The Bad Brother

V\There was a spark in the darkness, followed by another and yet another still. A small flame flickered and grew. Elathan leaned back on his heels and fed a few scraps of kindling into the flames. I should have taken Hashna up on the offer to stay in the village. He thought. Just as quickly he dismissed this thought. The villagers were still far to weary of him. I don't want to add to the tension. Even still, he sighed. With the absence of the sun, the cold of the coming winter was creeping into the woods.

Who would have thought I'd miss the stagnant and humid air of the dark realm? He thought wistfully. Usually the air in his realm was motionless, thick and almost suffocating but it was at least warm. He sighed with a sour laugh. He started to feed larger pieces of wood debris into the fire as the flames grew in strength. He watched the flames and thought how much the flames dancing happily in the circle of stones he'd put down reminded him of Hashna's smile. She was like a ray of light in the dead of the night, he thought. But just like the flames she'd bite if you got too close. This broke a genuine smile out across his face.

Elathan's head whipped around when he heard a branch snap behind him. He didn't have to inquire long as a tall, dark figure stepped into the right of light the meager flames had cast. Tethra. Elathan thought as he turned his face away, a disinterested look falling across his face. Tethra came forward until he was in the full glow of the fire. His caked and dirty black locks hung limply around his shoulders. Cast in flickering light his brown eyes were two reflecting black pools as he eyed Elathan like a snake. He didn't speak, just watched his younger brother.

"Father send you?" Elathan murmured.

"He wants to know why you're still here? You should have sealed this deal by now," Tethra's deep voice growled.

Elathan winced. Tethra's voice was always such a gravely growl it always sounded like he was yelling.

"Would you shut up?" Elathan spat, "Sound carries here too easily and to be honest, the sound of your voice is something I'd liken to a hot poker in the ear."

"You didn't answer my question," Tethra bit back.

Elathan had to resist the urge to laugh, noting that even though his brother was just as annoyed as ever, he did in fact, drop his volume. "It's not that easy. The Tuatha are uneasy with my presence. I'm trying not to wear out my welcome," Elathan responded as he stoked the flames of the fire.

Tethra growled again, "Da didn't send you hear to hold hands and sing songs with these people. He sent you to offer them a treaty and relay what will happen if they don't take it."

"It's not that easy, idiot," Elathan said, dropping his passive look and meeting his brother's eyes with a sharp, intimidating gaze.

"It's as easy as grabbing that decaying old man Bres by the throat and squeezing until he concedes," Tethra spat.

Yes because brute force has worked so well this far. Elathan thought but all he said was, "I'm doing my best. I think I might have made a…" Elathan had paused. He'd wanted to say, friend, but he knew this would not bode well when considering his audience so instead he said, "ally."

"Ally," Tethra said eyeing his brother suspicious of Elathan's pause.

"You can tell Da I've got it in hand," Elathan said, his face going back to a bored mask of indifference. He wasn't indifferent at all but something cautioned him that anything less than this would be dangerous for Hashna. Something about the thought of bringing any light to her made Elathan's heart contract painfully.

"You better or Da is going to level this kingdom before the first snow flies," Tethra said.

He didn't say any more, he just stood up and disappeared into the night. When Elathan knew that his brother was gone he let out a pent breath.

"You can come out," he said, not looking up from the flames.

Hashna's slender frame began to materialize out of the darkness as her eyes burned with rage. She looked at Elathan angrily, her body vibrating. I wonder how much she herd. He wondered, not lifting his gaze from the flames. He finally looked up, a stone settling on top of his heart as her accusatory expression bore into him. Even now she doesn't trust me. All of the things he'd said in the forest earlier that day washed over him.

"So I either agree to this marriage or your people will attack us? Is that how this goes?" She said, anger dripping from her voice. Beneath her anger was something else. Hurt? Was she hurt Elathan wondered as he looked at her with sad and steady eyes.

"Hashna," he sighed.

"Tell me right now!" She pressed.

"That is the threat from my father yes," he said, "It's not what I want but what can I do if your father won't even entertain the treaty?"

Hashna was caught in Elathan's sad expression, the pain rolling like currents from his tone. She could see it in the tight line of his lips as he looked at her. He looked much like he had earlier that day. She was beginning to realize that the expression came from feeling… fear.

"Why didn't you tell your brother about me?" she asked. She was still skeptical but something inside of her mind or heart, she wasn't sure which really but it told her he was telling the truth.

"I did," he said, a bitter smile turning up a corner of his lips as he looked at her.

"You know what I mean," she said shortly.

Elathan looked at her. Because I don't want him to hurt you. He thought but instead he said simply, "He didn't need to know."

"It would likely have gotten him to ease up on you," Hashna said watching Elathan's reaction.

"Perhaps," he said. Nothing more.

"So why wouldn't you just tell him," she pressed.

Something inside of Elathan smiled at her tenacity. He sighed as he conceded, "I don't want to drag you into the middle of any of this."

Hashna let out a sardonic chuckle, "Well considering your penning this treaty on us getting married… I fail to see how you're going to accomplish that."

"It's foolish I know, but I don't want them to… taint this right now," he said.

Hashna had been unexpected for Elathan. When he'd come across her in the woods it had been like a kick to the gut as her spirit and quick wit had crept into him. Making him feel alive again. He hadn't felt that warm and light hearted in a very long time.

He placed his cold fingers over the flames, trying not to sigh noticeably as the warmth sunk into his chilled flesh. He couldn't help it as the air escaped him at the heat spreading over his hands and thawing the stiffness that had stolen into them. He flexed his long strong fingers as feeling started to return. He looked sheepishly at Hashna as she looked like a parent ready to admonish her unruly child.

"I told you that you should have stayed in the village," she started. Something about his shy and mischievous smile made him seem so vulnerable that Hashna felt the anger she'd felt only moments ago start to diminish. She felt herself thaw, much like the flames had begun to thaw Elathan's fingers. This reminded her of something and she plucked the bag that she had slung over her shoulder. From it she pulled a few thick blankets and a few extra layers of warm clothing. She passed the items to Elathan.

He ran the fabric of the thick shirt through his fingers. Even though the fabric looked bulky and scratchy it was soft beneath his fingers. A grateful smile fell across his face as he looked over at Hashna. She smiled in return and sat down at the fire.

"You brought me supplies to stay warm?" He asked, touched.

"Well I couldn't have you freeze to death before you meet with my Da tomorrow," she retorted.

This caught Elathan's attention and he looked at her, his eyes widening.

"You better not screw it up this time… For all our sakes," Hashna whispered.