What would you have done, Mother? It was a silent, persistent question that Balem found himself asking himself.
Again and again.
A constant question to each and every one of his own actions. What would his Mother had done, if she had not lost her mind? If she had not lost her way in the great pyramid of the Verse if something in her had not broken?
He had been raised to perfection by her.
To succeed her, if the impossible happened. And it had, hadn't mother? You knew it. You knew as you made me follow behind you. There can only be one at the top, and where you flattered, you knew I would be enough to stand where you once stood. He was at the top. By his own actions. Mother had planned it all. And it is that sole reason that Balem asked himself, again and again, What would you have done, Mother?
"Lord Balem, I welcome the First primary of my House-"
"Spare me," he rasped, eyes firm on his youngest sibling.
He thinks this boy was his Mother's only true failure. Not by her own actions. Not even her madness had had a hand in this. No. Titus was a failure by his own actions. Inferior breeding stock, he had no doubt. He had been birthed by one of his Mother's favored lovers once upon a time, and that man too had failed one time too many. Balem had cleaned up that mess, to protect his Mother, and it had been necessary.
The only reason he did not rid himself of Titus was because he was somewhat needed. "A true House is Three, Balem." He would not give a child himself, I do not need it, not as Mother had, for I will never fall as she did, and Kalique had yet to show any interest in children or marriage, despite her desire to be seen as matronly.
"Dear brother, am I so tiresome to you?"
Balem tilted his head. What would you have done, Mother?
"You embarrass yourself by scurrying about my Holdings like a child. What did you hope to accomplish?"
Gritted teeth behind a practiced smile. Titus's temper spoke for himself.
"It was curiosity, brother, for your own failure. Amature hour, for a solar flare to-"
It's always that damned place. Earth. Earth. Earth. Earth. Earth. Mother's madness will forever haunt my footsteps. The thing that made her die. If I could tear it apart now, I would. But Mother would not be so foolish. She would not allow attention to be brought to it. What would Mother say?
"I am but the wind."
Yes. I will be a whispering breeze. In a hurricane, I would destroy what I have striven to protect. Not yet. Not yet.
Not yet Mother, but soon enough.
"This will be settled in Court," said Balem, cutting off whatever Titus had been prepared to say.
Shock crossed youthful features, and anger came hot. Too hot. Not like Mother's.
"Perhaps this will teach you that your actions have consequences, Titus."
