Ok, late. Yeeah… real late. We'll have to see.

Envy

Chapter 3

Dario

Guards came to get us when they died. We couldn't stay by ourselves, they said. Two kids weren't fit to fend for themselves. We stayed at the Viper Manor for a couple days while they tried to find a home for us. Glenn didn't notice what was going on around us – he thought we were just having an adventure. One of those fun exploring games around the continent while mom and dad were away.

He was sort of right – we were going to have to be on the continent by ourselves, exploring, from now on. What he didn't realize is that mom and dad weren't coming back. I didn't see anyone other than the guards and General Viper while we were there – they kept us in the soldiers' quarters, away from the fancy part of the castle. "You two will be fine soldiers, so you might as well get a taste of what it's like to live as one."

I don't know if I want to be a soldier. Mom, dad, General Viper, and my brother all told me I'm going to be one. From that one glimpse of a battle I saw between my father and some soldiers, I don't think I want to hurt anyone. My own sides sympathized with the soldiers as my father ran his sword through them, and I looked away, disgusted. That was four years ago, and my feelings still haven't changed, but there's nothing I can do about it. I'm a bred soldier. My fate, as well as my younger brother's, was decided before I was born by my father Garai.

Since mom and dad died, my feelings about the matter have become even more muddled. I know what I have to do, but… I wish there was some way to change my fate. Even now, as Glenn and I live in this small wooden shack next to Zappa's house, I know I'm still stuck. There isn't anything to do, and now I'm in an even worse fix – Zappa makes weapons, how can I escape them when the building next to me is filled with them?

Beautiful. I shovel in the food that Zippa piles onto my plate, not even paying attention to the fact that my stomach feels like it's about to burst. Radiant. Glenn squirms uncomfortably in his chair and begins looking for ways to discreetly get rid of his food without using his mouth.

Charming. Karsh reaches across the table and grabs another drumstick and I wonder how he keeps that bone-thin body of his with all the food he eats. Amazing. Zappa slams me on the back and I cough, nearly spitting out my food. Glenn and Karsh laugh at me, but I don't care, my mind is on other things. Riddel. Lady… Riddel. Even the name sends shivers down my spine. How could I have known General Viper for so long and never met her? How could I have spent days in the manor and never seen her? Is she kept away from the soldiers' quarters? Glancing down at my plate, I notice that Zippa has stopped dumping food on it. Everyone is finishing up and Glenn is tugging on my arm.

"Oniisan!"

"Oh, I'm sorry!" I push the plate away and thank Zippa for the meal as Glenn leads me out of the room.

"Oniisan, you look really funny."

"Do I?"

"Your face is really…" He half lowered his eyelids and let his tongue hang out of the side of his mouth. I laughed and patted Glenn's head, purposely messing up his hair. "Oniisan is really stupid!" He stuck his tongue out at me and ran over to the training dummy, grabbing his wooden stick and pounding at it. I may not look forward to being a soldier, but he'll make a fine one someday. Glenn tripped and fell forward on his face. Well, he needs to work on his form a bit.

"Yeah, yeah!" Karsh called out from behind me, slinging his axe over his shoulder. Zappa was standing behind him, his arms crossed and staring at us. "Pops says he wants to see us fight."

"Really?" He tossed my sword at me and I grabbed the hilt, turning it over in my hand.

"Yeah, but I ain't goin' easy on you this time."

"Neither am I." We smirked and circled each other. Behind us, I heard Glenn shout, "HOO-HAA!" and then a smack and a whining, "Owww…"

I can't close my eyes. Everytime I do, the image of Lady Riddel shows up and I can't think about anyone else. This isn't the time for silly infatuations – this is the time to mourn my parents' deaths and help out Glenn. Turning my head to my brother, I see him sleeping peacefully on his side. He didn't sleep well the first night we came here – he was tossing and turning, and I could hear him whimpering until I got up and tucked him in. He protested, but I knew that's what he really wanted and needed.

Glenn's such a little kid, and he tries so hard; too hard sometimes. The example my father and I set for him was one of stern determination – never give up, never give in, but always have pride and dignity. They're good qualities to have, qualities I'm sure Lady Riddel would li - … but Glenn's so young; sometimes I wonder if having his personality forced upon him is a good thing. Maybe it'll turn out all right in the end.

I wonder - was my personality forced upon me? Did my father force me to be who I am today? Is there a little part of me inside that never wanted this, or is that on the surface and does my forceful nature sleep inside? I wouldn't be surprised if someday I snap and try to kill everyone around me.

Shuddering, I turn to my side and curl up under the covers. A cold chill hit me suddenly and I try to get as much body heat as possible by becoming as compact as I can. I wonder, is it cold outside? Is Lady Riddel warm in the Viper Manor?

Someone… is jumping on me. Feet are pounding my stomach, accompanied by giggling and chuckling, as well as light pouring in from two directions. It's too early, leave me alone, Glenn. Pushing him away feebly, I roll over and hear him fall with a thud to the ground. "Owww… Oniisan! You're mean!"

"Oniiiiissaaaan, you're so meeaaan…" Another, deeper, voice taunts me. Without opening my eyes or turning, I grab my pillow and chuck it at the voice. "Ow! Dammit, Dario!" Yup, that's Karsh alright.

"What time is it?"

"It's tiiiiime… to get up!" Glenn pushes my shoulder roughly. That's what mom would say whenever she came in to wake us up. Grumbling, I opened my eyes and blinked at the bright sunlight. Glenn and I switched beds after the first night – he complained that being next to the window was too scary. 'Dere might be crazy meanie aminals!' Riight, Glenn. Like what, big cats in suits?

"What's so important that I have to get up right now?"

"It's the last day of the festival, you moron. All the other days suck, but the last day is the one day the townsfolk actually like."

"What happens?"

"There's a big music act that comes every year to perform. We get a new group each year." My pillow hit me on the back of the head and Glenn giggled, running out of the shack at the call of 'breakfast!' "Get your ass up and come on downtown." He knelt close to my ear and whispered, "We can ditch the kid and head the bar."

"Of course not!" I pushed him away and sat up, glaring at him groggily. He smirked and crossed his arm.

"It's just a suggestion. If you're too much of a chicken to do it – "

"I am not a chicken!"

"Then let's ditch him and go to the bar. If we go now, they'll let us in without question."

Blinking, I swung my legs over to the side of the bed, "How do you know this?"

"I always go in the morning. Usually I'll skip breakfast and head down there, and if you tell anyone I'll rip your head off and feed it to the fish at the harbor."

"Will you now?"

He turned and walked out of the shack, calling after him, "If you're brave, come to the bar. It's next to the elemental shop – I'll meet you there." After a few seconds he popped his head back in, "Chicken!"

Chicken! I stood up and rushed to the chest of draws in front of me, grabbing some clothes. No one calls me chicken and gets away with it. I feel bad leaving Glenn alone with Zippa and Zappa – I know he doesn't feel comfortable around them yet. So far he's only bonded with Karsh, and probably just because he isn't… large enough to scare him. Glenn's always had a small fear of people wider and taller than him – Garai always terrified him, but he managed to hide it from our parents. I always knew. Karsh isn't scary; he's too skinny to scare anyone, no matter how scary his personality is.

Something about the way Karsh leans over the bar and flirts with the barmaid gives me the feeling that I'm going to be stuck here for awhile. Part of me thinks that this 'awhile' is going to be years, but I push that thought out of my mind. The bar isn't anything special – a few locals, a few drunks (very, very extreme drunks seeing as it's not even noon yet), a few dirty tables, a barmaid, and a purple haired boy trying to act much older than he really is. He really shouldn't try so hard; it just makes him seem younger.

I'm debating on leaving this place. Maybe if I turn around and run out I can go back and make sure Glenn is ok. I think he saw me leave and tried to follow, but I noticed too quickly and started running. I know when I get back I'm going to have to be extra nice to him for that. This Karsh fellow… he's bringing out the worst in me, I can already tell.

"Oh, hey look who it is! Yo, wet blanket!"

Alright, I'm just going to ignore that and pretend he wasn't talking to me. If I walk out now, he might not realize that I heard him.

"You do know you can't leave. Hey! Hey, Dario!" Turning around, I can see him flailing his arms in the air.

Well… damn.

"Karsh… Oh, were you talking to me?"

"You were about to leave."

"No I wasn't." He gestured to my hand on the door, "Well… ok, maybe I was, but can you blame me?" I pointed to the drunk who had just fallen on the floor and thrown up on himself.

"Don't worry about him, he owns the place."

And that's supposed to make me feel better? "I just feel bad about leaving Glenn."

"Man, if you're the wet blanket, he's the soggy rag. That kid, I swear – " He blinks and my hand is on his throat.

"Don't you dare insult my brother like that." I can hear the growl in my voice and in the back of my mind I wonder what the hell I'm doing. I try to let go, but my head and my arm are screaming at me to kill him. Just to get it over with, just go ahead and do it now before he kills you…

"Whoa, whoa, hey! I'm sorry man, I'm just kidding around, do you… mind?" He choked out and looked down at me. I give him a shake and let go, leaving him gasping against the bar counter with the barmaid patting his arm. That bastard, he can insult me, but I'll kill him if he…

Wait, what? What did I just… kill him? I… I don't understand where that came from…

"Oh! I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"Choke me to death?" straightening, Karsh massages his throat and takes a step away from me, "Geez, if you're gonna try to kill me, at least do it with a friggin' sword. I'm really sorry. I guess I was a little outta line there, I mean… the kid is cool and all, don't get me wrong, I think he'll be a lot of fun when he gets older, but… you gotta admit, it is kinda hard to do some stuff with him around. Don't get so crazy over a joke."

"He is not a soggy rag."

"Ok, ok, he isn't."

Standing there in silence, I look to the barmaid who shrinks back at my stare. Even the owner has taken a pause from spitting the vomit out of his mouth to look at us. At least, I think he's looking at us. He's kind of looking off to the side and oh… wait, there he goes again.

"Maybe this place is a bit much for your first week here. Hey, Sandy, I'm sorry but…"

"It's ok, you're too young for me anyway."

"What? Damnit! Dario! What the hell!"

"It isn't my fault you're just a kid." I turn away from him and start to walk out of the bar. "I'm going to go get Glenn. Maybe together we can drown you." Shutting the door, I can hear him trying to hit on "Sandy" in between his shouts of obscenities at me.

Karsh really does bring out the worst in me. If I have to grow up with this guy, I probably will snap and start killing something.

Maybe something like him.

--

Bar scene, take 2:
Karsh: Hey, what are you trying to do, kill me?
Dario: Well I might as well get it over with.
Karsh: WHAT?
Sandy: At least give him a chance to pay off his debt to me.
Dario: What kind of debt?
Karsh: Uhhhh, sooo, that Glenn... he's a real idiot. I hate -
Dario: You die NOW!