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"So...you still plan to return to the Enchantress tomorrow?"
The question came after a walk, which the Millennial Tree had insisted that she join. She wasn't much for things like this, but she supposed they were nice to participate in every so often. However, that question did ruin the mood.
The self-proclaimed Queen of Crows stopped in her tracks.
"Of course I'm going back to her, Aklamesh. I live with her."
"I understand that, it's just-"
"I know you hate her, and I know you hate that I keep going back to her. Stop beating around the bush."
"I don't-" Aklamesh sighed. "I do not hate her, Morrigan. It's more complicated than that."
"And the second part?"
He looked down to see Morrigan with her arms crossed, scowling up at him through the crow's skull.
"I...yes, you are correct. I simply do not believe continuing to return to her is the best decision for you."
"Yes, you've told me that many times. And it hasn't changed my mind."
After a few moments of silence, Morrigan began to walk away, only to be stopped once more as Aklamesh finally spoke again.
"I just don't appreciate how she encourages your behavior. There are so many other options to vent your frustrations and anger through than by hurting people."
"And what if I don't want to use those?" Morrigan snapped, turning so fast on her heel that her cape flew out behind her. The sudden flare even made the Millennial Tree startle a bit.
"What if I like 'venting my frustrations and anger' like this?" she asked. "The world made me suffer, so why shouldn't I return the favor?"
"They are innocent people, Morrigan!" Aklamesh countered, throwing his hand out. "None of them had ever done anything to you! You know that. And that's exactly what I'm talking about with the Enchantress. She enables you to do these things, and in the end it's only for her own personal gain."
"And what if it is?! Why do you even care? I did these things long before I met her, anyway. You knew that!" Morrigan spat back. "You knew all of it! And you hate it: so, what? Are you gunna end up hating me too?"
Aklamesh was silent as she glared into his eyes, waiting for an answer.
His gaze locked on her, straight ahead.
A quiet gasp escaped her lips.
In her anger, she hadn't even realized she'd left the ground.
She shouldn't be up here. She shouldn't be looking him in the eyes like this, from his level.
She crossed a line. It's why he was silent.
She started to descend.
And as she did, she tried to calm herself. But it wasn't working. She felt as though she were choking on her own smoke.
That dark smoke of her accursed birth; the smoke that manifested within her lungs, plaguing every exhalation she'd ever made and leaking through the skull of the old bird. The reminder of the world that wronged her.
The sound of shuffling robes brought her back.
She was on her knees now. She hadn't even realized she was back on the ground.
The old bird's skull was lifted from her head and carefully placed beside her. Then she felt his hands on either side of her jaw, gently turning her head up.
The old giant had settled in front of her, looking down at her with an expression she couldn't read.
She was crying.
"You knew all of it," she said again, her voice coming out as a whimper. "You knew every horrible, awful thing I've ever done. Yet you still chose to show yourself to me, that day in the ruins. You showed yourself to me ; someone so young, so far beneath you."
"Morrigan-"
"You hate the things I do, yet you don't hate me. I don't understand. I'm a terrible person . Someone like you should detest me. But you don't."
Aklamesh sighed, a sad look on his face.
"Why do you cry for the things you've done if you do not regret them?" he asked.
She felt the knot in her throat get tighter.
"Why do you care about me when you hate the things I do? When you hate that I go back to her?" Morrigan asked in return. "I don't get it."
"I care about everyone."
"That's not what I mean, you old tree!" she almost shouted, her tears continuing to fall. "You shouldn't care about me."
Her voice was shaking.
"Why do you love me?"
He gazed down at her, brushed his thumb along her cheek.
"I love you because the world did not."