[And just like that, it's the skiff all over again. It's the Army tent on the dead sand in front of the Fold, and her face twisting up in anger and revulsion at him. As if he hadn't handed her the greatest gift in the history of the world. Had handed her a mistake, even. Because the amplifier was not, had never been, a one-way street and he should have known. He would have known, if all the decisions hadn't had to made in split-seconds and if all of his careful plans hadn't been ruined by her.
The Darkling knew that he felt it, every time they touched. That she felt it too, like calling to like, his powers surging under his skin to reach her and he misjudged the Stag. Had made a play that came around to bite him, that this one would be just for him. To let him use the Power she didn't even want.]
That all I do, I do for myself. I assure you, it's not.
[Never had been, not even his greatest mistake. The one he'd get a chance to undo by doing this. By being here and following orders from the voice in the little button he had put in his ear.
The only thing he had done for selfish reasons in the last century, had been her. To keep her. And all of the friendliness and kindness he had forced in to his voice while talking to the other people. To the ones from distant worlds as the notes and the voice kept repeating - trust each other, help each other, work together and your wish will come true. It disappears, and the Darkling's voice drips cold and angry.]
It will come back, Alina, and when it does you will come to me. Who else are you going to run to? No one here could possibly understand, no one here can help you. You'll have no one but me.
[None of this is going to matter, not when he gets to undo a mistake. A wrong turn in the forked road of his long life. Not Alina, not this strange place and not the Fold.
He would get it all right the second time around.
So, he stops. Stops moving and he slows his breathing until it's barely there. Close to soundless as he stands in the dark, waiting her to run. Again.]
just wanted to add - unreliable narrator over here. Warning - evil lies, even to itself?
[And just like that, it's the skiff all over again. It's the Army tent on the dead sand in front of the Fold, and her face twisting up in anger and revulsion at him. As if he hadn't handed her the greatest gift in the history of the world. Had handed her a mistake, even. Because the amplifier was not, had never been, a one-way street and he should have known. He would have known, if all the decisions hadn't had to made in split-seconds and if all of his careful plans hadn't been ruined by her.
The Darkling knew that he felt it, every time they touched. That she felt it too, like calling to like, his powers surging under his skin to reach her and he misjudged the Stag. Had made a play that came around to bite him, that this one would be just for him. To let him use the Power she didn't even want.]
That all I do, I do for myself. I assure you, it's not.
[Never had been, not even his greatest mistake. The one he'd get a chance to undo by doing this. By being here and following orders from the voice in the little button he had put in his ear.
The only thing he had done for selfish reasons in the last century, had been her. To keep her. And all of the friendliness and kindness he had forced in to his voice while talking to the other people. To the ones from distant worlds as the notes and the voice kept repeating - trust each other, help each other, work together and your wish will come true. It disappears, and the Darkling's voice drips cold and angry.]
It will come back, Alina, and when it does you will come to me. Who else are you going to run to? No one here could possibly understand, no one here can help you. You'll have no one but me.
[None of this is going to matter, not when he gets to undo a mistake. A wrong turn in the forked road of his long life. Not Alina, not this strange place and not the Fold.
He would get it all right the second time around.
So, he stops. Stops moving and he slows his breathing until it's barely there. Close to soundless as he stands in the dark, waiting her to run. Again.]