Maria

“The truth may hide at your feet. The truth may lie coiled in high grasses. But it still has claws, it still has fangs. Be careful, Captain, where you step.”
― Steven Erikson, The Crippled God

“You dream that you are strong, sensible, logical… the kind of person who always has a bit of string. But that’s just your excuse for not being really, properly human. You’re just a brain, no heart at all. You didn’t even cry when Granny Aching died.”
― Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men

“Aye, we’re family when fighting to the last, but the real family is among the fallen. Why else do we stagger half-blind after every battle? Why else do we look upon dead kin and feel so abandoned? They left without us, that’s why.
A soldier knows this. A soldier saying different is a Hood-damned liar.”
― Steven Erikson, Dust of Dreams

“Mud of the gods, woman, what are you doing?’
Abrastal looked up. ‘What does it look as if I’m doing, Spax?’
Her fiery tresses lay heaped on the tent floor. She was wrapped in her blanket and as far as he could tell, naked underneath. He watched as she resumed slashing long lengths away with her knife. ‘I witness,’ he said, ‘the death of my lust.’
‘Good. It’s about time. I was never going to bed you, Barghast.’
‘Not the point. It was the desire I took so much pleasure in.’
‘That’s pathetic.’
Spax shrugged. ‘I am an ugly man. This is how ugly men get through each damned day.’
‘You’ve been bedding my daughter.’
‘She only does it to infuriate you, Highness.’
Abrastal paused with her knife, looked up at him. ‘And has it succeeded?’
Grinning, Spax said, ‘So I tell her every night. All about your rants, your foaming mouth, your outrage and fury.’
‘Ugly and clever, a deadly combination in any man.”
― Steven Erikson, The Crippled God