Bound To The Brickham Manor

THE LOSS OF A BROTHER

"WHAT?!?!" Dorian screamed out, surging out of the little bench he was perched on,

"you cannot possible, mean this father, i..it's a cruel joke, right? Silas can't possibly be dead!" He said in a hollow voice pacing the little kitchen.

He had left the estate immediately after breakfast and rode out to his father on horseback, if he  had known the kind for awful  news he would hear, he would've postponed this visit.

"I am sorry my boy but i speak no lies, it hurts my weak heart so badly every time i remember Silas but there is nothing we can do to bring him back son!"

Nilus said, walking over to his shaking son and encasing him in a warm embrace from behind, resting his head on Dorian's shoulders as hot tears trickled down his aging eyes, no one would understand how hurt he was for he had lost his one true heir, the one to carry his name for generations to come.

"h....how did it h-happen? was he ill or was he k.....k..kkilled?" Dorian's voice came out in a soft whisper, his eyes already spilling tears.

"Yes he was ill just like your mother, i could only watch as the sickness claimed  him slowly every day'' the old man lied. It pained him to lie to his dear boy but it was necessary, he would come to understand that when the time was  right.

They stood like that for a while, father holding son and grieving together.

Dorian finally pulled out of his father's arms, he wanted to grieve properly and he couldn't do it with someone close by.
Leaving Nilus with two hundred gold pieces, he bade him farewell and mounted his horse, he didn't know where he was going but he just desired to be alone and Nilus seemed to observe this as he gave his son his blessings and warned him to be careful.

Dorian fell deep into his thoughts as he rode through the Forest path, letting the horse lead the way.

He remembered all the times he had spent with his brother, it didn't seem enough, if only he knew, he would've never gone to  Northwood.

He  was spending his time learning irrelevant things while his brother was rotting away on a bed, coughing up every last drop of blood in him, he felt terrible and couldn't even bring himself to mention his brother's name because of the great guilt that clouded his mind.

A river of tears cascaded down his face as he pushed his horse to runeven faster.

After crying himself to a weak and tired state, he decided to head back to the count's estate but not before buying some carrots for the tired horse and lest he forgot, fresh berries for Isidor.
Pulling up the hood of his cloak to hide his tears streaked face, he rode into the town, heading for the market place.

Finding what he wanted wasn't very difficult and in little time, he was leading his horse through the crowded streets of Northern Vellthumbria by the reins.

He was almost out of the town when something huge blocked his path.

Putting on a scowl, he readied himself to get the stranger out of his way but on looking up, he saw a familiar face which he had dearly missed.

Leaving the horse's reins, he pulled this person close to him and encased him in a tight embrace, he didn't want to think of how they had found him or how people must be staring at them, all he wanted was someone to talk to and he had found that person.

Hadrim had a stunned look on his face, when he had gotten a whiff of the young man's scent, he had followed.

He expected to be a lot of things but getting embraced wasn't one  of them, nevertheless, he still returned the embrace for he could tell that Dorian really needed it.