COLONY WARS

CHAPTER 137-YE ARE WHAT I LOVE

"Silvie?" I knocked on the wooden door.

There was movement before the door opened.

"Come in," she let me in, her blue eyes peering away.

I walked inside and she locked the door behind. I heard her sigh.

"There was a dragon fight at the arena today," I said, watching her walk past me and sitting down on the bed. She looked awful, dark circles under her eyes and her skin puffy and lifeless.

"I need to go."

"Go?"

"I can't stay."

"Yes, ye can. I made sure that..."

"Leif, I do not want to stay. I want to go. Please, let me." she begged.

I nodded, "I see,"

"Thank ye." Her eyes lit up and she embraced me.

I looked away. She was leaving me too, just like everyone else.

"I...I will have men take ye anywhere ye wish to go." The words barely left my lips.

"Aye." She nodded, "I need to prepare now, take the little that I have and wait for my departure."

"Did ye even love me?"

"Pardon?" her eyes widened at the sudden question.

"Ye seem eager to leave me here on my own. Do ye love me Silvie?"

"Ye are not alone. Ye have a family, a kingdom, and people to protect."

"None of this means anything if ye are gone."

"Of course, it does, ye are just hurt. Ye did not take the position because of me." she answered, "I was just a drunk ye happen to meet on the way."

"But I love ye..."

"So do I but we can't keep doing this. Ye know it too! It is wrong!" she argued, "Focus on the throne, the wars and everything else, please Leif...I beg of ye." She walked closer to me, "Focus on ye."

"I will miss ye."

"So will I." she kissed my lips softly.

A single tear ran down my cheek. Love was pain, the worst pain. It was never rewarding, at least not for someone like me.

Silvie's departure left me more bitter than I had expected. I hated everything, I hated Bjorn for letting me grow in Celtic. Deep inside, I wished to have been more Amdelonian, I wished to dwell in Amdelon than Celtic.

Thoughts of sadness and regret filled my head as I sat before the dinner table, amongst everyone else. I watched them, every single face that sat before me. They seemed happy, talking softly and passing food to each other.

My hand grabbed the silver fork before I brought up the glass of wine and hitting at it gently. The tinkling sound silenced them all. Their eyes watched me, confused and both terrified of what I had to say.

"Tonight, we gather to say our farewells to two of the most beautiful women in the room." I began.

Silvie was gone because of them.

"Tomorrow, they will go out and be wives and mothers to beautiful sons and daughters. Marie, Agnes." I eyed them, "We drink to ye both."

"No, no, no, NO!" Marie hit her palm on the table. Tears gathered in her eyes.

I watched her, certain of my decision. I needed an army of warriors if I wanted the Rhanian dead, not another mother.

"Ye can't, what about my children? Who will raise them?" Agnes asked, eyes wide open.

"I will raise yer daughters."

"Ye really are like him, only worse." Agnes hissed, "Ye slay mothers and their children, ye bring whores into yer bed and now ye sell yer own mothers!"

"My mother is dead." I said, "That is the only mother I will ever have."

Marie grabbed a knife from the table and attacked me, eyes burning furiously. I held her wrists quickly and pinned her on the table. Everyone in the hall rose to their feet, gasping in shock.

"Ye bitch! Bloody bitch! Ye are worse than he ever was, ye have no heart!" she screamed, "YE ARE OF PURE EVIL!"

"Mother!" her daughters began to cry,

She wept, letting go of the knife. I let her go and she did not move, now suddenly crying her heart out.

"Ye are no queen but a tyrant." Agnes hissed, "The gods will curse ye, they will curse ye and everything that ye love."

"Ye are what I love." I told her.