Lamb Amongst Wolves

|1. Sacrifice For Redemption

While the storm raged outside of Kjartaan Vulgaris' home, he swore that no matter what he had to do by the end of the morning he wouldn't allow that witch from the northern realms to take his heart by storm. For all he cared his brother could sweep her up within his arms and vanish from the lands till the day death embraced them. That's how it should've been. Rhyeesha Godefroy belonged to Vayne by blood right; He was the first born, but being first born meant nothing if you weren't the favorite.

He could've sat there for hours on end displaying sympathy for his poor alienated brother, but deep down inside the twisted depths of his soul he relished in the thought of having an infamous woman within the palm of his hand. A thought that caused the corners of his lips to curl upwards into a repugnant smirk. Kjartaan's dark brows furrowed as he pressed his forehead against the white iron framed window, glimpsing to where he'd soon feast.

He slipped his fingers through the dark strands of his hair, his mind lost in wonder; how easily could he play wolf to the sheep?

"When you meet her, you'll forget those words had ever formed in your mind," A tone infiltrated his thoughts. Kjartaan felt the entity stirring from its slumber, though he hadn't bothered to whisper an apology. If the entity could've stood before him, it'd find the keen tip of Kjartaan's favorite dagger at the hollow of its throat. Perhaps his fierceness was the reason he'd been chosen as the woman's husband in the first place.

"And?" Kjartaan narrowed his eyes towards the onyx tinted ceiling of his chambers. "Am I supposed to run off into the sunset all chuckles and smirks? Fairy-tales are a beautifully painted lie. You may be a voice in my head, but you know nothing of reality. You and I both know how this will end."

"You don't mean tha--" The entity's angered tone had been cut off by Kjartaan's thoughts forming a brick wall around his mind, forcing the voice back into the dark chambers of its cell. Good riddance. Crossing the wooden floor of his room, he tore his chamber door open only to find Vayne leaned against the bedroom door across from his own. His brother's head hung low, shadows dancing upon his boyish features. They were twins, and despite it, Kjartaan could've sworn he were staring straight into a mirror if it weren't for Vayne's ivory locks lit by candlelight.

"Can I help you?" Kjartaan cocked his head, those cerulean eyes beaming through the blanket of darkness within the halls.

Vayne released a hearty laugh. "Is that any way to speak to your brother? The next true Jarl of these realms." Vayne snarked, adding emphasis on the word true.

An anger arose within Kjartaan from his brother's smug words. Had he truly been here to rub something in his face? Because if he had, it'd be a waste of his divine royal time. Kjartaan leveled his head and stepped further into the large hallway until he stood right in front of his brother. So close he'd seen the lines running through Vayne's dark blue eyes.

"Stay away from me or it won't be your wife I'll be taking next. If it were up to me, you wouldn't be my brother, and our father wouldn't be Jarl." His thick fingers tapped Vayne's back before he allowed his lips to hover by the shell of his brother's ear. "I don't take hand me downs anyway. But I'd surely take my father's seat whether I kill him, or earn it from the blood running through my veins." Vayne shifted back just as the entity's voice broke free from Kjartaan's mental confinement.

Liar, the voice whispered. You've always been exquisitely excellent at fibbing. But you can't lie to me as you do your brother. You've wanted her since the day you had spotted her in that field. You'd kill for her, even though you haven't even been formerly introduced. You and Rhyeesha will--. Again, Kjartaan willed the smart mouthed voice back into the corners of his subconsciousness, hoping it'd rot there and never return. Once he was sure he wouldn't be interrupted again, he returned his attention back to his brother. A long silence lingered between them, only the sound of rain and thunder severing the silent conversation they held with one another.