"Thank you Umeko." His eyes found Davina. "It won't be. But it is the only way to offer the mother of my foals redemption. And if we succeed in this, then we can help others." And, he thought, in some small way atone for my own sins. "But even if it's just curing one, or ending one, isn't it worth the dozens or even hundreds we'll save? My sons among them.
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 11:11 pm
The words that Charon spoke rung with truth, but Oziuhiliasven hated the sound of them. This was the stallion who had helped deliver his sister into slavery. But then, it wasn't his fault alone it was their parents. It was even his own fault. Because if he'd been given the choice, he would have gone. Anything to save that sweet soul.
And she, she had done the same for him. "Fine," he said begrudgingly. "Say your words are true. Say that your cause is just, that you deserve help on this noble venture. Why does that mean that it has to be me to help you? Why should I?"
Guillotine felt uncomfortable in the silence that lingered. Charon did not speak to defend himself. And she understood, it was fair enough that Oziuhilasven should ask this. She didn't know if she'd been in his position if she could even fathom helping someone who'd help transport someone she loved as a slave. He had not valued life until life was precious to him.
His blood, his sons. She didn't know if that made him good or bad. It had taken the possibility of losing something that he cared for for him to realize that life had meaning. Which meant that he had never valued his own life as theirs, or at least to her way of thinking.
And there it was. Perhaps he did not deserve forgiveness, but he had the right to try to earn it. He had the right to try be redeemed. He saw now that even this mare, this skinwalker he'd bedded deserved a chance at redemption. He obviously didn't care for her, but she thought, perhaps it was his compassion for his sons that lead him to try this dangerous path.
"I'm in," she spoke softly. "It'll be hard. But I think we should try. Everyone deserves a second chance if possible. So count me in."
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 11:26 pm
Ridley Kuzeri looked at Oziuhilasven. "Because no one actually deserves forgiveness." Her heart hurt as she thought of her friend. "I don't deserve to be forgiven for the things I have done. I don't deserve sympathy or understanding but I crave it. If we were only given things based on what we deserve, then we would all deserve nothing. Not even you Oziuhilasven. Not even your sister, no matter how great she is. No one is entirely pure or guiltless. So do it for yourself, do it for the goodness in your own soul if you must. Convince yourself it's a favor to him or say no and leave, believing it to be proper justice for what he's done to you and countless others. But whatever you do, think of yourself. How would you want to be judged. How would you want seen?"
Davina felt the words Ridley said stir her own heart. She hoped that out there somewhere someone was showing Margaery kindness, deserving or not (though she believed her always deserving). And those sweet foals that slept in baskets tucked gently away, they were her blood too. They were her family.
"It's hard, but I think we have to try. If not for ourselves, to prove that it can be done to others. We can give others hope." It was a winged thing that fluttered in her chest. Margaery was alive and her children. There was hope that she would one day she would find her, not all would be lost. And that's why she said yes, because it was the right thing to do. Not because she was brave or any other such notion, but because there was hope in it and she desperately needed a little hope. For Margaery, for herself, for the foals. Hope.
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 11:44 pm
Oziuhilasven felt the hard chill of Ridley's words cascade down his spine. She was right. If he did this, it shouldn't be because he wanted to punish Charon. That wasn't good, it wasn't something his sister would be proud of him for and when he got her back, he wanted her to be proud. He took a deep breath, weighing out his options yet knowing in his heart what he would have to do. Because he was good or at least tried to be, and he would never forgive himself if he walked away from this. "I'll help," he closed his eyes tightly summoning up a picture of Viveka. He would find her and she would be proud. He would be able to live with himself and that was why he had to do this. Not for Charon. Not even for Viveka, but for him. "I'll help. Not because I like you," he said feeling as though that it was important for that to be known.
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