MAEA
Lucas. A name she hadn't heard in a while. The man had helped her gather up lost sheep once, and died in the Spire shortly after. An Ascended... and that was as much as Maea knew of the man. It felt strange to think that she had been surrounded by the Advocate's members for a long time without even knowing it. Been their friend, without ever learning of this secret connection... until now. When it was too late to let them in on the surprise.
He turned to face her, and Maea tried to wipe away her tears again. Realized, that she needn't have bothered; his eyes might be open but he didn't actually see her, still lost in his own grief. And Maea finally understood the weight he carried on his shoulders. So many lives lost. The boys in the Trial, his subordinates while working under his father. The members of his rebellion, his mother, Lusea... the person he'd been coaxed to marry, who had ended up a sacrifice to escape his father's clutches. Oh, she had washed the blood from his face but his hands were still soaked in it, dripping scarlet. He thought himself a monster... and perhaps she saw a glimpse of it now. The twisted darkness, the lengths to which he would go for those he loved, and to be free from oppression.
Phoebe was quite fortunate, that she had not pushed him over the edge. Who knows what might have happened, had their farce of a marriage dragged out too long?
And yet. And yet. As Maea searched his eyes, his face, for some kind of sign that he knew she was still there, she couldn't bring herself to feel afraid. Or blame him. Not even for this last disaster, where the consequences affected so many lives, brought on so much pain for more people than just Sunjata himself. Not so much a monster, but perhaps a walking natural disaster? A great Flood to occasionally strike the land, leaving change in its wake. For better or worse.
The girl blinked away the burning in her eyes, and nodded. Understood the difference, even though she didn't know the full story. This was his mother dying all over again. This was a Lusea class disaster, where his chosen family had been torn away from him, yet again.
And he thought it was his fault. And perhaps it was.
"Is there anything else I should know?" she asked him, very quietly. Ready to hear any other secrets he might have, to let him spill it all now, when they had the chance. This was the moment, if ever he'd needed one, to confess.
He had her full attention.
He turned to face her, and Maea tried to wipe away her tears again. Realized, that she needn't have bothered; his eyes might be open but he didn't actually see her, still lost in his own grief. And Maea finally understood the weight he carried on his shoulders. So many lives lost. The boys in the Trial, his subordinates while working under his father. The members of his rebellion, his mother, Lusea... the person he'd been coaxed to marry, who had ended up a sacrifice to escape his father's clutches. Oh, she had washed the blood from his face but his hands were still soaked in it, dripping scarlet. He thought himself a monster... and perhaps she saw a glimpse of it now. The twisted darkness, the lengths to which he would go for those he loved, and to be free from oppression.
Phoebe was quite fortunate, that she had not pushed him over the edge. Who knows what might have happened, had their farce of a marriage dragged out too long?
And yet. And yet. As Maea searched his eyes, his face, for some kind of sign that he knew she was still there, she couldn't bring herself to feel afraid. Or blame him. Not even for this last disaster, where the consequences affected so many lives, brought on so much pain for more people than just Sunjata himself. Not so much a monster, but perhaps a walking natural disaster? A great Flood to occasionally strike the land, leaving change in its wake. For better or worse.
The girl blinked away the burning in her eyes, and nodded. Understood the difference, even though she didn't know the full story. This was his mother dying all over again. This was a Lusea class disaster, where his chosen family had been torn away from him, yet again.
And he thought it was his fault. And perhaps it was.
"Is there anything else I should know?" she asked him, very quietly. Ready to hear any other secrets he might have, to let him spill it all now, when they had the chance. This was the moment, if ever he'd needed one, to confess.
He had her full attention.
I'm bleeding out for you
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
