I am doing the right thing, he told himself, so why do I feel so bad?

When a man was hurt you took him to the maester, but what could you do when your maester was hurt?

Fire consumes, but cold preserves.

I had an encyclopedia with a list of flags in the back, so I would look at all these flags of China and Liberia and England and Denmark and whatever, and I learned all the different flags and I tried to imagine what it would be like to be voyaging on some of these ships.

In this world, only winter is certain

You've got a bold tongue, little man. One day, someone is like to cut it out and make you eat it.

So many vows … they make you swear and swear. Defend the king. Obey the king. Keep his secrets. Do his bidding. Your life for his. But obey your father. Love your sister. Protect the innocent. Defend the weak. Respect the gods. Obey the laws. It’s too much. No matter what you do, you’re forsaking one vow or another.