A Sibling Squable

I sat in the garden painting a scenery. I wouldn't say I was the most skilled artist in the kingdom but I mostly did it to keep myself sane. Which happened to be one of the reasons why I had brought out my supplies at the present moment.

Damn Dominic and his stupid bossy nature.

"The paintbrush is going to break if you keep putting so much pressure on it, little one."

"I'm imagining it as somebody's neck," I whispered in irritation.

"I suppose Dominic deserves that to a certain extent."

"He's overreacting!" I snarled swivelling to around face Christian.

"And that's no reason to vent the anger out on a poor paintbrush." My brother said smiling in amusement making me scowl.

"I'm not in the mood for jokes Christian," I grumbled turning back to the canvas. "This isn't fair."

"I know." My brother exhaled coming to sit next to me. "But whatever Dominic does is to protect you."

"Protect me from what exactly?" I hissed like a serpent my eyes clouding with rage. "A chain snatcher?! Not to mention I wasn't even the one he was robbing!"

My outings to the capital of Hellora Falls we're rare as it is and now it was completely banned all thanks to yesterday's "event".

A chain snatcher had with my luck robbed some old demonesses chain and happened to run into me. Panicking at the prospect of being caught by my guard he merely slammed into my shoulder and ran away. Sure he did have a knife but that was solely for show so that we didn't approach him but with my mental abilities in play, I had him dangling upside down using a tree branch. Needless to say, I was sure he was having a gala time in the royal dungeons where my brother had confined him despite my protests.

He was just a chain snatcher and he probably didn't need such a harsh punishment.

And so long words short Dominic saw this "event" as a direct and planned "attack" which lead up to a permanent ban on my outings much to my outrage.

"Sage-"

"No," I growled cutting him off. "Don't defend him or I won't talk to you either."

Christian sighed pinching the bridge between his nose.

I know I was being childish but no matter what I did my brother wouldn't listen then fine I can be stubborn too.

"Go away, Christian." I mumbled under my breath. "I want to be alone."

Christian frowned and then sighed.

"As you wish," he said before patting my head. "Don't be too hard on him and give him time. He'll come around and lift the ban."

"Sure," I muttered sarcastically rolling my eyes. "He'll lift the ban my ass."

Christian walked away chuckling at my words.

I went back to painting feeling my anger bubble relentlessly as I felt like destroying my painting.

The crunch of a tree branch didn't help either as I growled under my breath.

"Christian I said I want to be alon-oh." My eyes burnt in anger instantly like a dry leaf catches fire when I spot Dominic standing behind me.

I turn back to the painting as our fight from earlier comes drifting back.

"You can't do this Dominic!" I yelled out in frustration as soon I heard the word 'ban'.

"I feel sorry to inform you but I can," Dominic responded calmly which only irritated me further.

"You can't keep me locked in my room like this!" I snarled like an angry lioness.

If I had claws I would have surely used them.

"I am not your prisoner!"

"You're right, you're not my prisoner." My eldest brother nodded in agreement.

"You are my sister and it's my job to keep you safe from a potential threat."

"What are you even talking about?! He was a chain snatcher for fucks sake Dominic! He wasn't even intending to attack me!" I yelled out wanting to pull his hair out. "And I dealt with him just fine!"

"I do not care about what happened." My brother muttered stubbornly. "All I know is that the city is full of threats and you could be assassinated easily. The palace is much safer."

I stared at my brother in disbelief bit unsure whether he was being serious or not.

When he kept staring back at me with a blank look I assumed he was being serious after all.

"Do you even realize how stupidly unreasonable you sound?!" For the first, my voice had been raised to a completely new level.

"Raising your voice at me isn't going to change my mind." Dominic announced quietly.

I almost screamed in frustration.

"You're the worst..." My voice came out in a soft whisper of rage.

"I beg your pardon?" My brother said raising a brow even though I'm sure he heard me very clearly.

"You. Are. The. Worst. Brother. In. The. World!" I yelled out each word with an overwhelming amount of resentment.

For the first time in my entire time here Dominic looked alarming disturbed.

His lips however turned downwards shortly as he lost his temper.

"Fine."

I didn't hang around a second more in his presence as I stormed out of the room on the brink of losing my sanity.

"We need to talk."

I ignored him like I was deaf continuing to dip the brush into the paint.

"Sage I'm talking to you"

I still refused to respond.

"You're behaving like a child."

That hit a nerve.

"I'm behaving like a child?" I repeated my voice dripping with venom. "Try looking at yourself in the mirror first."

There was momentarily silence and I knew he was trying to come with some words to argue further but that did not happen.

"You're right."

I paused my brush halting mid-stroke.

"I was being childish."

If only my jaw was capable of hitting the ground.

"And I overreacted."

I turned in my seat trying to maintain my glare.

"I am not going to apologise for it." He grumbled as he walked closer. "I do whatever I do because I don't want you to get hurt."

"I had that man dangling by his foot." I reminded him and Dominic's lips twitched.

"I suppose you did."

"You were unreasonable," I said.

"And if my memory serves me right then you called me the worst brother in the world."

The silence stretched a few seconds before the guilt got to me.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "You're not the worst brother. It's quite the opposite actually."

I felt embarrassed saying the words out loud but it did not make the words any less true.

My brother's eyes softened as he placed his hands on my head.

"As much as I want to come with other excuses there's no other way to say this." Dominic said taking a deep breath.

"I can't lose you Sage. I won't." He said his words more of a vow than anything. "I may have an obligation to protect my people but it's my priority to protect you."

I sighed.

"I know you don't want me to get hurt Dom but I know how to handle myself." I muttered gently. "I am not someone who can sit in one place."

"I know." My brother exhaled gradually. "I should know better since you're my sister. You hate being restricted."

"It's just the way I am." I murmured with a shrug.

My brother was silent for a few minutes before,

"Alright, your ban is lifted."

"Really?" I smiled elatedly and Domic simply scowled.

"Christian and Aiden are waiting." He grumbled. "Let's go before I change my mind."

"Alright!" I got up and followed him to meet up with the rest of my brothers.