//------------------------------// // And Too Tight to Breath 2/2 // Story: A Duke Amongst Gods. // by Bbot //------------------------------// Pax had her back rested on her sisters chamber door. It was silent, and the only light that reached her eyes was the torch that lit the crossing were Stultas carried off Mortem. It danced on the hall’s red carpet and on the barren wall; she only feared that the flame would burn out. Pax removed her back from the wall and opened Dulce’s chamber door to see if little giffen had fallen asleep. It was dark, not even the light from the hall could reach the chamber’s room. “Pax, is that you?” a frail voice called out. Pax rolled her eyes at the sight of her sister’s silhouette rise from the bed sheets. “Yes? It’s me.” she said as gingerly as possible, to not invoke anymore noise that’s already present with the chamber. “Pax, I can’t sleep.” Dulce said planly. “Why not?” “I don’t know.” Pax lifted her wings to the air and made for her bedside, to avoid any disturbances to the night. With a thud she rested her head atop her sisters bed, at level with her pillow, and asked, “Tell me, what’s wrong?” “Why did Stultas do that to Mortem?” “Do what?” “You saw what he did. He grabbed his neck, and took him away like that.. He never did that before, even when their playing, never.” The question just penetrated Pax’s thoughts. She wondered the same, but wasn’t sure what to make of that somewhat violent event. “They were playing,” she lied as she placed a claw to her sister’s head “you shouldn’t worry about it. I’m sure they were just fooling around, like boys usually do.” “Is he mad? He must be mad at Mortem to do something like that. But Mortem and I were in the cellar looking… looking for wine for father. ” Pax sensed the deception in her voice, “You were hunting those animals again, weren't you?!” “No! We were looking for wine, honest!” Pax didn’t bother to question her further as her voice hit a pitch she found unbearable. Her energy was vanishing with each word she spoke. “Fine. Dulce go to bed, it’s past midnight.” she guessed blindly, but assuredly with the level of her energy. “Goodnight, see you tomorrow.” She picked her head up, and began for the door. “Wait.” Dulce yelped “What!” “Tell me a story.” “Ugh.. Dulce it’s late, and I have no stories to tell. None that I haven’t told you. Go to bed please.” Dulce with all her nerve flew up from her bed and took Pax by the claw and drew her to the bed. “Tell me. Tell me the one about the knight and the mare.” Dulce crawled back into her and made herself warm. “The old pony legend? What was it, Night’s Castle?” “Yes!” - Pax sealed the door behind her as she swiped a claw across her brow. She had laid the little giffen to rest. She was relentless with her questions, one after the other, “Did he die?” and “What did Celestia do?” after every pause. Her wings were heavy, and her eyes began faltering under their own weight. Step after step, she inched herself to her own chamber door. It was near mouth watering to see the plane of her bed, but the journey there felt as if she began an expedition for the ends of the world. The torch she once saw was snuffed out and buried within the darkness. With a few large strifes, she arrived at the crossing and took a left to the eldest chambers. Her claw finally grasped the handle to her chamber door. With an empty mind and eased temper, she collapsed onto her bed and drifted along with the night. - Stultus took his father’s ebony robe and made off into the darkness. Exactly 200 shillings hung from his waist, packed nicely in the same coin purse he presented Gladium one day ago. The meeting was this night and tardiness was the last impression he would want to make with those troublesome individuals. A bit of panic built in him, he was defenceless and was a son of a prominent duke, perfect for a kidnapping. - Gladium threw his bed sheets to the floor and gave a mighty groan when the morning air began blowing from his window. His back ached and his neck, stiff like the joints in his armor. His eyes were creased in a loathsome shade of grey, his mind still whirling. Celestia’s sun had just breached the tree line and began pouring it’s warmth to the grassy fields just outside the wall. Gladium sealed his eyes before the rays of light assaulted his eyes, he shift his weight to the end of his bed and allowed himself to fall. In an instant he stuck his limbs out and ended his dissent. The air was noxious, his nerves were still shaken, and his mind still ran numb. He rolled to his back and looked blankly at his talons and saw that they were clipped. He ran them thru his feathers, and found no satisfaction in doing so. A whole night left to thought, and no rest. “Gladium!” came a voice from his door. “What?!” he called back. Stultas invited himself in and saw Gladium still on the floor. “You seem to be doing well, Gladium.” he said with his waist leaned to corner of his drawer in a pompous fashion. “You’re time is up you understand that? Now what do you say, will you join me, or will I have to find another to do my deed.” he produced three massive bags, bulging with gold. “500, like I said.” Gladium picked himself from the rocky floor of his bedroom. He took a moment for his eyes to adjust. “No Stultas,” he said and then repeated. “I don’t know. Stultas, what you want from me is awful.” “BUT 500 GOLD! All for you, no one else.” “No… no, I understand. But I don’t desire gold.” “Then what?” “A county of my own.”