{oOo}

"Oh, I know that you blame yourself for his hurts, because he last said he hated you in that previous timeline, little bird...But has it never occurred to you, that your dear Fulgrim's legion had been with him for a century at least before he ever met you?"

Ruin frowned, disappointed by the empty, terribly bleak look in its pawn's... no, it's daughter's eyes.

Despair fueled power, yes, but it also broke the blade that wielded it. Beryl was too important, too valuable a blade to break.

...Beryl was its daughter, loyal and soft within, fragile and yet sharp. Beautiful in her way. It's own little bird, all claws and beak and wounded eyes, and broken wings.

It would take those wings and mend them. She would survive, because it refused to accept any other option.

It pushed on, as best as it could.

"Why then, do you continue to overwork yourself, to blame yourself for all the ills he suffered? Is it because the daemon in his shell got you to turn and become its pawn, then sent you to guard his soul?

But... They, his legion, knew him longer. Much longer than you ever did, before you were turned. And it lied to them, turned them too. Why didn't they see it? They should have. But they saw nothing. If they stood no chance, neither did you." The being frowned, "And you were what? All of 25? 28? A child by the standards of this world's nobles. A foolish, innocent child."

"Children," Beryl said wearily. "Rarely ruin lives as well as I did."

"...Little bird. I am Ruin, it is my nature to take advantage of things." He sighed. "Even of you. And only lately have I begun to regret it. Stop blaming yourself. Blame me if you want, little bird, or the Warp Gods."

He struck home at the last. "Besides, he hasn't fallen yet. And if you succeed, he never will be."

That got her attention. "But he hates me." she said, listlessly.

"Does it matter?" Ruin asked. "You poured out your life's blood on his altar, tried to be worthy of him. Even if you do not receive his approval, he will be safe, will he not?"

Bery's attention was his, in that moment, hooked by his words. "Yes." She said hesitantly.

"He will be safe. I just don't want him to hate me.

"Hatred." Ruin told her gently, "Is unavoidable. We're not heroes, little bird. We're villains. Hatred is part of the package deal."

{oOo}