Unsurprisingly the Children of the Yew were naturally gifted. They were an impressive people with Earth magic that put a lot of other magic to shame. I remembered meeting them when I was a child, how their festivals lit forests with glowing golden mushrooms, and petals that floated like paper boats in the wind. Their laughter came easy, like song, and the ground itself seemed to hum beneath their feet. Their way of life was like a dream. They were kind, and used their power for good, even though they easily could have strayed far from it.

Wilder… Was not like the legacy I thought he was. The Yew taught reverence. Wilder moved like he’d forgotten how. 

The first few weeks were awkward, he didn’t know how to speak with people. He stared too long when spoken to, like he was searching for a deeper meaning behind words. He didn’t laugh at jokes, making it hard for others to connect with him. I found myself having to step in on more than one occasion to drive conversations and get him pointed in the right direction. I wouldn’t say I pitied him, but it was clear he was more than socially inept. 

He downright couldn’t get it. I could see he was frustrated, but he didn’t have the right words to express it, like our world didn’t quite fit his tongue. So, I did what I could. As Prince of Darsineka, it was my duty to help our people, which included these two strangers now.

And speaking of two, Wren was worse. He lingered in the shadows of the barracks, watching Wilder from a distance like a hawk. Never smiling or greeting someone first. His very aura was unapproachable and foreboding. He didn’t walk with others. Never slept with his back to a door. Barely spoke unless he had to; a tough nut to crack.

It made me wonder what had taught him to live like that.

He worked in the fields during the day with Wilder. Whenever I caught his gaze, it felt like I was stumbling into his private world. Like it was wrong to even look at him. Sometimes I swore silence became heavier with just his presence alone.

I respected it.

The pair of them were certainly strange. But I couldn’t ignore them. I saw their potential. No matter how long and grueling the days seemed, they worked harder than any Darsinekan I knew. Drenched in sweat and grimy from the intense labor, they would smile together, like it was all worth it somehow.

So, I told my grandfather it was time I join the knights training program, something I had been putting off for years. On the condition they joined with me.

That was all it took to convince him. With a single signature on my proposal, the three of us would be added to the roster of training knights. Something Darsineka was known for. Our closest ally and the country we shared a border with, the Tundra, would send groups of worthy citizens to train here in exchange for continued allyship. It was an honor I had avoided like the plague. It would mean a step closer to taking the throne, something I dreaded more than I lead my grandfather to believe.

-

Moving Wilder and Wren to the knight training program had been exactly what the two of them needed. Wilder went from unable to hold a conversation on his own, to learning how to laugh at jokes. A few months was all it took to break the shell he wore like a security blanket. It hung around his shoulders, but it made me worry a little less about him. It was satisfying to watch him blossom into someone worth knowing. I would catch him sitting with the ladies, letting them braid his long hair, talking about his adventures, a grin on his face. Or caught in a friendly headlock with the guys as they bonded over their strength.

Wren had even begun to look a little softer. Less rigid and haunted. The outlet of having routine and something challenging seemed to give him the opportunity to grow. He still didn’t smile or talk unless Wilder was at his side, but it was a massive improvement. Except the one time he nearly broke a table after one of the trainee’s touched his head, wanting to play with his hair like they did with Wilder. We all learned very quickly, not to poke the bear.

-

On this particular day, the trainees were broken into groups and were sent into the Darsineka mountains to practice some survival skills and bond as teams. My team and I were carting some materials to our base when I could hear yelling a short distance away. 

I stopped to listen, but I couldn’t make out anything in particular. “I’ll be right back.” I slung my bag to the ground and began walking in the direction of the shouting. When I saw a clearing ahead, I crouched behind a bush and peeked through the leaves to see who was there. I didn’t want anyone to be in danger at the end of the day.

I spotted Wren first. He looked sick as he held a bucket in shame. Kara, a gifted woman with a vast knowledge of all things, stood over him with a book in her hands. It was hard to see at first, but it was showing off a page with a poisonous mushroom from this region. Wilder stood next to her, looking just as shameful, his arms were crossed over his chest. “We haven’t lived in this area like you have Kara, how were we supposed to know these mushrooms were poisonous?”

She had an exasperated look on her face. “Because I am here.” Then she pointed to her book. “And because I have my field guide.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes in frustration. “You both are bumbling idiots. You didn’t have to eat the damned things.” Wren looked up with a glare that clearly didn’t hold its weight. But there was an unspoken keep talking and your next. “When you come across something new you need to ask instead of just do.” She turned to Wilder, hands on her hips. “How in the Hell did you survive in Twislor wood with that brain? You didn’t just eat anything you came across, did you?” 

Wilder’s brows furrowed. “We did not. It’s not like Twislor wood was far from my old home. The flora there was similar enough that we survived just fine. Besides, we are Children of the Yew, we have natural tolerances to earthly substances like poison. It’s not like Wren took that much of a risk.”

Kara groaned audibly. “His biology may be of Yew like you, but he is also an Infernal. He could be at risk, and we have no way to confirm that or not. So, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” She flailed a hand in Wren’s direction as if to prove her point. “And now this brings us right back to me. If you had just asked me, we could have spared poor Wren’s stomach. You both must know better, please never do that again.”

Wren sighed through his nose; eyes set with a mission. He set his bucket down and attempted to stand but stumbled weakly, Wilder and Kara were at his side instantly, helping him stand on his unsteady feet. “Just stop arguing and help me back to camp.”

Kara reached up and touched his forehead. Wren tried to glare at her, but his pale face was beginning to flush. “He’s running a fever.” Her gaze met Wilder’s. “Once we get him down onto a bed, you are helping me make a remedy for him. And you're going to listen to me… Unless you want to end up like your twin here.”

“Yes ma’am.” Wilder muttered. From what I could see, he did seem genuinely worried for Wren, there was so much they didn’t know yet about Darsineka. 

As they began to stagger off, I turned to head back to my group. When I made it back to my bag, my teammates who had taken the opportunity to sit and enjoy a break got up and began gathering their things.

Ezra, my best friend, looked curiously towards me. “What was all that about?”

“I wanted to see how another team was doing. Seems like our new recruits have a lot to learn. One of them ate some Drinna mushrooms.”

“Do they need the medics?” Ezra looked worried.

“From what I could tell he seemed to be doing alright. All things considered since those can be deadly in high doses. Besides they have Kara in their group. If anyone knows how to treat poison, Kara’s your girl.”

“If you say so.” Ezra looked doubtful.