Part 1
thinkin about the chosen one story told from the pov of the person standing next to them again. thinkin about the one who has to stand by and watch the chosen one become a weapon, a sacrifice, an offering to the machinations of plot and can do nothing but make sure they’re fed and rested and soothe them when they wake up screaming from nightmares. thinkin about the fierce devotion that has to exist to follow someone to the end of the world just so they don’t have to die alone. thinkin about the terror they’d feel every step of the journey knowing it’s not their place to change how the story plays out. thinkin thinkin thinkin.
Part 2
Augghhhhh gaaaaaaawd - now all I can think about in the stress and pressure building in Rohan's head for over a year of endless war, no sleep, nightmares during the moments he allows himself to shut his eyes, until he finally explodes at Angus for daring to suggest he slow down.
And I mean explode - the most vicious noises Rohan can even utter, not even seeing that it's Angus he's talking to, going to a point where he cannot stop himself from saying what he's saying, and the panic of that spiralling into another explosion of terrified rage.
And Angus is just kind of... letting Rohan scream, until his friend's too exhausted and raw to make any other sound. He knows this isn't Rohan, and he can see the horror underneath, but that's not the problem anymore. Angus has been watching this unfold from the beginning - ever since the great 'prophecy' spat out his friend's new fate.
From what Angus sees, there's less of Rohan every day. It's headed down a path where all they'll have left to pick from the ashes is the legendary warrior Draganta. Worries over helping keep Rohan's head from getting too big and helping share the quest seem so small now, since even though Rohan is still in there - somewhere - he seems too far gone to be able to come back. If there was a chance for Angus to intervene, he's missed it.
In the silence, where Rohan can't speak even though part of him is still trying to, Angus could say all of this out loud.
But he isn't going to.
That wouldn't fix it. If anything, it would be one more failure to crush Rohan with, and Angus isn't going to be the one to get his best friend killed. Maybe he can't stop it, but he won't deliver the final blow. He take this failure on instead to spare them.
So Angus changes his mind on telling Rohan to slow down, and placidly lays out the steps to help Rohan with whatever it is he's rushing off to this time. There's relief in Rohan's face that Angus is choosing to help him. That does hurt, because Angus doesn't see this as helping.
The problem with legends and prophecies is that they said Draganta would bring peace. They never said how. So Angus is choosing to brace for the sacrifice, and only wonders now if he'll leave before it happens or stay to watch it finally take his friend.