DISORDER NPCS (disordernpcs) wrote in disorderic, @ 2018-04-14 09:05:00 |
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When Dafydd’s wife left him — an inevitability drawn from the strain of war and a relationship that had long petered out to simple friendship, exacerbated (in Dafydd’s mind) by his growing paranoia and dull personality — Dafydd had stayed. She’d taken their son with her to France, a move both agreed was safer for the young boy, but Dafydd still had not followed. Because while his son was safe, Rhys was not and Dafydd could not, would not leave him. It seemed stupid in retrospect. What could he have possibly done for Rhys? His son needed a father, but Dafydd’s fragile self confidence and belief that Gruffydd was better off without him had been a convincing one. Rhys had probably been better without him too; Dafydd was a musician, he sold violins and brought the mood down at parties with conversations about mandolins. He could do nothing for Rhys beyond be there for him if he ever needed it. And Dafydd knew Rhys had struggled. As incandescently happy as he was with Nora, Rhys was hurting from what a Death Eater took from him, what the Death Eaters continued to take from him as friend after friend was killed. So Dafydd stayed, worried, became an overbearing older brother. And now the Death Eaters had taken Rhys too. For as long as he lived he would never forget that video, his little brother’s last moments on this earth a painful, cruel mockery of all his goodness. Paranoia justified had given way to white noise. There was nothing for him to do or say when it felt like he'd been carved out and left hallow. He’d failed Nora and he’d failed Rhys. Without Rhys, there was no longer a reason for Dafydd to stay. He would have to go because his little brother had gone somewhere he couldn’t follow. |