Snow

David looked at his brother and sister. They'd descended the stairs and were standing in the courtyard talking to a bearded man, their faces alight with smiles, his sister on one side of him, his brother on the other. As David watched, his brother trailed one hand up the bearded man's arm as he turned to signal the guards to open the gates. The bearded man's eyes went soft, glowing helpless and hot. A smile crossed his sister's face and she said something, her mouth barely moving. The bearded man turned to look at her then, the same helpless look on his face.

His brother turned to him then, motioned for David to come join them.

"There is no trip, is there?" he said. He knew as soon as he said it that it was true.

"They know about you," the servant said in a rush. "What you can do. They want it to stop. They paid for a spell to make sure no one would see you leaving. You must have noticed it. It didn't hurt you though. You could breathe just fine. You have power. You could--"

"Did you pack my nurse's shawl?" David said, and the servant's face shifted, a look of pity and scorn crossing it.

"I did," he said, and then, as if he couldn't help himself, "Don't you care? Don't you realize you could stop them? Don't you--"

"Thank you," David said, and turned away. It had started to snow harder. He walked down to meet his brother and sister, watch them look up at the sky and then at him. He said hello to the guide, who said his name was Joseph and didn't look at him at all. He said goodbye to his brother and sister, watched them smile at each other. He brushed snow out of his eyes.

"Can I--may I take the servant with me?" he asked. His sister's smile disappeared and something deeply unpleasant flashed in her eyes. His brother put a hand on her arm and she looked at him.

When she did her smile returned, as if he'd reminded her of something she'd forgotten.

"Of course," she said. "Joseph can easily take care of the two of you. How silly of me to think otherwise." She smiled at Joseph, who paled before his eyes heated, staring at her as if she was the only thing he could see. When he nodded the Prince clapped his hands, motioned for the guards to bring the servant to them.

David turned back as they left, the servant walking pale and silent by his side. He noticed Joseph turned back too. His brother and sister were watching them. They waved farewell at the same time then turned away, arms linked about each other's waists.

Joseph finally looked at him when the gate closed behind them, a quick glance as if he wanted to pretend David wasn't there, as if he didn't want to look at him. His hands were shaking. "You'll need a walking stick," he shouted at the servant. "I'll go find a branch for you to use."

"Of course," the servant said politely and just as loudly. "But I'm not sure I heard you, what with my inability to see. Would you repeat yourself, please?"

"I was just trying to--" Joseph said, and broke off. "Never mind. Just wait here till I get back."

"Go," David said as soon as Joseph disappeared into the trees. "I'll tell him I changed my mind and sent you back."

"What?"

"There must be somewhere you can go."

"I--" the servant stammered. "I have family, or used to. I could--"

"Then go. Find them."

"No, no, I can't," the servant said quickly, anger thick in his voice. "We have to go back. I have a friend who works at the gate. It's all he can do now thanks to--thanks to them. He'd let us in, take care of the murderer they've hired to kill you. We could find them and --"

"You should leave," David said. "I'm not going back."

"Look at what they did to me!" the servant said and pointed at his face, his eyes. "You can see it.

I can't. I can't. Do you know what it's like to live in darkness? She was the last thing I saw. She stood in front of me and laughed, held her brother's hand and watched him…. They should pay. I want them to pay. And you could do that. You could make them suffer. You could--"

"I could," David said. "But I don't want to. I don't want to be like them."

"You're a million times worse already," the servant said, and spit on the ground. "You're a curse and a fool."

David stayed silent, stood listening to the snow fall, stood watching the servant's clouded eyes.

"Good riddance to you, then," the servant said and ran off, stumbling as he went, hands stretched out in front of him so his skin could see what his eyes couldn't.

"Goodbye," David said, and waited for Joseph to come back.

Chapter Four

He'd promised, Joseph told himself. They needed him to do this. They were counting on him.

The Princess had whispered that to him right as the gate was being opened, a throaty, "I need you. Weneed you," rushing into him.

The Prince had clapped him on the back before he crossed through the gate, his fingers sliding up and crossing warm over the skin at the nape of Joseph's neck, a brief caress, a reminder of what he'd had and would have again.