Arden listened to her speak, but still his mind warred on. He wasn't exactly sure if he could just make things up with Acacia. He had messed things up more than just a little. He had watched her grow up from foalhood, he'd sold his soul to save her...He had done everything he had out of love for her.
But what did intentions matter if the outcome wasn't good? Good intentions meant nothing in the long run, not when you weighed it against everything. He had offered her advice, had not want to see her get hurt and instead he had caused the hurt and the pain.
By trying to protect her, he had made her vulnerable and exposed. He had allowed her to get hurt by that. His greatest acts of love for her were hidden away, stored up in his deep dark secrets. He had made his deal with the devil, and he had not told her of any of the sacrifice he had wrought for her.
And he never would. She could go on hating him forever, but he would not put that burden on her--he would not let her know what he had done in order to save her. His own peace was not worth the price of hers.
That was what being a parent to her was, being hated if he had to as long as she never hated herself. Much better to hate him.
He looked at the mare before him, "But sometimes you just can't move on, you just can't put yourself out there, because you'll hurt the person you care about."
Arden clamped his mouth shut quickly, he hadn't meant to say so much.
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