"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
The twins have lived in Ischia for there whole life, they were barely a week old when there mother brought them here and abandoned them with there father. Since they were born Dario and Drax had never been apart. Although in the recent months Drax grew more secretive, the bay brother was always rebellious but Dario feared for what he planned. They did not get along very well, but Dario still yearned for the company of his brother, he wanted to see him safe. They were nearing a year old and Dario could tell Drax grew impatient of Ischia and the rules there father layed out.
The graying colt set out today to find his father, he hoped to find him alone, to talk to him about Drax. He wanted his father to know that Drax was not all innocent as he acted, the bay twin was in fact a bad seed. He was dangerous Dario had no doubt in his mind that Drax would hurt, or even kill another if he felt like it.
Father... his voice was low, and he cautiously walked throughout the island, he hoped to not run into Drax. If his cover was blown who knew what he would do to Dario. His father was a very busy man, but they have not seen much of each other for a few months. He has spent most of his time with his nephew Grye and together he found a bond that he figures he and Drax should have.
Don't Lose Your Fire
@[Brennen] basically Drax will be leaving when he turns one and Dario is giving brennen a heads up
hold me in this wild, wild world 'cause in your warmth I forget how cold it can be
One thing he can always count on, no matter what, is that time will march forward, and that there will never be enough of it. You’d think, with two time-manipulators in the family, he’d have less of a concrete idea about the malleability of time, but Brennen has simply seen that even when you do muck about with things you don’t understand, it doesn’t stop the world from turning. Part of that is that his children don’t stay tiny forever - they grow up, and they grow into individuals no matter how similar or different their upbringings are.
He hears the voice of his son before he sees him, but he is still somewhat surprised to find Dario alone. The twins are almost always together - though he supposes he’s seen Dario with Grye more often than not anymore, with or without Drax or Khaeli. He’d hoped that adding Grye to the group would have a steadying influence on Drax, but he’s at least glad that the non-winged brother has embraced their new addition. A movement amongst the trees allows him to find Dario amongst the greenery and he nickers at his son, smiling when they find each other and reached out to nibble on the colt’s mane at that place that’s always itchy no matter who you are, where the neck meets the back.
“Dario,” his voice is warm, his eyes holding all the affection in the world. “Where did you lose your compatriots?” If there is one thing his children usually aren’t, it’s alone; whether that be with each other or under the watchful eyes of their older siblings or the other Brothers. Of course, he has no idea that Drax has been getting better and better at sneaking away, because he hasn’t seen him at it. Brennen knows, of course, that they are sure to be chafing at the restrictions he’s placed on them but he’s not willing to have anything happen to them. He’d rather have them hate him; still, perhaps when they are yearlings it will be enough for them to go about in the world in groups?
He’d still feel better if they didn’t, but nobody can stay a child forever.
hold me in this wild, wild world and in your heat I feel how cold it can get
Has he left already? Or was he still wandering the island? Dario feared his brother, he was pretty good at being able to calm his brother but as they grew older he was not cutting it anymore. For nearly a year the twins had spent every single day together, and it was hard to come to realization that he was losing his brother. Yes, Drax was a dangerous equine, but at the same time he loved him.
It was not long that his father appeared, it was almost like the ruler always had an eye on his children, They call, he came. He says his name, his voice is welcoming but Dario looks at him fear filled his eyes. He was scared how his father would react, would he try to stop Drax? Or would he let him leave...better for the kingdom if he didn't fight it. It appeared his father was just as shocked he was alone, where are your compatriots? He asks and he struggles to form his thoughts into words.
Dad.... he wishes so badly he was a foal who could tuck in close to his fathers leg and be protected but alas he was too old and too large for that now. I....It's Drax.. he pauses, how does he spit it out? Does his father already know? He had a pretty good read on the twins, as well as the kingdom. He is dangerous...I have been protecting him. Dario thought he was being a good brother but perhaps he was just being stupid, protecting the demon inside Drax. He is planning on leaving Ischia...I think he is going to run off with those clowns. It was easy for Drax to leave, he had wings that could now carry his body, those bastard Sylvans rumored to be planning some chaos for beqanna, the perfect life for Drax. Dario knew his brother....he knew that he would flee there, to an eagerly growing kingdom. He finds it hard to find his fathers gaze, would this come as a surprise to him?
hold me in this wild, wild world 'cause in your warmth I forget how cold it can be
He has no compunctions like the boy does; after he nibbles on Dario’s mane he stays close, already missing the days when the littlest of his children would have pressed up against him. Of course, Khaeli still did and even Grye had a tendency to be cuddly, but they were very different children than the twins, and he suspects that Dario and Drax will continue to grow and mature faster than the others. Perhaps Khaeli won’t, until she has another younger sib to follow her in the spring. And Grye...well...with Grye’s parents, Brennen won’t assume or expect anything of the colt until it happens.
The tone of Dario’s voice, however, sets the smiling stallion on edge, and the grin fades away to a slight frown of concern, which deepens as he continues to explain himself. Drax is...leaving? Already? They aren’t even a year old, and Brennen’s chicks tend to stay in the next longer than usual, not shorter. Some of these thoughts flash through his honey-brown gaze, for Brennen rarely puts on his mask of indifference around his family, but he doesn’t let the depth of his fear show even to Dario. “Dangerous?” he settles on the single-word question after a moment of thought, and lets his voice rumble out with a tilt of his head. “It’s good for you boys to be a little dangerous, to protect yourselves and others.”
When you have as many children as the bay King does, you’ve seen a lot of things. You can try and teach and nurture, mold and structure, but in the end, every child is their own person. But he hasn’t seen the darkest side of his son, perhaps partially because he has chosen not to, but also perhaps because the other children are the ones who have received the worst of Drax’s temper and less friendly habits. But a single word hits him, clicks, and suddenly he is tense all over, and something dangerous rumbles beneath his skin and ignites in his eyes. “You mean he’s going to Sylva?”
No, not all of Brennen’s children are like Brennen. Not all of them have chosen the Brotherhood, or the same values he has chosen, and some of them have done epically stupid things that he still wonders about. But nothing like the rumors he has begun to hear about Sylva.
hold me in this wild, wild world and in your heat I feel how cold it can get
It is almost as if Dario's words took his father by surprise. Surprised to hear the word dangerous, one of his own children gone off the deep end. Dario had protected Drax for so long, but he could not longer, the colt was going to kill someone soon. But it was soon Dario who was surprise, Brennen notes it is good to be dangerous, to protect themselves. He cocks his head ever so slightly, is he saying they should be dangerous? Is there not a difference from protecting yourself and looking to cause physical harm?
But dad....he is not a good dangerous...he is crazy! he does not say the words lightly, his bay and green twin was just that. He was a little pyro, obsessed with spewing the blazing heat, an advantage with his wings, able to look down and easily spot his next victim. But just as he finished speaking his father finally understood what Dario was trying to say.
You mean Sylva? he says, his body was tense, his body barely showed it but Dario knew he was horrified to hear of the news. He nods his head Yes...that is the one. His mind is not right father...he...he wants to cause harm to others. He does not want to be bound by rules....he wants the lifestyle that Sylva offers. He has not heard anything good of the evil kingdom, and Ischia and Sylva was not on good terms, probably all the better reason for Drax to pick that kingdom. I guess....I just thought you would want to know. Was he ashamed of Dario? For not speaking up earlier? For waiting until Drax already fled Ischia?
