Prologue I.

"Mama! Mama!"

I looked up from the tome that laid open on my lap, seeing the small figure of my sweet Camille running towards me, her bare feet pattering on the worn wood of the solar's floor. She bumped into my legs before she could stop fully, and I nearly laughed what appeared to be my small daughter carefully enacted melodrama on how she was hardly tired and wished to stay up far later than what I could permit.

But I felt how her little hands gripped my bedgown and knew this was something far different. I leaned over my book to tenderly place my hands under Camille's chin and tilted up her head so that I could look at those owl-orange eyes. I saw my own mother in her features; small but terribly stubborn and fierce. A small pang of remembrance struck my heart as Camille looked up at me with those wide eyes and a knitted brow, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Something troubles you, my owlet?" I cooed as I slipped my fingertips away from Camille's cheeks and shut the old book with a soft thump and slid it from my lap to the floor beside my chair and drew my small daughter in its place. She was worried, I could tell in the way she snuggled herself into my body, and I played with her black locks in response to this, to soothe her even a little bit. All these signs pointed to only one reason why the girl would be awake so late that was not mischief;

"Rosie had bad dreams again, she was yelling."

"And she woke you?"

A nod of her dark-haired head confirmed that Camille's younger twin, Rosanna, had suffered from those blackened dreams again. Certainly, her dreams were not as horrific as they had once been, but went they came it was so draining; I could not protect Rosanna from the dreams that plagued her. Was a mother not supposed to protect her children from anything that would do them harm?

I couldn't help but close my eyes in weariness and hold by the sigh that threatened to push past my lips. Instead, I planted a firm kiss on Camille's head and patted her back. "Then let us go and be sure that Rosie is alright, shall we, my owlet?" I hummed against her scalp before feeling her slide from my lap and felt her take my cool hand into her much smaller, much warmer one.

I stood and allowed Camille to lead away from the warmth of the solar's fireplace and into the far draftier hallway.

As Camille led the way, I allowed my mind to wander for only a moment to why's and how's and what if's before settling onto something the midwife had spoken to me the day of Camille and Rosanna's birth; 'Twins oft cannot bear to be separated, m' lady. One soul in two bodies they are, bound by blood and spirit like a chain and weight. You'll not find one without the other, and if they are apart, they'll feel each ill that befalls the other.' I pursed my lips at the memory but regained my focus as Camille's hand slipped out of mine.

My children, my sweet and clever little girls, I had been expecting oddity with them but now, as I watched Camille miss each toy that was scattered over the floor with a strange grace, I knew they would grow into their own unique breed. I knew my difficulties as their mother was only beginning, despite removing them from the situation we had all been in previously.

The room glowed a soft yellowed tone as a small flame erupted in Camille's equally small hands and she lit the wick of the oil lamp that stood the bed-side table on her side of the room, allowing me to see Rosanna tucked into the blankets of Camille's bed. She was holding onto the small stuffed rabbit I had sewn for her and shaking like a newborn lamb on a cold day. It was in their nature to seek one another out for comfort, and it was not an uncommon sight for me to find them in the same bed, despite there being two within the room.

The light of the oil lamp and the bright shining of the three moons lit my way across the treacherous path of toys that littered the floor. It reminded me in these moments that they were just children; sweet little girls that wanted to play in the gardens and cause mischief among the Almacite Golems that lived within the Tower with us. These small reminders also helped to mask the reasons behind the choices I had made, leading up to this point; Camille's ability to harness magia was bordering the lines of bewildering wonder and terrifying, whereas there my sweet and fair-haired Rosanna was gifted with dreams that gave a small glimpse of what was to come.

I sat on the edge of the bed and watched as Camille climbed up beside me and burrowed under the blankets behind her sister before smiling, my hand reaching out to stroke Rosanna's cheek. "Millie told me that you were having some really bad dreams tonight, Rosie… Do you want to talk about them?" Wisps of her blonde hair floated loose from her braid as she very sternly shook her head at my mention of even speaking about the dreams that plagued her.

When she burrowed her face into her rabbit, I gave an exaggerated sigh and tapped my chin. "Well, I suppose then I'll just have to do something else…" It was at that point I crawled my way between my daughters and shuffled my way under the covers, pulling them close tome with either arm. I could feel them wiggle and cuddle close to me and Camille's orange eyes looked up at me, wide.

"Mama, are you going to show us your magia?" She asked with bewilderment and wonder. Despite Camille's talents, she still adored watching others use their abilities, and even Rosanna, who continued to snuggle into her rabbit, looked at me expectantly with her own bright blue eyes. "Yes, yes, my little darlings. What tail would you li—"

"Pirates!! Something with adventure!" Camille shouted as she sat straight as a bolt, grinning wide and exposing her still growing teeth. I heard Rosanna giggle and shake her head as she watched Camille go on about how the hero fought off pirates until she was interrupted by my arms hugging her close. "Ah! The Kraken!" She shouted as she patted my arms and blew a raspberry off her tongue as I kissed her forehead. "Now, now, settle my love. Why don't I choose the story to show you tonight?"

Camille gave a disappointed mumble before settling beside me and looked content for me to start when I glanced her way. Rosanna seemed equally happy and waited for me expectantly.

With a soft hum I rubbed my hands together, feeling the Magia flow through my veins like champagne. The power caused my arms and hands to glow before I blew into my cupped hands, the power releasing from my flesh and into the air like the Dancing Lights that came from the Northern Mountains, filling the room with soft, glimmering colors.

"Now then… let us begin."