The neigh of the horse rang through the area as the carriage rider snapped the reins. The inside of the booth held John, Ashur, and Annerose.
John and the spirit were currently talking, what subject it was remained unknown however as Ashur wasn't paying attention.
Upon entering the carriage, he mentioned wanting to rest briefly and the two responded accordingly. John was understanding while Annerose said something along the lines of, "Sleep is for the weak."
With his eye closed, he felt himself drifting into a deep sleep.
***
With his fist clenched he felt his chest practically burning. He could hardly stand to look at the man in front of him. He was biting his lip, frustration radiating from his voice.
"Brother how could you do such a thing!?"
The man rolled his eyes which were veiled in annoyance.
His hair was spiky and blue, the tips black, and his skin a deep brown. Both he and the man who was currently admonishing him shared a striking resemblance.
"Listen here, Ashur. I only did what the son of the chief should; handle an insurrection within the clan. If it wasn't for my actions we would've had a rebellion and possibly lost everything."
"Are you kidding me? All they said was they were tired of the old system the clan lived by. They never mentioned wanting to overthrow our father."
Ashur was unable to hold his voice still. It fluctuated and trembled as he reflected on the events that had taken place.
"You're too naive. You've heard the rumors swirling throughout the villages. Those rumors were spread by those in the group, to make it seem like they were all innocent all the while probing for new members to join their cause."
He couldn't believe such a thing was true, but even if it was, the man had taken things too far. To kill those who were supposedly "rebelling" wasn't as simple as he made it sound.
He killed all, old, middle-aged, and even the young. To make things worse, those who assisted him weren't even around at the moment.
"Boreas. Where are Bonne and Clyne, let alone the rest of your partners in crime?"
Boreas raised his eyebrow at the label he'd so quickly given.
"Firstly they're my friends and I'll have you address them as such and secondly, we didn't commit a crime. The chief didn't even admonish us after all, he realizes our course of action was correct. Complacency breeds weakness, weakness breeds suffering, and suffering breeds death. You know that old saying don't you? I did it for us all."
At this point, Ashur was clenching his fist so tightly his hand started to bleed. Not only was he brimming with anger at Boreas' justifications but frustration flowed through him as well.
He couldn't understand.
His brother had never been this way, not only so open with brutalizing people but his reasonings for harming those same people being one quick response in the chamber.
Ashur wasn't a fool. He'd known it was a possibility that they'd try to attack one of the Elders as well as the chief, the problem lay in the action taken to eliminate that possibility.
There could've, or rather should've been room to discuss things further but now, that branch of the village was nothing but a pool of blood and corpses.
His voice faint Ashur spoke.
"Brother, please. What's going on with you lately? You've been distant and now you pull something like this. Please talk to me, if you're going through something we can work through it, taking actions like these without consulting anyone is brash and dangerous. What if something happened to you? Then you would've sparked conflict and wouldn't have been there to give your reasonings for what you tried."
There was silence in the air. His eyes searched his brother's, their icy blue color reflecting his exterior perfectly, cold as ice.
"I wouldn't have lost. I'm Astra's son, after all, the same as you." A scowl was on his face as he gave his retort, his gaze filled with malice.
The cold look made Ashur take a step back. It wasn't that the look was very intimidating to him, it was who the look came from.
His brother, someone he trusted, and loved, was giving him a death stare as if he was the enemy.
While there were many emotions swirling within his heart, confusion was the most prominent. He wondered, how did their relationship become like this? Just as he started to speak once more, he heard a voice from behind him.
"Everything all right?"
Ashur turned to see Mary, looking as beautiful as ever. From the angle she stood, with her back facing outside of the tent, the sun shone, making her pink hair stand out more than usual.
The glare in Boreas' eye quickly dwindled as he saw the pink-haired woman.
"It's nothing," he muttered under his breath, starting to walk toward the exit.
His shoulder bumped into Ashur's as he went past him, and Mary simply stepped out of his way.
A concerned look lay in her eyes as she followed him, watching him walk further away, heading toward the hill in the center of the village.
Ashur was just standing there, his fists still balled up tightly. He couldn't let out another word, he didn't recognize the man any longer.
There were no words he could've given to reconnect or even attempt to understand him.
***
"Brother how could you do such a thing!?"
Boreas felt a wave of confusion wash over him at first. Why was he being admonished? He did the right thing, didn't he?
Securing the safety of the clan as well as his father. The only physical response he could muster up was a roll of his eyes, as he believed the conversation to be trivial.
"Listen here, Ashur. I only did what the son of the chief should; handle an insurrection within the clan. If it wasn't for my actions we would've had a rebellion and possibly lost everything."
You understand right? He thought to himself.
"Are you kidding me? All they said was they were tired of the old system the clan lived by. They never mentioned wanting to overthrow our father." Upon every word he spoke, Ashur's voice trembled.
The frailness of his older brother's tone did nothing but irritate him. He shouldn't be reacting in this way. He did everyone a favor.
"You're too naive," Boreas said through gritted teeth. "You've heard the rumors swirling throughout the villages. Those rumors were spread by those in the group, to make it seem like they were all innocent all the while probing for new members to join their cause."
"Boreas. Where are Bonne and Clyne, let alone the rest of your partners in crime?"
Partners in crime? Was he referring to his friends?
The people who'd always been by his side. Who supported him in every endeavor meanwhile his own flesh and blood, Ashur, was always off somewhere competing with Ultri, learning things from Severost, or on a leisurely stroll with Mary?
Boreas raised an eyebrow, he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Firstly they're my friends and I'll have you address them as such and secondly, we didn't commit a crime. The chief didn't even admonish us after all, he realizes our course of action was correct. Complacency breeds weakness, weakness breeds suffering, and suffering breeds death. You know that old saying don't you? I did it for us all."
He slightly winced seeing Ashur's hand bleed as his words ceased.
Was he really that angry?
His brother truly couldn't understand that what he'd done was for the sake of everyone and that he believed it to be absolutely necessary.
A civil war within the clan was seeming inevitable with every passing day, he had to do something. It's not like it was easy for him. He had stained his hands with blood, some deserved, but the children, no way.
He had to though, he couldn't risk them growing up seeking revenge. He had to snuff out any signs of resistance. That was the answered he'd received during his six-year training at the peak. To give his all, and never let one overcome him.
His voice faint Ashur spoke.
"Brother, please. What's going on with you lately? You've been distant and now you pull something like this. Please talk to me, if you're going through something we can work through it, taking actions like these without consulting anyone is brash and dangerous. What if something happened to you? Then you would've sparked conflict and wouldn't have been there to give your reasonings for what you tried."
Did he ask what was going on with him?
Ever since he could remember, he was always the second fiddle. It was Ashur this, Ashur that. He had always been seen as special.
The next to succeed the clan, the one out of Astra's two son's to get the Clan's coveted blessing, the sun's covering. He was just the other son.
That didn't bother him the most however, he always tried to push his feeling of inferiority down. The problem came with just those words, "Please talk to me."
Such a notion was ridiculous. It was clear from the look on his brother's face that no matter what he said, it wouldn't be understood.
He truly wanted the best for the clan, despite no one ever respecting him but when he finally did something, an act that he didn't enjoy one bit, only then did he ever want recognition.
A thank you, even if it was one veiled in sorrow… He wanted it, rather needed it.
However, what he received was a feeling of alienation by the main person who should've known him.
Boreas felt a bile feeling in his gut. What was it? Oh… he realized.
For the first time…no, the second time in his life, he could say he truly hated someone.
The first was of course Ultri, the one who replaced him. Became the most important person to his brother, forcing him to seek companionship from others, like Bonne and Clyde.
His eyes were cold as he glared at Ashur. He felt cold, oh so very cold.
"I wouldn't have lost. I'm Astra's son, after all, the same as you." A scowl was on his face as he gave his retort, his gaze filled with malice.
It was true.
The lack of faith placed onto him was evident. He shared the same amount of blood with Astra that Ashur did.
They were born of the same mother as well so there should've been no difference between them. They should've been equals but no, apparently he was never enough.
"Everything all right?"
Mary said, emerging from the entrance of the tent. She was flashing a curious look between the pair of them of Ashur and Boreas.
When his eyes fell on the woman they softened. Mary. Sweet sweet Mary. He couldn't bear to continue their conversation, not wanting to upset her with their discourse.
"It's nothing," he muttered under his breath, starting to walk toward the exit, his shoulder bumping into Ashur's.
He didn't dare apologize, he had completely lost all care for him. He couldn't see Ashur as his brother any longer, he was just like the rest, never understanding him, and never seeing that he only ever wanted the best for all.
With his heart slowly becoming more twisted with every step, he continued walking, making his way toward the hill where he wou-
"Boreas?"
He opened his eyes, hearing the voice calling his name.
His gaze was fixed on a dark ceiling, dust instantly registering itself in his brain as he took a deep breath in.
He had been so immersed in his dream that he forgot where he was for a moment. He scanned his surroundings, slowly raising off the ground he'd been laying down on.
His gaze fell on someone, a woman with deep black eyes, her blonde hair tied into a ponytail. She was gazing at him, noticing the somewhat absentminded look on his face.
"Oh, what's up Bonne?"
"Don't 'what's up Bonne' me. You know what day it is right?"
He scratched the back of his head, his eyes glinting with confusion at her words. However, they suddenly lit up with recollection, and his brain fog from newly acquired consciousness vanished.
"Oh yeah." A smirk grew on his face. "They're sending someone from the organization today, right?"
Bonne released a sigh, placing her forehead in her palm. "Boreas, sometimes I don't know what I'm supposed to do with you."