His nod was an affirmative; not given out of sympathy or condescension, never. But rather an understanding, for he'd been exactly where Eileen had yesterday. In that place of killing, where the knife-thrust had ended, not only in one's opponent, but in one's very soul. Innocence was over. The belief that the world was a good place, that nice guys finished first, and the knight always married the princess was gone. Granted, Ethan knew Eileen had already known that, but the illusions of those proverbial rose-colored glasses had been removed. Stripped away by blood, and the death of another at her own small hands.
Yes, he'd been there.
"Did you look in the mirror this morning?" It was a quiet question, one given again without hint of mockery or amusement. Ethan really did want to know. Because after his own first, he hadn't been able to. Hadn't been able to look at the monster gazing back at him, the monster with his father's devilish eyes. It had taken years to tame the beast, and even now its leash was tenuous. And Ethan never wanted Eileen to have to undertake that particular ordeal.
"I'm sure everyone and all have said the same thing, in some form or another, piccolino, but I'm proud of you." And he meant it. But not for the outcome of her Challenge. But rather for having the guts to stand in the ring with another, for knowing when to let the beast have its sway, and for not letting it overcome all rhyme and reason.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2016-10-03 01:39 am (UTC)Yes, he'd been there.
"Did you look in the mirror this morning?" It was a quiet question, one given again without hint of mockery or amusement. Ethan really did want to know. Because after his own first, he hadn't been able to. Hadn't been able to look at the monster gazing back at him, the monster with his father's devilish eyes. It had taken years to tame the beast, and even now its leash was tenuous. And Ethan never wanted Eileen to have to undertake that particular ordeal.
"I'm sure everyone and all have said the same thing, in some form or another, piccolino, but I'm proud of you." And he meant it. But not for the outcome of her Challenge. But rather for having the guts to stand in the ring with another, for knowing when to let the beast have its sway, and for not letting it overcome all rhyme and reason.
Yes, he was proud of her for that.