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Once unwanted, though partly foreseen, consequence of killing off Quin’s brother. Quin is going to be a mess…

So now the fiddler’s bill comes due. XD (This ought to be some consolation to all those who have been calling to me in capital letters with much exclamation marks, lol) Also, @rusted-knight stop writing posts like that…you’re gonna make me cry!

 

Quin

He could hear Qatar’s voice and the Castle’s above him, but they seemed to come from somewhere else.

‘Little Brother!’ The scorn in his brother’s voice echoed through Quin’s mind. ‘Little Brother.’

“You miserable little beast. I was willing to call it an accident. Willing to say it wasn’t your fault. But all along I knew it was. ”

every day for ten months. In your eyes, in the way you looked at me; the way you walked…

Quin’s grip tightened on the knife. His hand was sweating.

“I knew it was just because you were a little coward.”

Coward. 

Mama’s pale face, with all the life drained out of it. Qatar’s eyes, dark and angry and changed–oh, forever changed!

“Yellow-livered, running from danger like a dog with it’s tail tucked.”

 He wanted to call his brother’s name, but all that came out was a bubbling sob, like a child’s.

He’s right.

Qatar dropped to his knees beside Quin and tore the knife from his hand. “Where were you hiding this?” A mutter so low it was hardly audible.

Do it. Do anything.  Quin’s shoulders shook.

“You’ve never checked your anger before. Let it go now.” The castle’s voice. Of course it was. Quin braced himself. Just do it.

The sound of a blade rattling on the stones ten feet away. But he clenched his fist.

“Come one, Miller. One little slap. I’m not even asking you to kill him.”

Please, Qatar. It might even ease the guilt that was pulling like a lead weight on his chest. “Yellow-livered, running from danger like a dog with it’s tail tucked.”

Every word was true. Quin squeezed his eyes shut and waited. You’ve wanted to do it for ten months; I’ve wanted you to. Just do it and get it over with.

“Coward,” hissed Qatar’s voice in his ear. Quin lifted his head. For one instant his eyes met Qatar’s. they were dark with anger; almost hatred.

I can’t get away from it. Don’t you think I would if I could? I hate being a coward just as much as you. Come on–hit me.

His brother’s eyes suddenly cleared. His fist relaxed. His eyes stayed on Quin’s as he stood up. “No.”

Quin couldn’t tell if he was talking to the castle or to him.

With a rush of wind above his head a stone spear, perfectly aimed rammed through Qatar’s body.

No. No, no, no–

“No!” Quin tried to jump to his feet. His left leg was missing, and he collapsed again.

Once unwanted, though partly foreseen, consequence of killing off Quin’s brother. Quin is going to be a mess…

So now the fiddler’s bill comes due. XD (This ought to be some consolation to all those who have been calling to me in capital letters with much exclamation marks, lol) Also, @rusted-knight stop writing posts like that…you’re gonna make me cry!

 

Quin

He could hear Qatar’s voice and the Castle’s above him, but they seemed to come from somewhere else.

‘Little Brother!’ The scorn in his brother’s voice echoed through Quin’s mind. ‘Little Brother.’

“You miserable little beast. I was willing to call it an accident. Willing to say it wasn’t your fault. But all along I knew it was. ”

every day for ten months. In your eyes, in the way you looked at me; the way you walked…

Quin’s grip tightened on the knife. His hand was sweating.

“I knew it was just because you were a little coward.”

Coward.

Mama’s pale face, with all the life drained out of it. Qatar’s eyes, dark and angry and changed–oh, forever changed!

“Yellow-livered, running from danger like a dog with it’s tail tucked.”

He wanted to call his brother’s name, but all that came out was a bubbling sob, like a child’s.

He’s right.

Qatar dropped to his knees beside Quin and tore the knife from his hand. “Where were you hiding this?” A mutter so low it was hardly audible.

Do it. Do anything.  Quin’s shoulders shook.

“You’ve never checked your anger before. Let it go now.” The castle’s voice. Of course it was. Quin braced himself. Just do it.

The sound of a blade rattling on the stones ten feet away. But he clenched his fist.

“Come one, Miller. One little slap. I’m not even asking you to kill him.”

Please, Qatar. It might even ease the guilt that was pulling like a lead weight on his chest. “Yellow-livered, running from danger like a dog with it’s tail tucked.”

Every word was true. Quin squeezed his eyes shut and waited. You’ve wanted to do it for ten months; I’ve wanted you to. Just do it and get it over with.

“Coward,” hissed Qatar’s voice in his ear. Quin lifted his head. For one instant his eyes met Qatar’s. they were dark with anger; almost hatred.

I can’t get away from it. Don’t you think I would if I could? I hate being a coward just as much as you. Come on–hit me.

His brother’s eyes suddenly cleared. His fist relaxed. His eyes stayed on Quin’s as he stood up. “No.”

Quin couldn’t tell if he was talking to the castle or to him.

With a rush of wind above his head a stone spear, perfectly aimed rammed through Qatar’s body.

No. No, no, no–

“No!” Quin tried to jump to his feet. His left leg was missing, and he collapsed again.

Qatar fell, almost on top of him.

blood.

Quin took a shuddering breath.

Blood. Smoke.  A horse’s scream.

He swallowed the echo of that wild shriek and crawled forward.

“Qatar!” He shouted his brother’s name, but it came out more like a whisper.

His brother raised his head. Already his face was pale. It looked so much like Mama’s. His dark eyes were glazed with pain and…

Quin couldn’t bring himself to admit what else was glazing those eyes. Their gaze met, and for once Qatar didn’t look away.

I love you, little brother.

Quin stretched out his hand, reaching for Qatar. His hand, his tunic, anything. A strong, gloved hand gently picked up Qatar’s and set it near Quin’s. His brother’s grip was loose, his fingers stiff.

Then there was no grip at all.

Quin didn’t know how he got up. He didn’t remember getting there, but he was standing up, his hand clamped on his one crutch. Then he was running. Falling. Getting up and going again. He could only see one thing: the knife.

With one final staggering leap he was on the ground next to it, gripping it tightly. Where was the best place?

Just then something, heavy like a body crashed into him, a hand gripping his wrist.

“Put that down!” The knife was wrenched out of his hand and he lying on the floor panting, crying. Alone. The person who had kept him from killing himself stood above him, tucking the knife in their belt, out of his reach.

Quin drew his legs up and hugged himself, wrapping into a ball.

First Mama. Now Qatar.

He squeezed his eyes shut.

Both my fault.

 

 

 

@everyone IDK who this was. I couldn’t decide because everyone else seems occupied. I was considering Niarok, Aydin, Misu or Evie, but Klein would be a good option too. If nobody want to claim it I wrote it in such a way that it doesn’t really matter who. 🙂

Sorry for the long post. It’s like…5 normal pages…