Where Is Everyone

Tobias held his second daughter in his arms and stared at her in amazement. His two girls looked almost nothing alike. Where Emerella was golden haired and already showed the signs of having Vivianne's golden complexion, (truly a copy of her mother), his second daughter was pale like him, she had his jet-black hair that was straight as a pin. Her face was not quite his, but not exactly Vivianne's either, but a mix of both, vaguely heart shaped and very adorable. And unlike her sister, the second baby had her eyes open and they were the exact same bright, shining sapphire blue as his own. The baby had not made a sound since its initial entry into the world, but she stared at him like she was studying his face.

"You truly are as beautiful as can be, little one. You and your sister both are beautiful and unique, but you certainly do not look alike."

"They're fraternal twins, sir, not so uncommon." Gia answered the king statement.

"Yes, I've met a few, but my own brother and I are so identical that people never could tell us apart, no one besides mother of course."

"She must have mixed you up sometimes." Gia wondered.

"I'm sure she did, but she never mentioned it, but I am glad my girls are not identical, this way they can be their own unique person, not having to worry about comparisons." Tobias said remembering his own childhood woes of having a twin brother.

"What will you name her, sir?" Gia asked curiously.

"Oh, I have been thinking since I saw her face," Tobias said pensively, "I was thinking the name Braelyn suited her."

"I think that is wonderful, it's a name fit for a princess. Princess Braelyn Kaileary and her sister Princess Emerella Kaileary, they will be quite special."

"Yes, I think they will be as well, my beautiful special little girls."

Tobias stared at Braelyn's face, Emerella slept in the bassinet, and Gia fretted over Vivianne. She had regained some of her strength and was getting cleaned up, now that both babies had been born and the after birth cleared away. Emerella began to fuss and Gia handed her to Vivianne.

"It's time for her first feeding my Queen, why don't give it a try." Gia said propping Vivianne up with pillows.

"Yes, I would be glad to." Vivianne cooed and she stared at her baby girl. "Once I have fed her, I will feed Braelyn." Vivianne spoke with so much love that it seemed to be pouring off her in waves, these two little girls were going to be so loved and cherished.

While the queen busied herself with her first time feeding a baby, Gia showing her how she should proceed, Tobias continued to stare at Braelyn's eyes. The eyes were mystifying, so bright and clear for such a young baby.

"You seem so smart already, Braelyn, you really are going to be special, aren't you?" He whispered to the little girl, and as he did so Braelyn's bright blue eyes flashed, for just a fraction of a second, to a vivid amethyst color. The king gasped quickly. Does she have magic? He asked himself. Could it be the first child in the family with magic in over a hundred years? Well there was only one way to find out.

"Gia?" He called.

"Yes, sir?" Gia answered walking over to him.

"When you were cleaning the girls after their birth, did you notice if either of them bore a family birthmark?" Most children born to the family had a birthmark, not all, but most of them. They had one of two, either the crescent moon or the pointed sun, it has been this way for generations. He had a crescent moon, as did his brother, their father bore the sun and his aunt the moon, his grandfather the sun, and so on and so on.

"Yes sir, they both bore marks." Gia answered nervously.

"Which one?" He asked.

"Emerella has the sun sir, on the back of her right shoulder." Gia answered, but Tobias felt like she was holding something back.

"What one does Braelyn have?" He asked, not sure if he was prepared for the answer.

"Sir," Gia said a little nervously, "sir, Braelyn has both." Her answer came as almost a whisper. Tobias did his best not to react, he was expecting that, in a way, since he had seen her eyes flash, he knew that flash meant two things. One, that Braelyn had magic, and two, that she had understood what he was saying to her. She truly was going to be special, just like he and Tomas had been saying, the babies born this day were a sign.

"Where are her marks?" He asked. The legends of the family said that only children with a birthmark could inherit the fabled Kaileary magic, they must have one, but if they had both, which had not happened for years now, then they would be exceptionally powerful, and the closer the two marks were to each other the stronger their magic would be.

"Sir, they are both on her back, the moon is on top in between her shoulder blades, and the top of the sun is touching the edge of the moon, it is in the center of her back."

Gia's answer confirmed what he was already thinking, this child would be exceptionally special, something great was in store for her, that was sure. He unwrapped the tiny baby in his arms just enough to see birthmarks. They were exactly as Gia had described, in between her shoulder blades there were slightly silver lines on her pale, perfect baby flesh forming the crescent moon. And at the bottom tip of the crescent moon the slightly golden lines forming the pointed sun began. The marks were indeed touching. He traced the lines of both marks with his index finger and felt a thrumming of power. His daughter was the first to be born with magic in the family in a hundred years. Magic itself was becoming more and more rare with fewer magic users born each year. He only knew of two in the city and not many beyond. Except for in the village of Whispering Willows, that was said to be the safe haven for many magic users. The possibilities for what this could mean for his baby both excited and scared him. Magic this strong could corrupt, and it could also be sought by others to use in the way they see fit. He would have to protect his family, at all costs.

"Tobias dear," Vivianne called to him, "let me feed Braelyn now, it's time her mother got to hold her properly." The queen said with a laugh in her voice and a smile on her lips.

"Yes dear, you are right, and I want to go inform Tomas of the wonderful news." He said as he stood to walk to his wife's side. He handed her the baby and bent to kiss his wife lovingly on the forehead. "I love you so much, Viv, you and these wonderfully beautiful daughters you have seen fit to grace me with. You are truly the queen of my heart."

"Oh you." Vivianne said blushing as she took and tucked the baby into her arms. He looked at her fondly one last time before he walked quietly out of the room. His heart was singing with joy and his face had a smile upon it that he thought was going to be permanent, he felt like the luckiest man alive.

As Tobias walked lazily through the hallways, he noticed that things just didn't feel right.

"Why does it feel so odd in here right now?" He asked himself aloud. It wasn't until he reached the stairs leading down towards the kitchens that he realized what was wrong. He had asked his brother to fill in for him when he found out Vivianne was going to have the baby, no babies, today. And today was the one hundredth anniversary of Kail's defeat of Lord Eion, the capitol always honored that by holding a great celebration with fireworks, feasts, music, dancing, and so much noise that no one was likely to sleep until the next morning. However, as he walked down the hall, he realized what was wrong, it was quiet. It was more than quiet; it was silent as if there were no one else in the capitol let alone the castle. Sensing danger as he reached the front of the castle, he spun on his heels just as he heard the whistling of an arrow slicing through the air.

"RRUUUNNNNN!" He yelled as loud as he could just before he felt the arrow pierce his body.