The twins looked at each other, eyes telling the others not to tell. They were completely identical, white hair, blue eyes and pale bodies. Even though one was a boy and one was a girl, there was almost no differences. It was the royal twins Tom and Dorothy. They were seven years and quiet kids. They had been said to see things that didn't exist, to see ghosts. And that was exactly what they had done this time. They had seen the dark shadows in the hall again and one of the maids had caught them. She got scared and reported to the king. The twins got seated in their room as the king and queen asked them to tell what they had seen this time.
Don't tell, Tom thought. They won't understand anyways.
Dorothy took his little hand in hers. No worries.
How much the king and king pleaded, it wouldn't work. The two 7-year olds wouldn't bulge. They had promised each other not to tell and they wouldn't. The fear controlled them every second they were awake. If they told anyone, they would die, they knew it. The ghosts would take their small bodies, twist them like laundry and laugh while their bones broke.
"This doesn't work", the king sighed and dragged his hand through his hair. "Why aren't you telling us?"
"We want to go play", Tom said and stood up. He had gotten tired of this interrogation.
"Thomas, sit down", the queen said. "Maybe this isn't working because they're together."
"You're right", the king said. "We should send one of them to the castle in Nelville to live with your sister. She can help them."
They're not separating us, Dorothy thought and felt her blood boil. We're going to die. They'll take us when we're alone.
We can't let that happen, Tom thought and looked down into the floor. You have to stay with me. They'll kill me.
"Don't do it", Dorothy said. "Don't send Tom away."
"I'm afraid we have to. It doesn't have to be Tom ... it could be you", the queen said apolically.
That made Dorothy snap. She flew up from the chair and stormed out of the room. The pair was so shocked that Tom had time to run out as well. The twins were faster than usual kids. No one could catch them. Being small and flexible was fortunate for the little royals.
One day it happened. It was Dorothy that had to leave. The queen's sister came with her horse and carriage. Dorothy hugged Tom tightly. The queen, her sister and the king thought how it was weird that they weren't crying and not speaking. Little did they know that the twins were having a whole conversation inside of their heads.
I'll find you, Tom thought. Don't worry.
I'll come back as well, Dorothy thought back. They can't keep me there. I'm just scared ... we use to protect each other when the monsters come. What do we do now?
We have to be strong. Those monsters can't control us. Be strong for me, okay?
If you promise to be strong.
Tom smiled. Absolutely.
They let each other go and with one last, sad glance Dorothy stepped into the carriage beside the woman she never met before. The door closed and she was alone with her. The woman, known as Lucy, cleared her throat.
"I hope you're not any trouble, young lady", she said. "I don't like noisy children."
"I'm not", Dorothy whispered. "I'm not loud at all."
"You better keep it that way."
The carriage started to move and Dorothy felt how she couldn't talk with Tom through her mind anymore. She felt stiff, the woman beside her made her uncomfortable and she wished that she could stay at home.
:::
Tom watched how the carriage disappeared from his vision. He sighed down into the ground and felt the anger rise. How could they force her to leave him? How would he survive when they weren't together? He didn't look at his parents as he stormed back into the castle. He had to prepare himself for the ghosts before they had any chance to surprise attack him. Running with all his speed, he got into his and Dorothy's chamber. Quickly he looked around and tried to find something to barricade the door and windows with. He was small and the furniture so big. How would he move them? But then he remembered that the ghosts would be able to make their way into the room either ways. Panic flowed through his veins and he didn't know what to do. Fight or flee? His mind was spinning and so was his heart. Tom was sure that his heart was jumping out of his chest and down on the floor. It would be a perfect moment for the spirits to grab his heart and rip it apart. Tom could see in front of him how his blood would splatter all over the room, coloring everything to red. He swallowed and forced himself to find a way. There had to be a way to barricade the door.
After a couple of hours of sitting in the window with his eyes wide open, the queen came into the room. He didn't want to look at the woman he was supposed to call mother. He couldn't believe what she had done to Dorothy. She didn't understand the important part of them being together. Without each other, they both would die. He kept his gaze out the window, seeing the Alora Sea far away. He could see some of the pirate ships in the sparkling water. Oh, how he sometimes wished he could be a pirate and not a prince. Fighting all days long and feel the fresh wind from the sea. He could go away from all the ghosts and spirits, leave them here. It would be a paradise.
"Thomas, it's time for bed", his mother said.
"No", Tom answered simply. He would not go to sleep before his sister came home. He would make sure of that. "Bring Dorothy back and I'll do it. I'm not sleeping until she's at home."
"Don't be ridiculous. We're doing this for your own good."
Tom wanted to scoff. If they did this for his own good, they wouldn't take his sister away from him. They would die tonight and he knew it.
