The Savage

Part 2: Chapter One: Llewellyn

Llewellyn started down at his empty plate. He should eat, but he'd drank far too much wine the night before and the idea of eating made him want to vomit again. The dark circles under his eyes and his ashen paler attested to his lack of sleep.

Irritatingly cheerful, Davyth came into the chamber. "What's for breakfast?" he asked the chaffing dishes, "I'm ravenous. Not eating brother?" he said over his shoulder to Llewellyn.

Llewellyn stood to leave.

"She's gone you know." Davyth added.

The slender younger man paused. "Who?" he asked.

"Your little princess, of course. Rode out last night."

Llewellyn spun to face his brother. Davyth sat and began shoveling food into his mouth. 

"Where'd she go?"

"Duthaich I assume. I didn't ask her." Davyth shrugged.

Llewellyn stood baffled in silence. Why would she ride into the hands of Mehdoc? What could she possibly have planned?

"Well?" Davyth demanded.

"What?" Llewellyn snapped.

"Aren't you going to go after her?" Davyth wanted to know.

"Why would I do that?" Llewellyn asked angrily.

Davyth set his fork down with a clang against the porcelain plate, "You were ready to kill me and now I'm out of the way and you're going to just sit here in your self-pity?"

"That doesn't change anything." Llewellyn scowled at him.

"You're a hypocrite, you know that? In any other situation you would've commended her decision."

"Your narcissism knows no bounds." Llewellyn sneered.

"You're a fool if you think it was me she was choosing." Davyth scoffed.

Llewellyn didn't reply.

"Fine." Davyth said, tossing his napkin on his empty plate. Standing Davyth leaned over the table towards his brother. "I don't understand you. You have all the freedom to go anywhere and be anything you want and you choose to let your life pass by here in this gilded prison. Some of us are stuck here." With that, Davyth stomped off.

Llewellyn stood there, staring down at Davyth's dirty plate, his jaw set and his teeth clenched. Who was he to lecture him? What did Davyth know about living in the shadow of the heir? With a huff, Llewellyn shoved his hands into his pockets. Feeling the crinkled parchment he pulled the message to Syros out. Still unopened, still unsent. To live outside of his brother's shadow would take action. Not trivial, childish behaviors but real acts.

Spinning on his heels, Llewellyn headed for Brenn's chamber and tapped softly on the closed door. It opened just a crack as the tutor peered out. "Can I help you?" he asked stiffly.

"Let me in." Llewellyn ordered.

"The Princess is resting at the moment and doesn't wish to be disturbed." The older man replied.

"I know she's not in there. So let me in or I'll have the guards here." Llewellyn said in a harsh whisper.

Rory paused, regarding him with a grim expression before opening the door and gesturing. "If you know she's gone, why are you here?" he asked shutting the door.

"I'm going after her. I need to know where she went."

Tucking his hands into his sleeves, Rory's mouth shaped a hard thin line and he shook his head.