Rajak gripped the blanket sheets tightly, his eyes staring up at the dark and tall ceiling that belonged to his room. His curtains were pulled back, which was just how he liked it. With a slight tilt of his head, he could see the beautiful nighttime landscape from his bed. The trees in the far off distance were tall and dark, yet the moon shone down on the land and bathed everything with a silvery glow.

But the beauty of the night was lost to him. Instead, he was focused on the noise that his sensitive hearing was picking up. If he strained his hearing, he could just make out the desperate wails of a young child. The wails became gasps, and if Rajak closed his eyes, he could just make out the image of someone crying…

...with crystal tears trailing down those young cheeks, those wide red eyes desperate for someone to come and-

Rajak squeezed his eyes shut, banishing the images. Turning over, he stubbornly focused his gaze out on the window. But his body tensed up when he heard the continuing cries.

He had to think about something else to occupy his mind until he fell asleep. He reflected on the day's events. He had trained with his father, and he had to admit that he was beyond happy to spend such quality time with his Family Leader. His father was very caring, despite the cold appearance he portrayed to others outside of the family. But Rajak witnessed the warmth his father displayed when they were alone. He had even witnessed that warmth in his father's expression, void of the mask, when he held his youngest son.

Rajak flinched as his thoughts strayed to the very topic he was trying to avoid. As if on cue, the cries continued, and it took every ounce of willpower inside of Rajak not to go tearing down the halls and scoop up his baby brother. He knew his father and mother had been trying to teach Rael how to grow accustomed to their absence. For the past two weeks, Rael would cry nonstop in the middle of the night for their attention. Just the other night, Rajak had overheard his father sternly tell Rael that they would be leaving him to, essentially, 'cry himself to sleep.'

"It will be good for him," his father had said. "He cannot have us running at his beck and call just because he feels like it." But even as he had said it, Rajak saw the conflict in his father's eyes. It was that very same conflict that Rajak felt in his heart. It took every ounce of willpower, and then some, to ignore his initial instincts, which was to rush to his brother's aid and comfort him.

But he had to obey his father. He would not disappoint his Family Leader.

The pitiful cries now sounded more like sobs. Rajak could just see his little brother reaching out with small hands through his crib bars. His red eyes were probably searching his dark room for any comforting presence, yearning for warmth and safety. The dark shadows were probably frightening him, and he might have dropped his favorite blanket in his distress, and-

Oh forget it.

Rajak was leaping from his bed in an instant. Disregarding his need for silence in his desperation, he ran out of his room and raced down the halls. He was outside the nursery in seconds. As if now realizing that he did not want to alert his parents to his possible disobedience, he quietly opened the door to the nursery.

He was instantly assaulted by the loud volume of the crying. Closing the door quickly as if to block the sound of Rael's cries from the rest of the family, Rajak turned his attention on the small being in the crib. Clothed in a small, long-sleeved white onesie, Rael did look helpless. Rajak was instantly drawn to the large crib stationed in the middle of the room. Rael was supporting himself up by gripping the bars of his crib. His chin barely made it over the crib and his blonde curly hair was a disheveled mess. At the sight of his brother, the cries subsided, but Rael still whimpered as he reached out for Rajak. Fresh tears rolled down his wet cheeks, and Rajak feared that he would release another torrent of tears.

Rajak was in front of the crib in an instant. With desperate gasps, Rael shook the crib bars. Without a moment's worth of hesitation, Rajak reached over and grasped his baby brother. Lifting him up and over the crib, Rajak held him close. He soothingly rubbed Rael's tiny back, swaying slightly. In mere moments, the crying had all but vanished. Rael sniffled and rested his tear stained cheeks on Rajak's nightshirt, but Rajak didn't mind. A small sigh of contentment escaped Rael, and Rajak smiled at the innocent sound.

Without another thought, Rajak turned and left the room. Glancing up and down the halls, he silently made his way back to his room. In the confines of his large chambers, Rajak settled down in bed. He really hoped that Rael would go to sleep and not stay up late now that he had what he wanted. He could already imagine what kind of trouble he would be in if Rael made anymore noise.

But Rael stayed silent, and one glance down showed that Rael's eyes were slowly closing. With a satisfied smile, Rajak leaned back against the headboard of his bed. Worming his way under the covers, he kept his arms securely wrapped around Rael.

Rajak felt Rael's body shudder as another sleepy sigh escaped him. His tiny fists were clinging to Rajak's shirt, and Rajak marveled at how tiny his baby brother was. A surge of emotions overtook him, and Rajak brushed his lips against Rael's head with a tender kiss. "Goodnight," he murmured.

Another sigh was his only response.

Two shadowy figures huddled outside of Rajak's chambers. The door was slightly ajar, allowing them to see the two Kertia brother's fast asleep in the bed.

"You know, for being a Kertia member," Rayga commented thoughtfully, "he tore down the halls with all the silence of a rampaging elephant." He sighed tiredly. "And he didn't even make it past twenty minutes of Rael's crying."

His wife scoffed good naturedly. "Oh please, like you're one to talk. You were five seconds behind him." She chuckled. "We might as well move Rael's crib into our rooms."

Rayga smiled softly. He glanced once more in the room and stared at his sleeping sons: his pride and joy. Rael's tiny body was held securely in Rajak's arms. With his tiny fists clutching Rajak's nightshirt, Rael looked at ease, as if the presence of his elder brother was all he desired. Rajak, despite the position he was in, seemed at ease as well. His sleeping face was peaceful as he held his baby brother, and his strong embrace showed no signs of ever letting go.

"Yes," Rayga agreed. "But then we might have to move Rajak's bed into our chambers as well. It might get a little crowded, don't you think?"