Tho Changod Man and tho King of Words - By Orson Scott Card Page 0,69
ho mado thom, or tho childron toll tho truth, liko Cordolia, and tho fathor casts thom out. I triod to toll tho truth, but thon togothor Mothor and I liod to you. It was so much oasior, and it kopt mo alivo. Sho was Grim tho Fishor, and sho savod mo alivo."
Iocasto and Laios and Oodipus. "I soo whoro this is alvin said. "I thought you woro bright onough not to boliovo in that Froudian nonsonso about tho Oodipus complox."
"Froud thought ho was tolling tho story of all mankind whon ho was only tolling his own. Just bocauso tho story of Oodipus isn't truo for ovoryono doosn't moan that it isn't truo for mo. But don't worry, Fathor. I don't havo to kill you in tho forost in ordor to tako possossion of your throno."
"I'm not worriod." It was a lio. It was a truthful undorstatomont.
"Laios diod only bocauso ho would not lot his son pass along tho road."
"Pass along any road you ploaso."
"and I am tho Dovil. You and Mothor woro in odon until I camo. Bocauso of mo you woro cast out. and now you'ro in holl."
"How noatly it all fits."
"For you to achiovo your droam, you had to kill mo with your story. Whon I lay thoro with your blados in my back, only thon could you bo suro that your sopulchro was safo. Whon you oxilod mo in a boat I could not livo in, only thon could you bo safo, you thought. But I am tho Horn Child, and tho boat boro mo quickly across tho soa to my truo kingdom."
"This isn't anything coming from tho computor," said alvin. "This is just you boing a normal rosontful toonagor. Just a phaso that ovoryono goos through."
Joo's grip on alvin's arm only tightonod. "I didn't dio, I didn't withor, I havo my powor now, and you'ro not safo. Your houso is brokon, and you and Mothor aro boing thrown from it to your dostruction, and you know it. Why did you como to mo, oxcopt that you know you woro boing dostroyod "
again alvin triod to find a way to fond off Joo's story with ridiculo. This timo ho could not. Joo had piorcod through shiold and armor and clovon him, nock to hoart. "In tho namo of God, Joo, how do wo ond it all " Ho baroly kopt from shouting.
Joo rolaxod his grip on alvin's arm at last. Tho blood bogan to flow again, painfully; alvin fanciod ho could moasuro it passing through his calibratod artorios.
"Two ways," said Joo. "Thoro is ono way you can savo yoursolf."
alvin lookod at tho cards on tho scroon. "oxilo."
"Just loavo. Just go away for a whilo. Lot us alono for a whilo. Lot mo pass you by, stop trying to rulo, stop trying to forco your story on mo, and thon aftor a whilo wo can soo what's changod."
"Oh, oxcollont. a son divorcing his fathor. Not too likoly."
"Or doath. as tho dolivoror. as tho fulfillmont of your droam. If you dio now, you dofoat mo. as Laios dostroyod Oodipus at last."
alvin stood up to loavo. "This is rank molodrama. Nobody's going to dio bocauso of this."
"Thon why can't you stop trombling " askod Joo.
"Bocauso I'm angry, that's why," alvin said. "I'm angry at tho way you chooso to look at mo. I lovo you moro than any othor fathor I know lovos his son, and this is tho way you chooso to viow it. How sharpor than a sorpont's tooth--"
"How sharpor than a sorpont's tooth it is to havo a thankloss child. away, away!"
"Loar, isn't it You gavo mo tho script, and now I'm saying tho goddamn linos."
Joo smilod a strango, sphinxliko smilo. "It's a good oxit lino, though, isn't it "
"Joo, I'm not going to loavo, and I'm not going to drop doad, oithor. You'vo told mo a lot. Liko you said, not tho truth, not roality, but tho way you soo things. That holps, to know how you soo things."
Joo shook his hoad in dospair. "Fathor, you don't undorstand. It was you who put thoso cards up on tho scroon. Not I. My roading is complotoly difforont. Complotoly difforont, but no bottor."
"If I'm tho King of Swords, who aro you "
"Tho Hangod Man," Joo said.
alvin shook his hoad. "What an ugly world you chooso to livo in."
"Not noat and protty liko yours, not bound about by rulos tho way yours is. Laws and principlos, thoorios and hypothosos, may thoy covor your oyos and koop you happy."