The twins touched the moongate while focusing on their destination, the shrine of Spirituality in Ilishnear. From the shadows they traveresed the short canyon that opened into a lush vibrant forest. Pixies, Wisps, and many other creatures went about their business blissfully unaware of their passing. Finally they came to the dirt road that would lead them to the inn they had been staying at. The two shadows passed through the common room and headed upstairs coming to the door to their room at the end of the hall. The two stepped from the shadows as they crossed the threshold of the room. They turned to their right and walked to the corner of the room depositing their satchels and reagents on the floor. One went to the left side of the bed the other to the right, their exhaustion pressing them to forego the removal of their clothing. They climbed up on the bed their actions mirroring eachother, until they where both sitting against the headboard legs stretched out side by side. The same concerned look painted on both of their faces.
"One doesn't remember how they came to be near us."
"This one does not remember either."
The frowns on their faces deepened.
"We were walking around city and then we weren't. Unexplained."
"Unexplained... This one spoke to the man in charge of the establishment and carried bowls of food to the table. We ate little green pellets we believe to be peas."
"Yes. One agrees we think they were peas. And then yellow and orange. Carrots? Yes, We agree they were carrots?"
Their hands come to rest in their laps briefly before both reach across their bodies with one arm and begin rubbing at the shoulder closest to the other. Their hands moving no more then a feather width apart.
"We agree they must be. They where acceptable to us as far as nutrition, taste was lacking. That was when the one who named himself as Rotep sat across from us."
The movements of their hands stop.
"Yes. It sat down...And then... And then..."
Tiny creases of worry run across their foreheads as the hands in their laps come together fingers interlaced perfectly in the space between them.
"And then... It introduced itself to us. We do not recall after that. Did we try the yellow round substance of what we believe to be cheese?"
Their glassy eyed stares fixed upon the wall, opposite of them, as they looked straight ahead. Their joined hands drifting down to rest upon the bed.
"Yes. It spoke to us. We remember the yellow round substance, but not the taste. Did we taste it?"
Their heads tilt towards eachother in an effort to uncover the mystery.
"This one does not remember. This one remembers the names of John and Faeryl. Why do we not remember what they said?"
"Yes. Those names, but no words beyond that."
The hands on their shoulders begin to move back across their bodies, Kira's stops halfway while Arik's continues to his right side. Their heads turn to look upon Kira's left arm held out before her. A sudden realization coming to them.
"This is uncomfortable. Why?"
"Unexplained.....We where at the table then this one remember's standing on the other side of the room. The one called Rotep asking to meet to discuss trade with those that he called them."
Their eyes still looking upon the arm then turn to once again look to the wall, Kira's arm going down to her side mirroring Arik's.
"Yes, sitting, then standing not near. Arm was uncomfortable. It wanted a meeting with... someone. One of His, yes?"
"It must be seeking a meeting with one of His."
Their hands grip tighter at eachothers, fingers becoming redder under the increased squeeze.
"Why do we not remember how we came to be standing?"
"Never forgotten before except when we were damaged in the head. One's head doesn't hurt like then. No colored marks. Name for those? Bruises, yes. One is scared. We made a mistake. We are going to get punished. It said punished. "
The rate of their thoughts increase, whirling by, appearing and disappearing as quickly as they came. Their hands sweating together gripped thightly as their thoughts reached a fevered pitch, their bodies beginning to tremble.
"Yes, bruises are the name of the marks. We must have made a mistake. It did say punished. We do not want punishment. We cannot be seperated again. We must know what happened. We must learn if we ate cheese. We must return with map to show proof of worthlessness. We must inform Him. We must not be separated again."
Their heads turn to look upon their forearms that rest together, the holes the silent reminder of what awaits them.
"What if They... What if He... We must tell him that we do not remember?"
"It must be... That is what must be... We dare not lie to Him again. Do we?"
"We cannot lie to Him. He would know. We have no other value. He might remove this... "
"....Honor, He has bestowed upon us. Our value would be lost with the lie. We must accept our punishment for failure. He know's when we lie."
Their hands remaining locked together but their grips loosen as they resign themselves to their shared fate. The scent of fear still hanging thick and unseen in their room as the volume of thoughts begin to slow back to their normal exchange.
"We cannot lie or it will be worse. We are special."
Their heads turn to look upon eachother, eyes meeting and reflecting pride in the other.
"We are special. He told us so. We must believe the punishment is deserved for our failure."
"Agreed. We will accept His will as our own."
The twins then both turn their heads once more, eyes looking upon the wall opposite their bed. They slide their feet up to the edge of the blanket reaching down simultaneously to take hold of the covers to lift them up. Crawling under the woolen linen as they turn their bodies to face eachother. Arms draping over one another as their other hands find their familiar spots under the others pillow. Their foreheads moving to touch, comforted by their embrace. Finally their thoughts silence, eyes closing slowly, exhaustion finally claiming them.
"One doesn't remember how they came to be near us."
"This one does not remember either."
The frowns on their faces deepened.
"We were walking around city and then we weren't. Unexplained."
"Unexplained... This one spoke to the man in charge of the establishment and carried bowls of food to the table. We ate little green pellets we believe to be peas."
"Yes. One agrees we think they were peas. And then yellow and orange. Carrots? Yes, We agree they were carrots?"
Their hands come to rest in their laps briefly before both reach across their bodies with one arm and begin rubbing at the shoulder closest to the other. Their hands moving no more then a feather width apart.
"We agree they must be. They where acceptable to us as far as nutrition, taste was lacking. That was when the one who named himself as Rotep sat across from us."
The movements of their hands stop.
"Yes. It sat down...And then... And then..."
Tiny creases of worry run across their foreheads as the hands in their laps come together fingers interlaced perfectly in the space between them.
"And then... It introduced itself to us. We do not recall after that. Did we try the yellow round substance of what we believe to be cheese?"
Their glassy eyed stares fixed upon the wall, opposite of them, as they looked straight ahead. Their joined hands drifting down to rest upon the bed.
"Yes. It spoke to us. We remember the yellow round substance, but not the taste. Did we taste it?"
Their heads tilt towards eachother in an effort to uncover the mystery.
"This one does not remember. This one remembers the names of John and Faeryl. Why do we not remember what they said?"
"Yes. Those names, but no words beyond that."
The hands on their shoulders begin to move back across their bodies, Kira's stops halfway while Arik's continues to his right side. Their heads turn to look upon Kira's left arm held out before her. A sudden realization coming to them.
"This is uncomfortable. Why?"
"Unexplained.....We where at the table then this one remember's standing on the other side of the room. The one called Rotep asking to meet to discuss trade with those that he called them."
Their eyes still looking upon the arm then turn to once again look to the wall, Kira's arm going down to her side mirroring Arik's.
"Yes, sitting, then standing not near. Arm was uncomfortable. It wanted a meeting with... someone. One of His, yes?"
"It must be seeking a meeting with one of His."
Their hands grip tighter at eachothers, fingers becoming redder under the increased squeeze.
"Why do we not remember how we came to be standing?"
"Never forgotten before except when we were damaged in the head. One's head doesn't hurt like then. No colored marks. Name for those? Bruises, yes. One is scared. We made a mistake. We are going to get punished. It said punished. "
The rate of their thoughts increase, whirling by, appearing and disappearing as quickly as they came. Their hands sweating together gripped thightly as their thoughts reached a fevered pitch, their bodies beginning to tremble.
"Yes, bruises are the name of the marks. We must have made a mistake. It did say punished. We do not want punishment. We cannot be seperated again. We must know what happened. We must learn if we ate cheese. We must return with map to show proof of worthlessness. We must inform Him. We must not be separated again."
Their heads turn to look upon their forearms that rest together, the holes the silent reminder of what awaits them.
"What if They... What if He... We must tell him that we do not remember?"
"It must be... That is what must be... We dare not lie to Him again. Do we?"
"We cannot lie to Him. He would know. We have no other value. He might remove this... "
"....Honor, He has bestowed upon us. Our value would be lost with the lie. We must accept our punishment for failure. He know's when we lie."
Their hands remaining locked together but their grips loosen as they resign themselves to their shared fate. The scent of fear still hanging thick and unseen in their room as the volume of thoughts begin to slow back to their normal exchange.
"We cannot lie or it will be worse. We are special."
Their heads turn to look upon eachother, eyes meeting and reflecting pride in the other.
"We are special. He told us so. We must believe the punishment is deserved for our failure."
"Agreed. We will accept His will as our own."
The twins then both turn their heads once more, eyes looking upon the wall opposite their bed. They slide their feet up to the edge of the blanket reaching down simultaneously to take hold of the covers to lift them up. Crawling under the woolen linen as they turn their bodies to face eachother. Arms draping over one another as their other hands find their familiar spots under the others pillow. Their foreheads moving to touch, comforted by their embrace. Finally their thoughts silence, eyes closing slowly, exhaustion finally claiming them.