Brutal Truth

"Brutal Truth" is a [SEASON NUMBER] thread written on [IRL DATE].
==Summary==
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==Full Text==
Farris sat back down into a chair as Malak walked in from his kitchen to pass him a mug of tea. “My boy leaves with nothing but a pack of supplies and a quest for redemption, and he returns employed by a wealthy man, and serving people in need…well done.” 
The large man smiled as he clinked his mug against his father’s. “I must say…I never would have guessed it, but it feels as though my path has finally been set before me. I always thought I would vanquish evil with a sword drawn in righteousness, but now I am vanquishing evil with food, and a helping hand.”
Malak cupped the side of his face before letting it come down to rest on his shoulder. “And I couldn’t be prouder.” He sat across from him, as Farris starred wistfully down into his drink. 
“I’m sorry to hear about mother…”
Malak glanced at his wounded hand with a grimace. “Ah well…the years I suppose hadn’t been kind to us and…we both realized we had a lot of life to live just to ourselves after…after escaping…”
Farris shook his head. “But to assault your hand in such a way, surely the red card was still getting out of her system…”
Malak resisted the urge to pause mid sip, his mind suddenly feeling tense. That’s now how it works… He stuffed thought aside, and hummed once as he pulled up a stack of letters. “Ah, your notes by the way. I’m guessing in light of the trial you won’t be needing them mailed.”
“No, no…” Farris said as he took them. “No they can be disposed of, it was just a precaution. I will have to tell you of that tale by the way, you see I had…huh…”
Malak frowned. “Farris?”
With pursed lips Farris plucked an off colored envelope off the stack and observed it. “Tis Opie’s hand writing…and address to me.”
Malak’s hand tightened on his mug. Fuck! A post man must have tossed it under the door! I knew I shouldn’t have left that stack beside it… Malak didn’t know what Opie wanted or why he had the gall to send a letter address to Farris to him instead, but anxiety knotted in his gut. 
Farris frowned and looked up at him. “How is he by the way? I haven’t seen him…” 
His fingers began to work the envelope open and Malak reached an arm out to stop him. There was a moment of tension, and Malak spoke carefully. “Opie…He uh…He’s decided to isolate himself in some dungeon.”
“What?!”
“Don’t panic, he’s fine. He helped the rebels, I guess, and then decided to stay and make the ruins his home.”
Farris blinked hard a few times. “What?” He sputtered again. “Father that is senseless, we must fetch him at once.”
“He’s fine!” Malak insisted, a note of his old anger in his voice. “Your mother went off, you went off, I…I stayed here because I was already where I needed to be I suppose, and your brother went off too. We all did, and it’s fine.”
“Mother is with family, you and I are employed, but Opie has locked himself away in a cell? He must be suffering even if its only within his mind!” Farris stood and began to pace. “The guilt of what he has done under the red cards influence must be tormenting him, like it is all of us. I will see what he wants at once.”
Malak also bolted to his feet as Farris tore into the letter. “Farris calm down! I went to him, talked to him, he is content to live in his own little world!”
Farris gave Malak an odd look, unnerved by his behavior. “There is no harm in hearing from my brother, father.” And with that he flicked out the parchment to read. At first his face was light, as the idea of the letter had pleased him, but then his sobered when he realized how short it was. ‘There is no life living in a lie dear brother. Have father tell you the truth so you both can be free.’ He gave the letter a few uncomprehending looks and shook his head. “What does he mean the truth father, surely there is no lie between us?”
Malak had gone white and he angrily snatched the letter, his eye flickered over it and then he raised his up as he gestured to it with his other hand. “This Farris, this. This is the kind of thing I’m talking about! There’s something wrong with him don’t you see it?!”
Farris took a step away from him, and looked confused. “Your qualm with Opie is baseless…I’m sorry…”
“It’s not baseless, its not, baseless!” Malak enunciated. “He acts like Rhenco! He’s a mirror image of him! You can see it in his eyes, in his face, in his words! He’s parroting him, as if the man was some kind of sick role model!”
“Because of the red card!” Farris argued back. 
“YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE WITH RED CARD!” Malak thundered and then gasped as he staggered back himself. 
Farris’s hands slowly lowered. “What….?”
Malak and his son stood in gut wrenching silence. Farris began to breath hard as he held up a finger. “Opie…” He heaved. “You mean Opie…didn’t have red card….you and mother…you…”
Malak felt his neck tightening, and against his own desires to hide in a lie, he found himself speaking the truth. “No…” He breathed. “No Farris we didn’t have red card….only you did…”
Farris reached up to grip his hair. “What?! No! No that cannot be!”
“You wouldn’t stop Farris!” Malak cried with a clenched fist. “Every waking moment you were attacking him! With bare fists or so much as a handful of dirt! And he would torture you because of it! He did unspeakable things to you over, and over again I couldn’t bear it! I wish I could say it wasn’t so but I was relieved when it happened, because then at least his hand way taken away from you!”
“That’s not the point father and you know it isn’t!” Farris shot back as he eyes began to redden. “What you, what mother, what even Opie did…it’s not possible! It’s not possible you would have done those things without the influence of red card.”
Malak felt a cold sweat break out over his back and guilt swirl in his stomach. “….” He drew a shaking breath. “No….We weren’t like you Farris…we broke…”
“Of course!” Farris was quick to reply. “Of course you all did. He harmed you, and others if you didn’t bend to his will. But all those times you did things without being told or forced to that was…that…was…”
A tear dropped from Malak’s eye. “It wasn’t red card boy…”
Malak’s feet left the floor and he hit the wall as Farris held him up against it, his large hands bound up in the front of his coat. “You are LYING father!” He bellowed. “You lie! You didn’t kill those children! You didn’t rape those people! You didn’t you didn’t I refuse to believe it!”
Malak had his eyes squeezed shut, tears streaming from his eyes. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry Farris…we broke, we all did…we…”
White flashed in his vision as Farris’s fist hit Malak in his forehead and a loud keening filled his ears. Malak’s body jolted from the impact, and then the world spun as he was struck again.
“No! No! Treachery! How could you do it!? How could you even dare!? I can’t abide by this! I can’t! I-! I-! Argh!”
Farris’s words were blurred as if under water as he felt himself get thrown into the opposing wall. Fists struck his body and head, and his back was shoved repeatedly against the wall. Malak eventually fell to the floor and coughed raggedly. As he turned over, he saw his son standing over him with a drawn blade, his eyes wide and fearful. Blood oozed from his mouth and nose as he starred blearily up at Farris. He could see the man shouting something, shaking the blade as if to use it, but then he finally stepped away, and then turned to stagger out of the house.
Category:BOTGD 2
Category:Events
Category:Act I
Category:Farris
Category:Malak