Owen and Crimm stood in their home, looking down at the letter that was sent to them by a stranger. It confused them both, since in the past the requests for their services were always addressed to one brother or the other, but never have they had a request for both of them at the same time. Beyond the request for both of them to work at the same time, the letter itself looked very professional, not from a normal person in a different village. The writing was in fancy calligraphy with pure black ink, addressed to both brothers by their first names since both had different surnames. Not only that, it was sealed with white wax with a crest that neither of them recognized.

"I'm surprised that someone is addressing both of us." Crimm said, "Normally only one of us leaves town for work."

"Yeah, I wonder why they're asking for the two of us." Owen thought aloud then smiled at the thought that something interesting could happen from this request, "Well then little brother, why don't you open it up and read it? Let's see who's asking for our work."

Crimm nodded and carefully opened the letter to read the request.

"Dear Owen and Crimm of Valedin village, I am writing to you with an urgent request. I am the Lord of a village named Sevokia Village and my name is Orion. I have two daughters who are everything to me and I would do anything to keep them happy, which is why when I heard of you two brothers and your amazing work in construction and medicine, I immediately wrote to you with my request. Sir Owen, I have heard many rumors of your incredible craftsmanship with wood and architecture. My request for you is the creation of a beautiful addition to my home for my daughter. She has a very keen eye when it comes to her ideas and no other architect or craftsman can recreate her vision. From the high praises of your work, I hope that you will be able to bring my daughter's vision to life. As for Lord Crimm, my other daughter has suffered most of her life because of a vicious disease. I have summoned all the best doctors, witches and healers I could find, but none have been able to find a cure for my daughter. Each day she grows worse and I fear for her life with every breath she takes. You are the last hope I have for my daughter to live. Dear brothers of Valedin village, I beg of you to heed my request and travel to my village. If you do, I will pay you handsomely. Thank you, signed, Lord Orion of Sevokia."

After Crimm was done reading the letter, the two brother weighed their options. They had heard of Sevokia before in their travels while out for work. It was a rich town set in fertile land with an abundance of wealth. The people were kind and generous, and their main exports were their produce and magical items. To be requested by the Lord of the land himself was a great honor for their little own of Valedin. However, Sevokia was over the far hills, it would take two weeks just to make it there on foot, and depending on how long the jobs would take, they wouldn't be back for some months. On the other hand, they had never turned down a request before, doing whatever they could to help others.

Owen looked over at his younger brother with a curious expression, "Well, what say you brother? Shall we heed his request?"

Crimm looked back at his brother and smiled, "Well, we've never declined a request before. And besides, the journey isn't too tough and we've never been to Sevokia before. Life is full of experiences, and we shouldn't give up on this one."

Owen knew that his brother would say that. Though Crimm was quieter and more introverted than he was, Crimm always tried to new experiences, especially when it came to curing illnesses and ailments he had never seen before.

"All right then." Owen said wrapping his around Crimm's shoulders, "We'll go tell the Town Lord about our departure. We'll leave in two days time."

Crimm nodded and the brothers went to the Town Lord to inform him about their departure in two days. The Lord had known the brothers since they were young, and adored them for their hard work and contributions to the town. Though the Lord was sad to hear about their departure, he knew that the boys couldn't be kept in their little town for too long. They were grown men after all, and it was time for them to finally fly out of the nest for new and greater experiences.

Within two days, the brothers packed everything they would need for the journey and for their work. The people of their home gave them a bountiful farewell, sending them off with love and good graces, not to mention a good amount of food and drink to sustain them. With that and one more round of goodbyes, the brothers set off on the two week trip to Sevokia. 

On their way there, the brothers couldn't help but be nervous, since they were so far from home and had never met the people of Sevokia. They hardly doubted people when it came to their opinions of a village, but it was always smart to be somewhat cautious about where they were going next. 

They made it in record time, within a week and some days of traveling, they made it to the town of Sevokia. The rumors hardly did the beauty of the town justice. The gates of the town were made out of beautifully carved wood polished to a glorious shine, greatly pleasing Owen who stopped for several minutes to admire the craftsmanship before being dragged away by his younger brother. They walked down the main cobblestone path, looking around the town to see where the Lord lived. That is until Crimm got distracted for a half hour looking around the potion and medicine shops, to which he too was pulled away by his brother.

After their little detours, the brothers finally made it to a large house upon the hill nearby looking over the town. It was made completely out of wood with a stone foundation, two stories high and the windows on the top floor were made out of beautiful stained glass with a picture of a woman in white being the focal point of the window. None of the other houses in the town were made this spectacularly, so it had to be the home of the town Lord.

"Well, looks like this is the right house, brother." Crimm said as they walked up to the front door. 

Owen took the large bronze doorknocker and knocked it against the wooden door. A few minutes later, a young woman opened the door dressed as a maid. She smiled at the brothers and stood by to let them inside.

"Welcome young brothers, My Lord has been awaiting your arrival." She said, "Please, follow me to the parlor. You shall meet the Lord there."

The brothers followed the woman into the house, admiring every inch of the mansion. From the paintings to the even the rugs on the ground, every inch of the mansion was painted perfection. Just as they were about to turn the corner and enter the parlor, the brothers noticed a painting on the wall above the stairwell. It depicted a family of four. A man with broad shoulders and soft golden hair with kind eyes and a gentle smile. A woman with pale skin that paired with her long raven black hair wearing an ocean blue dress and bright amber colored eyes. In front of them were two young women. One looked like the spitting image of her father, with her golden hair combed into soft waves, and gentle smile wearing a dark blue gown covered with lave and jewels. The other girl was sitting, her fair complexion the same as her mothers and wearing a soft blue dress with a simple amber jewel on the collar of her gown.

The two daughters were different in many ways, from their exotic appearances to their choice of dress between extravagant to simple and clean. And with just a look at the painting, the two brothers felt their hearts jump at the daughters' individual beauties.

"Oh, yes, that is a painting of the Lord's family." The maid explained with a sad smile, "However, the Lady of the house has passed away two years ago. It has devastated the Lord and the young mistresses terribly."

The woman then opened the door to the parlor, and there sitting on a luxurious couch made of dark oak and red cushioning was the same man they saw in the painting. He indeed looked much like the Lord in the painting, but was thinner and terribly sad.

"Lord Orion, the brothers have arrived." The woman announced, making the Lord look up and give a soft smile at the two brothers.

"Thank you Elise, you may leave. Please give my girl her medication if you would." He said.

"Actually, My Lord, if you wouldn't mind, I would like to see what kind of medicine your daughter taking before it is given to her." Crimm said, "I just want to see what kind of medicine goes into her body before deeming if my medicines will be able to help your daughter."

The Lord was surprised, but nodded and dismissed the young maid. When the three men were alone, the Lord gestured for the brothers to take a seat on the opposite couch.

"Please, take a seat." He said kindly, "It must've taken you quite some time to travel here by foot. I'll have my chef prepare a lovely dinner for you once we are done talking."

"Thank you very much Lord Orion." Owen said and the two sat down with their things by their feet, "From the request letter you've sent to us, you wanted me to create an addition to your home, and for my brother to cure your daughter's illness?"

"Yes, indeed." Orion said, "No doubt that you've seen the painting above the staircase. My oldest daughter, Freya, wanted a grand memorial for her mother. In her words, "it must be a beautiful as her mother on a spring morning". And no matter how many people came with their ideas, nothing satisfied her vision."

"And you wrote to my brother because of his reputation as a person that can bring visions to life with his hands." Crimm said.

"Exactly." Orion confirmed, "And as for you, Sir Crimm, my youngest daughter, Melody, her condition is quite baffling to even the greatest of doctors and magicians. Her health has always been frail, but in the past few years it has become worse. Her breathing is always hard to grasp, her skin is constantly cold and clammy, and no matter what medicine we give her, her condition never gets better."

"And you want my brother to find this impossible cure?" Owen said.

The Lord nodded and bowed his head, something a high ranking noble would never do unless he was utterly desperate.

"I beg of you, do try your best to do what you can to heed my requests." He begged. The brothers turned to each other and nodded.

"We shall do our best." The brothers said, making the Lord smile with gratefulness. He then stood up and walked over to the brothers, shaking their hands as a sign of thanks.

"Thank you so very much for accepting. Please, Sir Owen, I will lead you to the gardens. That is where my daughter wishes for the memorial to be built. Sir Crimm, you may follow Elise to Melody's room where she spends most of her time."

The brothers nodded and went their separate ways to begin their duties. Lord Orion led Owen out to the back gardens. It was full of weeds and dying flowers, but had a clear cobblestone path leading to the center of the garden, where a young lady sat in an extravagant emerald green gown. Her long golden blonde hair was braided delicately and tied into a high bun, but her back was facing the two so they could not see her face.

"My dear Freya. Sir Owen has arrived to bring your vision to life." Lord Orion said and the young woman turned to see the young Lycan brother. Even with sadness written on her face, Owen couldn't help but think that she was quite the beautiful young woman. She couldn't have been much younger than him, if not the same age he is. She walked over to the brother and stared at him for a time before smiling.

"Are you able to bring my vision to light?" She asked, her voice strong and proud.

"I shall do my best, My Lady." Owen replied with a grin, "Tell me what you want and I will do my best to plan it and bring it to life."

Freya nodded and began to explain everything that she wanted with the best details that she could provide. She wanted a ring of beautiful and rare flowers, grand towers carved of the finest wood that would hold torches on the inside of their peaks. Two large trees that bloomed the purest of blush colored flowers that intersected their branches. She even wanted several stone benches surrounding a large table where she could dine with her family. And finally, she wanted a stone carving of her mother sitting on one of the stone benches, as if her mother was still there dining with them during the spring day.

Owen listened carefully to her requests and by the time she was done, he already had a vision planned for her ideas.

Meanwhile, inside the house, the maid Elise had escorted Crimm to the younger daughter's room. The maid knocked on the door and a soft voice echoed from inside.

"Please come in." The voice sounded so frail and broken, and once the door was open, Crimm could that he had his work cut out for him.

Sitting up in a large bed covered with a canopy as a young woman about his age, her long black hair falling over her left shoulder to mask the red marks on her neck. Her eyes were dull and lifeless, but her smile was quiet and sad. Her skin was paler than a sheet of paper and her cheeks were nearly sunken in, showing just how much the disease she had took from her life.

Nevertheless, Crimm was determined to find a cure and save this woman's life.

"My Lady Melody, I have brought the young doctor your father has hired. Please introduce yourself, young sir."

Crimm smiled and bowed in respect to the young lady, "Greetings, Lady Melody. My name is Crimm Lycancias, and with everything I have, from my resources to my knowledge of medicine and magic, I will find a cure for your illness."

The woman looked surprised for a moment, then waved the maid away so that they could talk privately. Once they were alone, Crimm looked over to the side table and saw several bottles of potions and herbs for mixing medicine.

"Is that what you are taking, Lady Melody?" Crimm asked.

"Please, no need for the formalities. I am not expected to live longer than a few more months, at least that's what the last doctor said." Melody said with a dim view.

"That is quite dim the view on your own life, Lady Melody." Crimm chuckled as he walked over to see the medicine and potions, "But there is always a cure for any disease, illness and ailment. IT just takes time and effort to find them."

Crimm picked up one of the bottles and took a small sip. Immediately, he could taste a bitter flavor, and a hint of a special type of herb that even the most novice herbalists would stay away from. Scanning the herbs, Crimm noticed several red flags, each one more dangerous than the last.

His brow furrowed at the sight of the medicine, or more like slow acting poison. He then looked over at the young lady and knelt down by her bedside.

"May I give you a short exam?"

Melody nodded and held out her left arm, showing off the marks from the other exams she had over the years, making Crimm grow even more concerned for the young woman. He did a quick exam and even used a little bit of his magic to make her feel more comfortable and relaxed. It took no more than ten minutes for his exam to be completed. He discovered weakness in her legs, congested lungs, increased drowsiness, sensitivity to light and loud noises, and slow loss of vision. It was a signs of irregular mixed potions and medicine, in addition to poisonous herbs and weeds. And he recognized the method right away. Once he was done, he let out a sigh of relief.

"There is good news, Lady Melody." Crimm smiled, "I can cure your illness, but it will take some time to do so."

"Many have said that before, and yet I have not gotten any better." Melody said.

"Well, I promise you on my father's grave, that I will save your life, Lady Melody. All I need is a few herbs and ingredients for a medicinal potion. Once that is complete, your health should be on the rise in no time."

Melody was stunned by this young man and watched his every move as he reached into his bag, bringing out several bottles and bags of herbs and potion ingredients. He spent the rest of the day until dinner mixing a medicinal potion that could cure Melody. When dinner was served, the brothers and Freya sat at the table with the Lord at the head.

Freya was smiling happily as she spoke about what Owen was planning for the garden. It pleased Lord Orion to see his daughter smiling and excited about the memorial she had been waiting two years to have done for her mother.

"Sir Crimm, have you found anything on how to cure Melody?" He asked.

"Yes, will my baby sister live? Can she be cured?" Freya asked.

Crimm smiled as he finished chewing his meal, "I did find a way to cure Lady Melody, I even know the cause as to why her condition has gotten worse over time."

"Why is that? What have you found?" Lord Orion asked urgently, wanting to know more.

"Well, from the medicine that you daughter has been taking, I have concluded that it's the work of a fairly new breed of scammers."

Owen's eyes widened, "Don't tell me that it's those Dark Warlocks?" He asked.

"Dark Warlocks?" Freya repeated curiously.

"Yes, they've only appeared a couple of years ago, but they have vast knowledge of magic and medicine. They hear about cases of terrible illnesses and use their knowledge to create 'cures'. The patients may improve for a time, but then they would become even worse than before they came to cure them. When nothing else would work, they would refer the patient to another Warlock which would then repeat the process. On top of this, they would charge an immense amount of money for the cure. From what I have seen by the medicines and herbs your daughter is taking, it is actually making her condition worse. The herbs are poisonous and act slowly, causing a great amount of pain and terrible side-effects, such as weakness in the limbs, loss of appetite, vision loss, sensitivity to lights and sounds, and many more."

The family couldn't hold back their horror and fear for their sickly member.

"Is there anything you can do?" Lord Orion asked.

"Indeed. First, I would like to get all of the poison out her system, which means that I cannot give her the full dose of the medicine I've created until she is free of the harsh medicines. That will take some time depending on how long and how often she's taken the false medicine." Crimm explained, "We'll take is slowly, one day at a time. Once the cure is administered, she'll grow stronger and stronger by the day. I'll do everything I can to get her back to full strength, but if I were to guess the length of time for her recovery, I would say to give it just under a year."

"Wonderful, little brother. That should be about the same time I'll be done with the memorial." Owen smiled, "She'll be well just in time for the first unveiling of my work."

The family was impressed by their work and confidence, and gave the young men whatever they needed to complete their work.

~~~~~~~~

Nearly a year went by, and spring was on it's way. The two brothers worked tirelessly on their given assignments. Owen worked alongside several workers and specialists in stone and wood carving, giving every bit of instruction and detail to the workers. And of course, Freya was by his side as well, making sure that he was following her every detail for her vision. As the months passed, Owen was busy writing to people in different towns that held the flowers she wanted for the memorial. The trees were difficult to find, but eventually he found them, a tree that could bloom blush colored flowers blossomed mainly on an island in the far East, but he managed to get some from a trader that came through Sevokia two months after he started building.

Crimm was working closely with Melody, constantly watching her movements and keeping check on her vitals. It took a month for the poisonous medicine to get out of her system, and then finally she could handle more than just a quarter of his medicine. Within three months of her treatment, she was able to stand stronger sunlight, move her legs without much pain and even walk across her room with Crimm's help. As the months passed and winter began, she was able to walk all on her own. When she showed her father and sister, they were so overjoyed and held a huge feast to celebrate. 

But it wasn't just the gardens nor Melody's condition that grew better and better. The two girls started to develop feelings towards the two brothers, and the more time they spent together, the more that the two sets of siblings grew fond of each other.

Finally, when spring came and the pink flowers bloomed on the branches in the garden, their jobs were complete. The garden memorial for the Lord's late wife was completed, and more beautiful than Freya imagined it. And to compliment the garden's beauty was Melody. Her skin was flushed and bright, her pale color now a soft shade of golden ivory with gentle rosy cheeks. Her black hair, which was once as dull and stiff as straw, now shone bright with life and flowed like a black river. She was now full of life and never lost her smile.

The celebrate the end of their jobs, they planned a large dinner held in the garden. When night came, the lanterns were lit and the group danced, sang and laughed, then finally when the evening was done, the Lord of the land stood up with a cup in his hand.

"I would like to give thanks to the wonderful young men who made this all possible." He cheered with all the happiness and pride he felt growing within him since the brothers came to his doorstep.

"Sir Owen, you have created my daughter's nearly impossible vision and lit up her world like a flame in the dark night. For that, I thank you. If my wife were still alive, she would be praising you as well for creating the most beautiful garden we have ever seen."

Owen smiled and took a sip from his cup, his younger brother nudging him on the shoulder he noticed Freya blushing his way. 

"And to you, Sir Crimm, for saving the life of my daughter Melody. For the longest time, I thought that she would join her mother all too soon, but look at her now. Strong, healthy and proud. I can't thank the both of you enough. To life and light!"

"To life and light!" Everyone cheered and clinked their cups, laughing and celebrating. After their cups were empty, Lord Orion walked over to the brothers and bowed his head.

"As for the payment for your kind and incredible actions, I am willing to give you anything you desire. Land, money, a position in the village. You name it and it's yours."

The brothers wondered about their payment for as long as they've been there, and even discussed it amongst each other for several months. At first, they wanted to ask for money, a reasonable pay then give it to the people of their home village. But as they spent more time in this town, they discovered something more valuable than money or jewels.

Owen and Crimm walked over to the Lord's daughters, Owen to Freya and Crimm to Melody, kneeling down on one knee and taking their hands.

"Freya, beautiful and noble, a heart made of gold as pure as your shining sunshine hair. Nothing would make me happier than to have that light in my life for as long as the world will allow me." Owen said.

"Melody, kind and gentle with a mind as bright as her will and smile, a soul that shines brighter than all the stars in the sky combined. I wish for both of our lives to be filled with the same happiness and brightness that the stars, sun and moon give the world."

Both brothers looked at each other and smiled, then looked back at their beloveds.

"Will you do us the honor, of becoming our beloved wives?" The brothers asked.

That was their price, to be with the ones that they cared for the most in the world. And of course, the daughters agreed to the proposal, as they loved the brothers as well. So, the price was paid happily.

By the end of that spring, they were all married in a grand ceremony at the heart of Sevokia. However, since their jobs were finished, the brothers had to decide what they would do. In the end, before the beginning of summer, the two brothers decided to spend their lives with their wives in their respective stations.

Freya was in line to be the next Lord after her father, so she had stayed in Sevokia. In turn, Owen stayed in the village with his wife.

Melody, not being bound by such responsibilities, and wanting to see the world since her health was no longer in danger, she decided to go with Crimm to their hometown and live a brand new life with the man she loved.

So for the first time since they were children, the two brothers lived away from each other.

But their blood connected them in more ways than one. And little did they know that their blood would cause their families to be broken and separated for hundreds of years. All because of one betrayal.