Honestly, I'm going to kill these twins one day. I thought as we walked towards the dining table with the twins on either side of me. There was a very red hand print on either side of their faces from where I slapped him. As we walked, they kept apologizing to me but I just ignored them.

"We're sorry, Rose. Promise we won't do it again." Said Ren.

"Yeah. And if you like, I'll slap my brother for you." Dan offered which earned a glare from his brother.

Despite their continued apology, I ignored them even until we reached the dining hall. Once we got there, I greeted the king and queen and apologized for my tardiness. Nate and Ace were already there.

The king looked up, took a glance at his son before we laughed. "I suppose my sons did something to deserve it?"

"Yes, your highness." I said without blinking.

"Well I would like to have a word with Daniel but I can't tell which of them is which." said the king making the twins beam brightly as they fist bump each other.

"Well father, you have to guess that for yourself."

"The one with the handprint on the right is Ren. On the left is Dan." I said before I settled down on the seat next to Ace.

Believe me I don't want to sit here but the only vacant seat is between the king and Nate and the king clearly said that he wants to have a word with Dan. The other seat is beside the queen and I would definitely not take that seat either.

As I settled myself beside Ace, he took a glance at me. I offered a small smile in which he did not return as he took a sip from his soup. I had to fight the urge not to grab his soup and throw it at him. Well it's just my luck. Seated beside Ace, rude and mute PRINCE, and Ren, who I am currently pissed off with.

The dinner was fun and lively. The king and queen were really chatty with us. I was even surprised that Ace participated in the conversation especially when they talked about politics. It even got livelier as soon as I flicked the green peas from my plate out of boredom. It hit Dan in the forehead who abruptly looked up to look for the culprit. On instinct I pointed at Ace, who glared at me, making me point at Ren instead. Poor Ren looked utterly confused and wasn't prepared when Dan made his attack by throwing a green pea straight to Ren's mouth, which was currently open as he was about to take a bite. He choked on the green peas so I got up and punched him below the rib. It was effective as he was able to spit it out on his plate. Ren grinned at his brother as if to say game on and started throwing his own veggies at Dan resulting in a full on food with - believe it or not - the king and queen joining in.

Of course, Nate and I followed because having a potato thrown at your face? Please. They are seriously asking for it. I think that the only person who didn't join was Ace and by some miracle he didn't get hit.

After dinner, everyone retreated to their own room except for me, Ren, and Dan. They invited me to do some exploring in their own castle saying that they want to give me a tour. They started at the second floor where they showed me the library and it's numerous books that held the history of their race. Next we went to the third floor where they showed me the paintings of their ancestors and different artifacts that have stood there for hundreds of years.

Ren did most of the explanation while Dan just added things here and there. It seems to me like Dan was preoccupied with something, but when I asked him about it, he just waved me off saying it was nothing.

Finally we reached the dead end of the East wing and we're just about to go back when the door to my right suddenly opened and I was pushed inside. The force made me fall to the ground and before I could look up, the door slammed shut and Dan was knocking on it furiously. We were in a large rectangular vacant room with pretty much nothings except for a few chairs and old rags. It was pretty dark and the only light in the room was from the moon coming from the window behind me.

"Hey! Let me out! You got the wrong twin. I'm Prince Daniel and I've got a red slap mark on my left cheek to prove it!" Dan started to scream and pound at the door. Cursing here and there when no one answered. "Locked." He cursed again. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG TWIN I SAY!"

"Dan?" I started to get up and dust myself.

Dan stopped knocking as he whirled around to face me. His expression changed into one of bewilderment. "Dan? What are you talking about, Rose? I'm Ren." He said.

I blinked and stared at the person in front of me. I observed the way he stands and listens to the way he talks. Finally, I narrowed my gaze at him. "Nope." I crossed my arms over my chest. "You're Dan. That's for sure."

"No no no." Dan shook his head. "I'm Ren." He insisted.

I bit the side of my cheek and strode towards him giving him the darkest look I could muster. "Listen, Dan. I don't know what you're playing, but I am not a fool that you can trick so easily. So unless you don't want me to karate chop you on the head you behave. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am!" Dan gulped.

"Well then," I said while backing up a little. "Where do you think we are?"

Dan, still standing by the door looking uneasy, answered. "We're actually in Ren and I's old play room. As you can see we don't use it anymore so it's just basically a room to store old stuff." He explained.

"I see." I turned my back to him as I took another look at the room. It does look abandoned, but not that abandoned because there isn't that much dust on the floor or by the window.

I suddenly heard the door behind me open before it was closed again. I quickly turned around. "Hey you open-" I paused as I took in the person now standing where Dan was awhile ago. "Ren? What-" I paused and tilted my head in confusion. "What are you doing here? Where's Dan?" I walked right beside him and tried to open the door. It was locked.

Beside me, I heard Ren growl and started pounding on the door. "Dan, you bastard! Open this door now."

"What the heck is going on!?" I screamed looking at Ren then back at the door where I assumed Dan was standing behind it.

"I don't know!" Ren said, still glaring at the door. "I noticed that you and Dan went missing so I went back to check. I heard you guys talking so I opened the door and Dan pulled me inside. He slipped away and locked the door behind him."

"Success!" Dan yelled from the other side.

"Dan, wait till father-"

"Good job, my boy!" Another voice said from the other side. I could hear a slap and I imagine them giving each other a high five.

Was that the king?

"Dad?" Ren looked surprised.

Yep, it's the king.

"Good luck, son!" Then I heard footsteps getting fainter and fainter until there was nothing.

"Did -Did they just left us?!" I cried and tried the door again and shook it with force. Nothing. "This isn't even funny!"

"I'm going to kill you, brother!" Ren said in frustration as he kept pounding on the door making it rattle. I hope that he breaks it. Finally, after a few more poundings, Ren finally gave up. "It's no use. Knowing my brother he won't open it till morning." He gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Can't you break it?" I asked hopefully.

Ren shook his head in dismay. "I can't. This castle was built infused with magic to withstand werewolf strength." He said and leaned his back against the door before he dropped to the ground.

I groaned and sat beside him. "Don't tell me....we're stuck here for the night?"

"I believe so." Ren said without looking at me.

"For real!?" My voice rose. "No. We can't stay here for the night!"

The snore. I can't stand it. I won't be able to sleep again! "No. Just no." I shook my head at the thought and started pounding on the door again. "Yo! Werewolf people, open the freaking door! I know you can hear me with that super hearing ears of yours! I have a stick. I'll play fetch with you if you do!"

"Rose?"

"A tree branch, yeah? I bet werewolves looooves tree branches." I continued.

"Rose, bribing us with sticks and tree branches won't help. Also, making a joke out of it will only make it worse. You're gonna piss the guards off." Ren said.

At this, I faced Ren and raised an eyebrow at him. "Who says I was joking?"

"Give me a break here." Ren ran a hand through his hair before facing me again. His eyebrows are drawn together. "Wolves are not dogs, alright? We are far more superior than them."

"Can dogs break this door?"

"Of course not even I can't break it."

"THEN YOU'RE A DOG!!"

Ren looked really frustrated right now as he messed up his hair. "Look, Rose." He sighed. "I don't see what the problem is. If you're getting cold I'll lend you my jacket."

"Um.." I started as I thought of an excuse why I don't want to spend the night here. "Err..it's dark." I don't want to tell him that he and his twin snore like a pig.

"We sleep in the forest. Don't you consider that as dark?"

"But there's fire." I argued.

"Yes. But there's also the light from the moon. And if I remember, you sleep back at Thalia without any much light. Why is now so different?" He asked.

"S-Spirits." I said and gritted my teeth. I am running out of options. Please just shut up, wolf boy!

"What?"

I reached out and grabbed Ren by the shoulders and started shaking him. "The spirits! The ghost. Remember? The little wolf spirit that you told me to stay away from. I saw it at Gija and earlier I saw it by the bushes. It's following us!"

Ren stared at me like I was crazy. "You are being paranoid, Rose."

"Am I?"

"Yes." Ren grabbed my hand and removed it from his shoulders, but he didn't let go. "Maybe I should explain things to you." He paused and took in a breath. "Rose, that little wolf you saw? It was indeed a spirit."

"Ah ha!"

"Will you let me finish? Anyways, it is not a spirit that you should be afraid of. In fact, it is actually a good spirit. A familiar that wanders around in the ruins of Gija. Remember? Gija was the city of the tamers. I bet that that little guy is one of the familiars who still live there."

"I'm confused." I admitted and drew my hand back from Ren. "If they are good spirits then why did you ask me to stay away from it?"

"Because," Ren trailed off as if he was thinking of the right words to say. "It...it just doesn't make any sense to me. Familiars only approach tamers not strangers. It's weird especially when you told me that you think it's following us. None of us are tamers."

I leaned my back against the door, hearing it rattle at my weight as I thought of Giga and the little wolf. "Who knows? Maybe it's just lonely." I said.

I felt Ren shrug. "Probably."

We fell silent for a few more minutes until we heard a howl. I stiffened and my body started to shake as I looked at Ren. "W-What was that?"

Ren stared at the window. "It's just Dan." He said before looking at me with an amused grin on his face. "Why? Scared?"
The look on Ren's face somehow annoyed me making me want to throw him in a well. "No. I'm not." I denied.

Another howl. This is the time it was louder making me gasp.

Ren looked at me and studied me for a bit before he rested his head on the palm of his hand. "Geez." He took off his coat and draped it over my shoulder as he got up. "Wait here." I watched him marching up to the window, opening it, and screaming,
"Dan, you good for nothing twin! SHUT UP!" I saw him pick something from the floor and threw it out. I heard a slight whimper and I am guessing he hit his target.

I cringed at the loudness of his voice. After he screamed, he closed the windows back. A pause. Then he opened them again and started to look up. I saw a grin spread across his face before he ran back to me and offered me his hand. "Come on." He said and pulled me up.

"Where?" The coat slipped from me when I stood up and Ren picked it up and led me by the window. He draped the coat once again over me, fastening the buttons below my chin to secure it.

"I found a way out." He said. Before I could ask again, he threw me over his shoulder and jumped at the edge of the window.

"Ren!?"

"Hang on tight, Princess." He said. "And don't look down."

"Well it's hard for me to do that when I am facing your freaking butt!" Ren seemed to flinch after I said it.

"Well um...close your eyes then." He sounded rather self-conscious that I kind of regretted what I said.

I closed my eyes and felt the air shift as Ren jumped upward. I heard him grunt as he pulled us up before he jumped once again and repeated. I once let out a yelp when I felt him slip but he somehow managed as he kicked the wall in front of him to jump. It probably took him about a minute or so before he finally settled me down.

"You can open your eyes now." He said.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and found out that we were now standing at the roof of the castle. "Eeep!" I squeaked and held on to Ren in fear of falling.

"Hey, stop pushing. You're gonna kill us both." Ren looked back behind him to the something - foot fall that would surely kill us if we fell. He didn't push me back though, he just held me at arms length and gripped my arm tightly and gave me support.

"You could have warned me." I said shakily. My mind started to cloud in fear and panic. "R-Ren, how does a wolf stuck on a roof howl?"

Ren looked at me curiously. "I don't know."

"A-roof!"

I saw Ren's lips twitch in a sarcastic smile. "Rose, I am going to drop you if you won't stop."

"I'll stop." I said quickly.

"Good." He said "Now, I want you to wrap your arms around my neck tightly."

I looked up at him and studied his face. "Are you being a pervert?"

Ren looked at me and blushed. "What? No! Y-You've got the wrong idea." He cleared his throat as he started to explain.

"We're going down from the other side. Can you remember where your room is?" He asked.

"Not really." I admitted. "But I did remember seeing a large pine tree from the balcony."

"Do you remember what floor?"
"Second."

"Second?" I could hear the surprise in his voice. "Second floor and a pine tree....." He trailed off and looked at me. "Alright then. Grab on, Rose."

I did what he said and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Hang on tight, alright?" I couldn't bring myself to answer him so I just nodded and swallowed nervously. Ren, with me clinging behind him, ran to the far left side of the roof before he jumped down. I tightened my hold on him and he made a sound like he was choking and slipped when he landed on the balcony railing.

We fell back and I let out a yelp.

Lucky for us Ren managed to grab a hold of the railing. I felt his muscle hardened from the effort of pulling us both up. Using one arm, he brought me over to the other side before climbing in himself. Once we were on the balcony floor, I let out a breath that I didn't realize I was holding while Ren collapsed on the floor; panting. "Geez, Rose. When I told you to hang on tight I didn't mean for you to choke me."

"Um...sorry." I apologized. "I was surprised."

Ren didn't seem to respond. He gazed just gazed up at the stars and closed his eyes. I, on the other hand, crawled next to him and poked his cheek. "Ren?" I poked him again. "Are you dead?"

"No." He said without opening his eyes. "Can you check and see if your balcony door is open?"

"Sure." I got up from my sitting position. My legs were still a bit wobbly but I managed to reach for the door and turned the handle.

It opened. I looked back at Ren who was still lying down on the floor - probably on the verge of death or something. "Ren, it's open." I called out to him.

He started to get up then, using his elbow to push himself up until he was standing. He started to rub his eyes and let out a yawn. "Good. If you don't mind, can I come in and exit at your door? I kind of locked my balcony door so I can't get in." He said.

"Um....sure." I said while stepping aside. "I mean, it's your place and not mine."

I could tell that Ren was really sleepy since he was dragging himself in my room and headed for the door. I walked beside him in case he might fall asleep and land face first on the floor. Once we reached the door I handed him back his coat. "Thanks for this." I said as I returned the coat.

Ren seemed to stare at it for a while before he took it. Our fingers brushed and he withdrew his hand from the touch as if I pricked him. He stared at his hand in shock before looking back at my outstretched hand holding the coat. Cautiously, he reached out for the coat and I couldn't help but notice him avoiding contact. "Y-You're welcome." He muttered and we stood there for a couple more seconds before Ren seemed to gather himself and looked at me. A small smile played at his lips. "Well then. Goodnight, Rose. See in the morning." He said cheerfully and hurriedly walked away from me.

Meanwhile, I just stood there and watched his retreating back as I wondered about Ren's weird behavior. Thinking about it made me recall our conversation earlier about Dan's behaviors too. I couldn't help but laugh as I remembered it.

"You both are weird." I whispered into the dark hallway. "No doubt you guys are twins. Goodnight, Ren." Then I closed the door behind me.