[ Everything she feels, so does he. That is the power of this horrible Communion, that is — perhaps — what it was actually for, what Aspects are for, what the flow of Purity and Discord are for. For the Shard-bearers, even divided by ideology, to remember that they are all people who have lost. That they are in need of comfort, as they battle with their grief and make their decisions. It is not the first time that he has attempted to puzzle out the meaning of the world, why it has taken the form that it has and why they have such innate abilities that speak to the need for one another, instead of the spurning of one another. Why be able to purify Discord best, in someone of the other Faction, if those energies were not equals. Partners.
He feels her, acutely. Her lack of choice is not solely because she falters, but because she has no power to choose. Ruby's heart lives in a cruel cage, without any hope of escape, and she must focus on survival before all else. His understanding tries, hard, to reach her. To take that terror in hand and not close his fingers around it, but to cradle it like a battered bird in his palm and draw her in from the storm. To give her a place she can settle, and maybe one day, her feathers will grow back. Maybe, she will never be able to fly, but at least... she will have the choice to, and someone who will carry her to the window, if ever she thinks to. ]
I know.
[ Ruby will die, if they do not know something.
He knows who will do it, who will look upon her and not see her for her despair and desperation, who will see her only as a criteria to be met and a blemish against value. This Oracle is one that he has slowly come to hate, with all his heart; and if every Oracle is like this, and makes demands of people it breaks and asks to surmount themselves, while others circle like sharks? He will destroy them. Every last Oracle, and condemn every soul to the next generation, the next cycle. ]
You are not a traitor, Ruby. And I do not hate you for trying to survive.
[ As she holds him, he fastens his arms around her and rubs his hand against her shoulder. He looks at the hateful eyes of a man who shares the same wedding band as her and shows his sharp teeth against his memory, holding her closer; in their mindscape, he brings to bear every weapon he has ever known. Blade and projectile, fist and heavy axe. Sorry Iske, his fox-wife now. ]
You are going to hide. You are going to run and hide, for the rest of this battle. You will find a place to tuck yourself among the tunnels where nobody can reach you, and stay there until it is over. And I will find you again, after.
[ He murmurs it into her hair, pressing her face to the warmth of his Shard. To the place where she can feel his soul and how it yearns for her. ]
And if you want to stay Zenith, nothing will change between us. You tell them that you understand where you belong now, you look at them and tell them you could not bear Meridian's false hopes and it is better there. Lie to them, however you must. You will still go to my shrine, you beloved dragon will still be safe, and we will still be this way.
[ Carefully, he aligns his mouth to the crown of her head. He pushes a hesitant kiss there. ]
And if you wish to come back to me, I will be Meridian. I returned to them, for those like you. You will always be able to come back to me, even if you do not hold hope in Meridian; I will try hard to be your strength, your hope. We will lie, like we did before. We will say I asked you to pretend to go to Zenith, and because you are obedient and serve me, you did.
But first. You are going to run. And you are going to survive.
no subject
He feels her, acutely. Her lack of choice is not solely because she falters, but because she has no power to choose. Ruby's heart lives in a cruel cage, without any hope of escape, and she must focus on survival before all else. His understanding tries, hard, to reach her. To take that terror in hand and not close his fingers around it, but to cradle it like a battered bird in his palm and draw her in from the storm. To give her a place she can settle, and maybe one day, her feathers will grow back. Maybe, she will never be able to fly, but at least... she will have the choice to, and someone who will carry her to the window, if ever she thinks to. ]
I know.
[ Ruby will die, if they do not know something.
He knows who will do it, who will look upon her and not see her for her despair and desperation, who will see her only as a criteria to be met and a blemish against value. This Oracle is one that he has slowly come to hate, with all his heart; and if every Oracle is like this, and makes demands of people it breaks and asks to surmount themselves, while others circle like sharks? He will destroy them. Every last Oracle, and condemn every soul to the next generation, the next cycle. ]
You are not a traitor, Ruby. And I do not hate you for trying to survive.
[ As she holds him, he fastens his arms around her and rubs his hand against her shoulder. He looks at the hateful eyes of a man who shares the same wedding band as her and shows his sharp teeth against his memory, holding her closer; in their mindscape, he brings to bear every weapon he has ever known. Blade and projectile, fist and heavy axe. Sorry Iske, his fox-wife now. ]
You are going to hide. You are going to run and hide, for the rest of this battle. You will find a place to tuck yourself among the tunnels where nobody can reach you, and stay there until it is over. And I will find you again, after.
[ He murmurs it into her hair, pressing her face to the warmth of his Shard. To the place where she can feel his soul and how it yearns for her. ]
And if you want to stay Zenith, nothing will change between us. You tell them that you understand where you belong now, you look at them and tell them you could not bear Meridian's false hopes and it is better there. Lie to them, however you must. You will still go to my shrine, you beloved dragon will still be safe, and we will still be this way.
[ Carefully, he aligns his mouth to the crown of her head. He pushes a hesitant kiss there. ]
And if you wish to come back to me, I will be Meridian. I returned to them, for those like you. You will always be able to come back to me, even if you do not hold hope in Meridian; I will try hard to be your strength, your hope. We will lie, like we did before. We will say I asked you to pretend to go to Zenith, and because you are obedient and serve me, you did.
But first. You are going to run. And you are going to survive.