Day 7 prompt: True


There was always a wrong

And there was always a right

How it was determined was still to be taught, but at least one person had a clean grasp on it. It never really mattered, as there was never one clear line. For young Ezra, that was no exception.

He knew that Runaan had killed his father

And he knew that it had been an act of vengeance

It was no accident what happened that night. Which was made the line so much more murkier, so much more harder to determine what was considered right vs. wrong.

He knew that Runaan was sorry

Ezra was sorry too. He just couldn't find it in his heart to willingly forgive, but he knew that he must. It was also entirely impossible not to. The young king never really held grudges, there was never such a need.

Except for Viren, but that was an entirely different story

But he found himself silently holding a similar one, almost against his will. Callum saw the good in Runaan, or maybe just the good in Rayla. If his brother could forgive, especially considering how Callum had lost not one, not two, but three parents. Maybe Ezra could happen to forgive the cold-blooded killer itself.

Except, it was never that easy. Things just didn't fix themselves, and certain wounds didn't just close on their own. Staying true wasn't going to simply become a habit overnight. And Ezra was still going to hold a deep hold in his heart.

He almost wished that Callum was here

But then again, he knew it would only cause trouble

His older brother was fiercely loyal to Rayla, and as a default, accepted Runaan into his family. Maybe not entirely, but that was besides the point.

Ezra was not so trusting, but his heart was true

He was ready to forgive, and he was ready to move on. That was what his father and mother would've wanted. Yet, he also felt scared, alone, and broken beyond repair.

What if the real person he needed to forgive was himself?

Ezra was only a little boy at the time, he knew that he couldn't handle a whole army on his own. But sometimes, he partially blamed his father's death on himself.

How did he forgive a crime that he had committed...while also not committing?

Whatever question it was, it wasn't an easy one. And it would certainly take some time to answer. Though Ezra had accepted Runaan's forgiveness, at the time, that's all he could really handle.

He wasn't ready for the full truth…yet