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He was talking. He knew he was talking, and he was hoping that the words that were coming out of his mouth were doing something to aid his cause but Silanos could gauge very little beyond the ever present scowl directed his way from Vangelis. So he ploughed on, eyes darting from the prince, to his brother and back again as the younger Valaoritis offered his retelling of one of the events that had led to this uncomfortable stand-off.
Once or twice, Sil’s gaze dropped to the sword that lay threateningly on the table, and he tried to ignore the very real fear that it had been laid there with intent. But it meant that when Vangelis straightened suddenly and looked for a moment like he was going to stand that Sil’s rushed explanation faltered, and he had to reach to find the thread of his words.
It was feeble even to his own ears, but given the prince had already been so dismissive of the influence of alcohol, Silanos didn’t think it would help him to include the rest of it. And so he finished up a little defensively..it was hardly that he had seduced the girl to his bed and he had done what he could to set things right hadn’t he?
Only, as he fell silent, tried to judge from his brother’s expression if he had made things better or worse, it was the crown prince who spoke, and Sil got the impression quite quickly that he had not helped himself. He watched, panicked, as the Kotas man stood, reached for the blade that had been left like a wordless threat on the table.
“Nn..no it wasn’t like that..” he managed, shooting a desperate look at Timaeus even as he took an unconscious step back as Vangelis moved forward. Somewhere, he realised that he could not run around the table like a child playing chase, but it was hard to quell the urge to keep the furniture between him and the Kotas Prince, who it was clear had not been at all pacified by Silanos’ words. Almost the opposite really. His heart was thudding in his chest so loudly that he thought it must be audible to everyone in the room, and he took another faltering step backwards when Vangelis rounded the table, stood before him armed with accusatory words and the sword that felt more a promise than a threat, now.
“..I didn’t..” he protested, but it was very hard to think anything coherent when all he could see was that blade, levelled at him now, and with a very angry looking Crown Prince at the other end.
“Can you give me one good reason, Silanos of Valaoritis, why I shouldn’t run you through, right now?”
It seemed as if each and every miserable moment since he’d first met the Princess Evras and this whole mess had begun had just been snowballing towards this point. To when the sword that had been meant for him would finally find him, and everything in between would have been a complete waste of time. All of the arguments, everything. Inevitable. And Silanos felt keenly the cost of having burnt so many bridges along the way. He swallowed, wanted to look to his brother again because Timaeus had saved him so many times before, but he daren’t take his eyes off Vangelis.
Usually so good at thinking on his feet and sweet talking his way out of situations, time and time again he found himself unable to talk his way out of this one. He couldn’t excuse himself to Tim, not to Iolanthe when he’d unexpectedly blurted it all out to her, not to Lady Imeeya, not even in his letter to Princess Athanasia herself. He couldn’t undo any of it. He’d made so much of a mess that people didn’t even believe him anyway.
“...I don’t know what you want me to say? There isn’t anything, is there?” Sil laughed, but it was brittle and entirely without humour. “I’ve said I’m sorry. I’ve apologised to Princess Athanasia. I can’t do anything else”
He’d missed probably every chance he’d had to prove that he did in fact regret his actions. It felt hopeless now. Sil tried to ignore the fact that he was trembling and that his voice did not sound as steady nor as defiant as he might have hoped.
“I don’t have a good enough excuse for you... so just do it if you’re going to.”
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He was talking. He knew he was talking, and he was hoping that the words that were coming out of his mouth were doing something to aid his cause but Silanos could gauge very little beyond the ever present scowl directed his way from Vangelis. So he ploughed on, eyes darting from the prince, to his brother and back again as the younger Valaoritis offered his retelling of one of the events that had led to this uncomfortable stand-off.
Once or twice, Sil’s gaze dropped to the sword that lay threateningly on the table, and he tried to ignore the very real fear that it had been laid there with intent. But it meant that when Vangelis straightened suddenly and looked for a moment like he was going to stand that Sil’s rushed explanation faltered, and he had to reach to find the thread of his words.
It was feeble even to his own ears, but given the prince had already been so dismissive of the influence of alcohol, Silanos didn’t think it would help him to include the rest of it. And so he finished up a little defensively..it was hardly that he had seduced the girl to his bed and he had done what he could to set things right hadn’t he?
Only, as he fell silent, tried to judge from his brother’s expression if he had made things better or worse, it was the crown prince who spoke, and Sil got the impression quite quickly that he had not helped himself. He watched, panicked, as the Kotas man stood, reached for the blade that had been left like a wordless threat on the table.
“Nn..no it wasn’t like that..” he managed, shooting a desperate look at Timaeus even as he took an unconscious step back as Vangelis moved forward. Somewhere, he realised that he could not run around the table like a child playing chase, but it was hard to quell the urge to keep the furniture between him and the Kotas Prince, who it was clear had not been at all pacified by Silanos’ words. Almost the opposite really. His heart was thudding in his chest so loudly that he thought it must be audible to everyone in the room, and he took another faltering step backwards when Vangelis rounded the table, stood before him armed with accusatory words and the sword that felt more a promise than a threat, now.
“..I didn’t..” he protested, but it was very hard to think anything coherent when all he could see was that blade, levelled at him now, and with a very angry looking Crown Prince at the other end.
“Can you give me one good reason, Silanos of Valaoritis, why I shouldn’t run you through, right now?”
It seemed as if each and every miserable moment since he’d first met the Princess Evras and this whole mess had begun had just been snowballing towards this point. To when the sword that had been meant for him would finally find him, and everything in between would have been a complete waste of time. All of the arguments, everything. Inevitable. And Silanos felt keenly the cost of having burnt so many bridges along the way. He swallowed, wanted to look to his brother again because Timaeus had saved him so many times before, but he daren’t take his eyes off Vangelis.
Usually so good at thinking on his feet and sweet talking his way out of situations, time and time again he found himself unable to talk his way out of this one. He couldn’t excuse himself to Tim, not to Iolanthe when he’d unexpectedly blurted it all out to her, not to Lady Imeeya, not even in his letter to Princess Athanasia herself. He couldn’t undo any of it. He’d made so much of a mess that people didn’t even believe him anyway.
“...I don’t know what you want me to say? There isn’t anything, is there?” Sil laughed, but it was brittle and entirely without humour. “I’ve said I’m sorry. I’ve apologised to Princess Athanasia. I can’t do anything else”
He’d missed probably every chance he’d had to prove that he did in fact regret his actions. It felt hopeless now. Sil tried to ignore the fact that he was trembling and that his voice did not sound as steady nor as defiant as he might have hoped.
“I don’t have a good enough excuse for you... so just do it if you’re going to.”
He was talking. He knew he was talking, and he was hoping that the words that were coming out of his mouth were doing something to aid his cause but Silanos could gauge very little beyond the ever present scowl directed his way from Vangelis. So he ploughed on, eyes darting from the prince, to his brother and back again as the younger Valaoritis offered his retelling of one of the events that had led to this uncomfortable stand-off.
Once or twice, Sil’s gaze dropped to the sword that lay threateningly on the table, and he tried to ignore the very real fear that it had been laid there with intent. But it meant that when Vangelis straightened suddenly and looked for a moment like he was going to stand that Sil’s rushed explanation faltered, and he had to reach to find the thread of his words.
It was feeble even to his own ears, but given the prince had already been so dismissive of the influence of alcohol, Silanos didn’t think it would help him to include the rest of it. And so he finished up a little defensively..it was hardly that he had seduced the girl to his bed and he had done what he could to set things right hadn’t he?
Only, as he fell silent, tried to judge from his brother’s expression if he had made things better or worse, it was the crown prince who spoke, and Sil got the impression quite quickly that he had not helped himself. He watched, panicked, as the Kotas man stood, reached for the blade that had been left like a wordless threat on the table.
“Nn..no it wasn’t like that..” he managed, shooting a desperate look at Timaeus even as he took an unconscious step back as Vangelis moved forward. Somewhere, he realised that he could not run around the table like a child playing chase, but it was hard to quell the urge to keep the furniture between him and the Kotas Prince, who it was clear had not been at all pacified by Silanos’ words. Almost the opposite really. His heart was thudding in his chest so loudly that he thought it must be audible to everyone in the room, and he took another faltering step backwards when Vangelis rounded the table, stood before him armed with accusatory words and the sword that felt more a promise than a threat, now.
“..I didn’t..” he protested, but it was very hard to think anything coherent when all he could see was that blade, levelled at him now, and with a very angry looking Crown Prince at the other end.
“Can you give me one good reason, Silanos of Valaoritis, why I shouldn’t run you through, right now?”
It seemed as if each and every miserable moment since he’d first met the Princess Evras and this whole mess had begun had just been snowballing towards this point. To when the sword that had been meant for him would finally find him, and everything in between would have been a complete waste of time. All of the arguments, everything. Inevitable. And Silanos felt keenly the cost of having burnt so many bridges along the way. He swallowed, wanted to look to his brother again because Timaeus had saved him so many times before, but he daren’t take his eyes off Vangelis.
Usually so good at thinking on his feet and sweet talking his way out of situations, time and time again he found himself unable to talk his way out of this one. He couldn’t excuse himself to Tim, not to Iolanthe when he’d unexpectedly blurted it all out to her, not to Lady Imeeya, not even in his letter to Princess Athanasia herself. He couldn’t undo any of it. He’d made so much of a mess that people didn’t even believe him anyway.
“...I don’t know what you want me to say? There isn’t anything, is there?” Sil laughed, but it was brittle and entirely without humour. “I’ve said I’m sorry. I’ve apologised to Princess Athanasia. I can’t do anything else”
He’d missed probably every chance he’d had to prove that he did in fact regret his actions. It felt hopeless now. Sil tried to ignore the fact that he was trembling and that his voice did not sound as steady nor as defiant as he might have hoped.
“I don’t have a good enough excuse for you... so just do it if you’re going to.”
One might expect the expression of an enraged brother, defending his sister's honour to be one of death and destruction; vibrant emotion that was dark with violence and hatred. And yet, Vangelis' features comprised of a single, calm mask of emotionless focus. It was this lack of personal involvement that had led to his rumours and reputations as the Blood General and the Stone Prince. Not because he killed on the battlefield - many did that. But because he did so with a sense of peace and an apparent lack of shame or guilt.
It was this same face of determination and cool exterior that he wore now, as he kept the point of his blade hovering at the height of Silanos' chest without waver or weakness. Most men, when holding a weapon of that size and weight, poised and suspended in the air, would see their elbow drop and their grip reassert itself in order to keep the threat in place. Yet, Vangelis had trained his body for so many years now that a simple locking of bone and muscle kept the iron of his sword in place.
It was there that he held as Silanos' pathetic snivelling left his lips in a way that simultaneously rose Vangelis' ire - for he hated defeatist attitudes and sullen moanings - but also cooled his personal hatred for the man in question. For at least the young Valaoritis was open to understanding that he had royally fucked up. That there wasn't a way for him to atone for what he had done.
In a single, slow and controlled motion, Vangelis shifted his weight back, moved away from Silanos and lowered his sword. Yet he raised the blade again simply to jerk it in his direction - a sharp point to illustrate his next words...
"Your life is now mine." He told the man, his tone deep, gravelly and clearly not open for discussion or argument. "By rights, I could take your head and no-one would bring me to justice which means I now give you back your life and claim it for my own."
His eyes flared and his jaw widened as he clenched his teeth, Vangelis' gaze moving to tower down upon Timaeus from his great height.
"Lord Timaeus the man before you is no longer your brother. Until I say otherwise, he is a slave in my care. Your services to my brother will ensure that I will make no formal paperwork of the arrangement to save the name of the Valaoritis House. But, for all intents and purposes, this man is now worth nothing that I do not say he is worth."
At this conclusion, Vangelis sheathed his weapon and then tied the belt back around his waist, his eyes never leaving Silanos. The iris' looked hot with temper but his overall expression was cold.
"I will hold a military meet here in a few days’ time. You have until then to set your affairs in order, before you will come to obey at my heel." His eyes snapped to the younger brother. "Do I make myself clear, Silanos?"
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One might expect the expression of an enraged brother, defending his sister's honour to be one of death and destruction; vibrant emotion that was dark with violence and hatred. And yet, Vangelis' features comprised of a single, calm mask of emotionless focus. It was this lack of personal involvement that had led to his rumours and reputations as the Blood General and the Stone Prince. Not because he killed on the battlefield - many did that. But because he did so with a sense of peace and an apparent lack of shame or guilt.
It was this same face of determination and cool exterior that he wore now, as he kept the point of his blade hovering at the height of Silanos' chest without waver or weakness. Most men, when holding a weapon of that size and weight, poised and suspended in the air, would see their elbow drop and their grip reassert itself in order to keep the threat in place. Yet, Vangelis had trained his body for so many years now that a simple locking of bone and muscle kept the iron of his sword in place.
It was there that he held as Silanos' pathetic snivelling left his lips in a way that simultaneously rose Vangelis' ire - for he hated defeatist attitudes and sullen moanings - but also cooled his personal hatred for the man in question. For at least the young Valaoritis was open to understanding that he had royally fucked up. That there wasn't a way for him to atone for what he had done.
In a single, slow and controlled motion, Vangelis shifted his weight back, moved away from Silanos and lowered his sword. Yet he raised the blade again simply to jerk it in his direction - a sharp point to illustrate his next words...
"Your life is now mine." He told the man, his tone deep, gravelly and clearly not open for discussion or argument. "By rights, I could take your head and no-one would bring me to justice which means I now give you back your life and claim it for my own."
His eyes flared and his jaw widened as he clenched his teeth, Vangelis' gaze moving to tower down upon Timaeus from his great height.
"Lord Timaeus the man before you is no longer your brother. Until I say otherwise, he is a slave in my care. Your services to my brother will ensure that I will make no formal paperwork of the arrangement to save the name of the Valaoritis House. But, for all intents and purposes, this man is now worth nothing that I do not say he is worth."
At this conclusion, Vangelis sheathed his weapon and then tied the belt back around his waist, his eyes never leaving Silanos. The iris' looked hot with temper but his overall expression was cold.
"I will hold a military meet here in a few days’ time. You have until then to set your affairs in order, before you will come to obey at my heel." His eyes snapped to the younger brother. "Do I make myself clear, Silanos?"
One might expect the expression of an enraged brother, defending his sister's honour to be one of death and destruction; vibrant emotion that was dark with violence and hatred. And yet, Vangelis' features comprised of a single, calm mask of emotionless focus. It was this lack of personal involvement that had led to his rumours and reputations as the Blood General and the Stone Prince. Not because he killed on the battlefield - many did that. But because he did so with a sense of peace and an apparent lack of shame or guilt.
It was this same face of determination and cool exterior that he wore now, as he kept the point of his blade hovering at the height of Silanos' chest without waver or weakness. Most men, when holding a weapon of that size and weight, poised and suspended in the air, would see their elbow drop and their grip reassert itself in order to keep the threat in place. Yet, Vangelis had trained his body for so many years now that a simple locking of bone and muscle kept the iron of his sword in place.
It was there that he held as Silanos' pathetic snivelling left his lips in a way that simultaneously rose Vangelis' ire - for he hated defeatist attitudes and sullen moanings - but also cooled his personal hatred for the man in question. For at least the young Valaoritis was open to understanding that he had royally fucked up. That there wasn't a way for him to atone for what he had done.
In a single, slow and controlled motion, Vangelis shifted his weight back, moved away from Silanos and lowered his sword. Yet he raised the blade again simply to jerk it in his direction - a sharp point to illustrate his next words...
"Your life is now mine." He told the man, his tone deep, gravelly and clearly not open for discussion or argument. "By rights, I could take your head and no-one would bring me to justice which means I now give you back your life and claim it for my own."
His eyes flared and his jaw widened as he clenched his teeth, Vangelis' gaze moving to tower down upon Timaeus from his great height.
"Lord Timaeus the man before you is no longer your brother. Until I say otherwise, he is a slave in my care. Your services to my brother will ensure that I will make no formal paperwork of the arrangement to save the name of the Valaoritis House. But, for all intents and purposes, this man is now worth nothing that I do not say he is worth."
At this conclusion, Vangelis sheathed his weapon and then tied the belt back around his waist, his eyes never leaving Silanos. The iris' looked hot with temper but his overall expression was cold.
"I will hold a military meet here in a few days’ time. You have until then to set your affairs in order, before you will come to obey at my heel." His eyes snapped to the younger brother. "Do I make myself clear, Silanos?"
The temptation to screw his eyes shut and just wait for the bite of the blade was almost overpowering, but Sil made himself keep looking, eyes wide as he stared at the Crown Prince. The man, in contrast, seemed perfectly controlled, cold even as he brandished the sword toward the younger Valaoritis. This would be an inglorious way for it all to end, SIlanos found himself thinking. So dull and pedestrian.
He waited. The blade did not move.
Not until in one smooth and unhurried motion the Stone Prince stepped back, left the younger man to slump against the wall at his back as his muscles went slack with relief. Sil tried to take a breath that was more than a shallow little huff, and his eyes drifted toward his brother, seeking some comfort from the sibling who could do little but bear witness to what was going on in front him.
The flash of movement from the corner of his eye reminded him that the threat still lingered though, and Silanos eyed Vangelis as the man spoke again. His confusion at the words was evident, the lord trying to parse the meaning.
His life was Prince Vangelis’? But he wasn’t moving towards him with the sword again and had soon shifted his attention toward Timaeus so Sil was left to watch their exchange to try and glean some understanding.
What the man said to his brother made more sense, and it was a reprieve from death certainly, but the word ‘slave’ fell hard and heavy. Slave?!
“Slave?!” Fuck, so he said that aloud. But like he wasn’t there even, Vangelis continued and Sil knew that Tim wouldn’t contest it. He had said before that he would save his life but nothing more, that he deserved everything he got and there was a cold sort of misery pooling in his gut as the young lord realised that this was not negotiable. Like Timaues had handed him off to Maleos and he had just had to endure it, now it would be the Crown Prince who would be running his life. Better than death but..fuck. Fuck it all.
Sil turned his face away as he pushed a hand through his hair and choked back the protestations that could only do more harm than good now. He wanted a drink, wanted a pipe or something that could just help him forget this bullshit. But instead he found himself dragging his eyes back to Vangelis as the man announced that he would graciously allow Sil a few days to ready himself for such an abrupt change of circumstances.
The younger man’s jaw was tense, and his expression sullen as he weathered the comment about coming to heel and tried very hard to keep his tone even as he made an answer
"Perfectly clear, your highness"
It was not death, he reminded himself, not public shame for his family. He should be glad. He should be grateful.
The "Thankyou'" was tacked on reluctantly, but it was there, and Sil made himself stand up straight again, dropping his gaze in something that could be contrition despite what it cost him.
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The temptation to screw his eyes shut and just wait for the bite of the blade was almost overpowering, but Sil made himself keep looking, eyes wide as he stared at the Crown Prince. The man, in contrast, seemed perfectly controlled, cold even as he brandished the sword toward the younger Valaoritis. This would be an inglorious way for it all to end, SIlanos found himself thinking. So dull and pedestrian.
He waited. The blade did not move.
Not until in one smooth and unhurried motion the Stone Prince stepped back, left the younger man to slump against the wall at his back as his muscles went slack with relief. Sil tried to take a breath that was more than a shallow little huff, and his eyes drifted toward his brother, seeking some comfort from the sibling who could do little but bear witness to what was going on in front him.
The flash of movement from the corner of his eye reminded him that the threat still lingered though, and Silanos eyed Vangelis as the man spoke again. His confusion at the words was evident, the lord trying to parse the meaning.
His life was Prince Vangelis’? But he wasn’t moving towards him with the sword again and had soon shifted his attention toward Timaeus so Sil was left to watch their exchange to try and glean some understanding.
What the man said to his brother made more sense, and it was a reprieve from death certainly, but the word ‘slave’ fell hard and heavy. Slave?!
“Slave?!” Fuck, so he said that aloud. But like he wasn’t there even, Vangelis continued and Sil knew that Tim wouldn’t contest it. He had said before that he would save his life but nothing more, that he deserved everything he got and there was a cold sort of misery pooling in his gut as the young lord realised that this was not negotiable. Like Timaues had handed him off to Maleos and he had just had to endure it, now it would be the Crown Prince who would be running his life. Better than death but..fuck. Fuck it all.
Sil turned his face away as he pushed a hand through his hair and choked back the protestations that could only do more harm than good now. He wanted a drink, wanted a pipe or something that could just help him forget this bullshit. But instead he found himself dragging his eyes back to Vangelis as the man announced that he would graciously allow Sil a few days to ready himself for such an abrupt change of circumstances.
The younger man’s jaw was tense, and his expression sullen as he weathered the comment about coming to heel and tried very hard to keep his tone even as he made an answer
"Perfectly clear, your highness"
It was not death, he reminded himself, not public shame for his family. He should be glad. He should be grateful.
The "Thankyou'" was tacked on reluctantly, but it was there, and Sil made himself stand up straight again, dropping his gaze in something that could be contrition despite what it cost him.
The temptation to screw his eyes shut and just wait for the bite of the blade was almost overpowering, but Sil made himself keep looking, eyes wide as he stared at the Crown Prince. The man, in contrast, seemed perfectly controlled, cold even as he brandished the sword toward the younger Valaoritis. This would be an inglorious way for it all to end, SIlanos found himself thinking. So dull and pedestrian.
He waited. The blade did not move.
Not until in one smooth and unhurried motion the Stone Prince stepped back, left the younger man to slump against the wall at his back as his muscles went slack with relief. Sil tried to take a breath that was more than a shallow little huff, and his eyes drifted toward his brother, seeking some comfort from the sibling who could do little but bear witness to what was going on in front him.
The flash of movement from the corner of his eye reminded him that the threat still lingered though, and Silanos eyed Vangelis as the man spoke again. His confusion at the words was evident, the lord trying to parse the meaning.
His life was Prince Vangelis’? But he wasn’t moving towards him with the sword again and had soon shifted his attention toward Timaeus so Sil was left to watch their exchange to try and glean some understanding.
What the man said to his brother made more sense, and it was a reprieve from death certainly, but the word ‘slave’ fell hard and heavy. Slave?!
“Slave?!” Fuck, so he said that aloud. But like he wasn’t there even, Vangelis continued and Sil knew that Tim wouldn’t contest it. He had said before that he would save his life but nothing more, that he deserved everything he got and there was a cold sort of misery pooling in his gut as the young lord realised that this was not negotiable. Like Timaues had handed him off to Maleos and he had just had to endure it, now it would be the Crown Prince who would be running his life. Better than death but..fuck. Fuck it all.
Sil turned his face away as he pushed a hand through his hair and choked back the protestations that could only do more harm than good now. He wanted a drink, wanted a pipe or something that could just help him forget this bullshit. But instead he found himself dragging his eyes back to Vangelis as the man announced that he would graciously allow Sil a few days to ready himself for such an abrupt change of circumstances.
The younger man’s jaw was tense, and his expression sullen as he weathered the comment about coming to heel and tried very hard to keep his tone even as he made an answer
"Perfectly clear, your highness"
It was not death, he reminded himself, not public shame for his family. He should be glad. He should be grateful.
The "Thankyou'" was tacked on reluctantly, but it was there, and Sil made himself stand up straight again, dropping his gaze in something that could be contrition despite what it cost him.
Though he may not be a social expert or a courtly etiquette specialist, Vangelis was also not inhumane. Nor unobservant. He knew perfectly well that the so called Lord Silanos would have little to be pleased about in this new arrangement as Vangelis told it. He wasn't supposed to enjoy it, for it was little more than a punishment. The fact that it was far less severe than it might have been were Vangelis inclined to hold to the letter of law and take the man's life as was his right, wouldn't factor into his thoughts all that much. It was still frustrating to have the freedom he had been previously enjoying taken from him, regardless of alternatives.
So, from that perspective, Vangelis cared little for the lack of gratitude and sulking expression upon the Valaoritis lord's face. He didn't take it personally, nor did his ego become dented when his philanthropy was barely received with grace.
Instead, he simply chose that moment to leave, refusing to offer the younger Valaoritis boy any more rope with which to hang himself.
Bringing his sword to his side before turning it on Timaeus, Vangelis used the tip of the blade to point his instructions. As he stood several feet from the man, the gesture was hardly one of a threat and yet it stood the test of displaying Vangelis' power; that he could wield a sword before the man if he wanted to and receive no recompense.
Timaeus had remained silent as Silanos had been threatened and whether that was because he thought his brother deserving of the punishment, because he feared for his own life or because he simply feared stepping in and turning the situation worse with public loyalty to a man walking the line of treason, Vangelis did not know. Either way, he gave Timaeus no chance to react now that he stood a foot back from the little brother and turned his focus to the older.
"I shall send you information regarding the military meet, Lord Timaeus and I expect the arrangements to be made to the letter."
The words were calm, objective and stated with a firm determination. There was no threatening lilt to his words, nor explicitly warnings of failure. Instead, he simply declared his instruction without expecting excuse, argument or response.
The man who had been left to stand helpless whilst his brother had nearly lost his life to the crown prince of his kingdom, was forced to remain in silence as Vangelis took one final glance at Silanos and then turned to leave the room, not waiting to permit a Valaoritis servant to open the door for him or escort him to the stables for his horse. He simply negotiated the entire leave-taking himself, refusing the two men even the satisfaction of voicing their opinions on the matter and leaving them with the firm clarification that he would not have listened were they given the chance.
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Though he may not be a social expert or a courtly etiquette specialist, Vangelis was also not inhumane. Nor unobservant. He knew perfectly well that the so called Lord Silanos would have little to be pleased about in this new arrangement as Vangelis told it. He wasn't supposed to enjoy it, for it was little more than a punishment. The fact that it was far less severe than it might have been were Vangelis inclined to hold to the letter of law and take the man's life as was his right, wouldn't factor into his thoughts all that much. It was still frustrating to have the freedom he had been previously enjoying taken from him, regardless of alternatives.
So, from that perspective, Vangelis cared little for the lack of gratitude and sulking expression upon the Valaoritis lord's face. He didn't take it personally, nor did his ego become dented when his philanthropy was barely received with grace.
Instead, he simply chose that moment to leave, refusing to offer the younger Valaoritis boy any more rope with which to hang himself.
Bringing his sword to his side before turning it on Timaeus, Vangelis used the tip of the blade to point his instructions. As he stood several feet from the man, the gesture was hardly one of a threat and yet it stood the test of displaying Vangelis' power; that he could wield a sword before the man if he wanted to and receive no recompense.
Timaeus had remained silent as Silanos had been threatened and whether that was because he thought his brother deserving of the punishment, because he feared for his own life or because he simply feared stepping in and turning the situation worse with public loyalty to a man walking the line of treason, Vangelis did not know. Either way, he gave Timaeus no chance to react now that he stood a foot back from the little brother and turned his focus to the older.
"I shall send you information regarding the military meet, Lord Timaeus and I expect the arrangements to be made to the letter."
The words were calm, objective and stated with a firm determination. There was no threatening lilt to his words, nor explicitly warnings of failure. Instead, he simply declared his instruction without expecting excuse, argument or response.
The man who had been left to stand helpless whilst his brother had nearly lost his life to the crown prince of his kingdom, was forced to remain in silence as Vangelis took one final glance at Silanos and then turned to leave the room, not waiting to permit a Valaoritis servant to open the door for him or escort him to the stables for his horse. He simply negotiated the entire leave-taking himself, refusing the two men even the satisfaction of voicing their opinions on the matter and leaving them with the firm clarification that he would not have listened were they given the chance.
Though he may not be a social expert or a courtly etiquette specialist, Vangelis was also not inhumane. Nor unobservant. He knew perfectly well that the so called Lord Silanos would have little to be pleased about in this new arrangement as Vangelis told it. He wasn't supposed to enjoy it, for it was little more than a punishment. The fact that it was far less severe than it might have been were Vangelis inclined to hold to the letter of law and take the man's life as was his right, wouldn't factor into his thoughts all that much. It was still frustrating to have the freedom he had been previously enjoying taken from him, regardless of alternatives.
So, from that perspective, Vangelis cared little for the lack of gratitude and sulking expression upon the Valaoritis lord's face. He didn't take it personally, nor did his ego become dented when his philanthropy was barely received with grace.
Instead, he simply chose that moment to leave, refusing to offer the younger Valaoritis boy any more rope with which to hang himself.
Bringing his sword to his side before turning it on Timaeus, Vangelis used the tip of the blade to point his instructions. As he stood several feet from the man, the gesture was hardly one of a threat and yet it stood the test of displaying Vangelis' power; that he could wield a sword before the man if he wanted to and receive no recompense.
Timaeus had remained silent as Silanos had been threatened and whether that was because he thought his brother deserving of the punishment, because he feared for his own life or because he simply feared stepping in and turning the situation worse with public loyalty to a man walking the line of treason, Vangelis did not know. Either way, he gave Timaeus no chance to react now that he stood a foot back from the little brother and turned his focus to the older.
"I shall send you information regarding the military meet, Lord Timaeus and I expect the arrangements to be made to the letter."
The words were calm, objective and stated with a firm determination. There was no threatening lilt to his words, nor explicitly warnings of failure. Instead, he simply declared his instruction without expecting excuse, argument or response.
The man who had been left to stand helpless whilst his brother had nearly lost his life to the crown prince of his kingdom, was forced to remain in silence as Vangelis took one final glance at Silanos and then turned to leave the room, not waiting to permit a Valaoritis servant to open the door for him or escort him to the stables for his horse. He simply negotiated the entire leave-taking himself, refusing the two men even the satisfaction of voicing their opinions on the matter and leaving them with the firm clarification that he would not have listened were they given the chance.
When the Prince lept up from the table and dragged Silanos towards, the wall, Timaeus didn’t know what to do. Of course, his instinct was to protect the boy. After all, Silanos was his brother. The bond that came with their shared blood was not something that Timaeus could even dream of ignoring, no matter how much the encouraged the elder brother to rip his hair out on a daily basis. It didn’t matter how old Sil got, he would always be that little kid trailing after his big brothers during their many childhood adventures. Whether it was picking teams for snowball fights or getting each other out of tricky situations, the two of them had always been there for each other. Even when things got rough and it seemed like their backs were against the wall, they could always count on the other to help them shake off the dust and get back on their feet. After all, that’s what brothers were for, right?
That’s what Tim had been trying to do in the aftermath of what had happened at the Kotas manor. Just like when Silanos had gotten himself stuck in that hole in the barn all those years ago, his big brother was just trying to help him get out of danger without getting the both of them killed, but he had failed. This situation was nothing like that day in the stables. The biggest threat wasn’t getting yelled at by their mother or getting kicked by an annoyed horse. The consequence of this could be execution, disgrace, and all sorts of other things that couldn’t be magically waved away with a simple, tearful apology like these things usually did. This was far too big for mere words to set it right and that wasn’t even considering the fact that Silanos had been digging deeper into his own grave, behind Timaeus’s back.
Timaeus knew that Silanos had not been abiding by the rules of his punishment. He knew that even though the Baron had cut his brother off from the drink that had gotten them all into this mess, Silanos was still finding some sort of supply. If that wasn’t bad enough, his brother was also sneaking out at every single turn. It was a complete disregard of any sort of discipline and a clear statement that Silanos wasn’t going to change. Timaeus had thought it had been leftover teenage angst, some sort of rebellion left in him following the deaths that had plagued their family. After all, the boy’s elder brother knew exactly what that felt like as he too had felt the urge to scream fuck it all when things got too tough. He could commiserate, but it couldn’t be allowed to continue. Timaeus had tried his best to get his brother to change his ways and layered harsh punishment after harsh punishment onto him, clamping down every time Sil refused to see the errors of his ways. He was still out there kissing girls that he had no business being around, even after another had died to save his own skin after his first offense.
Had Timaeus been too soft? Had he not done enough?
Not that it mattered anymore with Silanos moments away from being skewered to the wall of the dining room. Timaeus couldn’t turn back the clock and do anything differently. The baron pushed his chair back and leaped to his feet, instinctively ready to intervene in any sort attempt to save his brother. His only brother… but something held him back. Silanos might not care for the consequences of his actions, but Timaeus did. As much as every instinct in him, every muscle twitched to throw himself between the two men to save the brother (who quite frankly did not deserve anymore sacrifice on his behalf) he knew that he couldn’t. Vangelis held too much power over the Valaoritis family. The prince was the head of the Kotas family and had the power to depose of the barony with the flick of a wrist. It didn’t matter that this bloodline was considered to be an old one within Colchis or that they had a reputation for being steadfastly loyal to their liege house. If the prince decided that he had enough of the family, they would be removed. What would happen to them then? Silanos would be dead, Timaeus too, if he stood in the line of fire. Where would that leave his mother and cousin? The two of them didn’t have noble ties to fall back upon and even though Tim was fairly certain that Iolanthe would take pity on them, was that really a chance that the Baron wanted to take? Especially if the only bearers of the Valaoritis name died in disgrace?
He couldn’t risk that. Timaeus could not in good conscious throw-away everything his forefathers had built in favor of a boy who did not care for the legacy before him. There was not a single chance in the world that Tim was going to leave his poor ailing mother to the chances of fate, especially when she couldn’t remember where she was half the time. As much as he loved Silanos, this wasn’t something he could do. So, Timaeus just stood there as the dagger hovered between the accuser and the blamed, his whole body begging him to move forward, but his mind keeping it routed in place. There was a certain gleam of pain and despair in his eyes, a slight hitch in his throat as he watched the scene before him. This was just like with what had happened with Nico. Timaeus could feel his throat tightening as he tried to comprehend the fact that he was going to watch another brother die in front of him and just like before, even though Timaeus was so close and had the power to help, it wouldn’t matter. He was going to lose Silanos. There was no way his brother would survive this. Silanos was going to die.
His vision blurred as tears began to well in the corner of his eyes. A natural reaction to the fear pounding in his chest. It took everything in him to not make a sound though. He might have not been able to help his reaction to his literal worse nightmare coming true, but that wouldn’t stop Vangelis from thinking lowly of Timaeus for such a reaction. How he managed to keep his wits in this situation was nothing short of a miracle, maybe even a blessing from @athena who he quite honestly did not even have the time to pray to given how quickly this was all unfolding, but he would be sure to leave quite a substantial offering at her temple for having some sort of mercy on him -- if everything didn’t completely fall apart that was.
It was a good thing that Timaeus kept his cool too because just as quickly as things had gotten out of hand, it all came to a swift end. Timaeus didn’t know how his brother did it (though it probably had something to do with the fact that Sil always seemed to have Tyche on his side for some unfathomable reason) but the boy had said the right thing to keep Vangelis from killing him. The prince lowered the blade slightly and spoke to the boy of the right that Vangelis had to kill Silanos for what he had done. Even though the words chilled Timaeus to the core, there was a clear sense of de-escalation to the prince’s words making it clear that Silanos was not going to be killed in Timaeus’s home. The Baron took this brief moment as a chance to turn slightly and pull the sleeve of his chiton to his eyes and wipe away the forming tears before Vangelis could see.
Timaeus couldn’t have had better timing as just as soon as the younger man turned back to the tense scene, the prince turned to him to lay down Silanos’s punishment. By decree of the Crown Prince, Silanos of Valaoritis was no longer a freeman. Timaeus’s eyes widened in shock at this news but gave no protest. Clearly, this was not something that the Baron wanted to do. Who in their right mind would give over their brother to the man who just tried to kill him? But it wasn’t as if Tim had much of a choice in the matter. Vangelis’s word was practically law as he was the future King of Colchis and had been the ruler for a brief few weeks. Timaeus might be just as stupid as his brother sometimes, but even he was not dumb enough to even attempt to change the prince's mind. That would be nothing short of suicide and death to the Valaoritis house.
“Yes, your highness.” He said quickly, trying not to say much of anything in case it was secretly the wrong thing as he nodded along to the rest of what Vangelis wanted. Really, a war meeting in his house? Would this manor even be big enough for that? Timaeus had his doubts, but again, the Baron was not going to protest given how this was probably the best thing that could have happened, all things considered. Silanos might now be a slave, but at least he would be alive and the family’s legacy would remain rather untarnished as this was not something that would be made public knowledge. Given what Silanos had done, this was more than Timaeus could have expected. “We -- I,” He started to say, but caught himself as he realized that he could not speak for Silanos any longer, “Am grateful for your mercy, your highness. I will see to your instructions with the utmost haste.”
He tried to keep his voice even, free of emotion, as if the men were doing nothing more than conducting business, but in truth, his mind was in absolute turmoil. Hearing that your brother was now going to be a slave was not an easy pill to swallow in the slightest, but the Baron needed to appear unbothered by it all. Silanos was not his responsibility anymore. Timaeus could not seem to be affected by the changes that were going to come onto the household. Luckily, it seemed that Vangelis wasn’t going to stay around long enough to see the Baron crack as he turned on his heels and left, not even giving any warning to the poor servants standing outside the door.
As the prince left the room, the tense knot of anxiety within him finally released and the Baron leaned against the table, willing his heartbeat to slow down so that he might be able to push past the turbulent emotions in him right now. He didn’t even turn to look at his brother, unsure of what to think of the revelation that had been handed down that morning. It disgusted him that Silanos had even put the family in this position in the first place and now this great legacy they once held of being in favor with the royal family was now completely ruined by one boy who listened to his cock instead of his head.
It was a long awkward pause before Timaeus finally spoke, denying his brother any sort of familial comfort in favor of a grim warning for what would be in Silanos’s future. “You have lived by your hand, now you may very well die by it. Don’t be a fool, he will kill you the first chance he gets.” This was a far cry from anything else that Timaeus had done in the past when Silanos dug himself in too deep. Normally, Timaeus would scream at him for a bit, then set about in making the issue go away, but the calm acceptance of it all and the crystal clear advice in his words made it very clear that no such thing would be happening this time. Timaeus could not risk everything for Silanos, especially in this game the young men knew the Valaoritis was going to lose. In fact, Tim was already mentally trying to come to terms with the fact that Silanos was not likely to return his home ever again. He knew his brother. He knew firsthand how reckless and foolhardy the boy could be in the best of times. There was no way that Silanos was not going to be able to avoid setting the Prince off and finally getting to know what that slave had felt in the final moments of his meaningless life that had been traded for Silanos. Timaeus could only hope that Vangelis would be merciful enough to send the boy’s body back to his family when the prince had his vengeance. However, that would come later and for right now, Timaeus could not stand to listen to whatever nonsense Silanos would have to say at the end of this. He didn’t want to hear it. Timaeus just couldn’t care.
Once the echoing noise of the prince’s boots faded into nothingness, signaling that the Blood General had taken his leave from the manner, Timaeus took his leave from the room and stormed out the same door. However, instead of moving towards the stables as Vangelis had done, the Baron moved deeper into the household, in the direction of the office that only he had a key too. He needed to be alone to process all of this and he was not willing to face Silanos until the Baron had come to terms with all of it. Besides, it would be good for the young man to learn how to not rely on Tim to somehow make it all better as the Baron was not going to be able to do that anymore. Maybe later Timaeus might be open to sitting down with the boy and giving him some sort of advice for the trials to come, but for now? Timaeus was all too happy to unlock the office door and throw it closed behind him with a loud slam that echoed through the house. Any chance Timaeus had to help his brother had passed. It was done. That chapter was over. There was no way to turn back now as there was nothing left for Timaeus to do, but pray that his brother would somehow, someday make it back to him in one piece.
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When the Prince lept up from the table and dragged Silanos towards, the wall, Timaeus didn’t know what to do. Of course, his instinct was to protect the boy. After all, Silanos was his brother. The bond that came with their shared blood was not something that Timaeus could even dream of ignoring, no matter how much the encouraged the elder brother to rip his hair out on a daily basis. It didn’t matter how old Sil got, he would always be that little kid trailing after his big brothers during their many childhood adventures. Whether it was picking teams for snowball fights or getting each other out of tricky situations, the two of them had always been there for each other. Even when things got rough and it seemed like their backs were against the wall, they could always count on the other to help them shake off the dust and get back on their feet. After all, that’s what brothers were for, right?
That’s what Tim had been trying to do in the aftermath of what had happened at the Kotas manor. Just like when Silanos had gotten himself stuck in that hole in the barn all those years ago, his big brother was just trying to help him get out of danger without getting the both of them killed, but he had failed. This situation was nothing like that day in the stables. The biggest threat wasn’t getting yelled at by their mother or getting kicked by an annoyed horse. The consequence of this could be execution, disgrace, and all sorts of other things that couldn’t be magically waved away with a simple, tearful apology like these things usually did. This was far too big for mere words to set it right and that wasn’t even considering the fact that Silanos had been digging deeper into his own grave, behind Timaeus’s back.
Timaeus knew that Silanos had not been abiding by the rules of his punishment. He knew that even though the Baron had cut his brother off from the drink that had gotten them all into this mess, Silanos was still finding some sort of supply. If that wasn’t bad enough, his brother was also sneaking out at every single turn. It was a complete disregard of any sort of discipline and a clear statement that Silanos wasn’t going to change. Timaeus had thought it had been leftover teenage angst, some sort of rebellion left in him following the deaths that had plagued their family. After all, the boy’s elder brother knew exactly what that felt like as he too had felt the urge to scream fuck it all when things got too tough. He could commiserate, but it couldn’t be allowed to continue. Timaeus had tried his best to get his brother to change his ways and layered harsh punishment after harsh punishment onto him, clamping down every time Sil refused to see the errors of his ways. He was still out there kissing girls that he had no business being around, even after another had died to save his own skin after his first offense.
Had Timaeus been too soft? Had he not done enough?
Not that it mattered anymore with Silanos moments away from being skewered to the wall of the dining room. Timaeus couldn’t turn back the clock and do anything differently. The baron pushed his chair back and leaped to his feet, instinctively ready to intervene in any sort attempt to save his brother. His only brother… but something held him back. Silanos might not care for the consequences of his actions, but Timaeus did. As much as every instinct in him, every muscle twitched to throw himself between the two men to save the brother (who quite frankly did not deserve anymore sacrifice on his behalf) he knew that he couldn’t. Vangelis held too much power over the Valaoritis family. The prince was the head of the Kotas family and had the power to depose of the barony with the flick of a wrist. It didn’t matter that this bloodline was considered to be an old one within Colchis or that they had a reputation for being steadfastly loyal to their liege house. If the prince decided that he had enough of the family, they would be removed. What would happen to them then? Silanos would be dead, Timaeus too, if he stood in the line of fire. Where would that leave his mother and cousin? The two of them didn’t have noble ties to fall back upon and even though Tim was fairly certain that Iolanthe would take pity on them, was that really a chance that the Baron wanted to take? Especially if the only bearers of the Valaoritis name died in disgrace?
He couldn’t risk that. Timaeus could not in good conscious throw-away everything his forefathers had built in favor of a boy who did not care for the legacy before him. There was not a single chance in the world that Tim was going to leave his poor ailing mother to the chances of fate, especially when she couldn’t remember where she was half the time. As much as he loved Silanos, this wasn’t something he could do. So, Timaeus just stood there as the dagger hovered between the accuser and the blamed, his whole body begging him to move forward, but his mind keeping it routed in place. There was a certain gleam of pain and despair in his eyes, a slight hitch in his throat as he watched the scene before him. This was just like with what had happened with Nico. Timaeus could feel his throat tightening as he tried to comprehend the fact that he was going to watch another brother die in front of him and just like before, even though Timaeus was so close and had the power to help, it wouldn’t matter. He was going to lose Silanos. There was no way his brother would survive this. Silanos was going to die.
His vision blurred as tears began to well in the corner of his eyes. A natural reaction to the fear pounding in his chest. It took everything in him to not make a sound though. He might have not been able to help his reaction to his literal worse nightmare coming true, but that wouldn’t stop Vangelis from thinking lowly of Timaeus for such a reaction. How he managed to keep his wits in this situation was nothing short of a miracle, maybe even a blessing from @athena who he quite honestly did not even have the time to pray to given how quickly this was all unfolding, but he would be sure to leave quite a substantial offering at her temple for having some sort of mercy on him -- if everything didn’t completely fall apart that was.
It was a good thing that Timaeus kept his cool too because just as quickly as things had gotten out of hand, it all came to a swift end. Timaeus didn’t know how his brother did it (though it probably had something to do with the fact that Sil always seemed to have Tyche on his side for some unfathomable reason) but the boy had said the right thing to keep Vangelis from killing him. The prince lowered the blade slightly and spoke to the boy of the right that Vangelis had to kill Silanos for what he had done. Even though the words chilled Timaeus to the core, there was a clear sense of de-escalation to the prince’s words making it clear that Silanos was not going to be killed in Timaeus’s home. The Baron took this brief moment as a chance to turn slightly and pull the sleeve of his chiton to his eyes and wipe away the forming tears before Vangelis could see.
Timaeus couldn’t have had better timing as just as soon as the younger man turned back to the tense scene, the prince turned to him to lay down Silanos’s punishment. By decree of the Crown Prince, Silanos of Valaoritis was no longer a freeman. Timaeus’s eyes widened in shock at this news but gave no protest. Clearly, this was not something that the Baron wanted to do. Who in their right mind would give over their brother to the man who just tried to kill him? But it wasn’t as if Tim had much of a choice in the matter. Vangelis’s word was practically law as he was the future King of Colchis and had been the ruler for a brief few weeks. Timaeus might be just as stupid as his brother sometimes, but even he was not dumb enough to even attempt to change the prince's mind. That would be nothing short of suicide and death to the Valaoritis house.
“Yes, your highness.” He said quickly, trying not to say much of anything in case it was secretly the wrong thing as he nodded along to the rest of what Vangelis wanted. Really, a war meeting in his house? Would this manor even be big enough for that? Timaeus had his doubts, but again, the Baron was not going to protest given how this was probably the best thing that could have happened, all things considered. Silanos might now be a slave, but at least he would be alive and the family’s legacy would remain rather untarnished as this was not something that would be made public knowledge. Given what Silanos had done, this was more than Timaeus could have expected. “We -- I,” He started to say, but caught himself as he realized that he could not speak for Silanos any longer, “Am grateful for your mercy, your highness. I will see to your instructions with the utmost haste.”
He tried to keep his voice even, free of emotion, as if the men were doing nothing more than conducting business, but in truth, his mind was in absolute turmoil. Hearing that your brother was now going to be a slave was not an easy pill to swallow in the slightest, but the Baron needed to appear unbothered by it all. Silanos was not his responsibility anymore. Timaeus could not seem to be affected by the changes that were going to come onto the household. Luckily, it seemed that Vangelis wasn’t going to stay around long enough to see the Baron crack as he turned on his heels and left, not even giving any warning to the poor servants standing outside the door.
As the prince left the room, the tense knot of anxiety within him finally released and the Baron leaned against the table, willing his heartbeat to slow down so that he might be able to push past the turbulent emotions in him right now. He didn’t even turn to look at his brother, unsure of what to think of the revelation that had been handed down that morning. It disgusted him that Silanos had even put the family in this position in the first place and now this great legacy they once held of being in favor with the royal family was now completely ruined by one boy who listened to his cock instead of his head.
It was a long awkward pause before Timaeus finally spoke, denying his brother any sort of familial comfort in favor of a grim warning for what would be in Silanos’s future. “You have lived by your hand, now you may very well die by it. Don’t be a fool, he will kill you the first chance he gets.” This was a far cry from anything else that Timaeus had done in the past when Silanos dug himself in too deep. Normally, Timaeus would scream at him for a bit, then set about in making the issue go away, but the calm acceptance of it all and the crystal clear advice in his words made it very clear that no such thing would be happening this time. Timaeus could not risk everything for Silanos, especially in this game the young men knew the Valaoritis was going to lose. In fact, Tim was already mentally trying to come to terms with the fact that Silanos was not likely to return his home ever again. He knew his brother. He knew firsthand how reckless and foolhardy the boy could be in the best of times. There was no way that Silanos was not going to be able to avoid setting the Prince off and finally getting to know what that slave had felt in the final moments of his meaningless life that had been traded for Silanos. Timaeus could only hope that Vangelis would be merciful enough to send the boy’s body back to his family when the prince had his vengeance. However, that would come later and for right now, Timaeus could not stand to listen to whatever nonsense Silanos would have to say at the end of this. He didn’t want to hear it. Timaeus just couldn’t care.
Once the echoing noise of the prince’s boots faded into nothingness, signaling that the Blood General had taken his leave from the manner, Timaeus took his leave from the room and stormed out the same door. However, instead of moving towards the stables as Vangelis had done, the Baron moved deeper into the household, in the direction of the office that only he had a key too. He needed to be alone to process all of this and he was not willing to face Silanos until the Baron had come to terms with all of it. Besides, it would be good for the young man to learn how to not rely on Tim to somehow make it all better as the Baron was not going to be able to do that anymore. Maybe later Timaeus might be open to sitting down with the boy and giving him some sort of advice for the trials to come, but for now? Timaeus was all too happy to unlock the office door and throw it closed behind him with a loud slam that echoed through the house. Any chance Timaeus had to help his brother had passed. It was done. That chapter was over. There was no way to turn back now as there was nothing left for Timaeus to do, but pray that his brother would somehow, someday make it back to him in one piece.
When the Prince lept up from the table and dragged Silanos towards, the wall, Timaeus didn’t know what to do. Of course, his instinct was to protect the boy. After all, Silanos was his brother. The bond that came with their shared blood was not something that Timaeus could even dream of ignoring, no matter how much the encouraged the elder brother to rip his hair out on a daily basis. It didn’t matter how old Sil got, he would always be that little kid trailing after his big brothers during their many childhood adventures. Whether it was picking teams for snowball fights or getting each other out of tricky situations, the two of them had always been there for each other. Even when things got rough and it seemed like their backs were against the wall, they could always count on the other to help them shake off the dust and get back on their feet. After all, that’s what brothers were for, right?
That’s what Tim had been trying to do in the aftermath of what had happened at the Kotas manor. Just like when Silanos had gotten himself stuck in that hole in the barn all those years ago, his big brother was just trying to help him get out of danger without getting the both of them killed, but he had failed. This situation was nothing like that day in the stables. The biggest threat wasn’t getting yelled at by their mother or getting kicked by an annoyed horse. The consequence of this could be execution, disgrace, and all sorts of other things that couldn’t be magically waved away with a simple, tearful apology like these things usually did. This was far too big for mere words to set it right and that wasn’t even considering the fact that Silanos had been digging deeper into his own grave, behind Timaeus’s back.
Timaeus knew that Silanos had not been abiding by the rules of his punishment. He knew that even though the Baron had cut his brother off from the drink that had gotten them all into this mess, Silanos was still finding some sort of supply. If that wasn’t bad enough, his brother was also sneaking out at every single turn. It was a complete disregard of any sort of discipline and a clear statement that Silanos wasn’t going to change. Timaeus had thought it had been leftover teenage angst, some sort of rebellion left in him following the deaths that had plagued their family. After all, the boy’s elder brother knew exactly what that felt like as he too had felt the urge to scream fuck it all when things got too tough. He could commiserate, but it couldn’t be allowed to continue. Timaeus had tried his best to get his brother to change his ways and layered harsh punishment after harsh punishment onto him, clamping down every time Sil refused to see the errors of his ways. He was still out there kissing girls that he had no business being around, even after another had died to save his own skin after his first offense.
Had Timaeus been too soft? Had he not done enough?
Not that it mattered anymore with Silanos moments away from being skewered to the wall of the dining room. Timaeus couldn’t turn back the clock and do anything differently. The baron pushed his chair back and leaped to his feet, instinctively ready to intervene in any sort attempt to save his brother. His only brother… but something held him back. Silanos might not care for the consequences of his actions, but Timaeus did. As much as every instinct in him, every muscle twitched to throw himself between the two men to save the brother (who quite frankly did not deserve anymore sacrifice on his behalf) he knew that he couldn’t. Vangelis held too much power over the Valaoritis family. The prince was the head of the Kotas family and had the power to depose of the barony with the flick of a wrist. It didn’t matter that this bloodline was considered to be an old one within Colchis or that they had a reputation for being steadfastly loyal to their liege house. If the prince decided that he had enough of the family, they would be removed. What would happen to them then? Silanos would be dead, Timaeus too, if he stood in the line of fire. Where would that leave his mother and cousin? The two of them didn’t have noble ties to fall back upon and even though Tim was fairly certain that Iolanthe would take pity on them, was that really a chance that the Baron wanted to take? Especially if the only bearers of the Valaoritis name died in disgrace?
He couldn’t risk that. Timaeus could not in good conscious throw-away everything his forefathers had built in favor of a boy who did not care for the legacy before him. There was not a single chance in the world that Tim was going to leave his poor ailing mother to the chances of fate, especially when she couldn’t remember where she was half the time. As much as he loved Silanos, this wasn’t something he could do. So, Timaeus just stood there as the dagger hovered between the accuser and the blamed, his whole body begging him to move forward, but his mind keeping it routed in place. There was a certain gleam of pain and despair in his eyes, a slight hitch in his throat as he watched the scene before him. This was just like with what had happened with Nico. Timaeus could feel his throat tightening as he tried to comprehend the fact that he was going to watch another brother die in front of him and just like before, even though Timaeus was so close and had the power to help, it wouldn’t matter. He was going to lose Silanos. There was no way his brother would survive this. Silanos was going to die.
His vision blurred as tears began to well in the corner of his eyes. A natural reaction to the fear pounding in his chest. It took everything in him to not make a sound though. He might have not been able to help his reaction to his literal worse nightmare coming true, but that wouldn’t stop Vangelis from thinking lowly of Timaeus for such a reaction. How he managed to keep his wits in this situation was nothing short of a miracle, maybe even a blessing from @athena who he quite honestly did not even have the time to pray to given how quickly this was all unfolding, but he would be sure to leave quite a substantial offering at her temple for having some sort of mercy on him -- if everything didn’t completely fall apart that was.
It was a good thing that Timaeus kept his cool too because just as quickly as things had gotten out of hand, it all came to a swift end. Timaeus didn’t know how his brother did it (though it probably had something to do with the fact that Sil always seemed to have Tyche on his side for some unfathomable reason) but the boy had said the right thing to keep Vangelis from killing him. The prince lowered the blade slightly and spoke to the boy of the right that Vangelis had to kill Silanos for what he had done. Even though the words chilled Timaeus to the core, there was a clear sense of de-escalation to the prince’s words making it clear that Silanos was not going to be killed in Timaeus’s home. The Baron took this brief moment as a chance to turn slightly and pull the sleeve of his chiton to his eyes and wipe away the forming tears before Vangelis could see.
Timaeus couldn’t have had better timing as just as soon as the younger man turned back to the tense scene, the prince turned to him to lay down Silanos’s punishment. By decree of the Crown Prince, Silanos of Valaoritis was no longer a freeman. Timaeus’s eyes widened in shock at this news but gave no protest. Clearly, this was not something that the Baron wanted to do. Who in their right mind would give over their brother to the man who just tried to kill him? But it wasn’t as if Tim had much of a choice in the matter. Vangelis’s word was practically law as he was the future King of Colchis and had been the ruler for a brief few weeks. Timaeus might be just as stupid as his brother sometimes, but even he was not dumb enough to even attempt to change the prince's mind. That would be nothing short of suicide and death to the Valaoritis house.
“Yes, your highness.” He said quickly, trying not to say much of anything in case it was secretly the wrong thing as he nodded along to the rest of what Vangelis wanted. Really, a war meeting in his house? Would this manor even be big enough for that? Timaeus had his doubts, but again, the Baron was not going to protest given how this was probably the best thing that could have happened, all things considered. Silanos might now be a slave, but at least he would be alive and the family’s legacy would remain rather untarnished as this was not something that would be made public knowledge. Given what Silanos had done, this was more than Timaeus could have expected. “We -- I,” He started to say, but caught himself as he realized that he could not speak for Silanos any longer, “Am grateful for your mercy, your highness. I will see to your instructions with the utmost haste.”
He tried to keep his voice even, free of emotion, as if the men were doing nothing more than conducting business, but in truth, his mind was in absolute turmoil. Hearing that your brother was now going to be a slave was not an easy pill to swallow in the slightest, but the Baron needed to appear unbothered by it all. Silanos was not his responsibility anymore. Timaeus could not seem to be affected by the changes that were going to come onto the household. Luckily, it seemed that Vangelis wasn’t going to stay around long enough to see the Baron crack as he turned on his heels and left, not even giving any warning to the poor servants standing outside the door.
As the prince left the room, the tense knot of anxiety within him finally released and the Baron leaned against the table, willing his heartbeat to slow down so that he might be able to push past the turbulent emotions in him right now. He didn’t even turn to look at his brother, unsure of what to think of the revelation that had been handed down that morning. It disgusted him that Silanos had even put the family in this position in the first place and now this great legacy they once held of being in favor with the royal family was now completely ruined by one boy who listened to his cock instead of his head.
It was a long awkward pause before Timaeus finally spoke, denying his brother any sort of familial comfort in favor of a grim warning for what would be in Silanos’s future. “You have lived by your hand, now you may very well die by it. Don’t be a fool, he will kill you the first chance he gets.” This was a far cry from anything else that Timaeus had done in the past when Silanos dug himself in too deep. Normally, Timaeus would scream at him for a bit, then set about in making the issue go away, but the calm acceptance of it all and the crystal clear advice in his words made it very clear that no such thing would be happening this time. Timaeus could not risk everything for Silanos, especially in this game the young men knew the Valaoritis was going to lose. In fact, Tim was already mentally trying to come to terms with the fact that Silanos was not likely to return his home ever again. He knew his brother. He knew firsthand how reckless and foolhardy the boy could be in the best of times. There was no way that Silanos was not going to be able to avoid setting the Prince off and finally getting to know what that slave had felt in the final moments of his meaningless life that had been traded for Silanos. Timaeus could only hope that Vangelis would be merciful enough to send the boy’s body back to his family when the prince had his vengeance. However, that would come later and for right now, Timaeus could not stand to listen to whatever nonsense Silanos would have to say at the end of this. He didn’t want to hear it. Timaeus just couldn’t care.
Once the echoing noise of the prince’s boots faded into nothingness, signaling that the Blood General had taken his leave from the manner, Timaeus took his leave from the room and stormed out the same door. However, instead of moving towards the stables as Vangelis had done, the Baron moved deeper into the household, in the direction of the office that only he had a key too. He needed to be alone to process all of this and he was not willing to face Silanos until the Baron had come to terms with all of it. Besides, it would be good for the young man to learn how to not rely on Tim to somehow make it all better as the Baron was not going to be able to do that anymore. Maybe later Timaeus might be open to sitting down with the boy and giving him some sort of advice for the trials to come, but for now? Timaeus was all too happy to unlock the office door and throw it closed behind him with a loud slam that echoed through the house. Any chance Timaeus had to help his brother had passed. It was done. That chapter was over. There was no way to turn back now as there was nothing left for Timaeus to do, but pray that his brother would somehow, someday make it back to him in one piece.