III. Lesser of Two Evils
Cassius knew what he had to do but knew the moment was just about to come into reach helt more uncertain than ever. He knew what the other option was, what failure meant… yet still. Still, doubt haunted him. The training and volunteering - was it right? Is it what is best for two? He was well aware of all of Aetius' lessons, but he had seen that the fates of Perseus and Athena had been the same as the weak and unprepared. Was any of this worth if the results were the same? But by dying they spared someone else - more innocent and undeserving - the same fate.
But still. There was just…something. Something that didn't quite sit right.
"You are prepared to volunteer and I know you have it with you to go through with it," Aetius said.
"Will be successful? Will I come back?" Cassius asked
"Perhaps, perhaps not. But that is not the reason for your newfound uncertainty. Is it?
"No. It's just that.."
"Volunteering feels wrong. Like cheating? Dishonour?" Aetuis interjected.
"It's not that. The training, the volunteering. Is right? Is it just."
"Is it just to let twelve-year-olds be slaughtered?"
Cassius was well aware of Octavia's fate, it was a story Aetius had told him many times. It was cruelty that should have never been inflicted on her. A cruelty that could avoided, if Aetius' plans were to succeed. Though something that Cassius found deeply wrong, was the offering up of will sacrifices. A prepared a sacrifice, but a sacrifice is still a sacrifice no matter which way you try to twist it.
"Of course not. But.."
"But what?!"
"Many children of two will bleed and die in that arena. Even with two prepared volunteers, only one will ever come home. At most."
"But more will and even those that don't will spare weaker ones that fate. Look at anywhere that is not here, how scared and pitiful their children are. Perseus and Athena may have died but did protect their own."
"Something still seems so twisted about, though." Cassius partially muttered. Something was twisted about it, he thought. The alternative was too. Just as? More so? Lesser? He knew the answer…he just couldn't…just couldn't
Just quite couldn't bring himself to believe it.
Not Yet.
"Don't mistake me for believing that this is some glorious thing. It is perhaps an evil. But the alternative is certain evil, a greater one."
"It is still a rotten choice to make."
"But at least we are decisive. Unlike all others. At least we strive towards something better." Aetuis declared
"They may have made their choice, they might have a different perspective on lesser and greater evils," Cassius posited
"Then they are mistaken," Aetius replied.
"I was not trying that imply that they were right."
"Yet here you are, asking coming to me with doubt and certainty. Asking to be told what you already know."
Aetuis was right. Outside of Two, there were mistakes. Seemingly perfectly content to let their children die no matter how weak they may be. Even if Cassius still may see some evil wrought in Aetiu's designs he could deny that something sinister lay within the alterative. Cassius knew what had to do, he had long known. Sometimes the only two choices facing you are to tear at your soul.
Cassius Kreig would volunteer for the 4th Annual Hunger Games, regardless of what thought of his chances of victory. He would advance the plans of Aetius Verndari, for it was the less of two evils.
'The lesser of two evils' was something that he would repeat to himself. If he did enough times, he might, just might come to believe it.
