93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZrrbBVWdvA year later...
"Aiden!"
"Gidiyorum, anne!" I replied.
I ran down the stairs and came out into the bright sunshine.It was our first time leaving home. My mother, Astarte, was waiting for me.
"15 months old, walking, talking,—"
She paused and looked around. She leaned towards me and whispered,
"practicing magic in secret – you think I don't know..."
She resumed her talking.
"... and you're already learning the Turk language."
She shook her head and turned to Eden, my twin sister.
"Eden, don't run too far."
"Bilirim ben, anne." replied Eden.
"Stop speaking Turk unless you want other children to stare wierdly at you." she chided.
I followed Mother into the carriage. We were going to attend the 30th birthday of my uncle, Onkel Karl. We entered the carriage and left. At Onkel Karl's mansion, we got off amid a big crowd of rich, pompous-looking people. His mansion was huge, like a royal palace.
I heard whispers.
"Hey, isn't that the king's nephew and niece? Aren't they 15 months old now?"
I looked around. I wanted to see the other 15 month olds. But there were no small children, and all stares were directed at me and Eden. Wait, what did they mean by king's nephew? I looked around again. I couldn't see anyone who was better dressed than the others. Am I the one they're talking about? No, it can't be, I thought as I held Eden's hand tightly. Onkel Karl, a king? Don't make me laugh.
"Let's go. Don't you want to meet Onkel Karl?" I asked Eden.
"Yeah, let's go" she replied with a big smile.
As we turned towards the mansion...
"Aiden! Eden!" Mother was calling for us.
We turned back.
"Mother?" I asked as we came back.
"I told you not to wander around. Your father is already with Onkel Karl. Now, stay with me. We're going to greet other people."
"But we're going to see Onkel Karl" protested Eden.
"You'll see him later. Right now, it's our duty to greet the others" replied Mother.
We grudgingly followed Mother as she made her way to a bald, pot-bellied man with a haughty-looking woman by his side.
"Good day to you, Count and Countess de Klerk." said Mother as she bowed slightly.
Eden and I exchanged a glance, then bowed just like Mother. The man and the woman bowed too.
"Good day to you, my Lady. What good children! Have they been taught basic etiquette already? It seems quite early for a child." said the woman in a high-pitched voice, every sentence ending on a high note like a question.
"Not at all, Countess. They just copied me. You can see that Aiden bowed like a woman." said Mother good-naturedly.
The woman laughed a high pitched laugh, like a whistle. I wrinkled my nose.
"Indeed," she said. " I can see that."
"They learnt from their parents" said the pot-bellied man in a nasal voice. "They are exceptional children, it seems."
"Yes," replied Mother, "they are really exceptional."
I felt uncomfortable. Mother must have noticed my discomfort.
"Well, we have to greet other guests." she suddenly said. "We shall take our leave. I hope you have an excellent time."
We went back to the carriage without greeting anyone else.
"Jan," she said to the coachman, "accompany the twins to the mansion. Hand them over to their father with no mishaps, do you understand me?"
"Yes, Frau Kaiser." he replied with a bow.
Mother went back to greet other people. I was relieved.
Jan, the coachman, was only 17 years old and was very kind to us. As we went, he told us a short story of the first time he mounted a horse.
"So I mounted the beast, and it acted like it didn't even know I was there. Then, they told me to crack the whip. I tried the first time, then a second time. Then—"
"Jan!" He was interrupted by Father. "Leave the children in my care and go call the Frau. Tell her the party starts soon and she has to be here."
"Understood, Herr Kaiser."
Then turning to us, "I'll tell you the rest later." He ran off.
"Father, are we going to see Onkel Karl?" asked Eden who had become fond of Onkel Karl during his visits.
"Yes, but in a little bit. Right now, I need you to sit quietly and listen to the young man up there. He's your Cousin Heinrich."
We looked up. On a sort of balcony, next to our Onkel Karl, was a handsome teenager with blond hair and gray eyes. He raised his hand for silence.
"Meine Damen und mein Herren! We are here today to celebrate the birthday of our most esteemed king, my father, Markus Karl Kaiser."
He lifted his champagne glass.
"Cheers to our esteemed king and to his long life!"
"Es lebe der König!" exclaimed everyone in the room, including my father, lifting their glasses.
Meanwhile, my head was spinning. Onkel Karl was the king? Why didn't anyone say anything? I shook my head. Well, I should have noticed. The whispers this morning... I had tried to ignore them, but they had been talking about Eden and me.
"Come on. Don't you want to meet Onkel Karl?" asked Father, bringing me back to reality.
I hesistated. Eden did the same. Father looked clueless for a while, then burst into good natured laughter.
"Oh, right. You didn't know he was the king. Well, he's still Onkel Karl." he said with a broad smile.
"What do we call him?" asked Eden with a serious tone.
I was surprised. Eden had always been carefree, just like Yuna. I had dismissed any thought of her being Yuna. But, asking such a serious question? Could she actually be Yuna? I started to have doubts. Anyway, I nodded, agreeing with her.
"Don't worry." Father scooped us up. "Let's go."
I was nervous as we approached Onkel Karl. I glanced at Eden. She looked as worried as me. But Onkel Karl saw us from a distance and called out.
"Willem!"
Father quickened his steps. When he reached Onkel Karl, he set us down and punched Onkel Karl lightly in the shoulder.
"Already 30? You'll be 40 in no time and full of gray hair!" he said mockingly.
"As if you were growing any younger" muttered Onkel Karl.
He turned his attention to us.
"How are my little angels?"
We just stared back.
"Have they lost their speech, Will?" he asked with a concerned face.
"They just understood that your are Mr. King. They're still processing the information." replied Father with a smile, although there was a hint of concern.
"Father! Are those Aiden and Eden? They're so cute!" said girl rushing toward us.
She pulled our cheeks.
"So soft!" she exclaimed.
"Aiden and Eden, meet your Cousin Elke, my daughter. She is 13 years old." introduced Onkel Karl.
"Elke, as you can see, Aiden and Eden."
"Where's Heinrich?" asked Father.
"Oh, he's out there, greeting the guests. He'll —" started Onkel Karl.
"...make a great heir. We know, Father." cut in Elke.
"How old are you?" she asked us.
"Fif- fifteen months." I replied shortly.
"You can speak so clearly! Hey, I'll tell you a secret."
She leaned towards us, glancing at Cousin Heinrich in the distance.
"Heinrich didn't speak till he was 2" she whispered.
I smiled. A small, timid smile. This girl was interesting.
"Come on! I'll show you around! That's what cousins do, isn't it?" she said as she pulled me along.
Eden ran behind us. I tripped and fell.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" exclaimed Elke.93Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrCEUt3PaX
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