Hayl Here

“The ninth Earl of Ellesmere had his chin thrust out as far as it would go, but the defiant look in his eye was tempered with a certain doubt as he intercepted Jamie’s cold blue gaze. Jamie set the horse’s hoof down slowly, just as slowly stood up, and drawing himself to his full height of six feet four, put his hands on his hips, looked down at the Earl, three feet six, and said, very softly, “No.”
― Diana Gabaldon, Voyager

“Life – the way it really is – is a battle not between good and bad, but between bad and worse’ Joseph Brodsky”
― Joe Abercrombie, The Blade Itself

“The blade itself incites to deeds of violence’ Homer”
― Joe Abercrombie, The First Law Trilogy Boxed Set: The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, Last Argument of Kings

“I wish I could have fought him for you," he said abruptly, looking back at me. His blue eyes were dark and earnest.

I smiled at him, touched.

"It wasn't your fight, it was mine. But you won it anyway." I reached out a hand, and he squeezed it.

"Aye, but that's not what I meant. If I'd fought him man to man and won, ye'd not need to feel any regret over it." He hesitated. "If ever—"

"There aren't any more ifs," I said firmly. "I thought of every one of them yesterday, and here I still am."

"Thank God," he said, smiling, "and God help you." Then he added, "Though I'll never understand why."

I put my arms around his waist and held on as the horse slithered down the last steep slope.

"Because," I said, "I bloody well can't do without you, Jamie Fraser, and that's all about it.”
― Diana Gabaldon, Outlander