Princess Nuala ran along the damp streets. Her white hair flipped all around her face and her golden eyes sparkled with excitement. She rushed past a group of trolls and dashed around the street corner. Looking around, she saw a small wooden box and clambered inside it. “Nuada will never find me in here.” She whispered.
The sound of footsteps could be heard from outside Nuala’s hiding place. Her breathing stopped and she listened hard, hoping that this time victory would be hers.
The sound of footsteps stopped. Nuala slowly made her way farther back into the box. “Ow!” She bit her lip as a sharp object slid across her palm.
   “Found you.” The lid of the box opened and Prince Nuada’s face appeared.
Nuala sighed and stood. “You wouldn’t have if I hadn’t yelled.” She looked at her palm.
   “Perhaps not,” He lifted his palm; blood seeped from a long cut across it. “But this gave you away.”
Nuala blushed and stepped out of the box. “I’m sorry, brother. I truly should be more careful.”
Nuada shrugged and smiled, his red eyes glistened with triumph. “Well, dear sister, it looks as if I’ve won another game.”
Glaring at her brother, Nuala turned and crossed her arms. “So you have.” She flipped her hair with a small, pale hand. “But no matter,” she turned and faced Nuada. “I’ll win one of these days, brother. You can be sure of that.”
   “Is that a challenge?”
   “Maybe.”
Nuada nodded. “Then I accept.” He playfully shoved his sister. “What shall we play next?”
Nuala placed a finger on her chin and thought. “How about we have a race?”
   “A race?” Nuada repeated. “Very well. We will race, twin against twin.”
A happy squeal of joy escaped Nuala’s lips. “Then we will begin. This is the starting line. And over there,” she raised her finger and pointed to the tower a few streets down. “There will be the finish line.”
   “One, two, three…” Nuada prepared to take off. “Start!”
                      The twins dashed off down the street. Each one was bent on beating the other, but the two had fun no matter who won. And as they turned around the last corner, Nuala put on an extra burst of speed and touched the tower’s base. Her face beamed with pride as Nuada came up and ruffled her hair.
   “See, brother?” Nuala panted for breath. “It seems I’ve beaten you.”
Nuada agreed. “So you have.” He then decided to keep it to himself that he’d let her win. Well, at least for now.