The Raven's Lake

Quotes from Helba's Corner

[theravenslake]

It wasn't enough to merely hate them. She'd wanted to inflict on them--on the whole world--the same pain they'd dealt to her. They weren't the only ones she wished death upon. After all, getting angry and fighting for societal change was nowhere near as easy as simply giving up, lashing out, and taking all the punishment onto herself. No man is an island, as the saying went, but life was much, much more peaceful when she put an ocean between herself and the rest of the world. "I've never once thought of myself as lucky or blessed--or at the very least, I don't associate that feeling with family. I never wanted a family in the first place. I wish you'd all disappear."

[theravenslake]

In a perfect world, perfect people led perfect little lives. Anyone who wasn't perfect would be relegated to the background while the main characters carried on blithely, never realizing their happiness was built on the corpses of those they used as stepping stones. One was the crown prince, and the other grew up loved and unabused, all because the right woman gave birth to them. They never stopped to consider the price for their privilege. And if these perfect people didn't even bother to look over their shoulder, then surely they only had themselves to blame when someone trampled rose up and attacked them from behind. No crime goes unpunished, they loved to say. But of course, they never even asked what the reason might be. All they cared about was the sound of their own voices as they recited the conventional wisdom. They didn't want to have to think critically; no, what they wanted was to give themselves a pat on the back for briefly acknowledging criminals as human beings, then send them off to jail all the same. Now they, with their naive idealism, had the nerve to pity him, to admonish him? Worthless. they were, in essence, throwing rocks at the weak from the safety of their tall tower, all the while too blissfully ignorant to comprehend their own actions.

[theravenslake]

He could hear his heart shattering as they stomped all over it. All his anger, bitterness, resentment, and pain leaked out of the hole in his chest, leaving him with a surprisingly clear mind. All was calm and still--save for the unending torrent of pure, unadulterated hatred. The valve was broken; the flow could not be stemmed.

[theravenslake]

She felt so pathetic. She told herself over and over to be different, to be better, as she shoved those those swirling, black emotions deeper in her heart. If she couldn't deflect them and couldn't let them out, she'd have to swallow them. Someday, she'd digest them, and they'd be gone. Someday she could stop fighting her own mind. She told herself that, but she somehow doubted it was true.

[theravenslake]

All she wanted to do was shoot his words back at him, ask if he was in any position to lecture her about FAMILY. A man who'd cast off his wife and neglected his daughter shouldn't even be allowed to say that word. And if he was having a change of heart, he could prove it by showing Violette even the smallest bit of kindness. But in his mind, this wasn't hypocrisy. When he said the world "family," it simply didn't include Violette. Maryjune and Elfa were the center of his world, and Violette only existed to make them happy. This wasn't the first time she felt her hands grow cold as her heart died. It happened when there was no one to greet her in the morning, when she ate alone in a cavernous dining room, when her mother whispered that she loved her. Her heart would freeze, the warmth retreating from her fingers and toes, like all the blood in her body had stopped circulating. For awhile she'd felt like this daily.

[theravenslake]

If Maryjune wanted anything, that idiot father would sacrifice Violette without a thought to make it happen. Maryjune might not even realize she was at fault as Violette was forced to go along with a smile. Maryjune was like an innocent princess, pure and beautiful and worth protecting, but to Marin she was just a thorn in Violette's side. She watched as Maryjune and her parents tried to create some idealized happy family out of a picture book, leaving Violette out of their circle.

[theravenslake]

Maryjune was allowed to say what she thought. She was allowed to have her wishes granted, even if she didn't realize yet that someone would grant them if she only asked. An honest person like Maryjune would agree Violette's past actions were twisted. Violette knew her wishes wouldn't come true. She knew no matter how she wished, no one would hear them, that wanting anything was pointless. That's how things had always been, so feeling disappointed or jealous was pointless. It took her life being rewound for her to finally understand that everything she had done was useless...or maybe it was seeing the same events with new maturity she'd gained living through them the first time. She could think of no punishment more effective than feeling this regret over and over. It was like a nonstop lecture about the futility of everything she ever wanted.

[theravenslake]

She was so kindhearted, honest, and good. She spoke her mind without worry, but whether she said anything wonderful or unrealistic, there was never any spite there. She didn't want Violette to change her meal; she simply thought that eating together would bring their family closer together. But it wouldn't. It would just be cruel. Violette was speechless.

[theravenslake]

'Heroes, are we?' The word didn't sit right with her.  Get called a hero, and it's like you have no choice but to work up some bravery and go off to fight evil.  But she didn't feel very heroic

Ayaka Sugou Failure Frame Light Novel 1

[theravenslake]

This was hell--a hell that I'd created.  I'd done something terrible.  This was the absolute opposite of kindness. Tears welled up inside of me. "What am I doing?" The hideous reality of what I was doing hit me all at once and... "There's nothing." I felt... empty.  Emotionless.  Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I just stood there, totally numb. 'Why am I crying?' 'Did somebody poison me' 'Has my conscience been put to sleep?' 'Is my good judgement paralyzed?' I couldn't think.  That scared me more than anything.

Tooka Mimori Failure Frame Light Novel Volume 1

[theravenslake]

Dear me, I seem to have misspoken.  You were only kissing--kissing someone else's fiance.  But wouldn't you call that the very definition of a thief?

Scarlett Castiel, The Holy Grail of Eris Light Novel Volume 1

[theravenslake]

He watched emotions fight on her face--Fear, loneliness, and resignation.  He knew that this scared her--she'd spent her whole childhood alone.  He feared that if he took his eyes off her, she'd wander off before he even noticed. She was lonely but overwhelmed.  She was afraid of love but wanted people to love her.  She wanted to be alone, but wanted someone to be beside her...And who would even stay?  The contradictions swirled inside her, scarred her, and wore her down.

I Swear I Won’t Bother You Again Light Novel Volume 1

[theravenslake]

You're so shortsighted.  You have no idea how much influence you actually have, or how to use it.  You don't get how HEAVY your choices are...  You can't just follow your heart and expect things to work out.

Yulan , I Swear I Won’t Bother You Again Light Novel Volume 1

[theravenslake]

Pure, optomistic MaryJune believed they could all be one big happy family, while tainted Violette read dark things into all her sister's harmless statements.  Past Violette would have slapped MaryJune right across the face for all this, so it made sense that Marin was concerned. But Violette had shed all her sensitivity back in her prison cell.

I Swear I Won’t Bother You Again Light Novel Volume 1.

[theravenslake]

Even if you become a maiden of deadly poison who withers flowers and ends the lives of those whose hearts yet beat--Even if your kiss is the sweet kiss of death--I alone will accept this fate.  I alone... Will be with you...  Would that much not suffice?  Would I alone not be enough to grant you comfort?

St Germaine

[theravenslake]

...You're always suffering, for the sake of others. ...If it means releasing you from that suffering... Turn all your anger and hatred against me, right now.  Kill me.

Cardia

[theravenslake]

If you seek atonement...then there are only two people who can grant forgiveness.  And that's either the woman named Elaine who is no more--or the girl named Etty.  Please, don't forget that, Cardia.  The only one who can forgive you...is not you.  Even if you sacrifice your life as atonement, that is only for your own self-satisfaction.  And that...will never be forgiveness.

Herlock Sholmes