[ This time, the call of his name draws his gaze. Their eyes lock, and he gives her nothing to see.
Myriad voices, all of them painfully familiar, come back to him at once:
"You were my brother, no crown or kingdom was ever worth that to me. But it has ever been clear to me that sentiment was never shared."
"Do you even care? Did you ever care?"
"You expect me to believe any of this is more than elaborate performance, some twisted game to get back in my good graces now that you no doubt think I could strike you down this time?"
"I thought you better than all of this, reason or motive be damned."
"I don't think you care in the slightest to hear a single word I would have to say."
"The only thing I desire is that you at least act like you care about what you did to me."
"—you pretend to have sympathy—"
"Now that, I don’t believe for an instant."
"—at least pretend to care about all that you did to me—"
"Don't you dare."
"Perhaps nothing you say or do would be worth anything."
Paltry apologies are all he has, and he'll give them for as long as they're wanted. But if what he says or does only causes more suffering, why say or do anything else? His feelings, wants, and thoughts are worth nothing. Better to don the mask bequeathed to him by the gods and spare the others from gazing upon his inhumanity as he pursues the future. ]
Humanity is another word for compassion. It no longer has a place in the gods' revelation.
no subject
Myriad voices, all of them painfully familiar, come back to him at once:
"You were my brother, no crown or kingdom was ever worth that to me. But it has ever been clear to me that sentiment was never shared."
"Do you even care? Did you ever care?"
"You expect me to believe any of this is more than elaborate performance, some twisted game to get back in my good graces now that you no doubt think I could strike you down this time?"
"I thought you better than all of this, reason or motive be damned."
"I don't think you care in the slightest to hear a single word I would have to say."
"The only thing I desire is that you at least act like you care about what you did to me."
"—you pretend to have sympathy—"
"Now that, I don’t believe for an instant."
"—at least pretend to care about all that you did to me—"
"Don't you dare."
"Perhaps nothing you say or do would be worth anything."
Paltry apologies are all he has, and he'll give them for as long as they're wanted. But if what he says or does only causes more suffering, why say or do anything else? His feelings, wants, and thoughts are worth nothing. Better to don the mask bequeathed to him by the gods and spare the others from gazing upon his inhumanity as he pursues the future. ]
Humanity is another word for compassion. It no longer has a place in the gods' revelation.