come running into the training section of the house looking for some leftover medicine.
'Was he really that hurt?'
The curiosity had gotten the better of her. For the first time in years, she went to see him for herself. He was just as sick as she had imagined, if not worse. When she gazed at his string it was slowly disappearing, just like those who were on their deathbed.
He would not last the night.
She left after that, expecting for him to pass away and for life to go on. After all, once a string begins to show signs of disappearing that person could no longer be saved.
To say she was shocked when she saw him a couple of days later eating breakfast as if nothing had happened was an understatement. No one could have changed that drastically in a matter of hours and no one could have survived after their string begins to disappear. That much she knew.
How stupid had she been. The answers had been in front of her this entire time.
She glanced over at the young boy sitting next to her. The face was the same. The eyes were the same. The body itself was the same, but…
This was not Aether.