One yawned widely, leaning heavily against the wall next to him, squinting into the distance, “Hey, Vaen… do those two specks over there look like riders to you?” he pointed with a hand, squinting along his arm until finger and the specks were aligned.
The other, Vaen, moved over to his partner and looked out at where the man was pointing, squinting as well, “Looks to me like they might be… riding hard, whoever they are.” He paused for a second, as the two riders drew closer, trying to make out their horses, “They don’t look like messengers to me… wonder what business they have.”
The first shrugged, “We’ll find out, then. They can’t get in without passing us.”
They waited in silence, as the riders drew closer and closer, until it was easy to make out the details of them. Both horses had odd colorations, as one was a jet black with what looked like a silver mane and tail, while the other seemed to have a bluish silver coat, with blue-black head, legs, mane, and tail. Their riders were crouched forward slightly, hands resting on their legs, platinum hair streaming after them, though only one had a long coat of sorts that looked almost like a cape, the way it was blown out behind him.
Almost as one, the two horses slowed down, from a gallop to a canter, then a trot, and finally to a walk for the last few paces towards the closed gate. Neither horse seemed to be winded, or even sweating, despite the unseasonable warmth of the just beginning day.
Both guardsmen shivered, as four unnatural gazes focused on them, and almost they made the sign of warding, to shield them from demons, but the eyes of the two humans took on an amused appearance the second that they began to.
“Business?” Vaen looked up at the two riders, absently noticing how every strand of hair was in place on both of them, despite being whipped about not even three minutes ago.
The man smiled, “We’re merely travelers, out to explore the world and see the sights.”
“I need your names, and if you’re not on official business, then I’m sorry, but you’ll have to wait until after sunrise, when the gates open to the public.”
“That would not be wise of you, to keep us waiting here,” the woman remarked coldly, looking down at him from her perfectly still mount, her sapphire tinged amethyst eyes cold as ice, “I am Lesarakel A’vredon re’l Encare’ar-ai.”
“And I am her twin, Tirvaltoraiel A’vredon se’l Encare’ar-ai, as well as the next in line to inherit the A’vredon lands.”
The two guards exchanged looks, wondering what sort of maniac would let it be known that he was next in line to rule any land. Vaen finally shrugged, and looked up at them, “I’m sorry, but I still can’t let yo—“
“Here, will this convince you?” Tirvaltoraiel reached into his coat with his left hand, and pulled out a wad of papers, sorting through them quickly before handing one to the guard.
Both of them looked it over carefully, eyes narrowed in an attempt to find any falsehood in the documents that the man had provided, but nothing seemed amiss.
Vaen sighed, then handed the papers up to Tirval once more, “Very well then, we’ll let you through.”
His partner pulled open a small door that was set into the big ones, and motioned for the two riders to pass through, closing it swiftly behind them.
“Blue blooded aristocrats,” Vaen muttered, “Their country loves them, I’ve heard. Not to mention the entire place has never once been conquered… I’m leery of dealing with any of their sort. Rumors surround that family more than any other ancient family.”
“Both they and their horses are unnatural beasts,” the other guard spoke softly, glancing at the closed door that he had let the two through, “I think they’re demons.”
Vaen merely nodded, as both of them quickly made the sign of warding, then spoke no more on the two travelers.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
::Well that was simple enough, I don’t see what uncle was warning us about.::
Les gave him an amused look, ::Only because you had the brilliant idea to research what the official passes and documents look like.::
Tirv merely smiled at her, as their horses walked calmly next to each other, heading towards one of the various inns that lined the streets. Only a few showed activity this early in the morning, and most of the ones that did looked rather questionable.
::That one right there looks the best.:: She pointed at a relatively plain looking building that had a single light glowing outside of it, and one inside at a desk where a clerk sat, writing something out.
He nodded, both of their horses turning to walk into and stop in the courtyard in front of the inn. They both swung off, then strode in, leaving both Starlance and Starsilver untied and unwatched without a thought. After all, they weren’t really horses, just beings that had chosen to take the form of horses.
“Good morning, sir,” Tirv spoke, forcing back a smile as the clerk almost jumped a foot out of his chair, “My sister and I were wondering if you had some rooms available?”
“Ah… ah… sorry, sir, sorry, madam, I didn’t notice either of you entering,” the clerk nervously flipped through the books, then scanned the list that he found quickly, “Uhm… we have two adjoining rooms available, if that’s suitable…”
Tirval nodded, “That’s superb. How much?”
“Ah… five gold, for the… day?”
“Yes, we’ll be spending the day, maybe several,” he glanced at his sister, arching an eyebrow in question.
“Three gold, plus a meal now and in the evening, and a bath. Plus stabling for our mounts.”
The clerk looked up, peering at them over his glasses, “Four gold and three silvers.”
She smiled faintly, “Three gold, two silvers, and three copper. That’s a more than fair offer for what I believe the rooms are like here.”
“Three gold and ten silver.”
“Make it five silver and we have a deal.”
The clerk nodded, “Very well, we do indeed have a deal. Your names?”
Lesara pulled a money pouch from her belt, and swiftly counted out the agreed upon amount, then set it upon the counter, “I am Lesarakel A’vredon re’l Encare’ar-ai, and this is my brother, Tirvaltoraiel A’vredon se’l Encare’ar-ai.”
The clerk held a hand over the money, his lips moving faintly as he watched the small pile intently. Finally, satisfied, he swept them up and put the coins into the cash box, then quickly jotted down their names, “Come with me, then, and I’ll show you to your rooms.”
He picked up two keys, then walked up the flight of steps next to the desk, the two of them following him closely. With a small gesture, he indicated two rooms, the doors right next to each other, “Here, these two are your rooms. Your bath will be sent up shortly, and I’ll go awaken the stable hand to stable your mounts.”
Tirval shook his head, “No, one of us will deal with our mounts. They usually don’t like being handled by others.”
“Ah…” the clerk nodded, “I see. Very well then, if that’s the way you want it.”
“It is.”
The man shrugged, then handed Tirval the keys, “Never-the-less, I will go and see to having your bath sent up shortly, along with a meal.”
He walked past them, and back down the steps, leaving the two of them to figure out their rooms by themselves. Tirval tossed one key to Les, then mentally engaged a version of the finding spell, to let him know which door went with the key he held. The lock glowed faintly with a purple light, that vanished the second he slid the key into it and turned it, hearing the click of the tumblers as the door unlocked.
Tirv pushed the door open, then strode in, blinking in the rather bright light, or at least to his eyes, that illuminated the room, coming from the east facing window. With a mental grumble, he pulled the key out of the lock, then closed the door, before crossing over to the windows and pulling the shutters closed tightly.
::Well, I’m glad we have four mages here instead of just two.:: His sister’s mindvoice was faintly annoyed, and edged with a faint tint of pain.
::I know. I told you having Mage horses would come in handy.:: He grinned slightly, as he opened the adjoining door and poked his head into her room, “Since it’s that light out, I’ll go and stable Starlance and Starsilver.”
She nodded, “Alright.”
Tirval smiled, “Don’t scare the servants off, hmm?”
Her snort followed him out the door, along with the mental impression of, if she scared them off, then the servants weren’t worthy of waiting on them in any case.
He trotted down the steps, then out the front door and past the clerk that was once more back at the desk, writing something down. Both of their mounts instantly fell into step with him, one on either side, as he walked towards the stables, nodding a greeting to the young man that was opening the stable up.
“G’day, sir, thems yer horses?”
Tirval nodded, “Mine and my sister’s.”
“Ah. I’ll take ‘em then, sir. Ye can return t’yer sister.”
“No,” Tirval smiled faintly to take the sting out of the denial, “These two don’t like others touching them.” A glance around revealed a shadowed corner with two stalls in it, which he pointed to, “Does that remain in shadow all day?”
The stable hand nodded, “Aye, does indeed, sir… not that it matters t’most people, since we lets the horses out after sunrise.”
“Here,” he pressed three coins into the young man’s hand, “Keep these two in during the day, and in the stalls that I put them in. Make sure that you feed and water both of them good.”
The young man’s eyes widened as he looked at the coins in his hands, “Aye sir! Whateva y’say, sir!”
::Go to those two stalls, if you would, hmm? Les and I are going to need your help in setting up a sun shield on our rooms, soon.::
“What‘n th’ blazes…” the young man quickly stepped out of the way as first Starsilver, and then Starlance, strode down the aisle and nosed open the doors of the stables, before walking calmly in and nosing the doors closed.
Tirv hefted the two light saddles easily, packs and all, the bit-less bridles hung on the small horn of their respective saddle, “I would appreciate it if you didn’t lock those doors.” He nudged the saddles and bridles with a bit of his magic, making them vanish from his hands and reappear on the low wall that stood between the two stalls, ignoring the wide-eyed look that the stable hand gave him, as his clothing instantly returned to its pristine state, “Don’t worry about them getting loose, because they won’t.”
Saying nothing more, he turned and strode swiftly from the stable, trotting across the courtyard with his head down, in an attempt to avoid most of the sunlight that was finding its way into the sheltered area. Tirval took the stairs at a quick, but still measured pace, not giving in to the desire to take them two or three at a time.
When he entered his room, it was to find food enough for two sitting on the table, and the door between their rooms open.
::So, did you scare off the servants?::
Lesara strode into his room, giving him a faintly annoyed look, although humor rested beneath it, where only he could spot it, “Servants? More like cowering scraps of human refuse. I snap at them once because they start opening the shutters, and they’re instantly cowering before me.”
He arched an eyebrow, “Oh really?” a smile, “You didn’t happen to slam the shutters closed and push the servant away from them with magic, did you?”
“Me?” she gave him an innocent expression, “Why, brother dear, why would I ever do anything like that?”
Tirval shrugged, “Just a guess. Come on, lets get the sun shield set up already, I dislike all this light.”
At her nod, both of them settled onto the floor and made themselves comfortable. Their minds instantly merged together the rest of the way, then together reached for their respective partner, bringing the two horse Mages into the merge as well.
Tirval gently took control of all of their power, and began to weave it into a shield about both of the rooms that they had paid for, sliding it a few centimeters into the walls, ceiling, and floor, though ignoring the wall that separated their rooms, and instead weaving the shield as if that wall didn’t exist at all. Even with their eyes closed and sunk into a spell trance as they were, the fading light of the room as it was sealed off was sensed. Finally, with a mental twist, he completed the weaving, throwing both rooms into complete darkness.
Their partners pulled away first, though slowly even so, but the siblings remained in the meld for a while longer, savoring the closeness of their tie that could never be broken or blocked by anything or anyone. Twins in their family weren’t rare by any means, but twins that shared the Night Magic were believed impossible, though there had been twins that shared the common Day Magic that the rest of the family held, and twins that each held different magics, one Day and one Night, could achieve some interesting things when working together.
But their bond was much deeper than the bond shared by most of the twins in their family, and they savored the closeness that meant that neither was ever alone, despite how far apart they were in the physical sense.
Finally, though, they, too, separated and returned to their own minds, slowly opening eyes and staring across the darkness into the glowing eyes of the other.
Les was the first to move, as she rose from her position on the floor, her eyes flickering over to the table where the food rested. Hunger gnawed at both of them, a combination of it having been hours since their last meal, and the cost of the magic that they had just worked together. Though, since they had worked it together, and the cost of it had been split between four people, none were as bad off as if they had worked it alone.