Video: UN - Maresh

[unbreakable_king]

[Apparently it's his turn. Rhy had seen a number of these confessions, and it wasn't that he intended to make one. It was that he was going through the market when the compulsion had been there, unavoidable. Demanding. Insistent. And heartbreaking. His fingers itch and he struggles to defy the need. Because he's been compelled against his will before, and he doesn't want to have to again. But there it is.]

My world is one of four that abut each other. Gray next to Red which is my home. Red next to White. White next to Black. Once all of them had magic. But those in the Black World, the world closest to the Source of all magic, the let it consume them. They did not seek balance with magic, and so it controlled them. Destroyed their world and their people and began to reach past it to consume. My world, the world of Red London as my brother called it, shut the doors between itself and the Gray and White worlds, for our safety. For our people. In doing so, we cut magic off from the Gray world, killing it there. And leaving the White to fight alone.

Such was the decision of the Line of Maresh. We... We condemned all those people and left White London to turn to ask.

It's our fault that they lashed back out at us later. We... My family deserved to die for what we chose.

I deserved my death when it came for me at the hands of a White Londoner. For my weakness, and for the crimes of my family and my world.

Comments

Video - un: detwatts

[gadaboutdetective]

[He’s... Well he’s concerned about a few things here. Llewellyn knew a little about the ‘different Londons’ from his conversations with Rhy, but nothing quite like this had come up.

On another note, his friend had never mentioned dying before. He was very much alive, as far as Llewellyn could see. Which he supposed meant that some kind of magic was involved, presumably he wouldn’t be up and about otherwise.]

Mm... No one asks to be born into the family that they are, and you have no control over the actions of those who came before you. One cannot be held responsible for something they weren’t even alive and present for.

[His expression is solemn, clearly giving the subject some heavy consideration before he continued. Of course, there was the obvious matter of protecting your own people over those in other worlds. Not a light decision to make... But still, not something he felt you could hold someone from another lifetime responsible for.]

You certainly didn’t deserve death for the acts that others committed. I don’t understand how you could be standing in this world if you did, but I’m glad that it uh— didn’t stick.

[unbreakable_king]

I... died for my own actions. But it was caused by the things my family did. My ancestors.

[If only it was that simple. If only anything could ever be that simple. He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair, mussing it further. He isn't composed, and he knows he isn't going to be any time soon.]

I've done a lot to hurt other people, indirectly, through my actions. Blood must be paid forward.

[gadaboutdetective]

[He knows it’s possible that he wouldn’t understand, the difference between worlds, the difference between eras, it meant that the way of things were probably different. The expectations and the way others handled their grievances big or small were likely different as well. Well... perhaps that wasn’t strictly true. People still killed one another for stupid reasons, his job would be a lot less complicated if they didn’t.

Knowing Rhy as he did though, it was hard to believe that the man could have done anything to deserve to be killed, his family’s past choices definitely shouldn’t factor into it either.]

Mm... We all hurt people indirectly though, don’t we?

[Hadn’t he just confessed to acting out against what was expected of him? Confessed about how the consequences of those actions that had gotten innocent people hurt? Emotionally and physically?]

That we’re responsible for. Your family? Your ancestors? Their actions were their own; uh— royal line or not, one should be judged only for that which they’ve actually done, Rhy.

Was what you did really so terrible? Because I’ve seen enough of the worst of mankind, seen what people can do to one another... I’ve seen enough to know what acts society can expect to see justice done in the form of a life ended.

[unbreakable_king]

I do not know you nearly so well as to explain the greatest of my sins.

[Most of which were tied into his own vanity. And oh dear, had he not been so insanely vain. He licks his lips and looks away.]

Please do not ask of me that which I cannot give.

[gadaboutdetective]

No, I suppose you don’t...

[He’s... rusty when it comes to situations like this. It’s been a long time since he’d had a friend that he was worried about quite like this, a long time since he needed to navigate the more serious side of conversing with someone that wasn’t on the other end of an interrogation table.

It was frustrating in a way. Not with Rhy, but with himself. He wanted to understand, because he had a need to know and understand things. To know the details or the inner workings of a person’s heart and mind. But it was also because he didn’t like not being able to make things better for a friend, he often went out of his way to try to fix things for others. This, however, was not the kind of thing that could just be fixed.]

Mm... I won’t ask that of you. This place... It’s already forcefully pulling things from us that we’re uncomfortable discussing.

I would only ever uh— want to know what you wanted me to know. If only to help put your mind at ease. If there is nothing you wish to say, then that’s fine as well. Just know that I’ve seen a lot of people hurt or killed for reasons that were both considered ‘justifiable’ and also not. So, I find it hard to believe that you deserved the things that happened to you.

[unbreakable_king]

This place is... a special sort of suffering in some ways. And in others, it is peaceful.

[He is thankful for Llewellyn's friendship and offering of course. But he doesn't know that he can say it at all. His failing was... it was painful.]

There is much of me you do not know, my friend.

[gadaboutdetective]

[A small, awkward huff escapes him at that. Rhy is right, of course, but he still doesn’t like it. Doesn’t like that this world has the ability to force them to talk like a ventriloquists puppet. It seemed pointlessly cruel and made it hard to see a balance between the peace and the suffering.

His brows raise, thoughtful and contemplative before shaking his head.]

Mm... You’re right, but I could also say the same, Rhy. We’re all strangers here, in a sense.

Yes, many of us are friends, but we’re all still slowly piecing details together as we continue to get to know one another. I would go so far as to question whether or not a person can ever truly know another completely...

[A pause, and his forehead wrinkled with a perplexed expression. Llewellyn had gotten a little off track again, and he needed to get the train back on its tracks.]

But I uh— I still hope that in time you’ll let me know you better. If only, so I can understand, so I can do more to help as a friend and not just a concerned stranger that happens to be in the same twisted world.

Until that time.... I can only offer you my general objective thoughts on the matter with the facts I know and what evidence I have seen of your character thus far. Of which I see no signs of a man who would do something with malicious intent without some form of provocation.

Video!

[minus1twin]

Rhy.

[Her voice is soft and kind. Rhy is someone she's gotten to learn a little bit about over the months and somewhere along the way she's come to care about him. She feels awful that he's beating himself up over something that he had had no control over.]

The crimes of your family are not yours.

You shouldn't punish yourself for it. No one deserves to die.

[Even if Wanda has killed her own share of people...]

[unbreakable_king]

Are they not? It was my family that led to my nation being lashed out against by those of other worlds. If they seek to punish us for those decisions, surely we have done wrong.

[minus1twin]

And you can change it.

You shouldn't be punished for the things that are outside of your control. All you can do is work to make the places within your reach better.

[unbreakable_king]

The Empire and our colonies are large enough that yes, I believe that is something we can manage.

[Then he frowns and corrects himself.]

Something I can manage.

[minus1twin]

Then that's what you should focus on. We can't change the past but the future is ours to shape.

[unbreakable_king]

Is it? Or is the future something that comes whether we will it or no?

[11calls]

Did you die?

[unbreakable_king]

[Ah, finally someone who really latches on to that salient detail.]

Yes. I have. Twice now.

[11calls]

Twice?

[unbreakable_king]

Well, nearly three times, but that last one doesn't count.

It's been a bad few months.

[11calls]

Did magic bring you back? Your brother?

[unbreakable_king]

If I told you that, would it not destroy the mystique?

audio

[wasinnocent]

Did you actually play any role in those decisions? Or you just taking on the guilt of your families legacy?

[unbreakable_king]

Are we not the product of our fathers?

[wasinnocent]

Depends. Would you have made the same choices?

[unbreakable_king]

I cannot say. The darkness that threatened to consume us all... It might have been the only choice.

[wasinnocent]

Might've been. You'll never know. But you can't hold yourself responsible for the sins of other people.

[unbreakable_king]

If I had the strength not to do so then I might. But I have never been that strong.