Ethan threw open the door of his house and pushed Vergil through the threshold. He stumbled over his own feet and fell face first onto the floor. "Come on," Ethan leaned down and pulled him back up. "Wasn't the ride in the carriage enough to settle you?"

Vergil laughed, clinging on his brother like a life line, "Nothing's enough to settle me, ever. I still keep looking anyways, never learning." He leaned on his shoulder and gently touched Ethan’s cheek to make him face him, "Can you explain that?"

Ethan sighed. This close he could see how deep the purple bags under his eyes were. His anger faded slightly until he remembered he'd only done it to himself. "I have no idea what you're trying to say," he grabbed him by the arm and dragged him across the house to his bedroom. As soon as his head hit the pillow he fell fast asleep.

Ethan took to taking the time to relax. His stepmother and Bren wouldn't be home for another couple of hours at least. When they did come home he was feet up on the couch with a book. He hadn't even time to greet them before his stepmother rushed past him, dress bunched up in her hands.

The next thing he heard was Vergil's scream. Bren snickered behind him. He and Bren snuck up to their brother's door to peak in nosily. The room was dark but for the light coming in from the hall candles. Vergil was sat up, squinting, his arm, which Ethan assumed he attempted to cover his eyes with, was held in a death grip. 

"What is wrong with you? You get drunk as quickly as you can and then try to go off with the Princess’s personal servant."

"He’s just trying to get closer to the Princess like you asked of him," Bren leaned in with a smug look. His mother glared at him, daring him to say anything more. He clutched at he door frame and moved out of sight. 

"Can’t you understand that since the incident our family has been put in the spotlight of the royal family? This is the chance for you-"

"Mama, I mean no disrespect but could we do this another day? Your voice is hurting my head."

She stared silently at him. Ethan and Bren both sucked in a breath through their teeth. Surprisingly, she picked up her gown, turned out of the room, and walked past the two men at the door. They watched her walk by, then looked at each other with eyebrows raised.

Vergil pulled the covers back over his head and laid his head back down. "Mind shutting that door?" he called to them in a muffled voice.

But before Ethan had finished closing the door Raymona pushed the door back open with her shoulder, a heavy bucket containing a foul smell in her hands. Vergil pulled down the covers to be greeted by his mother hefting the contents of the bucket on top of him. The most horrendous screech ever heard came from his brother's mouth. Brown sludge covered his face and seeped into his bed sheets. It was the fresh fertilizer Bren had made using the royal guard's horse's droppings. Bren slapped a hand over his mouth and gagged before running off.

"Mother! You monster! How could you do this?" Great sobs shook Vergil's body as he stood from his bed and wiped at his face. 

"While you were making a fool of yourself, your brother," she pointed at Ethan and Vergil looked over at him with quivering lips. He looked like a helpless street urchin, it gave Ethan a feeling of superiority that threatened to overcome his lips. "Was offered a position as a knight. You're the eldest, that's your place, you should be the one." Suddenly that superiority vanished. 

"His training will take up much of his time so you best start getting better at the house chores from now on. What better way than washing your clothes and bed sheets. And do try to scrape up as much of the fertilizer off back into the bucket, it'd be such a shame to waste it." With that she left for the final time.

Bren, who’d come back just to cause more problems, waited until she was out of earshot to giggle, "Congratulations brother, you've won the award for making mama the angriest I've ever seen her."

Vergil glared at him through his tears, which covered in fertilizer was hardly frightening and only proved to amuse Bren further. "You've always been good for nothing, there's not much for mama to get mad at when she has no expectations for you."

Bren ground his teeth and made to step into the room but thought better of it and stepped back while pinching his nose. "Better that than to be covered in horse excrement. Anyways, I've better things to do with my night than spend any more time with you losers," with a wave of a hand he walked away. 

Vergil turned to Ethan with a sheepish look on his face, "Do you mind if I add on to your troubles this evening?"

Ethan narrowed his eyes at him, but the man looked pitiful. And well, despite Ethan’s hatred of the vomit colored suit he had yet to remove, it was due to Vergil that he was able to make it to the ball at all. He took a step inside, but Vergil put a hand up. "Change first, please. I’m worried it’ll get dirty."

So, the suit was actually important to Vergil. He wasn’t trying to cause trouble by giving it to him to wear. A small tingle of affection bubbled up in Ethan’s heart, but he squashed it when he remembered Vergil wanted the princess to choose Ethan. Anything to weasel out of something he doesn’t want. "Alright," he replied, keeping his voice indifferent.

When he had returned, Vergil had changed into sleeping pants and was gently washing his face. His torso was bare. Ethan stood stunned for a moment as he observed his brother. Vergil hadn’t noticed him there, his face turned away from the door. 

It had been quite some time since Ethan had seen him unclothed, since before his father died, when they would play together in the river. Vergil had been healthy then, rosy-skinned, plump with youth. Now his ribs pressed against thin, white skin, it was as if he were a walking skeleton. There were fingerprint bruises on his arm where Ethan had grabbed him, but he didn’t remember holding him that tightly. They roughhoused as boys and not once did he ever leave a mark so deep despite their carelessness.

There was never any want for food, in fact, Vergil had access to all of his father’s inheritance. Just thinking about it made his muscles tense. Ethan had wanted to get a job but caring for his step-family took up the day as it was and he honestly couldn’t bare to leave the family home he’d grown up in. He was left with only a few of his father’s belongings and memories, which would be satisfactory if it weren’t for whose name was in the will. Ethan still suspected that there had been a mistake or the papers had been forged. Vergil hid the documents well, but Ethan hadn’t stopped searching for them. 

So, why was it that he looked so sickly? Vergil’s head twitched in surprise as he noticed Ethan out of the corner of his eye and turned toward him with a crinkly eyed smile. He had that same smile he always had since he was a boy, yet, Ethan hardly knew who he was anymore.

"Good, you're back. I was worried you’d change your mind. Forget the sheets for now, I can’t seem to get the smell off of me. I’m terribly afraid I’ll be stuck like this," he whined.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of you, as always."

Vergil tilted his head, "My hero. You are to be a knight, after all." Yes, and Ethan would bring pride to his father's name in the way Vergil could never do.