“Is today the day, Thomas?”

“Shut up, Jester, he’ll hear you.”

“Oh, c’mon! Thom, I’ve done your half of the chores for months, time for you to grow up and own your responsibilities.”

“Jester!” Our fathers rumbling voice called out of the house, “You find your brother yet, boy?”

“No, Da, not yet!” I called back, looking pointedly at Thom.

“If you find him, tell him to get his arse in gear before I send him off to Brayden.”

“Yes, sir!” I pointed at my brother. “You heard him, Thom, if you don’t start pulling your own weight around here he’ll send you off to one of those fostering homes.”

“It’d be better than this, Jes, and you know it.”

“He’s family, Thom, the only one we’ve got.”

“How long are you going to sit back and take his shit? We go around feeding the animals and taking care of the house, and for what? For his majesty to sit on his arse. Lounging around waiting for the two people in the world unlucky enough to be offspring of that fat bastard to serve him . I’m done, Jes. Are you?”