Thicket

On a dreary moonless night, where the wind howled a sorrowful tune, the old Jolon Manor creaked amongst the barren trees that surrounded the property. The Prune colored walls were weathered and the black roof and the dark attic windows resembled a monster stalking in the night. But as monsters of the forest danced throughout the courtyard, and the Jolon household began their night routines, their youngest members, the twin heirs, wandered about the halls. Valadis and Lorelai Jolon had always been together in this dreadful home. They were born together, ate together, and explored the dreary thicket the gardener called woods together. But on this specific night, they were bored. "What shall we do today, Lori," the young boy asked the girl, so was tracing her finger across the old, peeling wallpaper, "We could feed the butler to the dogs, or we could hunt for rabbits in the wood." The young girl shook her head, her raven hair falling over the pale skin of her face. "The forest monster will be hunting tonight. I'd like to give him a proper present upon his return," she murmured handing her brother what looked like a talisman fashioned from a ribbon. "Then a visit to cousin Albrecht," he grimaced as he slid down the railing of the grand staircase, "He'll be just passed father's study, so we'll have to sneak by." As the two ran across the grand ballroom, they watched the shadows dance among the tattered curtains and cobwebbed corners. As they snuck past their father's study, careful about their steps, they heard an ear-splitting bang, followed by the thud of something large hitting the ground. "Ah it's just father shooting himself dead again tonight," sighed Valadis, "he's been awfully dramatic since we sent his prized dog of into that snake's den." As Loralei peeked in to look in the study, the splattered blood and silent room made it all too clear that their father's plan had worked. "At least it will be quiet tonight," she whispered, "He's been much too noisy that I couldn't even sleep at night." As they round the corner from the study they found their cousin's room. Albrecht's door was silver, with etchings of foxes chasing an unfortunate lion, and the doorknob was a brass lion's head. As they opened the door to the room they saw their cousin sitting in the middle of the room. The dark grey wallpaper in his room was decorative, with silver trimmings and white stripes that seemed to have yellowed with time. "What do you want?" the young boy asked as his cousins entered the room, "Nothing good ever happens when you two come over." The boy strongly resembled his cousins, but so did everyone in the family. Raven hair that was always accompanied by eyes darker than obsidian and skin paler than paper. But the young boy wore an eyepatch, intricately decorated with silver and gold thread, lace trimmings, and a tied together with soft black silk. "I want a new ornament piece to finish a gift I'm making. So give me that unusual blue thing you have," Lorelai remarked, with her hand outstretched waiting for him to hand it over. Albrecht was taken aback before scowling at the girl. "You know the rules we play a game and then you can get it if you win," he sneered, slapping away Lorelai's hand. It was at this moment when Valadis stepped forward grabbing his cousin's hand. "I'm not in the mood to humor your outburst today Albrecht," he growled, squeezing down on Albrecht's hand as the boy winced at the pain, "I'll play one game of Rock Paper Scissors and then we'll be on our way." As the two boys stood in the middle of the room, they began the game. As both of their hands came down it was clear-Albrecht had lost. "See there was no reason to do this in the first place," stated Valadis before slamming his cousin down on the velvet carpet, "It'd be much easier if you'd just lie down and let us do what we needed to do." As the boy wiggled under Valadis' hold he felt his eyepatch string loosen as Loralei fiddle with the string. As the patch felt it revealed his left eye was a brilliant blue, rivaling the clear water that rushed amongst waterfalls and lakes. "Yes this is what I was looking for," Lorelai chided, reaching towards Albrecht's face, "Be still or it will hurt." As the boy sat there writhing in pain, she pulled his eye from his socket before quickly wiping it off in her white handkerchief staining it red. "I told you to get a red handkerchief," spat Valadis, "every time we get you a new ornament you ruin your white ones." As he jumped off the boy, who continued to writhed on the carpet he dusted off his pants, "Calm down you big baby, it was just an eye. It'll be back in the morning." He watched as the boy sat up, blood dripping down his face. Albrecht turned to luge at Valadis, but the younger boy kicked him in his stomach. As Albrect gasped for air, Valadis pushed his head into the carpet, "Just bleed into the carpet and stop being a bother," he muttered before going to the door."See you at breakfast," he remarked over your shoulder, "I heard the chef will make raspberry scones, so be early." As he turned to look for his sister he realized she was already skipping down the hall, ready to finish up her gift, "Not so fast," yelled Valadis before his sister turned around to face him. "You may be cheerier than a hunting shrike, but I'm still bored," he groaned before his face lit up with a devious smile. "Let's visit cousin Madrid," he ventured to gain his sister's attention, "He put his grubby fingers on my brand new hunting knife so I think it's about time he loses a few." His sister beamed at the idea, fingers would make a lovely decoration for the forest monster's gift, "what a wonderful idea brother!" And so they walked down the long, dark hallway, humming as they began their next adventure in the manor.