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It was a sunny day in the city of Treviso. Gulls were flying in the air, calling for attention. The soft noise of the zip lines could be heard. The bustling noises of the market were welcoming and pleasant. Poking around the tables were two elvish children. The taller of the two was a young boy who looked roughly 10 years old with pale skin and peculiar marking that almost appeared to glow all along his body. A soft, silky white kilt was wrapped around his waist. His mismatched eyes with the black sclera were open wide and taking in the sites around him. His white hair was pulled back in a sparkly purple ribbon by the little girl walked next to him. One would assume she was the boy's much younger sister. And one would be wrong. She also was only 10 years old, though was much more dainty and petite than the boy. Her dark red hair, a mess of wild curls, was pulled back in pair of twin braids, the ends capped with her own set of sparkly, dark green bows that matched the slightly pouty dress. She looked up the boy with her seagreen eyes.
“Kal… I can't believe Viago gave you pocket money… for keeping you clothes on,” the young girl, Allona de Riva, said, pouting slightly. The boy, Kal, shrugged.
“Sorry?” Kal said, unsure exactly why he was apologizing but knew he wanted to keep his “sister” in a good mood. He knew he had a lot to thank her for, between her, their older “sister” Esha, and the aforementioned Viago. Allona was teaching her manners and helping him with school from the tutors since she was far more studious than he (but that wasnt exactly his fault, seeing as he didn't know how to read).
Allona sighed, “you don't need to apologize, Kal. I was only venting.”
“Oh,” Kal responded, his brows furrowed slightly in confusion. Despite being a de Riva for about a year, he was still learning about the people surrounded by him.
“Besides…” Allona said, her voice tinted with smugness, patting the beaded bag hanging from the sash tied around her waist, “Viago gave me a bit of spending money, too. My cousin we begrudgingly impressed with me acing his impromptu quiz on basic poison brewing.” She grinned at her adopted brother, “so… what are you gonna get? I can't decide… I need a new drawing pad, but maybe new hair clips or book? Oh, there's so many choices!”
Kal looked around him. Allona was right… there was a lot of choices… almost too many.
“I dunno,” he mumbled, “maybe…” Kal paused. A sudden delicious aroma filled his nose. Buttery… sweet… he grabbed Allona by the hand and started sniffing following the delicious aroma.
“Ack… what the heck… where are we going, Kal!” Allona demanded, stumbling behind the taller boy.
“We're gonna buy my goodies!”
“Whut?”
Kal pulled Allona along until they stopped at a stand outside of a small bakery. The table was decorated with slices of cake, cookies, pies, and other sweet treats. Allona blinked and looked at the table, then to Kal, then back to the table.
“Ah,” she said. “Yeah… that checks you. I think you have a bigger sweet tooth than I do… and that's saying something.”
“You if it isn't the young de Rivas!” The lady behind the table said. She was short and plump all over, with rosey cheeks and her graying hair pulled back in a soft bun. “What shall I get for you youngin's?”
Kal's eyes were transfixed on a plate on the table. Two large orbs of airy pastry, about the size of small apples, sat there. A creamy custard, just the faintest hint of yellow, could be seen peeking out the side of the pastries. A dark chocolate drizzle topped them off.
“Two of those, please!” Kal replied, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. They bakery smiled.
“Ah, excellent choice! I myself enjoy a good cream puff every once in a while. That will be 10 silver each.”
“Not even a discount for the wards of the Fifth Talon?” Allona piped up. The baker grinned in response.
“Oy, and how much do you thing, young Miss Allona?”
Kal looked at Allona, his money bag clutched in his fist. What was she doing? He had enough for that. Well… he thinks he has enough money. Counting correctly is still a bit fuzzy. Allona told him she had never seen anybody get the number orders completely wrong but end at the right number before. Beside him, Allona tilted her head as if studying the cream puffs before turning her attention back to the baker lady.
“15 silver,” she said clearly.
The baker chuckled before countering, “19.”
Beside him, Allona narrowed her eyes slightly, “17.”
The baker made a tutting noise with her tongue, “18 silver and that’s me final offer.”
What?! Kal was so confuse. He really wanted the cream puffs! He opened his mouth to say it was ok, he’d pay full price! But before he could, Allona’s clear voice broke him out of his slight panic.
“Excellent!” Allona said with a grin, “contract accepted.”
Kal blinked owlishly as the baker burst out laughing before putting the cream puffs in a small paper bag and held it out them. Kal looked at Allona and held his coin bag up to her and gave a pleading look. Allona gave him a small smile and took the bag, counted the appropriate coins, and handed them to the baker as Kal reached for his treats.
“Ah Miss Allona, you make your cousin proud.”
Allona gave a wry smile, “well… sometimes. Perhaps you can send word to him about this? Then perhaps he will give me more pocket money.”
The baker gave the duo a smile, “enjoy your treats, dears.”
Kal and Allona thanked her before walking away. Kal wandered over to a quiet little alcove down one of the side streets, with large wood cargo boxes covered with sheets. Kal helped the smaller girl climb on top of one of the boxes before scrambling up beside her. Kal blew some loose strands of hair out of his eyes before reaching into the bag and pulling a cream puff out and handing it to Allona. Her big, sea green eyes looking at him in confusion.
“Kal… those are your treats. You bought ‘em.”
Kal shrugged and placed the cream puff in Allona’s small hands. “Consider it a thank you gift for helping me the past year.”
“Guess there are worse ways to be paid back for you hogging my bed for night time snuggles.”
“Hey… you’re the one who sleeps like an octopus!”
“Consider it my revenge.”
Kal tilted his head like a confused puppy, “but is it revenge if I like it? It helps keep the bad away at night….”
“Oh, Kal…” Allona said softly before biting into the pastry, “mmm nummy.”
Kal grinned and started eating his treat. Allona was right. The cream puff WAS nummy! The two children ate their treats in comfortable silence, watching a couple of kittens play with a hanging bit of rope.
“Well, well, well… if it ain’t the bairn of the failure of a Crow and the latest de Riva foundling.”
Kal snapped his head up. A boy a few years older than the pair was standing in the allyway enterence. A girl next to him smirked. The both wore a patch on their chests denoting their house. Kal heard Allona growl beside him.
“Choice words coming from fledglings of House Arainai.” Allona spat out. The bows eyes narrowed.
“We just have the one… but you… you have your mom’s cursed blood.”
Kal watched as Allona jumped off the box, her tiny fists clenched at her side.
“Don’t talk about my mom.” She said through gritted teeth.
“Awww… did I strike a nerve with the ickle de Riva?” The boy mocked. The girl next to him giggled.
Kal blinked. Something was… weird. He turned his head. The air felt… buzzy. He looked at his hands. His lyrics marks were… normal. Well… as normal lyrium marks could be. He normally felt buzzy air when he was gonna do magic. But… he wasn’t doing magic. Well… at least not yet.
“Well… you can try to use your cousin to get anywhere in the Crows.” The boy drawled, “ain’t the first time nepotism was used here.”
“Stop.” Allona demanded through clenched teeth. Kal blinked again. He narrowed his eyes at her looked at Allona. It almost looked like… purple glimmers and sparkles were surrounding the small elf girl. What was happening?
“I suppose he can try,” the boy said, ignoring Allona, “though everybody knows you are just gonna be another failure of a Crow.
Just.
Like.
Your.
Mom.”
“DONT YOU TALK ABOUT MY MAMMA!” Allona shrieked
There was a bright purple explosion and Kal was thrown back and the boxed he was sitting on toppled over. Kal crawled out from the rubble and rubbed his eyes. Purple sparkles were floating down in the air, settling around a small form sprawled face first on the ground.
“Ally!” Kal yelled. He rushed over to her side, ignoring the groaning figures of the boy and girl.
“Lonely?” Kal said softly as he knelt down. He rolled her over. She looked pale and she was breathing shallowly. Her hands still glowed slightly with purple sparkles.
“Allona…” Kal whispered. He needed to help her! He needed to help… he need to help his sister! He stood up and scooped the smaller girl in his arms. As he Rand back to the de Riva villa, Kal’s mind was racing. Where did the sparkles come from? Could Allona do… magic now? Was Allona… like him?
Allona groaned. Her eyes fluttered open. She rubbed her forehead as she saw her bedroom through blurry eyes. Suddenly, Kal’s face flooded her field of vision.
“Wha’ happened?” Allona asked groggily, pushing herself up into a sitting position. Kal helped pull her up and shoved a couple pillows behind her to help prop her up.
“Well… those two jerk faces from House Arainai came and started insulting you, and you got BIG mad.”
“Ok,” Allona said slowly, “I remember that bit.”
Kal scooted closer and sat on his knees, looking at her with wide eyes as he continued explaining, “the air was getting buzzy. And then…. A big ol’ BOOM of purple sparkles!! And it wasn’t from me!”
“This time,” Allona joked. Kal nodded enthusiastically then grabbed her arm.
“Allona! You’re like me!”
“Kal… what are you talking about.”
“Magic!” Kal excitedly proclaimed. “We match. We… we’re twins!”
Allona closed her eyes and sighed, “Kal… we aren’t twins”
Kal’s lower lip started to tremble, “but… you…. You said.”
“Kal…” Allona gently interrupted, “we aren’t even biologically related.”
“So? Besides, you told me twins are people that match!” Kal stubbornly said.
“Kal…”
“We’re both elves! We’re both 10! We’re both de Rivas!”
“Kal.”
Kal ignored Allona and continued, “and we both have magic… PURPLE magic! Twins!”
“KAL.”
Kal’s head drooped like a scolded puppy dog. Allona gave a long sigh in resignation.
“Ok… fine,” she said. “We’re twins.”
“THE Twins.” Kal corrected.
“Scusi? What’s this about twins?”
The newly dubbed Twins turned their head to see Viago leaning against the doorframe of Allona’s open bedroom door, his arms crossed over his chest, a single eyebrow raised. Allona gave him a small smile.
“Me ‘n’ Lonely…”
“Allona and I…” Allona automatically corrected.
“That’s what I said! Me ‘n’ Lonely are now the Twins! The Twins of House de Riva.”
For his part, Viago merely blinked, “Twins? But you aren’t…” He paused, seeing his small cousin vehemently shake her head. He sighed, “right… The Twins.” He walked closer to the bed and rested a leather glove clad hand on her head. “How are you feeling, Rompina?” Kal tilted his head. It was a few times in the year he’d been here that he thought he heard something like concern in Viago’s voice.
“My head still hurts a little.” Allona softly answered. “And my skin feels… buzzy.”
Viago nodded, “that’s what one of the older mages said you would probably feel. I will let you rest a few days. Monday… you start training with Kalias.”
The Twins looked at each other. Kal grinned widely and practically started vibrating with excitement while Allona’s eyes widened with shock and a little worry.
“Two mages for House de Riva. Do NOT sully our name.”
“Have we yet?”
“You both are 10.” Viago said dryly. “Trust me… you two have plenty of time.”
Allona rolled her eyes and scowled as Viago have her head a pat. She brought up her small hands to smooth out her curls as Viago turned to Kal.
“Let your… Twin rest,” Viago firmly said. “I hear Lucas is trying a new recipe…”
Kal grinned, scrambling off Allona’s bed and racing towards the kitchen to see what new recipes the dwarves cook had in store.
“KALIAS!” Viago’s bellow could be heard vibrating off the walls of the retreating form of the boy. “COME BACK HERE AND PUT YOUR KILT BACK ON!”