Incognito

2

"Yes, Father? You called?"

Standing in his father's study had always been hard for Zacary. It brought him back to times when he stood there, sometimes for hours awaiting a punishment. But what was even harder was meeting his father's eye without portraying the defiance inside his heart. Patiencely he stood and waited, unable to pull his eyes off his boots. When he finally looked up he realised his father had never stopped his work. He shifted through papers and took out his pen, dipped it in ink and began to write. He curved his letters up and around, almost hypnotizing Zacary, until he suddenly stopped and redipped his pen.

   "We will wait for your brother."

Zacary had heard that phrase many a times before. If Brooks was hungry, a feast was prepared. If his wished to change his clothes, servants, maids, seamstresses and cobblers rush in. Worst of all, if he needs a moment, he gets as long as he needs leaving his little brother to wait and learn a good deal of patience. All of this for the heir - what would the world do without him?

   "You called, Father."

When Brooks steps into the room, the duke of Averie looks up from his work. He presses his seal onto an envelope and hands it to his servant.

"I have decided to be fair to the both of you. I will give you your full inheritance whenever you ask." The duke looks back down and begins to write. "That is all."

Both boys blink and stay silent and stiff for a few moments. Brooks inclines his head in acknowledgement before turning o leave. Zacary stands stunned. His father never lied eyes on him. With a few well-placed steps Brooks leaves the room but Zacary mulls over this opportunity. 

   "I would like to receive my inheritance ."

The duke continues reading through his spectacles. He shifts a paper to another stack.

   "Father." 

The duke picks his head up and yawns and Zacary realizes how tired his father looks. Lines etch his face and all around his eyes, dark circles bag under his eyes, but underneath it all he was still the man who loved Zacary quietly through childhood.

    "I would like to receive my inheritance ."  He repeats.

The duke studies his son and shrugs almost as if he was expecting this of his son. "Does not every man?" he replies.

   "Now, Father."

He laughs. "Yes, I understand. If I may ask, what shall you do with it?" He beckons to a servant.

Startled by his curiosity, Zacary has no explanation of his impromptu epiphany. "I shall travel and have adventures.

He nods gravely. The money is yours to do with as you wish."

Zacary sighs in delight. Finally he can depart from his brother's shadow and seek out for himself all that his brother had handed to him.

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She is looking at something before she is even awake. A little hand is holding her eyelid open, grinning at her. She smiles before moaning and rubbing her eyes.

   "AY!" The little girl screams happily. She stretches and groans at her lack of sleep. The last three days have been sleepless and it has taken its toll. Usually she would sleep during the day but recently Richard has gotten closer and much more dangerous so at night she slinks around and during the day she builds a safer, further away shelter even though this one had only been slept in a week. Today she had gotten an hour or two of sleep before Prosper awoke her asking to "play". Prosper was such a morning child, waking with the sun and immediately wanting to "ay" with her mommy.