Eyes On Fire

"Absolutely not." Souzan turned his gaze, back towards his brother, seeing him having settled upon the ground. His voice was firm, controlled but his face betrayed the emotion behind his words and Souzan knew, irrefutably knew, that Ignatius was telling the truth. And he had been a fool for ever once believing that his brother could be capable of the malice needed to kill someone as sweet as their sister.

His brother spoke of that day, and Souzan nodded slowly at the question posed within. Listening intently and with growing trepidation. Ig spoke of Avis and the day they had spent together, the simple image of his fiery brother and sweet, small Avis talking a walk through the market; clear as if he himself had been there that day, was enough to draw forth the tears that had been threatening this whole time.

Souzan wept, openly and silently, listening. It seemed his brother was becoming swept up in his emotions and for a moment he rocked on his toes, the desire to once more embrace his lost sibling washing over him but he was still unsure. He'd doubted, hadn't he?

But as Ignatius finished speaking, tears now also falling from his eyes Souzan couldn't hold back the instinct any further. He'd move, slow, deliberate, over the border line. He'd take any physical punishment Ig wanted to doll out but for now he would simply seek to wrap his smaller brother in his embrace.

He'd gently settle before his brother, offering a literal shoulder for Ig to cry on and aiming to rest his chin on the top of his brother's skull, a foreleg extending to wrap around his brother and encourage him closer.

Unbidden a song rose in Souzan's throat and he gently began to hum, a slow solemn song, one that he did not know the origin of. Maybe a lullaby their mother had shared with them before she left, or maybe something he had picked up years ago in a trip to the markets but regardless it surfaced now and he allowed it to flow out of him.

Emotion, it had always been his biggest weakness. His more reserved, protective nature had served him well in many situations but whenever he'd found himself overwhelmed by the emotions of a situation he'd always worn it like a second pelt. Mars had never liked that. Souzan had faced more than his fair share of lectures after he'd found himself broken down to tears, he was a prince, he had to remember where he was and who was watching him. His father had done it best to pound it into Souzan's mind that his emotions were holding him back. But he'd never really believed it, how something so natural could be so horrible he'd never understood. No instead he'd always embraced that part of him.

And as he sat here, crying with his brother he couldn't help but wonder if his emotions had also always been his biggest strength. If maybe; being willing to be so vulnerable meant others felt safe to do so in front of him. If that was the case he silently vowed to be there for his brother; to support him in the ways only he could. And he sat, eyes sliding closed as he continued to cry, his voice wavering with sadness as he hummed, gently trying to lull his hurting brother into whatever peace Souzan could offer him.

"Speech" think "You"