{"author":"Andrew Ashling","author_id":"Andrew+Ashling","total_quotes":18,"quotes":[{"text":"Let the Gods create the days, and just live through them.","author":"Andrew Ashling","tags":["living-in-the-moment","living-life","stress-relief","wisdom-inspirational"],"id":12300,"author_id":"Andrew+Ashling"},{"text":"Why, Andrew, why would it irritate me? Do you think that being loved by you is something to be ashamed of? I don't.","author":"Andrew Ashling","tags":["love","love","love-and-sayings","shame"],"id":16034,"author_id":"Andrew+Ashling"},{"text":"Pah…commoners, traders.' Ergus made a disparaging gesture.Traders with money, Ergus. Money they put at the disposition of young Tanahkos,' Lmachdan said in a dry tone. 'Money that turns into soldiers. Soldiers who are used to extort tribute from us. Tribute that is turned into more soldiers. The warlord has a good thing going, I'll say that for him.","author":"Andrew Ashling","tags":["complaints","greed","nobles","paying-taxes","power","rich-men","soldiers-pay","taxation","treason"],"id":116251,"author_id":"Andrew+Ashling"},{"text":"Regrets... Regrets are bootless. A vain trick of the mind. An impotent raging against what cannot be changed anyway. A distraction from the moment.","author":"Andrew Ashling","tags":["regrets"],"id":146951,"author_id":"Andrew+Ashling"},{"text":"Ah, I see. You don't know much about us and the unknown equals the barbaric, the primitive. Although it is you lot who are ignorant.","author":"Andrew Ashling","tags":["barbarian","ignorance","intolerance","knowledge","primitive","unknow"],"id":163817,"author_id":"Andrew+Ashling"},{"text":"Of course he was afraid of war. Only fools are not. Anaxantis was no fool. He was fully prepared to fight, but only as a last resort.","author":"Andrew Ashling","tags":["bravery","war","warrior","warrior-ethos","words-to-live-by"],"id":195998,"author_id":"Andrew+Ashling"},{"text":"But you didn’t mention Orrigar I, the first king of the House of Chaldarina. He put an end to years of unrest and civil strife. Neither did you mention Ronnick II, the one who reformed the monetary system and forbade the Great Houses to mint their own coins, thus stabilizing our currency. At the time it saved Ximerion from going bankrupt.” “I’m sorry. I told you we weren’t big—” “It’s not that, Hemarchidas. You remembered the fighting kings, those who brought war, destruction and ephemeral glory. Or those who ended tragically. You forgot the wise administrators, those who kept the peace, those who brought prosperity. You needn’t feel embarrassed, though. So did history.” Hemarchidas looked at his friend as if he saw him for the first time. “So, all in all, Hemarchidas, I’d rather history forgot me.","author":"Andrew Ashling","tags":["historical-perspective","history","history-politics","peacemakers","war"],"id":208142,"author_id":"Andrew+Ashling"},{"text":"A while ago?” Anaxantis asked. “Yes, he raped me a while ago. Exactly nine months and two days ago. What's that? Nine months or nine minutes. It's the same. And it is in the past, you say? Then why is it still happening, every day, every time I close my eyes? Every time I hear someone behind me, and I don't know who it is? How is it that I get an almost irresistible urge to kill anyone who happens to touch me unexpectedly? Tell me, Hemarchidas, how do I forgive, let alone forget, something that is still happening, that keeps happening over and over? How? How do I do that?","author":"Andrew Ashling","tags":["forgive","forgiveness","forgiving","kill","killing","rape","raped","time"],"id":242135,"author_id":"Andrew+Ashling"},{"text":"Deal with all this, live with myself, you mean? I honestly don't know. I stand often enough at the abyss of my soul, asking that same question, looking down into the dark crevices where the black monsters dwell on the bottom. They gaze up at me, and I look them in the eyes. “This also you are,” they say, and I almost fall into the void.”“And then?”Anaxantis shrugged.“And then? I turn around and go do what needs to be done. What else is there?","author":"Andrew Ashling","tags":["abyss","demons","inner-demons","monster","monsters","soul"],"id":261144,"author_id":"Andrew+Ashling"},{"text":"However, what he wanted was impossible: the serenity of the Gods cannot be achieved by the sword.","author":"Andrew Ashling","tags":["gods","peace","serenity","sword","war"],"id":279833,"author_id":"Andrew+Ashling"}],"pagination":{"page":1,"page_size":10,"total":18,"pages":2,"next":"?page=2\u0026page_size=10"}}