Chapter 3

Sharp blades kiss

The trees rushed past like a river tide as the rider travelled north past Weepman's Village. A man of noble birth, he soared on a pitch black, pure bred Rills warhorse garbed in the red and pink colours of House Bolton. On his personage was the steel dress of Southern knights, legs and arms covered in heavy plate, and the body in castle forged arms of the flayed man.

Past brooks and past streams the rider raced to his destination. The lone farm of Luther Palebank awaited. Inside the farm a hostage needed rescuing from bandits seeking ransom. On the road was a brother seething at the attack on his family. The Stead was pushed to its limit and more, bloody fury heaved as its lungs took in the fuel rich air.

They arrived at their destination in a storm of dust and noise. A lone limestone house with a dried grass roof and surrounded by a field of Barley and potatoes greeted him. Near the door two peasants in sheepskin and wool waited. Upon sight of the warrior the two slipped into the house making said warrior ever more on edge. Without pretence the rider jumped off his beast and marched on to the door. A cold scowl on his face, he was set on ending the situation swiftly. The Bandits would die if his brother was dead. If not the black would serve as mercy. Either way these criminals would not continue freely in his fathers lands.

"Domeric! Brother!" Shock was the Bolton's response to the pair of ice coloured eyes staring back at him with unhidden amusement. Surprised that the orbs of Roose Bolton could reflect anything more than the picture entering them.

"Ramsey! It is you brother." The two brothers stood ahead of each other curious and certain of their bond. The fat meaty lips of Ramsey contrasted the thin Bolton lips of Domeric. The big, thick nose of a boy who'd broken it multiple times did not match the straight regal long nose of a noble. Besides the fatter tissue of skin in the bastard everything else was the same, the eyes, the jaw, cheeks, forehead. Two brothers were meeting for the first time.

"It's me brother. You need not worry. I am so pleased you made it here without trouble. We've been waiting for you." Ramsay explained with a teeth featuring smile as his hands set on his brothers shoulders. After that pulling in his brother for a first embrace. Holding each other, he patted Domeric's back as love thought lost was found.

" Ramsey? How, why are you waiting for me like this? I was under the impression you were in danger and in need of my help. The messenger said-." Asked the confused heir of Bolton before being interrupted.

"The messenger said. I was being held ransom and that you come immediately without guards and with the coin. I know. I tricked you brother. I wanted to see you but Roose would never let me. So I stringed together this ruse to get you here. Forgive me brother. I could no longer stand to be so far away from my own flesh and blood. My older brother no less."

Domeric was confronted with conflicting thoughts at his brothers confession. The first were of appreciation and joy that the brother he'd never been given allowance to meet or any information of, loved him so. Even after never meeting. The second were of fear and guilt. His brother could only achieve this moment they'd both desired through treachery and scheming. Was it a bastards lot in life to have to fight for every little thing they could and be shamed for it. While Domeric had been given more and had not found a way at finding his brother. The sinners nature was synonymous with bastards and yet the greatest sin was that of the true born heir.

"I am glad brother. Had you not done as you did. Would we be here, or ever? The means were dramatic but it did achieve a union worth it. My only regret is that Dusty, my trusty stead not have been pushed so hard. My desire to see you safe distracted me from his care. He's a strong mount but still I could have taken more care."

"Never mind the horse bother! Come I've readied the best stew that will pass your lips outside the Old Gods halls." Ramsey leading his noble brother into the farm house he'd used as his abode. Inside was the two earlier men and another sitting on his haunches in a dark corner of the room. The home was well kept, clean and decorated for a peasants home. Domeric had to assume Ramsey had convinced farmer Palebank to lend him his home for their meeting.

Following Ramsey's lead, Domeric was sat in the seat of honour at the dining table. " I've prepared my famous rabbit and duck stew with thyme and parsley seasoning. I hope you are hungry big brother its almost ready just a moment and it will be ready for eating."

Domeric nodded his head at his brothers offer in acceptance as Ramsey took his seat opposite his and the two other gentleman moved to the seats on either side from Domeric. "Happily brother, the smell alone has convinced me, of what a tragedy it would be to not have a helping of your most pleasant stew. But I must ask who are these gentlemen with us especially that one there who's foul stench lingers in my nose even through the sublime aroma of your stew."

"Oh, that there is Reek brother. His a simpleton who makes the biggest fuss whenever anyone tries washing him or getting him to wash himself. Everyone has abandoned him but me. I cloth him, shelter him and make sure he is fed. Pay him no mind brother."

Domeric nodded his head at the explanation and noticed that the simpleton cowered at his attention. Domeric couldn't help but see his brother as a honourable man to take care of a person who would never be able to return the favour. To have a brother such as his was a gift to his house from the gods. Like the Redforts he'd grown up with a desire that perhaps one day he could have someone he could rely on to have his trust at all times and be his most leal banner man.

"These two however are my closest companions. His name is Damon and the other is Alyn. Say hello to my knight brother boys."

"Hello." Said Alyn a sunken and silent man.

"Hello, sir!" the one called Damon saluted with the smile of a Cheshire.

Domeric simply nodded his head at them wishing to keep them out of the conversation as he pressed Ramsey for more information about himself. Their conversation flowed easily as Ramsey spoke about his youth in the village of Colyard working the stables before becoming a Good Fellow helping farmers trade justly.

Before long Domeric had in front of him a steaming bowl of gorgeous stew. Ramsey opposite of him sat down and placed a bottle of wine on the table. At once they all ate the delicious stew with little talk in between. The flavours swam in his mouth and he knew then that he'd never enjoyed a stew as he did this one made by his brother.

When they were done Ramsey opened the wine and passed the bottle to his brother. "Forgive me brother I have no flagons for us to use we'll have to drink from the bottle. Don't worry though it's the best wine I could find at the market." He explained with a sincere grin on his face.

Domeric took the bottle and gave it a swirl and a sniff of its flavour. Satisfied it was a dry red he gulped down as much as he could before passing the bottle back to Ramsey. Unlike him, Ramsey through the bottle in the fireplace, shattering the bottle as he and his men began laughing hysterically.

Domeric stood up to question their actions when suddenly fire burned his throat and before he could speak his throat closed not allowing air in or out. Grabbing at his throat the night fell of his feet to choke on the floor as around him his brothers hysteria filled the home.

The realisation of what had happened chilled his blood to ice. His brother had poisoned him. All that had been accused of bastards was true. The bastard had deceived him and now he was laughing at his success.

The pain he felt at the betrayal transcended even that of the poison killing him. What a fool he'd been to be so drawn in by the bastards paper thin lies. Had he not been so romantic he'd not be choking to death at the feet of the grasping bastard.

"Look at him boys dead in under an hour did I not tell you. No fit for the Bolton name I tell you. Now my father will have to make me his heir or else the Bolton line will be at its end when he dies. We'll be running these lands in no time without Dumberic here standing between me and my birth right." Gloated the bastard as the laughing continued.

Black spots were dancing in his eyes when Domeric cast the spell that would save his life. While the bastard mouthed off about his supposed birth right it was that very birth right that saved him. Since fostering in the Vale he'd ignored his studies of the Pink Flesh grimoire in favour of the seven pointed star but now in the North again he'd continued his studies to appease his father. Because of that and what little he knew from before he was able to perform one of his fathers personal creations, the blood leech spell.

The poisoned blood drained out of the knights ears, eyes and nose as he lay crumpled on the ground. "Boss, look he's bleeding out that didn't happen when we tried out that poison on the farmers wife." Reported Alyn after noticing the blood on the floor.

"I don't care Alyn. He'll be as dead as that loose hag before long. Now shut it or I'll make you my next Reek. You'll know better than to interrupt my fun then." Ramsey Threatened the cautious man. Having put his man in his place, Ramsey moves to his brother and gave him a kick the spleen. When he didn't move he turned around to assure his men. "See, as dead as that screaming cow."

Ramsey did not see him but his men did. Domeric rose from the ground with blood flowing out of him as if he were one of the Old Gods. The wide eyed men could do nothing as the Bolton stood to his feet and while Ramsey was distracted with his ranting the blade cut through his spine causing, the bastard to fall this time.

The two men having been too shocked to warn their leader broke out of it then both men acting on their natures which meant Alyn turned to flee while Damon drew his weapon to defend himself. Both were hopeless however as Domeric unlike any time before called upon his family power crushing Damon's heart while it beat in his chest dropping him as well. Alyn was half out the door when his arms were halted by tendrils of blood. The man screamed and fought in desperation but his screams were drowned out as blood entered his mouth, nose, ears and mouth. Before he died from suffocating his eye balls exploded and his ear drums were ruptured.

Turning to the last inhabitant if the house Domeric found him hiding behind his knees in a corner of the room terrified. Ignoring him he looked down at the Bastard who wasn't dead yet as the blood pooled out of his wound and choked on his own blood. Even enraged as he was Domeric felt pity and remorse that this was how their relationship began and ended.

Those who slew kin were cursed he thought. That would be him now. When it should have been the bastard. Watching the fear of death replace the sadism in the bastard he remembered another spell from the Pink Flesh grimoire that had always fascinated him. The blood bond spell was a spell that was rarely ever used in history. But as Domeric contemplated his fate and that of the bastard he found himself appealing to it.

He could take the bastards life and merge it with his own. It wouldn't save him nor would it empower himself. It would be both their deaths and the birth of someone new. He could make the sacrifice he should have made long before his brother became a monster he could be the brother he'd always longed for. Did he have the courage he wondered. Looking at Ramsey he realized he did.

Taking a final breath he pulled out all the blood in his own body. The blood floating over his head he pulled in Ramsey's blood replacing his own with his as the spell kept him alive and killed the bastard. With that done he cocooned himself in the old blood as Domeric died and from the egg someone new to be born.