Looking back, I realise why. Priald was the third child - young enough to fear, and old enough to still remember all of his precious childhood with fondness. It was the worst combination - especially on a dubious quest, in which no one was quite sure how seriously it was to be taken.

Priald had shot to his feet suddenly, without provocation. Now that his face was above the orange glow of the fire, we could all see how pale it was, the sweat that beaded his brow, and the scared, jumpy look in his eye we had all put down to the reflection of the flames. He wasn't ready for this.

I knew then that there was no good way to end this. There would be no positive outcome, and if one were contrived, it would only come back to bite us later. Before Priald even opened his mouth I knew - he had to go.

"I- I- I can't -"
"Priald?"

Gyro looked up at him, concerned. Priald continued to stutter.

"I can't... How can you do it?"
"Priald? What do you mean?"

Gyro stood up slowly, frowning in confusion. He was a full head taller than his younger brother. I also got to my feet, but I stood behind the log, and no one noticed me. Priald fidgeted with his hands, holding them in front of him.

"How can you do it? How can you talk like this?"
"Talk like what?" Gyro responded, his voice gentle.
"About home! About our childhood! How can you talk about ma and pa like this?"
"We're not being disrespectful," Gyro said uncertainly.
"We didn't mean any harm," added Henry, his eyes filled with concern for his brother.
"No, no, it's not that, no... I just wonder how you can talk with smiles on your faces. So happy remembering."
"We had a happy childhood," Gyro said calmly, smiling, "and so did you."
"Exactly! It was happy. We were happy. Not like now. Not anymore."
"Priald, what do you mean? We're doing this for them. For ma and pa. For our home."

It was at this time that I knew how the encounter would end. And no matter what I said, I could not stop it, because I was the black sheep, and the underdog had no sway in such things. I would only serve to aggravate matters further.

Gyro continued, "We have dedicated this quest to them, Priald. We are doing this to help them. How can you be sad about missing them when this endeavour will bring them so much?"
"No, no, no, no, you're not listening. You don't understand. This won't help! This isn't helping! I don't want to do this. I don't want to be here. I don't like this I don't like this I don't -"
"Priald. Priald..." Gyro repeated, warning heavy in his voice.
"You don't understand!"
"Priald!"

Priald looked around fleetingly at his brothers, then dropped his hands to his side and ran, hopping over a log and disappearing into the forest. We quickly lost sight of him in the darkness.

I stared after him, following the outline of his narrow body as it darted between trees. He didn't stop. Behind me I heard Gyro, Henry and Ignius conferring with each other. I was aware that the other two had stood up into a circle. I heard Gyro advocate for leaving Priald in the forest.

"We'll give him a chance to return tonight, but if he doesn't, why should we chase after him? He's made his feelings quite clear."
"It was a moment of weakness," Ignius protested, "he'll be better in the morning. He just needs our help."
"And what's to guarantee it won't happen again? Priald does nothing but slow down. Be honest - it irritates you just as much as it irritates me."
"That's a little harsh, don't you think?"

I refused to turn around. I knew how the conversation would go. Gyro was the eldest, Gyro would get the last say, Gyro would win them over, and they would have to agree because his logic was flawless. But I also knew that the other two, however much they would like to deny it, we're strongly attached to Priald, the younger, the innocent. They would try to find him, and they would succeed. And when they found him, and he came back to the campsite, Gyro would be... Disappointed. Insulted. And determined that he should be proved right.

If, when Priald came back, Gyro tried to get rid of him again, whether he was caught in the act or not, it would break apart the party. The quest. There would be no hope, and none of my brothers would be able to return home to our parents.

It was not a scenario I could allow to come to pass.

You understand, my love, because you see it through my eyes. You understand why I did what I did, why I had to do it. You understand because you see this through my eyes. You know, then, that I walked away from the group and into the forest. They didn't look at me - they didn't notice that I'd gone. These are the benefits of living in the shadows, my dear.

I went after Priald. I found him. And I drove a knife through his stomach. I could not risk that my brothers would turn on each other, that they might fight with more than words. Do not think me a hypocrite, my love. I know what I did. But it is better that I should kill one, and bear the responsibility alone, than that my brothers should kill a larger number, and share the guilt amongst themselves.

You see, by committing this act alone, I unite them. They are one, spurred on by their brother's death, eager to avenge him with their noble cause - or else united as one against a murderer. My sin would bring my brothers together again, and avert disaster. My sacrifice, for their gain.

I would become the villain, so they could remain the heroes.

Sacrifice one for the many, isn't that what they say love?

I returned to the campfire to find it deserted, the flames reduced to embers. As I arrived, I saw Ignius and Henry walking out of a tent together. They had always been the closest, both in age and emotionally. They were almost twins.

They nodded to me as they walked past, into the forest. They were going to look for Priald. I watched as they disappeared behind the trees. I saw Gyro poke his head out of the tent and frown at their receding figures. He nodded to me. I nodded back. We both went to bed.

We were woken later that night by the return of Henry and Ignius, carrying between them, the dead body of Priald. It seemed that a bear had found him before they had. Mauled the face right off - and concealed my handiwork.

Gyro dodged the blame that might have come from his unwillingness to search for his younger brother with a few well-placed words, and the party journeyed on in mourning, misery, and fresh determination. In unity.

But not for long.

Priald's feelings had awakened the glimmer of them that ran in each of the brothers - brought them to notice, given them significance. It couldn't go well from here. They were dominoes - all of them. Dominoes waiting to fall, triggered by Priald.

The sacrifice of one for the many, my love, but until what point? How many would need to be sacrificed, until the sacrifice became the many?

I feared it wouldn't be long, but I set to cross that bridge when I came to it - there was nothing I could do now.

So you see, my dear, I am a villain. The greatest villain of all, to first have murdered my own brother. A deplorable soul, incapable of love or being loved. But you understand, don't you, my dear. You see that it was for the best. Maybe you don't love me now, you can't forgive me for what I have done, but I hope in time that you will come to accept my philosophy, and maybe even me.

Could you ever accept someone like me?