COLONY WARS

CHAPTER 98-YOU'RE A WOMAN

The early mornings welcomed me and the whole chair of men to chaos. Men gathered in large numbers, chanting to hell with the new bill.

"To hell with the reforms, to hell with the Draugrs."

They were Kayan and foreign men, all joined in forces to curse the Draugr Prince and everyone who worked with him. To my surprise, I found women as well, mostly mothers and elderly women who carried children over their backs.

They too wanted the new bill removed. They hated it just as the men did, as if it was not helping them in the first place.

"I told you," Viktor spoke, watching from the window, "You have angered the galaxy with your reforms."

"They will get over it," I said, standing by his side.

"Will they?" his shiny eyes found me, "These people will burn the castle if we do nothing."

"You will kill them if they do that now won't you?"

He let out a sharp laugh, "Your humor me!"

"This bill will help them!" I argued, "Why can't they see that?"

"This bill will be the reason they will starve. What use is keeping their children if they will all starve?"

"So what? I should let them carry on their barbaric ways then?"

"Yes,"

"Let me speak with them!" I suggested, turning around, and heading for the exit.

"They will eat you alive Asenath!" he yelled from behind.

"I fear no one!" I disappeared from his view.

I was going to reason with the masses, get them to see my vision. I was going to open their minds, get them see the world through my eyes. As I stepped out to the masses, Draugr guards within my presence, the chanting stopped, and whispers began. They had expected a Draugr and not an Amdelonian, which caused them to be confused.

"Citizens," I began, my voice loud. "I have heard your complains."

There was silence.

"The New bill will not be revoked however..."

The grumbling began and they began to curse at me, yelling loudly again.

"However...I will try to see...I will try to see through to..." I struggled to talk, their voices loud.

My face heated in anger, why weren't they letting me speak? Ungrateful people!

"Who the hell are you even?"

"Ugly bitch!"

"A bitch will not change the rules around here!"

"We will sell you as well!"

Their words found my ears. My eyes burned with tears before I turned, running back to the castle. It was no use talking to such people, they had made up their minds. They were rejecting my bill.

The doors closed behind me as I walked down the dark hallway. My footsteps were loud as I murmured curse words. I had to think of something, some kind of deal to please these people.

"I told you," Viktor spoke from the stairs,

"Change isn't something done overnight. I will win their..."

"Asenath, sorry to burst your optimism but they will never be on your side, not you, at least."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You're a woman."

"So is the Emperor, they fear her." I argued,

"Za'afiel is different," he said, "A legion of Amdelonian are different compared to one. They fear your people but not you, a single, very young woman."

"So what? I must get a man to do this?"

"Yes."

"You?"

"Not me," he shook his head. "I told you, these are your affairs, find a man, someone who they will follow."

I went quiet.

"You can always give up, should it get too much."

"I...I won't." I said, "You will be surprised when I win them over."

"Goodluck,"

~~~

Find a man that they will listen to. They would have listened to Amir if he had not been killed when Kayan was conquered.

I knew no one except Viktor. The chair of men would not agree to any of my ideas anyways, I would be wasting my time. I needed someone out there, someone who lived amongst these people.

So, I camouflaged as them, wore as they did and covered my face should they recognize me before going out to the city streets. They were crowded as usual, with merchants selling weaponry to young girls in broad day light.

I registered the faces of men who sold girls. They were going to be punished very soon once I found a way forward.

"This is a Celtic war hammer, used by King Einar during his long war with the Amdelonians," the beautiful Kayan spoke, showing off the weapons. I stopped to watch, seeing the giant hammer that was made from iron.

"Do you want it?" she asked me.

"How do you know that King Einar used this?" I asked,

"It was taken from his tomb."

"Really?" I touched the weapon. She was obviously lying.

"Yes," she said, "So, will you buy it?"

"How much?"

"A hundred silver pieces,"

"I have no money, at least so much," I said,

"I will give you for less if you sell me, your hair."

"I...no thank you," I excused myself quickly.

These people were desperate to sell their weapons, even lying about their origin.

"Your search will be unsuccessful, just as the Amdelonians. The cyclops isn't here...if he was, he would have wreaked havoc on this planet." The voice spoke from before me.

I watched the Kayan man speak to the beast of a man that I had seen one of the days. He was the man with an eyepatch.

Why was he looking for the cyclops anyways?

"Or...he might have left Kayan," I said, walking to them.

He turned around and looked down at me, his amber eye burning.

"Hello," I said,

"Who are you?"

"Karya," I lied, "I heard that you are looking for the cyclops. Any luck?"

"I would be a fool to tell that to you,"

"If he was here, he is gone." I said, "I can help you find him, if you help me with something."

"Name it."

"Please, walk with me." I led the way.