"There is a little boy inside the man who is my brother... Oh, how I hated that little boy. And how I love him too." - Anna Quindlen

"You know we have to fight him," Khairrim's voice reverberated through the marble hall.

He balled his fists as he almost shouted his next words in anger: "If we do not, he will gain more power, and be strong enough to defeat us."

"You are only making an excuse to justify your involvement in this war."

Vulfgern's usually bright green eyes looked at Khairrim lazily. The last rays of the sun fell on his fiery hair, illuminating it in anger. Khairrim could see his brother was rattled despite the disinterest in his eyes. The clench of his jaw, barely discernible under his neatly trimmed bloody beard, was so similar to how their father used to clench his when he had to pay his gambling debt. Khairrim almost smiled at the memory of his father. Yes, the man was a gambler and completely sucked at it, but he was hardworking and would spend sunrise till sunset working his farm. The man had a hand of steel, raising two boys as headstrong as Vulfgern and Khairrim.

"And the humans? They are your responsibility. Do you not care that their whole way of life is threatened?"

"My task is to keep them from fighting with all the other races. That is all," Vulfgern replied as he stretched out in his chair - like a dog waking from a nap.

"You are so short-sighted!" Khairrim replied and clenched his jaw in the way they inherited from their father.

Vulfgern stood up from the chair, giving another stretch, but this time it resembled a lion waking for the hunt. He killed his cigar in his palm. Khairrim could not hear the sizzle of Vulfgern's flesh burning, but he could just imagine how much that would hurt if Vulfgern wasn't immune to the flames. Just as Khairrim could never drown, Vulfgern could walk through a volcano and take a nap in lava without singing a single hair.

Wulfric Vulfgern walked nearer to Khairrim, but the stairs made him tower over Khairrim until he stepped onto the floor. Khairrim could then feel his brother's breath on his face as they were of the exact same height.

"Khairrim Cadeyrn, I do not take kindly to you insulting me. I am the First of the Council. I know how to do the task assigned to me, but you clearly do not. It is not our place to meddle in their affairs and influence the outcome of events. But apart from my task as keeper of the humans, I have an additional task. I have to keep you as well, and I intend to fulfil that task properly."

Vulfgern articulated each word clearly and slowly - to ensure Khairrim understood everything, and to prevent himself from shouting.

He put his hands on Khairrim's shoulders. "You make it very difficult for me."

He moved his hands until they rested on Khairrim's throat. "It would be very easy for me just to press your throat closed, like this."

He pressed on Khairrim's trachea - his intent to strangle his brother.

Khairrim immediately felt panic set in and thought that drowning would feel like this. Khairrim did not move as his head began to spin or when stars swam into his vision. Khairrim knew Vulfgern would never kill him intentionally. He might murder him in a rage, but his love for Khairrim was greater than his hate - and did he not have an epic hate for Khairrim!

"You are not as indestructible as you might think. You cannot really be harmed by the lessers, but I could maim you, just to keep you in your place. I have tried everything to discipline you. I am running out of options. I will have to resort to more drastic measures."

Vulfgern took his hands of Khairrim's throat and dusted Khairrim's shoulders off.

"Do not expect me to show up for dinner, honey," Khairrim replied sarcastically and could see the anger flaring up in Vulfgern's eyes. Yes, he will definitely kill Khairrim in a fit one day.

"That is exactly what I am talking about!"

Vulfgern reached for Khairrim's wrist, but Khairrim jerked it away.

"I am not a hopeless young boy anymore," Khairrim replied and then swung his right fist towards Vulfgern's face and he heard a slight crack when his fist made contact with Vulfgern's face.

For a moment, Vulfgern was too astonished to react.

Vulfgern exploded like the volcanoes that characterise him. He struck back at Khairrim, but Khairrim had expected him to react, so he blocked the blow. Though he was too late to defend himself from Vulfgern's foot hitting Khairrim's left flank, just where Khairrim's spleen was. Khairrim swung another punch, but Vulfgern grabbed his neck tight with his left arm. Khairrim bowed down and threw Vulfgern on the ground. They struggled on the ground for a few minutes, shoving and throwing punches until Gaianne walked in.

"Wulfric Vulfgern and Khairrim Cadeyrn! You will not fight under my roof!" Her anger and disappointment echoed off the walls and mirrored in her shocked expression. Gaianne was sweet and motherly and allowed them anything, but the only rule she ever enforced on her family was that they were never allowed to fight anywhere near her.

"You will both get out now, and I do not want to see either of you until you have nothing on your body left to remind me of your violation of my trust!"

"Hime'-," Vulfgern started to say, but he was interrupted by Gaianne.

"I have spoken. Go stay at one of your houses or shrines! I do not care where. Just go!"

Khairrim stood up from the ground and dusted himself off. He moved toward Gaianne to apologise, but she waved him away.

"You are equally guilty Khairrim," she said and then left the room.

"Now you got me banished from my own home!" Vulfgern sizzled.

Khairrim laughed a hard, cynical laugh.

"O no, honey, that was all you."

Vulfgern eyed Khairrim: "You better go before I kill you."

Khairrim walked to the steps, and sat down on the top one: "You will never kill me."

Vulfgern sat down next to Khairrim and placed his hand on Khairrim's back. "I might in a fit of rage."

"True. That was my exact thoughts before you erupted."

"Khairrim, it has to stop! You will soon land yourself in a mess that you won't be able to get out of. I know you won't listen to me, but I have to tell you that all your deeds have consequences."

Khairrim shrugged Vulfgern's hand from his back and stood up.

"You'll have to excuse me. I have a mess to make," Khaiirim said with a cynical laugh.

"I am right. You cannot sit this one out. The fact that we just nearly killed each other proves my point."

Vulfgern scowled and lit a new cigar.

"You will burn little brother, and I will laugh when it happens, but you might be right."

"I will ask Darova if she knows anything," Khairrim replied while looking out of the window.

"Khairrim, be careful. Her prices are too steep. You also know the rules: we cannot do anything directly unless he shows up."

"Why do you think I am doing what I am doing at the moment?"

"Just do not lose your focus."

"I will not. Our family is all that I have left and it is all I care about. Nothing or no-one will cause us to shatter further."