The Fates (Book I) - 2014 Watty Award Winner!

4.12 - Imagine Nothing

Dear Readers: A short scene, ending Episode 4 with a visit to the Cave... hope you'll enjoy! :)

And I hope you're excited for the fifth and final episode of Book I of The Fates! (It'll probably be 12-14 scenes as usual, just FYI.) I am so grateful to have all of you on this journey :D

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Scene 12: Imagine Nothing

2020 B.C.

“So many threads…”

Atropos glanced up from her work, as the hypnotic voice of Chaos broke her concentration. The grey-clad goddess had approached the lethal Fate’s station beside the Loom.

“So many mortal lives…” Chaos continued, in a muted coo meant for Atropos’s ears alone. The other two Fates were far enough away, for now, and far too focused on their tasks, to hear these words. “…all destined, in the end, for death.”

“There is no end,” Atropos muttered. “Always more threads to cut.”

“It could all end, though. All at once,” Chaos murmured, steely gaze glued to the Loom, hands interlaced behind her back, as if to keep herself from reaching out to touch the threads. “If you so wished.”

“Well, I have no such wish,” Atropos stated. “And even if I did, I wouldn’t act upon it. The three of us have come to our decision.”

Chaos nodded solemnly. “It is good of you, to honor their opinion, despite being the eldest and most strong-willed of the sisters. I often doubt whether I would’ve done the same, had I been in your place.”

“You mean faced with the choice between risking your mother’s life, or slaughtering every soul on earth?”

The goddess bowed her silvery head. “I suppose I’ve never had a mother, so could not truly imagine it,” she acknowledged. “But yes. The life of a loved one, such as your mother, pitted against the mortal race… I just don’t think I…” her honeyed voice caught in her throat.

Atropos blinked at her, unsure whether or not to feel sympathy.

“I couldn’t bear to see the Book stop being written,” Chaos spoke in a choked, halting sigh. “To know, once and for all, that Ananke is…”

“Dead? You can say it out loud, you know. It’s not a dirty word.”

“No, but the death of a divinity—the very force of destiny… that would be quite a dire thing. Can you imagine what would happen?”

Atropos reached for her shears, refusing to let sorrow enter her evergreen eyes. “It would be dire because she is my mother. Not because she is divine and powerful. Not because of what may happen afterward. Because she is my mother. Beyond that, I imagine nothing.”

“Yet you stand beside your sisters,” Chaos calmly remarked. “Refuse to save your mother, when you so swiftly and easily could.”

Atropos took up a single thread. “It is what she would’ve wanted.”

Chaos paused to watch the Fate resume snipping at random, and saw something a lot like sorrow in her emerald stare. “Are you certain that it’s not because of any… fondness you’ve developed, for the humans?”

“Fondness?” Atropos immediately spat, emeralds ablaze. “You think I walk among these men and like what I have found? You think that this immortal heart beats for anyone other than my immortal family? Don’t ever doubt where my love or my loyalties lie.”

Chaos paused again, primordial eyes pensive before she turned to leave Atropos to her task. “As long as you don’t doubt it yourself.”

“I am death,” the Fate declared. “The most certain and definite of all forces, mortal or divine. The one thing that should never be doubted.”

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Thus ends Episode 4!! If you liked the episode, or even just this scene, please don't forget to vote! :)

Next scene, we'll kick off the final episode of Book I with modern-day Atria in Athens :)

ALSO!! Since we've got only one more episode to go, I thought I'd take a little survey to see where all my dear readers stand ^.^  Feel free to answer any/all/none of these questions in comments below! Some of your answers I already know, but I'd love to hear them anyway :D

     1. Who's your favorite Fate? :)

     2. Favorite non-Fate character? :)

     3. Favorite couple? ♥

     4. Favorite setting (time/place) we've visited so far? :)

     5. Any other thoughts? Theories? Questions? :)

Thank you all so much!!! Lots of luv!!! :3 xoxo