"Here he comes." whispered a voice. It had to be Marco. No one else had the same cutting tone he did.

Jowy had to be near the front porch. He knew someone was there. Knowing who awaited, he braved himself to look forward.. Sure enough, standing on the porch by the front door was a smugly grinning Marco Atreides. But not only him. Their dear father, Marcel Atreides, was also there. His arms were folded, his eyes narrowed angrily. Jowy inwardly cringed.

"Marco has been telling me of your escapades, you unworthy child." Marcel spat. "You were sent on a specific mission of which I did not approve. And yet, you ran away from your responsibility doing whatever suited your needs. You disgust me, Jowy."

Marco nodded in agreement.

Jowy looked down in shame. "Father, I..."

"Look at me when I'm speaking to you, boy!"

Reluctantly, Jowy looked at his father.

"And this!" Marcel threw a ring at Jowy's face. "This is your ring, a symbol of your social status. You dared to sell this priceless family heirloom for a cheap wood amulet?! You bring shame upon the entire Atreides Clan, no the name Atreides itself!"

"............."

Marco smiled in triumph. "Serves you right, brother Jowy. Now I, the true heir of the Atreides Clan, will forgive your sins just this once. But only if you submit to my needs. For now you see who rightfully owns the clan."

"Who said anything about you being heir, Marco?" Marcel snapped.

Marco jumped in shock and disbelief. "Bu-but father..."

"No buts!" Marcel growled. "As unworthy as Jowy is, he is still my heir. And that's final!"

The head Atreides marched into the house, slamming the door behind him. Marco quickly pursued, calling to his father in protest.

Standing in the silence, Jowy wiped away some newly formed tears. It was embarrassing should anyone see him cry. What a shame... he thought, shaking his head.

Slipping the ring into his pocket, Jowy went inside. The house seemed busier than usual. Maids, butlers, various household servants, ran around in a frenzy. I wonder what is the matter. Jowy thought to himself.

His thoughts were interrupted once again as a red-faced Marco angrily ran to him. "Jowy! This is all your fault!" he cried in a huff. His voice was slightly hoarse from yelling too much.

"What are you talking about, Marco?" Jowy asked, though he knew pretty well what Marco was angry about. He just wanted to hear the words from his younger brother's mouth.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about, idiotic peasant. Father still wants to give the fortune to you. I don't know what drove him insane to make him do that. But whatever the case, the fortune will be mine!" Marco jabbed a finger at Jowy's chest. "Make no mistake about that! I will use any means possible!"

Jowy smiled just to annoy him. "You do as you like, Marco. You know neither of us can change father's mind."

Snarling, Marco stormed off.

With nothing else to do, Jowy walked straight to his room and unloaded his belongings. His back was a little sore both from carrying Pilika and Tomo and the position he fell asleep at last night.

When suddenly he felt a tingling sensation in his right hand. A feeling rushed through him as if half of him has returned. A comforting feeling. Confused, he looked at the back of his right hand and gazed at the black jagged image outlined in red.

"The Dark Sword Rune. I forgot about it..." Jowy mused aloud.

While still wondering what that feeling was about, he slipped under the covers and took a nap.

Barely an hour passed before a maid knocked on the door.

"Master Jowy, excuse my interruption, but I was concerned about your brother. I saw him walking towards his father's room. The look on his eyes told me he was not in the very best of moods."

He's never in a good mood.

"That look was quite frightening...that of a wild animal. Maybe it's nothing, I am simply hallucinating..."

Jowy's eyes flew open. ....my god, don't tell me he's trying to...

"What shall we do? Should anything be done about the young master? Or am I just dreaming? Dreaming, yes, I am probably just dreaming."

"It's all right." he spoke calmly, betraying his frantic thoughts. "Don't worry yourself. I'll take care of things."

"All right. Take care." the maid said and left.

The older Atreides frowned. Quickly he shook himself awake and reached for his weapon. He had a sinking feeling he knew what his brother was up to...

That night, Marcel retired to his room. His work can wait - the grief he accumulated in a short hour had rendered him unable to think clearly. What with unworthy Jowy gallivanting as he pleases and insolent Marco being the disobedient child he is. Perhaps a good night's rest will soothe his nerves.

He slipped under the covers and closed his eyes. But his brief moment of peace was interrupted by a light breeze blowing from the window to his face. He sat up, puzzled and angry.

Did I not specifically instruct the servants not to open the windows without my permission? he thought angrily. What is the window doing open?

Another breeze blew, brushing the curtains aside. A dark silhouette behind the light fabric revealed itself to be Marco.

"Marco! How dare you -- "

Marco leapt at his father, drawing a knife to his father's neck. His eyes were wide open like a crazed madman. "No, father, you. How dare YOU?" he accused through jagged breaths. "I am your one true son. I am the one related to you by blood. Why can you not recognize that? Why must you allow an outsider like Jowy to inherit the family fortune? WHY?"

Marcel narrowed his eyes. "See here, Marco-"

"Shut up!" the younger Atreides snapped, shoving the knife at a dangerously close range to his father's neck. His crazed eyes neared his father, each breath closer, louder. "Give it to me.... give me the fortune. Give me my bloodright. Otherwise I will seize this knife slowly through your windpipe while savoring every moment of your antagonizing scream. You don't want that, do you father?"

"Disobedient...child..." Marcel spat.

"GIVE ME OR ELSE!" Marco raised the knife over his head.

"Marco, that's enough!" commanded the last person Marco wanted to hear. The younger Atreides slowly turned his head towards the door, his grin growing wider with each anticipating moment. For who should stand by the door but dear brother Jowy. The older Atreides stood on guard armed with his Star Staff.

"Marco, I will not stand here while you threaten father. If you wanted the fortune so badly, you should have realized that killing off the current heir is the only way." Jowy stated. "Don't be a fool, please get down from there."

Marco's shoulders shook with his mad laughter. "Brother Jowy. Dear brother Jowy. But of course you are here. You and your naive nobility fell right into my hands. Now...and now...you will receive the punishment you deserve! Prepare yourself!"

Brandishing his knife, screaming a piercing battle cry, Marco lunged towards his older brother, swinging his knife-wielding arm as hard as he could. The older Atreides single handedly deflected the attack with minimal effort and shoved his brother on the floor. The knife fell out of Marco's hands and slid in a far corner. Marco clenched his teeth as he winced in minor pain.

"Marco," Jowy gazed at his brother sadly, "I've known for a long time how you felt about the inheritance. I'm sorry, but both of us must respect father's wishes whether we want to or not. Don't hurt yourself like this. You don't deserve this pain."

"Shut your mouth, peasant!" Marco snapped. "You don't mean that. You're only saying that because father's in the room. Because you're father's favorite. He only wanted you as heir to respect our mother's wishes, leaving me for nothing, me, his one true son."

Jowy said nothing. He realized that nothing he will say will make Marco change his mind.

"So..." Marco brandished another knife hidden in his pocket. "You will die!"

Marco charged at his brother, knife outstretched, his cry growing louder with each nearing step. Jowy raised his staff to once again parry the blow.

"That's enough!"

Almost as if time slowed down, the Atreides brothers watched in horror as Marcel lunged in front of Jowy. Marco only too late awoke to see his cursed knife pierce into his beloved father's chest. Blood splashed into Marco's trembling hands and face. The Atreides head coughed and slowly tumbled down.

"Father!!" Jowy cried, catching his father in his arms. He turned Marcel over and pulled out the knife. The wound was grave Jowy was made to realize.

Marcel had not long to live. Using the last of his strength, he narrowed his eyes to his younger son. His rapidly fading consciousness caught a glimpse of Marco's trembling body. "Jowy...is...my...heir..."