Finding Sunshine

All is fair in love and war

“I’ve been here for days! You can’t keep me here forever.” Chad declared. He was standing in a room made of cement, the only light there was is from a small window, big enough for a medium dog to pass through.

“We promised.” Zarak reminded his twin.

“So what?” Chad snarled.

“A war is coming brother. I don’t care about dying but we need to protect our people. We need to protect Rain.” Zaraks voice was stern and loving.

“Protect Rain? We allowed her mom to die. Do you really think she’ll agree to be queen?” Chad put up his fingers in the air as quotation. “Our bad about your mom but we made a universe promise.” He put his hands back down. Chad couldn’t understand how his brother didn’t feel guilty. How could he live with himself.

“The war will come soon, Zee. Beings will die.” Zarak said. His voice stern but not so loving anymore.

“We’ll be dead by then. Who cares.” Chad sounded defeated. He was losing the energy to even fight with his brother.

Zarak sighed. “Let’s say we don’t honor our promise and we die. Did you ask yourself who’s gonna protect Rain when the war comes? She’ll be beaten and tortured.”

“She’ll be safe in the dark woods.” Chad has thought about it. “This war is against scarlet.”

“This war is against scarlet and all its territory.” Zarak snapped. “Dark woods is under scarlet protection. It’s our territory. Our responsibility.”

Chad walked closer to his twin to study his face.

“Dad spoke it into law after you left.” Zarak said. His voice now lowered, realizing that Chad didn’t know.

“I don’t know. Maybe seeing xara again took away his anger and any grudges he held.”

Chad ran his finger through his hair. He was finally understanding why he and his brother had to make the promise that they did to the king. Dark woods would see one of their own on the throne and it would bring the clans together. They would have strength in numbers.

“Does she know?” Chad asked Zarak.

“She knows about our parents but..” Zarak made a face.

“It’s a lot for her to process. We need to give her time.” He continued.

“We’ll let me know how it goes.” Chad said. He didn’t know how she was going to take it and he sure wasn’t gonna be the one to tell her.

Zarak walked forward and unlocked the gate that was holding his brother.

“Now that we’re on the same page, you should be there, Zee.” He stepped aside to allow room for him to pass.

Chad walked out and stopped infront of his twin. “Zee is dead. My names Chad now.” He said before continuing to the stairs that lead out of the dungeon. Zarak chuckled and followed his brother up the stairs.

“Okay” Zarak said in a sarcastic tone. “What’s wrong with Zeek anyways?” He asked his brother, using his full name.

“It sounds like geek.” Chad joked back.

They had finally reached the top of the stairs and Chad could hear his brother breathing uncontrollably hard. He turned around to see why his twin hadn’t taken the chance to call him a geek and saw how weak just climbing the stairs made him. Zarak looked pale and exhausted.

“I don’t feel good.” Zarak said between breaths. His hazel eyes starting to roll back as he was losing consciousness.

Chad reached out just in time to stop him from falling backwards.

“I got you.” He said as he lifted his brother over his shoulder. There’s a guest room just around the corner that he knew he could lay his brother down to rest.

Chad opened the door to the room and almost dropped his twin.

There she was, his beautiful queen.

Rain saw Zarak and promptly got up and walked towards them.

“What did you do?” She asked Chad. Her concerned voice caught him off guard.

“Lay him down.” She motioned to the bed. Chad walked over, carefully laid his brother on the bed and propped his head up with a pillow.

He turned to face Rain. Her eyes focused on his twin.

“The universe doesn’t take promise’s lightly.”

Chad spoke softly. They we’re running out of time and She needed to know everything.

Rain looked at Chad, confused.

“When the beings from the snow mountains took our mothers, they intended harm, even if we were to surrender.” He took a deep breath, trying to buy time so he can figure out how to word it.

“Your mom sent out to my father the plans she over heard some of them laughing about. Xara was kept kindly but her father was prepared to let her wither in the name of victory. Together they agreed that it be best to save our people. My father made Zarak and I promise to take you as queen and unite the clans. With us married our two clans cannot be at war because we'd be considered one.” Chad rubbed his neck. “The universe takes everything as it is spoken, so when We promised to take your hand in marriage.. We.. uh.” He had no clue how to say it. How do you tell someone that not only are they promised to be married but they must marry both of you in order to save everyone from war.

“You both are tied to the promise?” Rain asked as she looked at Zarak, then back at him.

Chad nodded. He couldn’t believe how quickly she understood.

“But why is he dying and your healthy?” Rain asked.

“He’s been deprived of you.” Chad said. Like a animal who’s gone days without water, Zarak has gone years without her love.

“Is he going to die?” Rains voice sounded worried. She made her way to the bed, sat next to Zarak and grabbed his hand.

Chad looked away. He knew rain had already felt the bond between her and Zarak.

“Just being next to him will keep him here longer.” He said so matter of fact.

“But the universe will collect once the cold comes and war begins.”

Chad made his way to the door. “I need to send for our allies.” He said without looking back, then he walked out and closed the door behind him.