It was Rubedo who had Albedo's attention first--and wasn't that always the truth?--but it was Nigredo who Albedo replied to, even as he stared at his twin. Nigredo, nearly belligerent in his own way, and it spoke of how much this was affecting the youngest if only for that. "Lost Jerusalem. Norse mythology from the Germanic countries from the continent known as Europe, then. 'Asgard' was the home of the gods. 'Vahalla' was where heroes and warriors aspired to go to when they died." A weight was given to that. Albedo had thoughts to that, but he would finish explaining, as he normally did not. Even to Nigredo. There was something in that, as well. Possibly some way of showing Rubedo what had changed.
But at twenty-seven, wouldn't his twin know that already? Albedo smiled sickly, and went on, an edge to his tones. "'Loki' is one of three divine brothers--the middle one," he shot back over his shoulder at Nigredo. "Isn't it funny?" He bled out his thoughts from earlier. "The eldest, Thor, the most talented and powerful. Loki, the one who did not belong, who seduced others with words and was cast out for his differences, and Balder, the youngest, most beloved by their father." Albedo looked at Rubedo again. "Perhaps we should have taken those names instead. And really, Rubedo. Vahalla? For a set of weapons? For monsters? Even if I did believe, we'd disgrace the realm just by standing in it." No, that reference was not for him. Albedo looked disgusted, and after a moment, pain shot through his expression instead. He looked away to try and cover it.
Nigredo focused on names, but what were words really? Albedo had no attachment to any of his own--they were but labels when you came down to it. His twin used a different name as he aged, and Albedo and Nigredo fell back to numbers when they did business. There was no difference to him, but Nigredo thought differently.
There was something else to speak of, and it was this that he devoted his attentions. It was too easy to just answer each and every question, speak truthfully and bluntly until all was revealed, but Albedo smiled instead. Something malicious in the expression. Something afraid in his eyes. "Are you sure you want to know? Rubedo? What happened before this. What happened to us." The smile dropped away, and Albedo only glared. "Do you even care?"
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But at twenty-seven, wouldn't his twin know that already? Albedo smiled sickly, and went on, an edge to his tones. "'Loki' is one of three divine brothers--the middle one," he shot back over his shoulder at Nigredo. "Isn't it funny?" He bled out his thoughts from earlier. "The eldest, Thor, the most talented and powerful. Loki, the one who did not belong, who seduced others with words and was cast out for his differences, and Balder, the youngest, most beloved by their father." Albedo looked at Rubedo again. "Perhaps we should have taken those names instead. And really, Rubedo. Vahalla? For a set of weapons? For monsters? Even if I did believe, we'd disgrace the realm just by standing in it." No, that reference was not for him. Albedo looked disgusted, and after a moment, pain shot through his expression instead. He looked away to try and cover it.
Nigredo focused on names, but what were words really? Albedo had no attachment to any of his own--they were but labels when you came down to it. His twin used a different name as he aged, and Albedo and Nigredo fell back to numbers when they did business. There was no difference to him, but Nigredo thought differently.
There was something else to speak of, and it was this that he devoted his attentions. It was too easy to just answer each and every question, speak truthfully and bluntly until all was revealed, but Albedo smiled instead. Something malicious in the expression. Something afraid in his eyes. "Are you sure you want to know? Rubedo? What happened before this. What happened to us." The smile dropped away, and Albedo only glared. "Do you even care?"