Chương 361: 8.6

Evren stared at his brother. Hazim looked up at him in one of the guest rooms from the lower levels. The way the other inhabitants of the palace spoke, these rooms were for less esteemed guests than Evren's own chambers, One of the places that Evren had never needed to go to since his arrival. He wanted to frown, to snarl, Fizzbunches had not been pleased, but the Wolfprince was furiously worried! Why was his brother here instead of safely back home?!

Why was he not where Fizzbunches was working to secure a way to Ghergeintat for their family!? Hazim for his part smelled angry, sad, and yet also frustratingly hopeful. At least he was wearing the medallion now! That had nearly forced a roar of dismay from the wyrm when Fizzbunches told him that his brother had left it in a box! Evren was glad that Fizzbunches had waited to tell him that until they were alone. He would not have been able to keep up the act in the feasting hall.

"Elder brother..." Hazim's ears had already lowered but now there was a quiver at his lip and a furrow to his brow. The scent of agitation, of insult and wounded pride clear in his sweat.

"Younger brother, it is good to see you well, we worry about you." And that was the truth, wrong headed and stupid his brother might be, angry and any other number of emotions he might stink of but Hazim meant those words. At the moment. Evren huffed, he could smell the wine and dates on his brother's breath. He could see where he'd lain in the cushions. The sweat on his neck and back from over smothering his fur and feet in those stupid shoes.

His brother might believe what he said but there were plenty of scents to show he'd not acted purely upon it.

"Why are you here, elder brother?" The wolf prince's own ears were back, his own brows pressed tight and lips barely restrained from curling, he knew that the scent of him was a mingle of storm winds and anger. Not the same as his family's scent for that mood but close enough, even Hazim should know how upset he was. How afraid he was for his most foolish elder brother.

"I... I came to help you younger brother, I-it's not right for you to be all alone all year! So far from home!" Evren glared, he could taste the wine on his brother's breath but more than even that he could smell the crumbs of pastries, the hints of familiar fats, chilled and less fresh but still present. Nights of it in the air and on the sheets and drapes. Familiar aromas of feasts past.

There was sincerity and truth in Hazim's voice and his scent, but the Wyrm Prince had long learned to find the lies even when the speaker believed them.

"If you are here for me Hazim, then where were you? We've both been here for a dozen days and nights. If you came to support me? Where were you all these days?" Indignation, anger, the soft stink of guilt.

"The Lord's Lord said you were busy brother, that he would get me when you-" Evren had to hold tight to his throat, to keep the growl out of it, to keep it even and civil. Long practice with the terrible scheming men in court let him keep his voice soft even as the fury built in his heart. In the roaring wind in his chest. Words whispered so quiet that only his brother's ears would catch them." The regent is a liar Hazim, He's a liar and he's not told me once that you were here all this time.

Mother and Father have told you this, you can't trust him Hazim-" His brother's lips curled up in a proper snarl, his voice barking out in a sharp snap." Mother and Father are backwards fools brother! They would throw away the gifts you've given us and spit on all you suffer apart from us -" Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Evren could only just keep his words to a hiss of anger. Still quiet, had to be quiet even as his brother growled and barked like a beast."

Hazim you idiot! The Regent and his men are liars!" His brother's smothering clothing bunched up around his neck, the smell going sour with anger over all other feelings. Teeth bared his brother rose from the cushion that was soaked in his scent." Hazim the Idiot! Hazim the stupid! Foolish Hazim! You keep calling me all these things! looking down on me, all of you! As if I can't smell a lie on a man! Even you! Looking down on me as if I'm not six years your elder!? You and Mother and Father and Hunor!"

Evren felt his own lip curling, but still he kept his voice low and quiet, even as his brother roared loud enough to carry." The regent and his men can lie and still smell true Hazim! You shouldn't be here! He's a vile man and there is nothing good that can come of what he plots by bringing you here!" His brother paused, just a moment, his lip fell over his teeth, his ears perking just a moment at Evren's words. For a moment he thought he'd finally broken through to his most foolish older brother.

But then the surprise wore off, his brother's eyes furrowed and his snarl returned even harsher and higher than before." And you call him a liar brother?! Over a story for children!? Men cannot lie to the nose! Not my nose! You'd know this if you weren't a beast child Evren!" Evren stared at his brother. At the man wearing his brother's face and fur, at the stranger who had stolen his scent. His brother Hazim, no matter how foolish would never have said that, could never have called him that!

The wind roared in his throat, built up to the back of his tongue, grew and sharpened around his teeth to destroy this horror, this abomination that had stolen his brother's form. The thing suddenly grew fearful, terrified, scrabbling back as only some terrible fiend would. His brother would never have said that, his brother would not look at Evren with such fear!" Evren! Hold your temper!" The wolf prince choked on his raging wind, swallowed it with a painful tearing feeling in his chest.

As much to hold back his ire from harming the black figure of a cat that had leaped onto the horrible thing's chest as the words that had been yowled at him." Little Advisor, Move." The thing sprawled on the floor of the room made noises but Evren did not listen to it, his ears splayed back in anger." All respect young Shepherd but I swore upon my truths to protect your family to the utmost of my power. And that includes saving them from you." Evren felt his chest clench, his wind bite."

That is not my brother, Hazim would never sa-" The thing tried to speak but the cat's claws made it an even more meaningless cry before hissing over the pained noises." Hazim would and did, it was stupid, he is addled by youthful pride and wine but this is still your brother! And as the Weird and Wizard of the Streets and Alleys of Ghergeintat I've sworn to protect him and claim him as a citizen of my domain! So hold your temper Shepherd Wyrm!"

The scent of terror and piss filled the room, the familiar smell of his family, of his brother. Evren stared down at the second eldest of his brothers. At the terrified man, wetting himself, ears back, pinned to the floor by a cat that hardly seemed the proper size to be able to hold a man that despite his foolishness still was strong from living among the hills and stones of home. The thought of what he had almost done caught in his chest.

His skin began to tremble, shiveres moving up and down his body, Feathers prickling and flaring out, every hair of his fur standing on end in shocked horror. His shoulders and hips started to shake at the weight of holding him. Evren shuddered, trembled, shook like he had seen his family do in the cold. Spasms running up and down his body, horrifically involuntarily. Was this what winter's touch felt like? Was this the pain that could slay a man or beast?

He felt his heart twist and then finally flip back into beat. Finally he found a word, a sound at least, but more a keening whine than speech.

"H-hazim?"