Xenophobe

The issue with Fulgrim did not lead to anything major until he and the Emperor's Children were in the 1st Fleet. 

"Why are there Xenos here?!?!" Fulgrim shouted while looking at the Isenlyth twins that were on the bridge

Fulgrim had spent most of his time with his Legion, getting to know the 264 members while he was on Feluc. During the times he passed the Outcasts, such as during the meeting, his attention was on something else, so he simply thought of them as humans with bio-enhancements. It was not until they had boarded the ship that he heard the Asuryani speaking in the Aeldari Lexicon that he asked a few passing Knights and Grey Knights about them. That was when he figured out that they were truly a Xenos species. 

As soon as Fulgrim found that out, he stormed over to the bridge to confront his older brother about it.

'Maybe they are simple pleasure slaves for while he is away from his wife,' Fulgrim thought, trying to rationalize why they were on the ship and didn't think he would see them again.

But he was surprised to see two more of them on the bridge of all places. That was when Fulgrim couldn't hold back his anger and yelled at his brother.

"Our father has stated that the entire Galaxy belongs to humanity, Brother! Why are you conspiring with Xenos such as those two and the rest that you have brought on the ship?! If you need some women and men to comfort you, then there are ple..." Fulgrim went on when he suddenly felt a heavy pressure wash over him. 

Fulgrim fell to his knees and saw his brother's eyes glowing. They were so bright that he was unable to see any emotion behind them or any change on his brother's face. But he knew that he had angered him and, for the first time in his life, Fulgrim truly feared for his life. 

"Enough, Fulgrim!" Baldur spoke to him harshly before turning to the twins and slightly bowing toward them. "I apologize for my brother's words. He is a fool and ignorant so I hope that you will not hold his words against me and the people of Feluc."

Baldur did not try to cover for Fulgrim before the pair and let them know his true thoughts about his brother. He learned from the war council that trying to protect his brother's pride would only give him a headache so he gave up on that. 

"No worries, friend. We understand your stance is different from most Humans. Your people have shown us great courtesy during our stay with you. We will not hold the words of a fool against you," Ysusaar chuckled in agreed with Baldur while Elvara simply grunted. 

Baldur nodded before turning back to the fool in question. 

"Go to your quarters, Fulgrim. Do not leave until I tell you that you can," Baldur grounded his brother like a child. If the Emperor was going to dump Fulgrim onto him and Fulgrim was going to be disrespectful, he did not mind educating Fulgrim in the Emperor's place. 

Fulgrim wanted to say something but he felt the pressure increase, every time he tried to speak. Being a smart mad, he knew what he was supposed to say in order for the pressure to go away but his pride would not let him. At least at first. 

Because as the pressure increased more and more, Fulgrim's will began to cave. As if someone else was controlling him, his mouth opened and words he did not want to say came out. 

"Understood, Brother," Fulgrim said through gritted teeth. When the words were spoken, the pressure decreased and Fulgrim felt as if his hearts would not collapse. 

With his pride damaged, Fulgrim stood and turned around. He couldn't bare to show his face any longer, fearing he would lose the respect he had managed to gain from his men. 

Fulgrim was 'grounded' for the 3 days that they were in the Warp, having all of his meals brought to him. Besides seeing the Servitor who brought his meals, all others were forbidden from seeing Fulgrim, including his own Astartes. 

For every second that he was in his quarters, Fulgrim became angrier and angrier. At first it was toward the Isenlyth that he believed had manipulated his brother but it slowly transferred over to Baldur himself. 

'He is looking down on me because of where I was born? Just because he could live in extravagance and play knights, he looks down on me who had to work from the ground up? What nonsense is this? When I report to Father about his actions, he will surely regret it.'

Baldur walked by Fulgrim's room several times and heard murmurs such as that. Each time he was ready to release his brother early, his brother made him change his mind. 

He only released Fulgrim since they were picking up the rest of their fleet and army so Fulgrim needed to present himself since the group they were bringing with them would be under Fulgrim's command when Baldur felt he was ready to lead his own campaigns. 

Fulgrim walked out of the room and looked indifferent and while many suspected that the issue had passed, Baldur and those who were more sensitive knew that a wedge had been formed between the two brothers. 

The fleet emerged at the edge of the system. They sent out their scouts to go ahead and get a feel of the planet while the rest slowly progressed behind them.

"Apologies," Elvara said as she, Baldur, Spencer, and her brother were having dinner and drinks together. "We did not mean to cause issues with your brother."

"Do not worry about it," Baldur replied while swirling the wine in his glass. "If it was not you, it would be another species that I interacted with in a non-hostile manner. Being ignorant is one thing but choosing to remain ignorant is another. I have no need for people like that around me."

"Well said," Ysusaar was happy to hear Baldur's thoughts on the matter as well as the wisdom that he displayed. "Come. Let us drink until we fall."

"Until we drop, Brother," Elvara corrected her brother on the saying. "And we can't. We will either have a diplomatic meeting or a war soon. Neither would allow for us to show up drunk or hungover."

Spencer laughed when he heard her, causing the Isenlyth woman's eyes to fall onto his body. 

'This human's laugh sounds quite pleasant to the ears,' she thought as she picked up a piece of meat and placed it into her mouth