[ It comes out softer than it might have otherwise, his own tones lowered to match her whisper, but the subtle back notes of derision are there. Not for her, or even for her thanks; for himself, certainly. For editing the truth down to a distilled spirit, centuries of poor, petty behavior sublimated into a handful of words.
It got him what he wanted, didn't it?
So now it is time to be terrified of its loss.
He tilts his face into her touch before brushing his nose against hers. He sighs and keeps himself very still. This is dangerous. He's stumbling in the dark, knives out, going much too quickly to avoid impaling himself on the blades, but he doesn't care.
He plotted, it got him nothing. He acted, it got him nothing. He paused in the wrong moment and lost everything.
He knows there's a chasm before him. That he's running out of solid ground. He can't even tell if he's still running or if he's stood still.
At some point, he closed his eyes. ]
I've been a monster, a petty tyrant. I've betrayed people I would like to call friends. I'm not good at being anything else.
[There. He's nicked himself now. But she has to understand on some level. He has to know she understands. That he's probably worse than the man she's known, if only for the nature of access and power.
One man in a nation can wreak havoc. One prince in a nation can destroy other nations. One god can destroy worlds. ]
no subject
[ It comes out softer than it might have otherwise, his own tones lowered to match her whisper, but the subtle back notes of derision are there. Not for her, or even for her thanks; for himself, certainly. For editing the truth down to a distilled spirit, centuries of poor, petty behavior sublimated into a handful of words.
It got him what he wanted, didn't it?
So now it is time to be terrified of its loss.
He tilts his face into her touch before brushing his nose against hers. He sighs and keeps himself very still. This is dangerous. He's stumbling in the dark, knives out, going much too quickly to avoid impaling himself on the blades, but he doesn't care.
He plotted, it got him nothing. He acted, it got him nothing. He paused in the wrong moment and lost everything.
He knows there's a chasm before him. That he's running out of solid ground. He can't even tell if he's still running or if he's stood still.
At some point, he closed his eyes. ]
I've been a monster, a petty tyrant. I've betrayed people I would like to call friends. I'm not good at being anything else.
[ There. He's nicked himself now. But she has to understand on some level. He has to know she understands. That he's probably worse than the man she's known, if only for the nature of access and power.
One man in a nation can wreak havoc. One prince in a nation can destroy other nations. One god can destroy worlds. ]