Working out a later Adonis idea - "Have you thought beyond all this?"

[breakinglight11]

Banged out a scene for possible use in one of the Adonis sequels. It's very rough and not well phrased, but I just wrote it to explore an idea I may want to establish. This would serve as groundwork and foreshadowing. Bernie disagrees with me on this one, but I think I can bring him around.

I like when I can actually explore an idea for a story by writing actual text for it. Especially when I can make it part of the subtext of a scene that's ostensibly about something else.


"Have You Thought Beyond All This?"

Aidan watches Morna as she works, bent intensely over her desk.

AIDAN: Callisto’s soldiers have returned, they’re waiting for orders.

MORNA: Good. That’s good. I will come to them when the reconnaissance returns.

She rubs her eyes tiredly.

AIDAN: Have you thought beyond all this? To when it’s finally over?

MORNA: It’s hard to see that far.

AIDAN: I can’t stop thinking of it. When the fighting’s done. When we can… build lives finally. Is that foolish?

MORNA: Aidan. Everything I’ve done in this has been to see that you can have the life you wanted.

AIDAN: Do you never hope for it?

MORNA: Hope for what?

AIDAN: A life for yourself, Morna. Love, a home and family? Children?

Morna laughs bitterly.

MORNA: I don’t think marriage is for me.

AIDAN: Why not?

MORNA: After seeing what the lusts of women did to you all those years, I don’t believe I could ever bear to visit it on anyone.

Aidan winces.

AIDAN: Morna. It doesn’t have to be that way.

MORNA: I know. But I will never forget it.

AIDAN: I hope one day we’re able to move past this. All of this.

Pause.

AIDAN: Don’t you?

Morna pushes back her long blonde hair.

MORNA: I have a war to win, Aidan. I can think of nothing else.