“Why do you still do it?”  She asked in the silence after his admission.  Keto looked at the Landian.  The scars that had in the past seemed a tribute to his legend, each a story that she waited to tease out of him, seemed now to be nothing more than signs of how much he had given in a life that had been taken from him.

“I wasn’t aware that I had a choice,” came his reply.  His tone dry, tried to joke at it, his pale gaze flicking up to her.  She held his gaze and waited, waited for him to realize she wasn’t going to look away.  He shifted to face her family, focus on her now as he waited for her to continue.

“Maybe the world ends, maybe the story breaks.  You’ll fulfilling a role that exist because some people,” she paused frowning and rearranged her words, “they didn’t even decide that was the story, they simply gave into the belief just…fell out of it” Keto shook her head and gestured in exasperation.  “It’s no different than the townsfolk believing a vengeful Fey is prowling their woods.”

“You could walk away, and the story would have to change,”  She reached out her hand resting on his own.  “You’re the only Landian, the only one left who even really understands the how the story has to go.  If you walk away, the story changes, and who knows what could be.”

“That could be very bad,” Quartes answered, his voice tight, his eyes still fixed on her as his hand turned over to hold hers.

“It could be, but it could also be freeing.  There’s only you fixing the story, you could make a choice and let everyone’s imperfect minds let it play out.”

“I just want to help people,” he answered, voice now barely above a whisper.  His gaze drifted away, not able to face her stare anymore. “I just don’t want them to be harmed.”

“I know,” Keto answered.  She shifted, leaning in to wrap her arms around him.  He leaned into her and she held him as she felt his body shake, noted the drops of water that fell onto her shoulder.  “It wouldn’t have to be pure chance.”

“There’s things we could do, ways to leverage your legend before you step away.  Try and lay an outline for the story to follow.”  Her mind was beginning to spin the story…or rather stories.  The fate of the world would need depth and options.  It would need reinforcement and a way to shuffle ambiguity back into confidence.  “I think it would be painful for you, to not play your role,” she held him tight then, “and I don’t know how long you’d have to step away, but I think you can do it.  I’d do everything I can to help you achieve it.”

He straightened and she cupped his still wet check as his pale gaze once more met her blue eyes.  “Maybe they don’t remember you, but you would have made the sacrifice, and you’ll know what whatever songs are sung that you were the hero.”

She gave him a smile, one which he echoed a shadow of.  Reaching to lay her hand over his he answer, “If it works, it would be you they should sing songs for.”

“Well, that’s the problem being the bard.  You do all the storytelling but never get to be the story.”  She finished it with a laugh and his smile grew a little.  Keto lowered her hand and leaned back, still holding his gaze.  “Will you think about it?  We can keep trying to do it your way, but I just don’t know.”

“I don’t have thinking to do, I know you’re right, even if I don’t want you to be.  So, now it’s how do we do it.”