"Cyrillus! Layton!" A young man called from the top of the hill, he held a bucket in one hand full of honeycrisp apples and waved the other in the air frantically. He was calling to his younger brothers that were playing at the foot of the hill.
The Bedcroft hillside was a beautifully wide field, covered in emerald green grass and flowers. It stretched out as far as the eye can see, full of little critters like bunnies and rodents scurrying through grass and burrowing into the dirt to form shelters. Hills were scattered across the plains, giving it a serene appearance. The twin brothers were playing on the ridge of one of the hills closest to the orchard with wooden swords.
Their older brother's call came upon death ears. He grunted loudly and adjusted the sun hat on his head in annoyance. He took a long deep breath, letting air flood into his lungs and released a deafening yell, "Cyrillus! Layton!"
The boys were in the heat of battle. Cyrillus, who always seemed to be the stronger of the two, parried one of his brother's attacks with ease. Layton looked up at the top of the hill, distracted by his brother's calls. Cyrillus took advantage of the diversion and struck Layton in the leg with the wooden sword. Layton grieved in pain bending over to hold onto his leg, pain vibrated through his shin all the way up to his quad, and Cyrillus took advantage using his shoulder to knock Layton onto his back on the ground.
Layton stared up at his twin brother from his imaginary grave. He looked like what a true warrior would look like in the story books of Yadgir. Blonde flowing hair, sword in hand, leading an army to battle against the evil of Volgaz. The sun beamed down on them from above, and Layton's lips curled into a toothy grin at his twin who returned the smile. Cyrillus reached out with his hand, helping his brother to his feet.
"You're getting better at this!" Cyrillus proclaimed as his brother rubbed at the tingling pain of his leg.
"You're just saying that, you oaf'," He chuckled, turned around and pointed down towards his back at the dirt covered shirt, "Can you clean off my back? Ma would kill me."
Cyrillus cleaned off his back, then challenged Layton to a race up the hill. They rushed up to the top where their older brother Anatol waited. Cyrillus won once again, and Layton came huffing up behind him. Anatol seemed annoyed, his hands were on his hip and basket still in his other hand. In the middle of Cyrillus' victory dance, Anatol brought his fist down on the top of his head, hitting him soft enough not to seriously hurt him but hard enough to feel.
"What in Adios' name are you thinking!" His dark green eyes had a spark of anger, "Ma told you not to play rough, then you go around knocking Layton over again; Should've never let you guys bring those swords."
Cyrillus rubbed the top of his head in pain, tears welled in the corner of his eyes but he refused Anatol the pleasure of seeing him cry. "We were just playing!"
"Yeah, I'm okay!" Layton side with a wide smile. His skin was still pale, he wasn't able to help much around the field recently. His mother would never tell him to his face, but he knew he was a sick child. "Really, I swear!" His sweat was followed by a sickly cough into his arm.
Anatol looked from Layton to Cyrillus, a disapproving shake of his head followed but he threw his arm around Cyrillus. "You guys are such a great pain, here." He handed the heavy basket of apples to Layton. "Time for you to carry your own weight around here," He jested. He knew Layton didn't enjoy being babied. "Today's an important day, I'm sure you all know!"
Layton took hold of it with two hands, the basket was heavy, Anatol was collecting for two hours. "What's today again?"
Anatol kept his arm around Cyrillus as they walked down the opposite side of the hill to the dirt road that would eventually lead into the apple orchards and then back home, "How could you forget what today is?" He was grinning at his brother, un... [https://img.wattpad.com/315851603ab518ef17a9c2104e4e9db4d5a75f40/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f6d4d2d6b57746d6f4759533635413d3d2d313035393537323130392e313637383433666330383832343934653632373233333934323034312e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Anatol kept his arm around Cyrillus as they walked down the opposite side of the hill to the dirt road that would eventually lead into the apple orchards and then back home, "How could you forget what today is?" He was grinning at his brother, unlike the twins he was missing a tooth he lost during a horse riding accident. "Take a guess! Both of you."
"Mom's birthday!" Layton declared
"No stupid, that was two months ago!" Cyrillus replied
"Their anniversary?" Layton retorted
"Is it already King Phillips day?" Cyrillus questioned
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"Getting warmer!" Anatol shouted, mimicking the voice of a commentator at arena events. His blond hair was tied in a ponytail that bobbed with every step.
"Oh come on Anatol, just say it!" Layton twisted his face in annoyance, his face was reddening from having to carry the heavy bucket of apples. His black hair stuck to his forehead with sweat. Cyrillus saw this and squeezed out from under Anatol's arm, offering to carry it.
Layton gave in, even if he didn't want to he was already out of breath. He forced the thought that he was the sick child to the back of his mind. Anatol smiled at his siblings' relationship, looked up at the cloudless sky as they walked the dirt path, "It's the fire festival, and the capital is holding a celebration. This is the first time you two will be coming!"
"We're going into town?!" The twins shouted at the same time in excitement.
"Bingo." Anatol stuck his thumb up into the air. "Usually, ma and pa make me stay at home with the two of you. But since I decided to join the Capital Guard, and you two turned fourteen, they decided you can both go."
"What about Meyla and Armielle?" Layton asked.
"Mrs.Arnest a couple miles down will babysit, just like how she used to take care of you two," The twins made faces of disgust at the memory of being babysitted by their neighbor who seemed to be old since the beginning of time.
The rest of the walk home was filled with excitement between the twins as they passed the basket back and forth when either one got tired. Their parents sent them out to collect apples because she planned on setting up a concession stand for the festival! Now it all made sense to the twins. It wasn't a normal day in the market, hence the extra apples. She was going to make everything from Apple pies, to delicious apple crisps drizzled by homemade cinnamon glaze.
When they came back into the farm, their two other siblings, Meyla and Armielle, all of which were younger than Anatol and the twins ran over. They reached up to their big brother, wanting to get picked up and he lifted them both up. They giggled happily in his arms
"Momma let me feed the chickens today!" Seven year old Meyla declared confidently, "Soon I can go with you guys!"
"Me too, me too!" Four year old Armielle chanted she had their mom's golden hair much like Anatol and Cyrillus. Meyla and Layton shared their father's onyx colored hair.
"Yes, yes, both of you are big girls," Anatol smiled, holding the girls in his arms. Anatol was built like an ox, much like their father who was only a couple of inches taller. Years of helping their parents on the field lead to his bulked look, and it gave him an advantage when signing up. "Hey boys, go hide the swords, dad would kill me if he knew I let you play with them when you should've been working."
"Right," Layton nodded, and Cyrillus put the basket down to hand over his leather scabbard where the wooden sword was. Their dad made them the swords and scabbard, so that the sword itself wouldn't wither. Layton sprinted off with the wooden swords to the barn where they kept it for storage.
When he came back they all walked into the small cottage they called home [https://img.wattpad.com/fd0494d5ec192f1a71925a5e44a586ee6c6e4383/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f52555665456769647272617153413d3d2d313035393537323130392e313637383434313037623962313265363235333033393835373136392e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
When he came back they all walked into the small cottage they called home. They walked into the foyer, and removed their shoes in the entrance place. Armielle helped Meyla take her little shoes off. The smell of steaming meats danced through the house, and they could hear their parents in the kitchen talking over the sound of clinking dishes.
Layton walked in, bucket in hand that he insisted on walking in with, "Ma, Pa, we're home! We got the apples!"
Their Ma had her hair up in a messy blonde bun, she had an apron tied around her gown, and used her wrist to wipe the sweat from her forehead. The kitchen was often warm when cooking, and the top of the chimney mantle over the stove saw smoke seeping up and out of the house. She turned to look at her son, and while she wanted to shout she couldn't help but proudly smirk. "My two big boys, adios, how time flies. Go wash up before lunch okay? We have an important day."
"Take your sisters with the two of yous'," Their father was setting the table. He was freshly shaven, stubble still riddled his face. His massive hands made the wooden bowls look like cups. The sleeves to his tunic were rolled up over his forearms, his arms were full of massive amounts of hair and scars from yard work. As the twins took the girls to the bathroom to wash up he looked up at Anatol and half smiled, "What you lookin at punk."
Anatol shook his head and laughed, and his mother rolled his eyes, "Leave the boy alone, Vancee!"
"Or what, is he going to arrest me?" He did his signature booming laugh and Anatol joined him.
"You will never stop teasing me for joining the guard will you?" Anatol continued to smile, staring his dad in his eye.
"I just don't know what for! Petty crime? A drunk hitting his wife? Son there hasn't been war since I was a kid, since my dad was a kid, or since his dad was a kid!"
"I don't know, maybe just pride? I get it from you after all." Anatol teased, and his mother. giggled whilst cooking.
"Oh you ass," His father laughed again, "Go wash up before I decide to challenge you!" Anatol smirked and walked off to wash up for lunch.
His father continued to laugh to himself, "You know what they call him?"
"What dear?"
"The Wolf."
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- Somewhere Else at the Same Time -
"Today is the day," He stood before his crowd of followers, "Humanity will learn from their mistakes. Pantheon will see greatness again."
"Follow the plan, and all will go just as we anticipated," The crowd cheered and he held his hands up, "Tonight my comrades, we rise!"