rating: PG
genre: general
summary: Two voices to every choice, the greatest difficulty lies in listening to the right one.
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When he was in his younger years, a choice was given presented with a fatherly touch on the shoulder and an expression of hope. A new addition into the family that was not…that was the choice he was given.
Faced with indecision, one voice whispered urges to do the right and ignore the path he had longest trod, to accept and bring happiness to others that sought it. But the other shrieked curses that echoed in his mind foretelling of the pain and mayhem that lay at the end of the line were he to venture down a path that went against the true blood of his kind. It was his decision whether to accept the intrusion that should not be, an abomination that was female and human, and his decision was to –
Not.
He turned his back on the woman and walked away.
His choice was made and he did not regret it.
Years later, another was choice presented with a child's cry, new and just born. That choice filled the air with its unmistakable presence and a young form swaddled in cloths filled his vision.
Indecision was faced once more as one voice whispered urges to do the right and ignore the path he had longest trod, to accept and bring happiness to others that sought it. But the other screamed in dire shrieks that echoed in his mind foretelling of the pain and mayhem that lay at the end of the line were he to venture down a path that went against the blood of his kind. It was his decision whether to accept the newest intrusion, an abomination that should not be that was male and half-human, and his choice was to –
Not.
He turned his back on the newly born and walked away.
His choice was made and he did not regret it.
Time moved again and with it came the death of one that brought once more new choices to be made. It was, after all, with the passing of life that into his hands fell an abandoned kingdom and the remnants of unclaimed family left behind.
As it was before, one voice whispered urges to do the right and ignore the path of old beliefs that he had longest trod, to take responsibility for both and bring happiness to others that sought it. But the other murmured darkly and foretold of the pain and mayhem that lay at the end of the line was he to venture down a path that went against the blood of his kind. One death, two choices and it was his decision whether to accept either and his decision was to –
Not. Partially.
The kingdom he took, the family he turned his back on and walked away.
His choice was made and he did not regret it.
Time continued to move and decades passed, battles were fought, and battles were lost. It was, however, in the wake of one battle lost that left him broken and bleeding that another choice bloomed in its stead with the encounter of a smile devoid of familiar dread. But time was unkind and the smile died with the taint of wolves and the path of choices was once more laid upon his mind.
One voice murmured softly of newly awakened urges to heed his own wants now uncertain, to bring happiness to others that sought it and perhaps one day bring his own as well. But the other muttered darkly and foretold of the pain and mayhem that lay at the end of the line was he to venture down an unknown path that went against the blood of his kind. It was his decision whether to accept a smile, an abomination that should not be between human and his kind, and his choice was to –
Accept. Partially.
Though the meaning he inwardly gave to that acceptance was different from what it was, he met those voices partway, and his mind rested easier for the falsity as he restored the smile and walked away…and the smile walked with him. His choice was made and he –
Did not know if he regretted it.
Now, before him was a choice once again and the weight of it tottered precariously in the wind. A spider lay dead in the distance and those remaining amongst the living cast him pleading looks and desperate pleas from faces that hovered between enemy and would-be friend. They were faces he did not wish to know, but were familiar nonetheless, and those faces were clustered around the fallen memory from a choice made long ago in a past he had wished to forget. And that choice had come full circle, the consequences of acknowledgement greater than any of those that had been present before, and it was his decision on whether to close that circle finally for all time or to allow it to open into a new path whose ending destination could not be foreseen.
One voice spoke of awakened urges still unfurling to heed an aching need hesitantly acknowledged, to bring happiness to others that sought it and perhaps take the first steps down a path to bring his own as well. But the other spoke darkly in a voice just as loud and foretold of the pain and troubles and difficulties that lay at the end of the line were he to venture down an unknown path that went against the blood of his kind. It was his decision whether to accept and extend a benevolent hand, an abomination that should not be between him and half of his kind, and his choice was to –
Not know.
He was caught in the cusp, heavy was the weight of decision to define all that would come after with no turning back. With pleas in his ears and indecision in his veins and time escaping with the moments spent in his thoughts, he drew a sword wrapped in legacy and slashed at the air. And the air parted and hissed with half-certain desires and unbalanced choice but -
He was too late.
Time moved on, trembling hopes turned to ashes, and the dead did not rise. What might have been would now never be. What would and had yet to be might be decades passing spent looking back at what might have been.
But that would be then.
This was the now.
And cries of grief rose and echoed around him and the choice he had not made.