Chapter 2: Just kids.

Marcus 1.

The sun shines bright in my eyes, painting the world red through my fingers as I block its rays. Shadows paint the valley where Kirius and Aria are waiting for me, playing in the river. I run down the hill to the shoreline, throwing off my shoes and jacket, feeling the breeze in my hair and the sun on my back as I do. Kirius caught a fish with only his hands. Hes showing it off proudly to Aria who giggles as it flops out of his arms.

I take in the sight of my two dearest friends again. Kirius, younger than me at 9 years old, with skin of bronze and hair of burnt toast. Aria, born a few months after me with 10 years under her belt, her pale skin glistening with the waters of the river, with hair kissed by fire and eyes like a field of grass in the spring. By the time I get to the water, they’ve started a game of tag, and Kirius pats me on the arm before dashing off upstream.

Now, to me, that right there is a challenge. I dash through the water after him, skipping over rocks smoothed by the current. He's in a deeper section now, water to his waist. By the time I catch up to him, I'm running full speed and I can't really stop myself, which means the only reasonable thing to do is throw myself at him and hope the water cushions us.

It doesn’t.

A bruise here, a scrape there, and we laugh it off. I notice red in the water. My arm sings in pain and as I look down I see what I've done. A gash, not deep enough to be worth worrying about but it hurts something fierce. Aria comes over with a look on her face, amusement turning to worry as she sees me clutching my wrist. She tears off a portion of her sleeve and wraps it around the cut, and plants a small kiss on my cheek. I blush. She's only done that to Kirius and her mother.

"You should be a bit more careful, Marcus. You forget just how big you are, how much **** you can bring out." she lets out a light chuckle and I know her worry is behind her. Good. I never liked concerning her. It makes me feel tight in the chest.

"I'm fine by the way…"

"Thank you for the update Kirius." I poke back at him. I see a small frown form on his face for a moment, but he laughs it off. He knows by now my humor can be grating. And he's seen what has happened to kids who actually got a rise out of me. Its not my fault they couldn’t take a punch.

"Remember the glade where we played hide and seek a while back?" says Aria, probably sensing some awkwardness that I cannot really comprehend.

"Of course I do, you always got found first cause you can't keep quiet. We could always hear you giggling from halfway across the forest." Kirius lets out a chuckle at the thought.

"What of it, Aria?"

"Well, I found something there yesterday, it looks like an arrowhead but I can't tell. Its old and made of stone, I think. Mind taking a look?" Aria asks with those pleading eyes she always uses when she wants something. Neither of us can resist them, and why would we want to?

"Let me see" we say in unison. I bop him on the shoulder and rise to my feet, taking the arrowhead from her hands. She's right. It is in fact old and it is in fact made of stone.

"Looks Old Arolan but I can't be sure. Gaius would know, he's practically a wizard already with all that reading."

"Could you take it to him, Marcus? Mama has me doing chores all day, I barely ever see Lord Gaius."

"Only if you stop calling him 'Lord Gaius' every time you mention him. I'm your lord too, you know." I never understood why people treat us different. I'm his elder brother for Caelus' sake.

"Of course my Lord Marcus, whatever you say" Kirius japes, eager to get me back for earlier. I push him into the water, to the sound of Aria's laughter.

"Children! Come inside, its time for supper!"

I feel the pangs of disappointment at that. I could have sworn we had a few more minutes. I'd rather do pretty much anything than go to supper right now, but the two of them are already drying off and heading to the manor. A small frown takes to my lips, but I stifle it and join them, mildly annoyed as I am. It was good while it lasted, I guess. Rather not deal with the medicae though, mother will throw a fit at yet another scar.

"Coming, Ms. Valentina."