[ it's not the first time viren's been accused of his monstrosity, and nor, does he speculate, will it be the last time. that prisoner of his had said the very same thing to him, warranting a gentle correction in return.

he briefly recalls that fateful day with harrow, the falling snow making for an almost picquresque scene as they look onto the stony corpse of the dragon king. him pleading with his king, the dire necessity he felt in destroying a dragon's egg. there hadn't been any other way to assure saving so many lives. ]

Sometimes, Soren...

[ "it's horrific, viren," his king had said. ]

Hard decisions... will mean horrifying consequences.

[ hard "decisions," and yet feeling without a choice. he studies his son in the light of his weaponry, someone that's always been - distant, in a way. and now more than ever. his exhaustion compounds his sense of melancholy. did soren really not realize? he had to, knows how highly viren would value sacrifice. and while viren has heard, especially with their growing distance, that perhaps his words wouldn't be listened to, ]

But, even outside the realm of rights and wrongs, we know what must be done.