Completed Trouble in blood

[Dovinya]

26th of Summer

Am I ready for the Harvest?

It was more than a season away, and yet, he was beginning to doubt even that was enough time to suitably prepare him for the task ahead. Tales of disaster met on the surface were as common as those of success, and he couldn’t help but to keep thinking that he was to suffer the former. His brother at least thought so, and perhaps he was right too for if he was so easily duped by kin, why not those treacherous other of the surface. Was he really the right one to conduct this sacred honor for his family? Should he have remained in Nallessa’s ‘care’ so that his brother could have carried the honor?

The sound of bare feet rasping against the hewn stone floor roused him from his contemplations, and reminded him poignantly of his surroundings, sequestered off in the private alcoves of the temple, so the noise was regarded with the comforting knowledge that it had to be a priest or acolyte, or perhaps it was both because to his own hearing it sounded as if multiple sets of feet were making their way across the smooth stone of the corridor just outside the room he kneeled in. Hardly feeling any need rush to make himself appear presentable, he slowly rose from his position in front of the small altar to Viratas, turning around right moments before Daratur appeared in the doorway, with another’s form for the most part obscured by the priests’.

“Ah, Dovinya.. You have a visitor” Daratur remarked, after making the initial greetings, before stepping away to reveal the guest behind him, a guest he couldn’t fail to recognize. Vadas..

[Dovinya]

So many thoughts and feelings surged to the surface at the sight of his brother, the leading of those outrage, and shame, shame which alone kept his tongue stilled at the appearance of his treacherous brother, though he certainly had a few choice words he wanted to share with his younger sibling. But in front of Daratur? Not even for a surrogate!

Still not saying anything was no solution he quickly realized as the moments passed by with him uncomfortably clearing his throat, and he decided to say something before Daratur’s expression changed from one of confusion to one of suspicion. “Ah! Vadas, and what brings you to my presence this day? Is father hosting another one of his ‘family meetings’?” He spoke rather quickly, the tenseness of his tone causing him to mispronounce a few of the words in a slur, not that either symenestra seemed to mind.

“No, no nothing that ‘entertaining’ I’m afraid, I’ve come for absolution, from you and Viratas if you will have me” Vadas said in a tone that he desperately wanted to read as sincere, but the man’s actions of late tainted his perception of everything his brother said or did. “It is why I’m here as well, to get the necessary implements for the ritual if that is what you decide to go through with” Daratur added while Dovinya still processed what Vadas had uttered. He was speechless at his brother’s audacity if this was for show, or if it was not.. he had no idea what to think. This was completely unlike his brother to ask for forgiveness, especially in such a demure way, but yet.. here he was, trying in front of the priest to clear the bad blood between them.

[Dovinya]

He found himself nodding yes, before he could even think to say anything. After all what little choice did he have in either case, for the former would be shameful to prove, and the latter was had so much promise if he accepted. “Yes, yes, of course I will conduct the ritual with you if that is what you truly want brother--”

“Actually, I fear my words or actions will do little to assuage your doubts of me brother” Vadas interrupted, and Dovinya was quick to open his mouth to voice his dissent, but his brother’s hand quickly shot up to silence him. “Which is why I’d like to try and impart my desire to repent through your connection with Viratas..” His brother spoke, gesturing towards the chain encircling his bicep, three of the links swirling constantly with different shades of red. Again he was rendered speechless by his brother’s request, and even Daratur showed some surprise at this, by way of his sudden announcement of his departure, before he headed out of the sole entrance to the room.

“You want me to...”

“Yes, it is the only way I can be sure you will trust in my apology”

[Dovinya]

“But..” How could he voice how against this idea he felt? More pressingly how could he refuse such an open request of forgiveness, and one that was quite logical at that.

“I know what it entails”

“Very well, but do not have me be the one to bleed you”

“Afraid you might cut too deep?” The suggestion was clear from his light tone, and the smirk curling the edges of his features, which Dovinya suitably responded to with a frown of his own. “Maybe” He managed coldly in response before taking a seat by the altar, and that managed to steal the mirth from his brother as his smile melted into non expression as he offered he newly scored arm. The crimson of his blood glittered in the soft light of the opal gloams on his pale flesh, and at the sight dread began to fester within the pit of his stomach, a reaction he was certainly not accustom to at the sight of blood, but neither had he done this quite personal ritual with his brother before. Especially with things being the way they were.

It only seemed to intensify as he leaned forward, manifesting even in the tightening of his muscles, the heavy beating of his heart, the first beads of sweat to form across his forehead as he head inched forward. The metallic taste of blood splashed across his tongue, and the power of the connection washed through him, overwhelmed him even with it’s own course. Now he was in a place he could only assume was a new one of his brother’s as it had much of the same furnishings but none of the layout, but it didn’t last long before he was in a cavern, the rose colored hue of it immediately familiar but not in his own sense but in the overly practical one of his brother’s and suddenly he was struck by the calm Vadas felt at the time. His vision swam again, settling this time on himself, from Vada’s perspective, but he barely even recognized the image or the odd mingling of jealousy threaded through the calm before he was turned then into the common’s room of the Meadow’s Public House, feeling artificially elated. He heard himself speak, “Dovinya is not fit to conduct a harvest on my account, he shouldn’t be the one to go this year” There was another voice, amid that myriad of other senses assaulting him, his fathers. “Yes--” it said, before everything washed away and he found himself back in the small chamber within the temple, left with aching memories and the tang of blood mixed with sweat fresh on his tongue. He swallowed hard before attempting to speak to his brother whom was now standing a few paces away from him, methodically working on bandaging his arm.

“I thought you wanted to express your regret for what you did”

At that, Vadas chuckled, and once more rage welled within him as he struggled to his feet, still comprehending the notions assaulting him, the left over alien feelings that remained within his consciousness. “I tried to guide, but I’m not sure what you experienced, though I hope you saw that what I did was justified, and that I need not apologize. I still have hope that you will do the right thing” His every word cutting, even as he spoke so calmly, and with that his brother left him in the chamber alone with his thoughts. Thoughts not all his own, nor his feelings for that matter, though outrage was quickly winning out. One thing was clear though, a confrontation was coming, and not only with his brother.