COLONY WARS

CHAPTER 95-DIANMU

LEIF POV

I wiped the blade clean, and my reflection came to view from its surface. The grey eyes looked into mine, tired and in need of salvation. Why didn't I have green eyes like my mother? Or at least her graceful face?

I shoved the sword in its sheath before pulling the stack of daggers on the table. I wiped every single one quickly, eager to leave Ellios and set out to find the Emperor and kill her. I wanted to get over and done with it so that I could return and raise my sisters.

"Where are ye going?" Catriona asked, stepping inside the room.

"I have a quest."

"Where?"

"One of the colonies." I lied,

"Ye will return though, right?"

"Aye," I carefully placed each dagger on the bag made from leather before rolling it carefully. "I will return."

"There hasn't been much relationship amongst us daughters of Bjorn. I doubt I know all our names." She began, "I don't know much about what sisters are supposed to do, or say to each other..."

"They can say anything."

"In that case, I am doing well then...considering our history. Aaron believes ye are a good lass."

"Aaron?" I snorted, "Please!"

"He's a man. Ye know how they are like."

"That bastard hates me, he hated me the first time he saw me." I argued,

"Well, but ye know he would have killed ye right? Life hasn't been kind to him Leif, his dear sister married our father. All I am saying is he sees some goodness in ye."

"Goodness in me," I muttered, "How is that going to help me?"

"Ye could marry him...be his wife."

"No," the words came out quickly.

"No one is going to marry ye if ye haven't noticed Leif. Give Aaron a chance, and if ye do marry him, ye will be his queen when he takes Ellios."

"So, is that what ye two talk about every night?"

"Leif, listen to me...Aaron will be good to ye. Right now, ye need a man, don't deny it."

"Anyone but him."

"Ye don't have many choices,"

"I do!"

"Like whom?"

"Many." I could not think of anyone but Freya. She too was not an option since she was married. "Many men and women love me. You'd be surprised at how popular I was in Kayan."

"Except this isn't Kayan."

"I had many choices in the army camp too, back in Celtic." I quickly wore the grey wolf coat before fixing my hair with my fingers. "Now, may I leave?"

"Ye can't run forever. Ye will need to settle down someday."

"Look at that! Ye sound just like all the women in that house!" I spoke. She was getting on my nerves. "Ye for one should not be having this conversation with me, ye are young, barely seventeen!"

"I am all ye have, just in case ye forgot...ye don't have a mother."

I paused, taking in the words.

She was silent too, shocked by her own words.

"No, ye are worse. Ye are my curse, a constant reminder of how I should have killed that damned woman."

Bjorn's words returned, as if he had said them right that instant.