Whispered Regrets

A Sleeping Snake

The first thing Richard noticed (or rather smelled) when he woke up was the begrudgingly familiar sharp aroma of Dioneria flowers.

He sighed as he felt the wooden floor touch his bare feet. Richard quietly slipped into house shoes.

The door groaned as he pushed it open. What met him in the living room was what he expected this time of year. The window was wide open. His older sister, Antonia, was fretting over a wooden bowl.

Richard watched as she gently placed nearly golden petals (with a light blue tip) inside, only to then crush them with a spoon. She crushed and crushed until blue and gold stained the back of the utensil and even her cheek. Antonia mixed the content of her bowl five times before being satisfied. The girl then threw some of the makeshift powder out the window, leaving little else. Richard was sure her hand was now stained as well.

"What are you doing so early in the morning?" The boy yawned.

Antonia flinched, then her shoulders relaxed. She turned to her brother.

"Oh! Morning, Rich. You had me scared for a second there. I thought you were mom. I was just... wishing Lord Laku a happy birthday."

Richard flopped back first on their couch.

"I never understand why you do this every year. Even if this "Lord Laku" is real, it's not like he's ever here to receive your gifts."

"That's true but, the thought and intention still matter." Antonia gently slapped away his hand, which was inching towards the bowl.

She blew a kiss in the general direction of the window before muttering something silently.

"Did you wish him a happy birthday, too?" Richard couldn't keep the amusement out of his voice.

Antonia only smiled. "More or less."

Richard was actually more confused than amused now.

"Why?"

"Why not?" Antonia was as cryptic as ever, it seemed.

"Well, he, supposedly is this powerful deity. Why would he need or want a present? Or a happy birthday wish for that matter?"

"God or not, everyone wants a little cheer and merriment in their lives. What better occasion for these things than a birthday?" Antonia winked at him as she left the room.

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Their parents, Mary and Stuart only noticed their children when they did something that met their standards. So, of course, they never noticed Richard. Not even when he was sitting at the same table as them, eating his dinner rather sparingly. But they noticed Antonia. Always Antonia.

"I saw the remains of your sacrifice." Their mother said, chestnut hair falling on her forehead.

Antonia looked up from her plate.

"It was not a sacrifice, mama, it was a gift."

"The Gods will be pleased." Mary's voice was dripped in honey as she ignored her oldest daughter.

Stuart grunted in agreement, too preoccupied with his evening newspaper for much else.

"I didn't do it to please anyone. I did it because-"

"Yes, well, I'm sorry children but I have to go."

Before leaving, Mary patted Antonia's dark brown hair. She looked... uncomfortable. 'Why would Antonia be uncomfortable?' The boy thought silently. He knew that, given her place, he'd soak up all the attention he could get.

Antonia shot Richard and Runa, the youngest of them all, an apologetic look. Runa only shrugged in sympathy but Richard glared.

For a moment, Richard thought his older sister's rather striking blue eyes glistened with tears. For a moment, he thought Runa glared at him. He dismissed both of them.

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"You're jealous." Runa stated from the doorway to his room. "And it shows."

"What?"

Runa blew a stray lock of chestnut hair from her face.

"Don't tell me that besides being jealous, you're also dumb, Rich."

She sat on his chair uninvited. He scoffed.

"I don't know what you are on about."

Runa raised an eyebrow and crossed her legs.

"You don't, do you?"

"O-of course not." He almost flinched. Runa always looked a little too much like their grandmother when she glared and that a made him uneasy.

The girl hummed as she pointedly stared at him. When her blue eyes fell on him, they seemed like two seas ready to drown him if he provoked them.

Never wake a sleeping snake.

Runa dusted off the pink skirt of her dress, stretched and got off the chair. She undid her ponytail. She chuckled.

The loose hair combined with her naturally hunting eyes made her look rather wild. Richard wanted her to leave. She didn't. Instead, she got close enough to whisper in his ear.

"All I'm saying is that you should mind your own business, Dick." The young woman smiled sweetly and Richard quietly let out a sigh of relief.

Slap.

Runa began to sing to herself as she skipped out of the room. Richard was left in her wake, a hand gently placed on his cheek as he stared after her.