Tess had said that the river was liable to wash the palace and the city and the whole kingdom off the rocks, and then there would finally be peace in the world. "Peace in the world," Brigan repeated musingly when Fire told him. "I suppose she's right. That would bring peace to the world. But it's not likely to happen, so I suppose we'll have to keep blundering on and making a mess of it." "Oh," Fire said, "well put. We'll have to pass that on to the governor so he can use it in his speech when they dedicate the new bridge.
Kristin CashoreShe looked at him then, but his image blurred behind tears that swelled into her eyes. She must leave. She must leave this room, because she wanted to hit him, as she had sworn she never would do. She wanted to cause him pain for taking a place in her heart that she wouldn't have given him if she'd known the truth. "You lied to me," she said. She turned and ran from the room.
Kristin CashoreAnd," he continued, his strange smile gleaming, "as I see it, our hearts are not so different in size. I murdered my father. You murdered yours. Is that something you did with a large heart?
Kristin CashoreArcher, is there a servant girl in my fortress you haven't taken to bed? I announce you're leaving and within minutes two of them are at each other's throats, and another is crying her eyes out in the scullery. Honestly. You've been here all of nine days." - Roen, "Fire
Kristin CashoreWell then," Roen said briskly, "are you sleeping?" "Yes." "Come now. A mother can tell when her son lies. Are you eating?" "No," Brigan said gravely. "I've not eaten in two months. It's a hunger strike to protest the spring flooding in the south." "Gracious," Roen said, reaching for the fruit bowl. "Have an apple, dear.
Kristin CashoreI'd thought once, actually, of taking your mind, if you asked. I'd thought I could help you fall asleep at night." He opened his mouth to say something. Shut it again. His face closed for a moment, his unreadable mask falling into place. He spoke softly. "But that wouldn't be fair; for after I slept you'd be left awake, with no one to help you sleep.
Kristin CashoreKatsa didn't think a person should thank her for not causing pain. Causing joy was worthy of thanks, and causing pain worthy of disgust. Causing neither was neither, it was nothing, and nothing didn't warrant thanks.
Kristin CashoreShe couldn't steal herself back from Randa only to give herself away again - belong to another person, be answerable to another person, build her very being around another person.
Kristin CashoreYou do trust him, though, Giddon?" "Holt, who is stealing your sculptures and is of questionable mental health?" "Yes." "I trusted him five minutes ago. Now I'm at a bit of a loss." "Your opinion five minutes ago is good enough for me.
Kristin CashoreTell me what I can do to help you feel better." Well...I always like when you kiss me... "Do you?" You're good at it. "Well, that's lucky. Because I'll always be kissing you.
Kristin CashoreThen she marched to the pillows and beat them mercilessly until they lay puffed out like obedient clouds.
Kristin CashoreShe wanted to cause him pain for taking a place in her heart she wouldn't have given him if she'd known the truth.
Kristin CashoreIt's as if when I open myself up to every perception, things create their own focus.
Kristin CashoreI thought it was supposed to be impossible to sneak up on you. Eyes of a hawk and ears of a wolf and all.
Kristin CashoreThrough an arrow loop in the wall she saw a familiar horse and rider tearing across the camp toward the healing rooms. Brigan pulled up at Nash's feet and dropped from the saddle. The two brothers threw their arms around each other and embraced hard. Shortly thereafter he stepped into the healing rooms and leaned in the doorway, looking across at her quietly. Brocker's son with the gentle gray eyes. She abandoned all pretense of decorum and ran at him.
Kristin CashoreYou have a wound too, Papa." Hanna took Brigan's left hand, which was wrapped in a bandage, and inspected it. "Did you throw the first punch?
Kristin CashoreHe said, โThe moment I began to love you was the moment when you saw your fiddle smashed on the ground, and you turned away from me and cried against your horse. Your sadness is one of the things that makes you beautiful to me. Donโt you see that? I understand it. It makes my own sadness less frightening.
Kristin CashoreShe crossed the room to him, put her arms around him, clung to him, turning her face to the side, learning all at once that it was awkward to show a person all of one's love when one's nose was broken.
Kristin CashoreKatsa turned to Po with tears in her eyes. 'He'll be so angry.' 'He won't stay angry forever.' 'Won't he?' she said. 'People do sometimes.' 'Do they?' he said. 'Reasonable people? I hope that's not true.' Katsa gave him a funny look, but didn't answer. Resumed hugging herself and kicking things.
Kristin CashoreDanzhol. The one with the marriage proposal and the objections to the town charter in central Monsea. "Bacon," Bitterblue muttered. "Bacon!" she repeated, then carefully made her way up the spiral stairs.
Kristin CashoreAnd is it the way, in these kingdoms you fell from, for a woman to join forces with an unnatural child who's murdered her friend? Or is that expectation unique to you, and your infinitesimal heart?
Kristin CashoreHelda's been trying to impress me with the embroidery on the sheets. One more minute and I thought I might use them to hang myself." "My mother did the embroidery," Bittterblue said. Katsa clapped her mouth shut and glared at Helda. "Thank you, Helda, for mentioning that detail.
Kristin CashoreI wish people would stop hitting Po," whispered Bitterblue. "Well," Giddon said. "Yes. I'm hoping Skye is following my model. Punch Po; go on a long trip; feel better; come back and make up.
Kristin CashoreIt was a hurting tune, resigned, a cry of heartache for all in the world that fell apart. As ash rose black against the brilliant sky, Fire's fiddle cried out for the dead, and for the living who stay behind to say goodbye.
Kristin CashorePlease, Katsa," he finally said. "At least talk to me". She swung around to face him. "What it there to talk about? You know how I feel, and what I think about it." "And what I feel? Doesn't it matter?
Kristin CashoreWhile I was looking the other way your fire went out. Left me with cinders to kick into dust, what a waste of the wonder you were
Kristin CashoreKing Drowden has given his men instructions to infiltrate the town, bribe townspeople for the secrets of their neighbors, steal the neighborsโ hidden treasures. Much more subtle than Drowdenโs usual smash and burn technique. We do hope Drowden isnโt growing a brain.
Kristin CashoreGaran snorted. "Now that we know about his indigestion, we can torture him with cake.
Kristin CashoreI wouldn't marry Giddon to save my life," Katsa said. "Not even to save yours." "Well." Raffin's eyes were full of laughter. "I'd leave that part out.
Kristin CashoreDear Brigan, she thought to herself. People want incongruous, impossible things. Horses do, too.
Kristin CashoreShe cried like a person whose heart is broken and wondered how, when two people loved each other, there could be such a broken heart.
Kristin CashoreIt's not fair. It's not fair," she cried, knowing it was a child's argument but not caring, because being childish did not make it untrue.
Kristin CashoreYou're the queen, and it's the queen's house, and whatever Brigan may accomplish, he's highly unlikely ever to be queen.
Kristin CashoreThe fellow who tends the greenhouse gardens? Trust me, Lady, you'd let him stake your tomatoes.
Kristin CashoreI meditate, and when I do, Prince Harry appears in my subconscious and meditates with me. It's a little strange but I don't think there's anything I can do about it. Sometimes he's not the only one; the other day it was me, Prince Harry, the Dalai Lama, Mr. Rogers, Coco the gorilla, and George Clooney. We were all floating above the earth looking down at the continents as they passed. George Clooney suggested I visit Providence, Rhode Island. The Dalai Lama sighed deeply and said he'd like to visit Tibet. Poor Dalai Lama.
Kristin CashoreI have no doubt that you are more than capable of bringing the Monsean queen and my son and the rest of my sons and a hundred Nanderan kittens through an onslaught of howling raiders if you chose to.
Kristin CashoreHe leaned heavily on the desk now, as if danger had strengthened him before and its lack now made him weak.
Kristin CashoreIโm bored to death. Perhaps I should pillage one of my neighbors for my own amusement. It seems to work for Drowden.
Kristin CashorePart a of scene from 'Bitterblue' between Madlen (Bitterblue's medicine woman) and Bitterblue: Madlen came to sit beside her [Bitterblue] on the bed. "Lady Queen," she said with her own particular brand of rough gentleness. "It is not the job of the child to protect her mother. It's the mother's job to protect the child. By allowing your mother to protect you, you gave her a gift. Do you understand me?
Kristin Cashore