Shire smiled as she laid her hand on the rough wood of the cottage door. There was nothing like coming home. Though not really her home, any place that housed friends was close enough to home for her. Grasping the doorknob, she jiggled it a little before pushing the door open… and was emidently bowled over by two small but strong bodies.

“Auntie! Welcome back!” The twin boys chimed in perfect harmony with each other.

“Ouff,” Shire grumbled, sitting up and peering at the two youths, then broke into a grin, grabbing both around the waist and lifting them up with her as she climbed to her feet and walked across the threshold.

Giggles and shrieks filled the cottage as she unceremoniously dumped the two ruffians on the bear rug before the fire and plopped down in one of the few wood chairs. Calmly removing her boots and refusing to look at the boys, she noted their father standing in the doorway watching her with a smirk. Turning her head to him she gave a wave and grin, then finally looked back at the identical expectant faces.

“Tell us a story Auntie!” They chimed, before each started tumbling over the other as they tried to decide what sort of story they wished to hear. “One about pirates! No, dragons! I want to hear the one about the Marsh Dragon! I want an adventure story! I want a brave hero! Can you tell us one about brothers like us? No that’s boring! Hero’s are always alone! No they are not! Knights got squires and stuff!”

Shire laughed and tossed her traveler’s coat over the boys, shushing them a moment as they struggled to get out from under the heavy white and brown fabric. “How old are you two now?”

One of the boy’s raised his hands and started counting the fingers, thinking hard while the other answered readily. “Ten!” Then shot his brother a triumphant smug smirk, getting a raspberry in return.

“Ten? My you’re getting big!”

“I’m bigger then Dillian!” One of the twins exclaimed, puffing his chest out. “Are not!” The other growled, shoving the first.

“I think I’ll tell you a story about a pair of brothers. They where not brothers by blood, in fact they were from completely different peoples. But in their hearts and souls it was as if they had sprung from the same source.”

Shire settled back into the chair, tipping it back a little as she eyed their enthralled faces.

“One brother was fair and light, tall, with silken hair the color of sun kissed wheat. His eyes where a golden color as well, one you never see in humans, and where set in a fine chiseled yet elegant and feminine face. His ears where pointed, like those of all his kind, for this brother was an elf.

The younger brother, in both years and spirit, was as dark as the older was fair. His skin was tanned from work in the fields and his hair the color of a raven’s wing. His eyes, oh his eyes where like two blue moons set in a kind and friendly face. He was human, fleeting and fragile compared to an elf’s long life, but the elf loved him just the same.”

“What where their names?” One of the brothers asked, eyes wide and shining.

“Eolus and Essnar.”

*******************

“Don’t even think about it,” Essnar warned, not turning from, nor pausing in the peeling of potatoes over a slightly battered old bucket. Eolus, standing no more then two feet behind the elf, let the breath he’d been holding as he tried to sneak up on him out in an explosive rush.

“How do you always know it’s me?”

“I know everything.”

“Only my mom can use that answer.”

“I feel like your mother. Always looking out for you. Now get over here and help me.”

Eolus reluctantly slunk around, pulling up a stool and half heartedly picking up a potatoe. “Do I have to?”

Essnar sighed, looking up and peering out from under his long hair. “It’s your fault I’m pealing them in the first place.”

Eolus laughed nervously. “Yeah… right…. About that…. Sorry I ‘barrowed’ your armor.”

“I needed that for today’s inspection you know.”

“Yeah… I know. I said I was sorry,” Eolus muttered, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

Essnar harrumphed, and held a peeling knife out to the boy. “I don’t believe you. Show me how sorry you are by helping me.”

It was always like this. Essnar had known Eolus since he was born, in fact had helped bring him into this world, and had been trapped like everyone else by those baby blue eyes. They lived in a communal farm, several families living together and sharing the same land. They had separate houses but they were packed so close together it would be an easy matter to connect them all. There was five families total, two of which where elf. Essnar’s family was the oldest, the founding family, and closest to the land. To him, Eolus was spoiled and to detached to ever make a good farmer… but perhaps when he was older, he’d make a good soldier.

That’s what Essnar’s father had done when Essnar had become restless and uncooperative. He’d enlisted him in the military and shipped him off to school. It had been a grueling three years but Essnar had come back a level headed and capable man. Eolus on the other hand, had remained childish and selfish.

“Maybe it’s just because I am so much older then him,” Essnar thought to himself as he peeled potatoes. The boy was just sixteen; a baby by elf standards while Essnar was approaching one hundred.

His thoughts where interrupted as Eolus through down the potato he had been peeling with a disgusted growl. “I’m tired of this.”

“You’ve barely started.”

“No! I’m tired of all of it!” He swept his arm wide to take in the entire farm. “The cows, the dirt, the chickens… being up at the crack of dawn ever day just to gather eggs… grooming horses, butchering, digging in the mud…”

“It’s what we do. We take care of the land. We feed our families, many others and ourselves. We are a vital part of the kingdom.”

“Do you really believe that horse shit?” Eolus asked, his blue eyes searching Essnar’s. “You’re a soldier. You get to go places, see the world. You don’t have to dig in the dirt. You could be up at the barracks living the high life right now if you wanted!”

Essnar slowly put the potato and knife he had in his hand down and regarded his companion coolly. “The life of a soldier is not that glamorous nor simple. We do dig in the dirt to create foxholes to hide in from the enemy. We march long hours with heavy packs in the unforgiving sun. And as for seeing the world? I have yet to leave the kingdom and most of the time when we meet people from other lands we are instructed to kill them on sight.”

“It’s still different and better then here!” Eolus shouted.

Essnar stared back at him coolly. “Are you that eager to die? That is the most likely end for a soldier. Dieing in some unknown wilderness either alone or amongst the mutilated bodies of your comrades and enemies. A soldier’s life is not glamoures Eolus. It is about blood and sweat. Seeing who can stay alive the longest.”

Eolus glared at his childhood friend, his fists balling into fists, and took a swing at him, only to yelp in surprise as Essnar caught the clumsy attack and twisted his arm at an awkward angle.

“I taught you to fight better then that. Your letting emotion cloud your judgment again.”

“I wish you where dead!” Eolus growled before jerking his arm free and storming off.

Essnar watched him go with a heavy heart, shaking his head sadly. “Be careful what you wish for Eolus. You might get it.”

********************

Not long after, war came and it came to pass that even Eolus and Essnar’s farm and the near by village where in danger. The soldiers stationed there moved out into the countryside, trying to lead the fighting away from the citizens and farmers. Eolus wished he was going with them, but he was yet to young to enlist. At the same time, he was also glad to see them go. Essnar and he had barely spoken to one another since the fight, and things had remained tense between them. There was relief when Essnar’s unit left in the early morning.

Shire, a visiting friend of the family, poked him as she watched him stare off into the distance, in the same direction the troops had gone. “Your worried about him.”

“I am not. He’s stronger and faster then me, he can take care of himself.”

Shire chuckled. “Stronger, faster, bigger… Essnar is an Elf after all. That’s to be expected. But there is always some one, somewhere that’s bigger or smarter then you. There is even some one bigger and smarter then and Elf. So you really shouldn’t be jealous.”

Eolus turned on her with a growl. “I’m not jealous!”

“Something’s up for you to be so angry.”

Eolus looked away, his eyes at first fixing on the ground but then traveling up to yet again fix on the far off point on the horizon behind which the soldiers had vanished.

“I just wish…”

“Go on,” Shire encouraged. “What do you wish?”

Eolus shook his head violently, shaking the thought aside. “It’s not important!”

“Oh…” Shire hummed then shoved a quiver and bow into Eolus’ chest. “If it’s not important then it’s your turn to go hunting deer.”

“Why can’t you?” Eolus glared at her.

“You know I can’t hit the broad side of a barn unless using a throwing knife and that’s no good in the woods.”

Rolling his eyes, Eolus snorted and slung the quiver over his back. “Oh fine! Your helpless you know?”

Shire grinned and batted her eyes in a cute and playful manner that just looked ridiculous on a grown woman. “That’s why I have you, to serve and protect me!”

“Serve and protect my hide…” Eolus muttered as he headed off toward the noonday sun and the woods that lay beneath it.

********************

Eolus had been walking for some time, traveling deeper and deeper into the woods. Days before, they had heard fighting in this area, but had been assured it had moved on, the clouds of war further off to the south now. He should be safe, but he was realizing most of the game had been chased off. Judging by the damage done in some parts of the woods, he couldn’t really blame the animals for running off.

Entire trees had been shattered and scorched. Great expanses of ground where laid barren and to waste by what looked to be some huge explosion. Fires had apparently run unchecked. He’d even found a few enemy arrows and a broken sword, just the hilt remaining.

The odd silence of the forest didn’t bother him so much as the burnt out patches. Those would take a while to grow back in and it might be years before the underbrush had accumulated enough to encourage deer and other game to seek this forest’s shelter again. Plus he was seeing signs of recent battle; reasonable fresh bloodstains and fresh scuff marks in the mud.

This forest was thick and covered many acres... but Eolus wasn’t really that deep into it. The fighting was getting very close to farm…

Eolus’ thoughts where interrupted by the sound of steel on steel and a startled flock of birds taking wing. His first instinct was to run, run home and hide, let the others defend the farm. Then his face contorted with anger. He was a man! He wasn’t supposed to be afraid!

Charging forward, Eolus bounded through the bushes and trees, skidding along dried fallen leaves, until he came to a halt, literally stumbling into a shallow stream. There, surprised and staring at him as if the devil himself had suddenly sprung from the ground, was one of the dreaded barbaric hordes. Eolus had no time to think or react as the man charged at him, a brutal looking curved sword raised to strike.

Drawing and notching an arrow in his bow, faster then a blink of an eye, Eolus released it and was rewarded by the solid thump as it embedded itself in his enemy’s chest. The body fell back with a jerk from the impact, landing with a load splash in the water.

Eolus could not move for a long moment, too stunned and wondering if what had just happened had been a dream or real. The body lying in the river was good proof it was real though. Swallowing back bile as he realized he’d just killed a man, Eolus slowly approached the corpse, prodding it with the end of his bow and finally knocking the bear skin covered pointed helmet aside and off.

The man… no boy… coughed blood, not quiet dead yet, grinning sarcastically up at Eolus. Eolus could only stare, his heart beating so hard he could not hear. This boy had his face. Except for the darker skin and longer, braided hair, this boy could have been his twin. They were even of the same age. It took Eolus a moment to realize he was speaking to him with a tongue heavy from accent and approaching death.

“…We, we needed a spy… I will walk the veil by his side… I could not… take… your life, but your brother’s is mine.”

An over whelming sense of dread like a cold hand creeping up his spine, came over Eolus. Grabbing the boy’s collar, he shook him. “What do you mean?! Essnar is far from here! What have you done!?”

The boy did not answer, all ready gone, his vacant blue-violet eyes locked hollowly on Eolus’, that grin forever frozen on his face.

Dropping the body in sudden fear, Eolus stood and started to franticly search the area in earnest. How could they know who his brother is? Take his life? Where they planning to have that boy take his place? Questions flew through his head but the one that kept repeating its self over and over was “Where is Essnar?”

Forcing himself to take a deep breath and focus, Eolus blinked as he noticed a darker red mingling with the bright red of the boy’s blood. Almost in a daze, he followed the swirling trail till he came upon tall reeds where water foul often nested. Pushing them aside, his heart froze.

Essnar lay in the water, his golden hair stained with mud, eyes closed as if asleep, and two vicious arrows protruding from his side, one broken in half. His arms where bound beneath him and judging from the bruising and blisters just starting to form; he had been beaten and perhaps tortured.

Falling to his knees, Eolus cradled his brother’s head in is lap, unawares of the hot tears flowing down his cheeks nor the animalistic cry torn from his throat.

“Please… please don’t leave me… not again…”

********************

One of the twins leapt up suddenly, “Auntie Shire! Essnar can’t die!”

Shire regarded him solemnly. “All things die eventually, Dhel. Death is part of life and comes in all shapes and sizes just like people. Imagine what might happen if nothing was able to die? This world would soon have no space for you to move or even breath in.”

The other twin snickered as his brother sat back down, mollified but not happy. Shire turned her attention to the snickering one.

“Don’t mock him. He’s passionate. That’s a good thing. Passion is one of the places courage comes from. If he hadn’t been passionate, Eolus might have run when he heard the noise in the woods instead of charging in to protect the farm.”

“That was foolish though. He should have snuck up instead of charging in like that. He could have gotten killed,” the small boy frowned.

Shire nods. “Yes. There is a fine line between foolishness and bravery. It’s skill and luck that determines which it is.”

“Auntie Shire? Can we go on with the story?”

“Yes of course, now where was I….”

*******************

Eolus hadn’t been the only one to watch the soldiers leave with mixed emotions. His blood sister, Nabelia, had always harbored a secret crush on Essnar. His leaving had filled her with pride, dread, and concern.

She stood now at the gate, watching the horizon when she noticed a figure emerging from the woods. She figured it was Eolus returning from hunting, then blinked and looked again, narrowing her eyes to see better.

The figure was straining, tugging a make shift sled behind him. It was Eolus, but his bow and quiver where gone, he looked beaten and disheveled, and that definitely wasn’t a deer on the sled. Though stained and streaked with blood, Nabelia could recognize that golden hair and pointed ears anywhere.

Thankfully, unlike her brother, Nabelia had a calm and steady head on her shoulders. Her cries for help and the need of the healer brought the farm to life, like a beehive threatened. Running to Eolus’ side, her attention was for the living first… Essnar may not be alive though the thought broke her heart. Eolus was in shock, and clearly exhausted. He must have pulled the sled a long way. She could see no visible wounds on him, but that did not mean he was not hurt. As men from the farm gathered, she instructed them to bring Essnar inside quickly as she led her dazed and unresponsive brother after.

As they settled Essnar on a bed inside the main farmhouse, the healer moved in and quickly announced Essnar still breathed, then begin giving orders for hot water, towels and his tools. Nabelia left the healer to his work, if any one could save Essnar, he could. Taking a damp washcloth, she began to gently wipe the dirt and grime from Eolus’ face, hoping to revive him as she did. He seemed so… broken.

Slowly, Eolus blinked and finally focused on her. Turning his head, he took in his surroundings for the first time, and then looked back at Nabelia.

“Essnar…” His voice was cracked and softer then she’d ever heard it.

“Is alive for now. The healer is seeing to him,” She reassured him, taking a glass of water and pressing it to his lips. “Drink.”

He obeyed dully at first, and then gently pushed the glass away as tears filled his eyes. Nabelia wordlessly took him into her arms, hugging him close, his hot tears soaking her shirt as she watched the healer work.

********************

The arrows where successfully removed and the wound stitched closed. Essnar had been lucky and no vital organs had been hit. Unfortunately he had lost a lot of blood and still slept, to weak to do much else. Nabelia took turns with Eolus, watching over their recovering friend, Nabelia often carefully spooning broth and water down his throat as Eolus held his head.

It was a full six days before Essnar opened his eyes.

Nabelia had fallen asleep in the chair next to the bed. Eolus took the opportunity to kneel down next to the bed and speak quietly to Essnar.

“I, I never really wanted you dead… I didn’t mean what I said. I’m sorry. This is all my fault. When I had the chance, I got angry instead of telling you how I felt… It’s not the farm I’m tired of… I’m tired of being left behind. You’re always leaving me behind. Please… I didn’t mean what I said… don’t leave me behind again. Please get better soon.”

Essnar smiled softly and placed a hand reassuringly over Eolus’ where it lay on the bed. His voice was still soft and weak but had been gaining strength the last few days. “Your such a child Eolus.”

Eolus blinked, not sure if Essnar was teasing him or not, feeling slightly hurt by those words, but Essnar continued and he hurt faded.

“I never blamed you for anything Eolus. This was not your fault. Yes words are powerful things, but I knew I was eventually going to get hurt in this profession. Comes with the job.”

“Then why do it?” Eolus asked curiously.

“So that I can protect you. Protect you, Nabelia, our parents, the farm, everyone.”

A comfortable silence embraced the pair as Eolus considered Essnar’s words. Slowly a smile crept across his lips. “Your not going to leave me behind any more are you?”

Essnar chuckled softly, wincing some as he did, the movement pulling at his stitches. “No. I have a feeling you will be following me soon, and perhaps passing me.”

“No. Once I reach it, I will always walk at your side.”

“Promise?” Essnar grinned.

“Promise.”

********************

“So what happened next? Did Eolus become a soldier too? Did Essnar recover completely? What about Nabelia? Who won the war?” The twins tumbled over themselves and each other as Shire’s voice dropped off.

Shire laughed. “Some of that is a story for another time. But yes, Essnar made a full recovery and in time to see Eolus join the soldiers. They even got assigned to the same patrol and became a fearsome duo on the battlefield. Though they did not win the war signal handedly, far from it, they did contribute considerably to the victory that was eventually had.”

“Wow.” Dillon breathed, his eyes shinning with visions of the battles they must have been in.

Dhel grinned and pointed his finger at his brother as if it was a sword. “Have at you villain!”

Dillon responded with his own finger sword, knocking his brother’s aside. “You can’t beat me!”

“We’ll see!”

As the children played at sword fighting Shire stood up from her chair stretching. A moment later a hand was laid on her shoulder and she turned to smile at the boys’ father.

“How is Nabelia doing?

Essnar smiled back. “Very well. She’ll be home later. Some of the new farm hands have been sleeping on the job lately and I suspect she’s giving them a dressing down.”

Shire giggled. “That’s Nabelia for you.”

“Did you see Eolus at the capital?”

“Yup! And he sends his love!” Shire exclaimed, moving to embrace the elf. “And he instructed me to give you a big hug for him and be a bratty pest in his absence.”

Essnar laughed and smiled fondly. “He’s still such a child.”