Chapter 24
Chapter 24
“So you are basically implying that because of some weird prophesy, the truthfulness of which, you yourself seem to have trouble believing in, I have to remain in the North as I can potentially be that ‘Prince that was Promised’? Did I understand that correctly?” The little blond seemed to be getting more annoyed with every spoken word.
“Yes?...” Brynden honestly didn’t know how to answer that question that honestly seemed more alike a statement. Especially as the longer he stayed here, away from the world as a silent sentinel, the less he could believe in the prophesized drivel. And now he had to (according to some) convince the potential subject of said prophesy that the entire thing isn’t just some ancient, rhymed bullshit.
“You are self-taught, aren’t you?” the creature that hid behind the visage of ‘Jon Snow’ asked.
“Yes?...” Bloodraven couldn’t understand where this conversation was going. On one hand, the topic of discussion had taken a path of its own, on the other? He didn’t have any magical education. That much was true. All his skills were for the most part self-taught, with a small fraction passed on from the Children. Maybe he will finally find out something useful out for a change. Because hearing ‘sorcery is sin’ and ‘magic does not exist in Westeros’ every time he got curious was grating on his nerves.
“You must understand that there is a fundamental difference between a Prophesy and a Dream. Where Dreams are the tools of Fate, Prophesy is the executor of Destiny. The events seen in Dreams have to come about. They are Fated to occur. The only thing a ‘Dreamer’ can do is warn those concerned about what is to come. That is it. Whether the subjects chose to act on obtained advice or laugh it off as ridiculous nonsense is their choice and their choice only. Humans have free will. That is not just a random motivational line. It is the truth.
Do you really think Daenerys the Dreamer only spoke to her own house? Really? The Eruption of the Fourteen was an unavoidable catastrophe. Millions died. She wasn’t a stoned-hearted monster to condemn her own race. But the actions of the Valyrians? The fact that they chose to ignore all the warnings they were given? Laugh into her face and say that such a thing would never happen as it is impossible? It was their own decision to choose their arrogance over common sense.
Dreams are useful.
But a Prophesy?
That is something else entirely.
Have you ever heard the saying that ‘a man shapes his own Destiny’?
It is ironically true as something might be destined to occur, but will never actually come to be. As a man might be destined to become a Lord but becomes a pirate instead. It is only a matter of Fate flipping a coin, so to speak.
So how does a Prophesy actually come about? How does one distinguish one from a poem or random drunken nonsense?
The funny thing is, they don’t.
Any insane drivel can become a prophesy if a large enough group believe in it. Sometimes a single individual is more than enough especially when they are magically powerful.
And many of them remain unfulfilled or are fulfilled in such a way that is either only obvious after the fact or never make a large enough ripple for any note to be made of the event.
But some Prophesies are identified as Great Prophesies. These are a different story altogether. Where most prophesies remain unrealized and lie forgotten in time, these are another matter as they are driven towards fulfillment by an outside force. This is usually accounted to the power-play between gods who manipulate the prophesy and events in such a way that would gain them more followers. These Prophesies are usually easily distinguished from the rest by a clearly identifying a ‘Dark Power’ as the villain as well as the circumstances of finding or even birthing a Hero to defeat the threat.
And knowing all this? Do you really think I would willingly step into the pile of shit that is obviously a Great Prophesy? Especially when a ‘Hero’s’ role is very rigidly controlled and the end of the story very rarely ends with a ‘and he lived happily ever after’?”