❛ my heart is being cut in two. i cannot bear it. ❜ 4 baldr
“Sweetling...” Oh, wretched was the heart that bore the crown prince! To see such wicked consternation, pale and hollow-boned, crook its crone-boned fingers over the expression of one so young -- it ought be the mark of youth, Baldr thought, that joy came ever-bounding, leaping lamb-like beside that first foray into life, wrought with flashing-teeth smiles and golden laughter, not the haggard lines of the politician drawn harsh into the flesh of the babe. Stony skin and steely heart bid no great rise of emotion, the swell of which might drown the cursed world for those who would place such a burden on still-small shoulders, as would be seen by noble Tyr or loyalest Thor’s unyielding hand; only the ghost of a thing, a pale wraith of a heart felt true, swirling beneath cursed-strong ribs, pressing spark and ember to ancient Light’s bone.
The rage of a child wounded was a terrible thing; screams that could cut a parent to the bone, bared and flashing teeth that could rend and wound and main, but the rage of a boy removed from all...though Baldr had claimed no direct affinity with the Jedi ( to prize removal from all, existence held at arm’s length from the self, in the eyes of one unwittingly cursed so sat ill in the chest, bit sour at the gums ), the soul of the father in him twisted fiercely. If Forseti had been driven to such a position, moved from kindly soul to grieving beast by the murder of sweet Nanna -- could Baldr truly find blame enough to lay at the boy’s door?
“I cannot say there is nothing wrong--” The truth of it tasted cold and heavy upon Baldr’s tongue. There is blood on Anakin Skywalker’s hands now, rotted to the skin, crusted and rust-brown beneath the nails. No words could undo the death of life itself, no tears from Freyja, pale-gold and glittering splashed onto the gored throat of her brother ( no word from a bold messenger, the voice of his dreams whispered, dark-clad and implacable, no thunder-hooves of horses’ speed nor outcry the World Tree over ). “--but you are not wrong to feel this way. He is not wrong in his emotions, though he is wrong in his actions, to rage at the loss of someone close to him. The deaths of others cannot undo the death of one held close, and blood shed cannot undo blood bought. Those sent to Valhöll today will feast until the end-times, but it is no salve.” Gently, softly, the light-god’s hand found Padme’s face, cradling there a moment before drawing her into a solid embrace. The truth could do naught but burn her now, each word flecking glass and black ash to choke all joy from the lungs, but Baldr would not allow Padme to suffer alone.
“You are not alone, ástin. We will find a way through this, together.”