Of Beasts and Knights

Vorstan: "Because it goes against our basic tenants."

outrider:...what?

Rosa: and for that millions must die?

Vorstan: "Such must be a war between us and them."

"...the empire's citizens do not deserve extermination vorstan..."

Scout: Just follow me
*He turns and rides to the village*

"They wont be exterminated. It wont be like this everywhere."

"how can you know that?"

"Why conquer a place with no people?"

"...it just seems so...."

"So?"

"....needless slaughter"

"...To conquer the south, they must bend the knee or die. Its as simple as that."

"Why?"

"How else can a people be conquered?"

"Again, why?"

"because we disagree fundamentally with their ideals."

"...*sighs*"

"War involves... collateral."

"War...war...so much war....I'll never see the end of it, will I?"

"War is a glorious thing."

"Is it?"

"It separates the strong from the weak. Makes us stronger."

"Weak like my brother?"

"he was young. Shouldn't have been on a battlefield."

"He wasn't Vorstan. He was home. The war came to him."

"A war is glorious, a siege is quite the opposite."

"Glorious. Like all the men I fought and bled beside. The ones slaughtered and enslaved now."

"Fighting and bleeding is what humans do best. It is the basis of all cultures in the old world and the core of our societies. The only difference is who you fight for."

"There was no glory vorstan. Just the people I'd grown to consider a second family being reduced to slaves and meat."

"The beasts aren't warriors. They're animals. No concept of honour, or mercy."

"...I'm tired vorstan....so very tired"

"The feeling is mutual. But perhaps thats bloodloss."

"I don't just mean like that....of everything. Of war. Of suffering. Almost of living at this point."

"Rosa... "

she just sighs and sits down on the edge of the bed

*he lies back, and looks at the ceiling.* "I cannot say i sympathise. I am a warrior. From my coming of age i have been."

"I'm not a warrior. I'm a peasant. A theif. I only fought cause I had no choice. Look where that got me."

"To be one of the strongest warriors in the warband of the chosen of chaos."

"Everyone I cared about before now is dead or worse. My life is gone. I wake up every night with nightmares of my torment. I still bare the scars. And if it all became too much, I can't even choose to end it all."

"I heard Heigen shout at you.... He's not lying you know."

"...what?"

"It is our hardships that forge us."

"...does it end?"

"Never. Life is that way for everyone."

"is it?"

"Except the few southern lords who live in luxury built upon others suffering."

"not all the lords are like that..."

"And those who aren't face hardship with their people"

"I suppose..."

"Life is hardship rosa."

"I just...want to close my eyes, and...not have to open them again."