Post by Raven on Dec 31, 2014 4:24:35 GMT -5
The Clark twins had been nearly inseparable in childhood. They'd done everything together, from their lessons in nobility, geography, and fighting skills to alchemical experiments to sleeping in the same bed for the first ten years of their lives, much to their father's displeasure. The pair had taken beatings and nursed one another back to health, and it seemed that there would never be anyone closer to them than each other. When they were eleven, however, young Kenny tumbled down the stairs, falling farther than some people would survive. He slept for two days and two nights following, and woke to find a quite different brother waiting for him. The incident had driven Adam so far into his grief and pain, not knowing whether his brother - the boy he'd been with all his life, and the only person in the world who understood him - would ever wake up, that he found other ways to resolve it. He'd had a particular skill for making potions to change one's feelings all his life, so it wasn't hard for him to make some for himself. After his brother woke, he found he couldn't stop. His brother could no longer understand, and it drove them apart. While Adam went off to make potions, or to drink them, Kenny practiced with his sword. If Lord Clark noticed his son's festering addiction, he didn't care. Adam received more pressure as they grew older, because the elder twin - though only by an hour - was the one responsible for taking over their land at their father's passing. He still never slept alone, but rather than his brother sharing his bed, it was countless girls. Kenny, who would become a knight or a priest as all second sons would do, stayed alone at night. After one cold day in February, five weeks after their eleventh birthday, the Clark twins would never understand one another again.
"We have some things to sort out, since the two of you are nearing that age," Aaron said. Adam didn't appear to be listening. He appeared to be asleep. Kenny wished he was, but he just gave a soft "yes" and let his father continue. "You need a wife." Adam's brow creased, showing that he was paying attention - or that he was having a rather unpleasant dream, it was hard to tell. "And you." The glare he shot the younger boy nearly made him cringe. As it was, he shrunk lower in his chair. "You need a lord, if you're ever going to do anything useful with your life."
"Yes, father," Kenny murmured, then gasped as the back of Aaron's hand met his cheek. "Y-yes milord," he quickly corrected, then stood and bowed, mentally chastising himself for his mistake. "Would you like me to search for one, milord?"
Aaron scoffed. "You would find a pussy-lord, boy. No, I will do it."
"Thank you, milord." He hesitated.
"Well? What are you still standing there for? Go find something useful to do."
"Yes, milord." Kenny almost left his sword before he remembered to grab it from where it rested against the chair, then he quickly left the room. He didn't let out the breath he'd been holding until he was down the hall.
"We have some things to sort out, since the two of you are nearing that age," Aaron said. Adam didn't appear to be listening. He appeared to be asleep. Kenny wished he was, but he just gave a soft "yes" and let his father continue. "You need a wife." Adam's brow creased, showing that he was paying attention - or that he was having a rather unpleasant dream, it was hard to tell. "And you." The glare he shot the younger boy nearly made him cringe. As it was, he shrunk lower in his chair. "You need a lord, if you're ever going to do anything useful with your life."
"Yes, father," Kenny murmured, then gasped as the back of Aaron's hand met his cheek. "Y-yes milord," he quickly corrected, then stood and bowed, mentally chastising himself for his mistake. "Would you like me to search for one, milord?"
Aaron scoffed. "You would find a pussy-lord, boy. No, I will do it."
"Thank you, milord." He hesitated.
"Well? What are you still standing there for? Go find something useful to do."
"Yes, milord." Kenny almost left his sword before he remembered to grab it from where it rested against the chair, then he quickly left the room. He didn't let out the breath he'd been holding until he was down the hall.
