Vanish (ONC Finalist)

5. Marius

Marius was a big man, like his natural father. With dark curly hair, a strong jaw and large hands, at first glance he looked like someone it would be wise to avoid. He was humming softly as he groomed his horse, enjoying the soothing rhythm of the brush strokes, the grateful nudge from a velvet nose—simple pleasures. He was just tightening the girth when Dax came into the stables.

"So? You've changed your mind then?" said Dax, his eyes narrowing. "You're coming with me?"

"How could I refuse?" replied Marius with a wry grin. "A gathering at Angarth? Free food and drink and lovely women to dance with, I'd be a fool to say no. And besides, you need someone to look out for you. You won't be the only noble invited." Marius was suddenly serious. "Do you think it's true, what they say? Is Lady Liviana finally going to choose a consort?"

"Well it's high time that she did! She must be nearly forty by now, if she leaves it any longer, she'll be barren. No-one will have her. I hear her counsellors have issued an ultimatum—choose a consort or they will choose for her!"

Marius pursed his lips and whistled. "I can't see Lady Liviana being happy with that! She is a strong woman who knows her own mind."

"You sound almost as if you admire her!" said Dax.

"I do, I think. No one can deny she has made a good job of ruling Angarth these past years. The town is prosperous and taxes are reasonable. More than that, she is popular with the townspeople."

"She is soft. She lets the common folk get away with too much. Angarth needs a stronger hand on the throne, someone who will make the tough decisions and bring the commoners back into line."

Someone like you, you mean, said Marius silently to himself. "Will you make an offer, then? She must be a good fifteen years older. Not an easy alliance, I would think."

Marius was well aware his half-brother preferred men—or youths, to be precise—for his sexual partners but he suspected that wouldn't stop Dax if he was determined. He was right.

"I will throw my hat into the ring with the rest. Skyber is one of the wealthier holds and my lineage is as good as anyone's. The marriage will be a political contract between clans, no-one expects it to be a love match! I can get a woman with child if needs must, and then we will see."

"If you intend to make an offer... all the more reason for me to accompany you."

"I can look out for myself!" insisted Dax, with a frown.

"Of course you can, but you still need someone to watch your back," said Marius, calmly, hiding the frustration he felt all too often around his half-brother. Why couldn't Dax ever believe that Marius was being honest in his attempts at friendship? That Marius was quite content in his subordinate role and had absolutely no desire to take his, Dax's, place as Lord of Skyber Hold?

Not that he'd mind running the Hold itself, being responsible for the farming side of things—after all, he did a lot of that now—but the extra duties required by a Lord Holder... Socialising, formal parties, arranged marriage contracts... He gave a shudder at the mere thought.

No, he was quite content with things the way they were.

His first inclination had been to refuse the invitation to Angarth, being called 'Marius the Bastard,' almost—but not quite—inaudibly, behind his back was not his idea of fun but then he'd realised he'd have to go.

All the local nobility would be there, gossiping and jostling for favours, with far too many chances for insults to be traded and fights to break out. Dax wasn't the only young blood who prided himself on never walking away from a fight.

Dax might not want his friendship, but Marius knew his duty. He'd sworn an oath to Lord Rider as he lay dying that he'd be loyal to Dax, protect him, even if most of the time these days it was from Dax himself.

Marius finished tightening the girth. "When do we leave?"

"In an hour," said Dax, looking at Marius' broad back with an all too familiar sense of resentment. Why had Marius, the bastard son, taken after their father with his tall, strapping build, while he, the true son, had taken after his twice-damned mother?

Dax knew he was stronger and fitter than most men, but he looked slender and wiry next to Marius. It just wasn't fair.

Sometimes, Dax thought he actually hated his half-brother.