Brother Light, Brother Dark: In Which Brothers Will Be Brothers
#12 of Brother Dark, Brother Light
The following novella was written as a collaborative effort between myself and Dragonatic for the People. Project started March 2010. All characters and content are copyright to their respective owners.This series will only be made available for reading in its entirety for a limited time only, with parts released periodically!! All comments, critiques, and criticisms are welcome.
"I don't need to be reminded of our pasts when enough comes to mind about it already," Tyrannio snapped. "I'm well aware of both our histories enough for my understanding. However, if you wish to bring out the skeletons in my closet, I hope you are prepared to also face the demons that follow." The king glared down from his throne. Even with an eye patch covering one side of his face, he still looked very intimidating.
"My lord. We only fear for your safety. That man is -"
"My brother, who was a wrongfully faulted criminal sent to exile because of YOUR paranoid delusions that, only after, made him truly so!"
Tyrannio's royal advisors and officers shrank back as the king's voice began to get shrill. Beside him, Donichus did too, shifting uncomfortably in his casted arm. He didn't want to feel sorry for the people who'd swayed his brother into exiling him, but the way Tyrannio's voice boomed confidently over theirs, so sure in his decision for once, it was difficult not to see the regret in their eyes for manipulating and taking advantage of their king.
"Still," Tyrannio said, laying back in his throne. "I suppose I am partly to blame for that. For being foolish enough to let you make that decision for me instead of saying what I truly felt was right in my heart." He looked sideways at Donichus, who only gazed back in turn.
"My lord, that's very touching. Truly, but your decree clearly stated-"
"Then I make a new decree," Tyrannio interrupted sternly. "That my brother Donichus be admitted back into this kingdom. Into family, where he belongs. And so long as I am king, that order will stand, and will be obeyed. Is any part of this at all unclear?"
The king's subjects hesitated, throwing sideways glances at each other nervously, but none of them dared to speak out; not before one lifted a finger and drew his breath.
"Excellent," Tyrannio quickly exclaimed before he had a chance to speak. "You may go. Leave us."
Tyrannio's subjects bowed and took slow steps back before turning around and quitting the room. As soon as the mighty doors swung shut behind them, Donichus released a breath he'd been holding.
"I doubt that's the end of that," Jaqaran said from the opposite side of Tyrannio's throne.
Tyrannio sniffed. "I doubt so too. They'll be on to both of you - and me, for that matter. But as long as you both keep your heads down and stay away from any fires, I'm sure they'll find some other seemingly important political agenda to waste my time with."
"What will we do?" Donichus asked.
"Well, I can't have you rampaging around the country, killing people again. Then again, it'd be a shame to have someone of your... ssss-kills... to go to waste. Once things quiet down, I can have you join the guard rank, if you wish. Once your arm heals up, of course."
"You mean be your personal bodyguard."
"Big brother's always got to keep watching. Besides." he shifted around in his throne. "I have a reputation to uphold, remember?"
"Heheh-yeah..." Donichus looked over at Jaqaran, who smiled back. And then he turned to the throne, a smirk spreading across his face. "So... 'What you truly felt was right in your heart?'"
"Shut up," Tyrannio said, looking forward.
Donichus laughed.
FIN.
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