|
fb27303
|
When you expect nothing from the world - not the light of the sun, the wet of water, nor the air to breathe - everything is a wonder and every moment a gift.
|
|
life
inspirational
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
2aa282b
|
A beautiful day might bring disaster, while a day that begins trapped inside an ancient toom, might be the best one of your life. If you don't abandon hope on pleasent days, why do so on those that begin poorly?
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
b9241dd
|
Bah!" Magnus scoffed. "Humans always blame dwarves. A baby goes missing and it was a dwarf that stole it. A princess runs off with a second son of a king and it was a dwarf who lured her to a deep prison. And when they find her with the prince--lo, she was rescued! "A king is stabbed in the back in his own chapel, and a princess's tower is turned into a death trap," Royce called back to them. "Friends are betrayed and trapped in a prison--y..
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
210693c
|
How can you regret never having found true love? That's like saying you regret not being born a genius. People don't have control over such things. It either happens or it doesn't. It's a gift - a present that most never get. It's more like a miracle, really, when you think of it. I mean, first you have to find that person, and then you have to get to know them to realize just what they mean to you - that right there is ridiculously difficu..
|
|
true-love
love
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
4e37061
|
NEVER INTERFERE WITH MELENGAR AGAIN BY ORDER OF THE KING ... AND US
|
|
humor
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
7d67c61
|
You think he's still alive?" Royce asked, nodding his head toward Alric. "Sure," Hadrian replied without bothering to look. "He's probably sleeping. Why do you ask?" "I was just pondering something. Do you think a person could smother in a wet potato bag?" Hadrian lifted his head and looked over at the motionless prince. "I really hadn't thought about it until now."
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
39e476a
|
The abbot told me once that lying was a betrayal to one's self. It's evidence of self-loathing. You see, when you are so ashamed of your actions, thoughts, or intentions, you lie to hide it rather than accept yourself for who you really are. The idea of how others see you becomes more important than the reality of you. It's like when a man would rather die than be thought of as a coward. His life is not as important to him as his reputation..
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
acee60a
|
You can go back to blacksmithing in Hintindar and live a quiet happy life. Do me a favor and marry some pretty farm girl and train your son to beat the crap out of imperial knights." "Sure," Hadrian told him. "And with any luck he'll make friends with a cynical burglar who'll do nothing but torment him."
|
|
humor
hadrian
royce
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
e1400bc
|
That's what a good wife does, keeps your dreams alive even when you don't believe anymore
|
|
spouse
wife
loyalty
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
603988e
|
The claw slipped again. It came off the edge of the stone and Hadrian felt his stomach rise as he fell. He dropped less than two stories and landed in a thick pile of straw, but it still hurt. With the wind knocked from him, he lay staring up at the sky and the wall. Royce's shadow crossed his face. "That was pathetic." "You're enjoying this a little too much for me to think you're honestly trying to help." "Trust me. I want you to improve...
|
|
royce
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
4da88fb
|
His Majesty is in a state meeting. He's requested that he not be disturbed." "The man is already disturbed. I'm just here to beat some sense into his feeble little brain."
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
19712e8
|
That's why you shouldn't make vows. The moment you do, fate starts conspiring to shove them down your throat.
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
18b61b2
|
I need your help." Royce looked up as if his head weighed a hundred pounds, his eyes red, his face ashen. He waited. "One last job," Hadrian told him, then added, "I promise." "Is it dangerous?" "Very." "Is there a good chance I'll get killed?" "Odds are definitely in favor of that." Royce nodded, looked down at the scarf in his lap, and replied, "Okay."
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
c6f7e01
|
Each killing steals a bit of humanity until a murderer is nothing more than an animal. A hunger replaces the spirit. A want for what was lost, but as with innocence, the soul can never be replaced. Joy, love, and peace flee such a vessel and in their stead blooms a desire for blood and death.
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
78d75d8
|
And I wish to thank you as well, Royce." He was puzzled. "For what?" "For reminding me that anyone, no matter what they've done, can find redemption if they seek it."
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
ecc70fd
|
You think you're a very clever fellow, don't you?" Saldur challenged. "No, Your Grace," Merrick replied. "Clever is the man who makes a fortune selling dried-up cows, explaining how it saves the farmers the trouble of getting up every morning to milk them. I'm not clever--I'm a genius."
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
e34eb82
|
You're not going to charge us for the tower, I hope," Hadrian said. "But if you are, it was Royce's fault and should come out of his share."
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
b18da85
|
How's your foot?" Hadrian asked. "It hurts." "He had a good hold." "Bit right through my boot." "Yeah, that looked painful." "So why exactly didn't you help?" Hadrian shrugged. "It was a dog, Royce. A cute, little dog. What did you want me to do, kill an innocent little animal?" Royce tilted his head, squinting into the light of the late evening sun to focus on his friend. "Is that a joke?" "It was a puppy." "It was not a puppy, and it was ..
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
ec441df
|
Royce turned to Hadrian. "It's supposed to make them look tough, but all it really does is make it easy to identify them as thieves for the rest of their lives. Painting a red hand on everyone is pretty stupid when you think about it." "That tattoo is supposed to be a hand?" Hadrian asked. "I thought it was a little red chicken. But now that you mention it, a hand does make more sense." Royce looked back at Will and tilted his head to one s..
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
7243158
|
Stealing swords," Royce muttered mostly to himself. "Okay, let's take a look at this tower. The sooner I see it, the sooner I can start cursing."
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
60480b0
|
Fools believe silence is a void needing to be filled; the wise understand there's no such thing as silence.
|
|
wisdom
suri
quiet
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
718332a
|
If this keeps up, we're going to own Melengar," Hadrian mentioned. "What's this we stuff?" Royce asked. "You're retired, remember?" "Oh? So you'll be leading the Nationalist advance, will you?" "Sixty-forty?" Royce proposed."
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
1aa99d0
|
We may indeed die here, that's true. But we will all die anyway-is there any denying that? When you think of all the possible ways you might go, this is as fine a place as any, isn't it? I mean, to end one's life surrounded by friends, in a comfortable, dry room with plenty to read... that doesn't sound too awful, does it?" "What is the advantage of fear, or the benefit of regret, or the bonus of granting misery a foothold even if death is ..
|
|
life-lessons
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
19dd442
|
I tried to find a way to go on. I could see familiar traces of the path that was my life, but there was always the wall behind me. Do you know what I mean? First you try and climb, pretending it never happened, but it's too tall. Then you try to go around, thinking you can fix it, but it is too far. Then, in frustration, you beat on it with your hands, but it does nothing, so you tire and sit down and just stare at it. You stare because you..
|
|
inspirational
myron
riyria
sad
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
aeb763a
|
People are afraid of what they do not understand.
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
f951089
|
Hadrian drew two swords from his sides in a single elegant motion. He flipped one around letting it spin against his palm once. "Need to get a new grip on this one. It's starting to fray again." He looked at Will. "Shall we get on with this? I believe you were about to rob us."
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
3673ff7
|
Wait a minute," Hadrian said. "Was it a beat-up brown leather notebook? About this big?" He gestured with his hands. "Yes," the Patriarch said. Arista looked back and forth between them. "How do you know that?" "I know it because I have lived in the Crown Tower," the Patriarch said. "And you?" Arista looked at Hadrian, who hesitated. "Ha-ha! Of course, of course. I knew it!" Cosmos DeLur chuckled and clapped his hands together in single app..
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
1f083f1
|
This book is entirely dedicated to my wife, Robin Sullivan. Some have asked how it is I write such strong women without resorting to putting swords in their hands. It is because of her. She is Arista. She is Thrace. She is Modina. She is Amilia. And she is my Gwen. This series has been a tribute to her. This is your book, Robin. I hope you don't mind that I put down in words How wonderful life is while you're in the world. --ELTON JOHN, BER..
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
16408bf
|
There are still eight of us," Guy pointed out. "Not exactly an even fight." "I was thinking the same thing," Mauvin said. "Sadly, there's no one else here we can ask to join your side." Guy looked at Mauvin, then Hadrian, for a long moment as the men glared across the ash at each other. Then he nodded and lowered his blade. "Well, I can see I'll have to report your misconduct to the archbishop." "Go ahead," Hadrian said. "His body is buried..
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
164485c
|
You look concerned." "Just that if you've started another war, I'd like a heads-up is all." "The level of confidence you have in my diplomatic skills is overwhelming." "What diplomatic skills?"
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
4ec0c37
|
It's not that we don't trust you," Royce said as Hadrian prepared the bow. "It's just that we've learned over the years that honor among nobles is usually inversely proportionate to their rank. As a result, we prefer to rely on more concrete methods for motivations--such as self-preservation. You already know we don't want you dead, but if you have ever been riding full tilt and had a horse buckle under you, you understand that death is alw..
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
a795825
|
It's not easy to subdue a person bigger than you and not hurt him in the process." "Well, I think I found your problem, then. Why don't we try hurting him?"
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
21a709e
|
And why would she do that?" Hadrian shouted to the upper story. "She told you herself. Farlan was going to have the sheriff investigate." "Yeah, investigate you!" "But I didn't kill anyone. Well, not anyone in Vernes ... well, not recently."
|
|
royce
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
f10df5a
|
You're too visible, Albert," Hadrian explained. "Can't afford to have our favorite noble hauled to some dungeon where they cut off your eyelids or pull off your fingernails until you tell them what we're up to." "But if they torture me, and I don't know the plan, how will I save myself?" "I'm sure they'll believe you after the fourth nail or so," Royce said with a wicked grin."
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
8fbb1dd
|
I just want to say, for the record, as far as Royal protectors go, you're not very good." "It's my first day," Royce replied dryly. "And already I am trapped in a timeless prison. I shudder to think what might have happened if you had a whole week."
|
|
riyria
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
2747787
|
I swear, the reason for full moons is so the gods can more clearly see the mischief they create.
|
|
moon
mischief
gods
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
40ae6f2
|
Right. And our first job is to teach her to give a speech on the Grand Balcony in three days." "That does not sound too difficult. Has she done much public speaking?" Amilia forced a smile. "A week ago she said the word no."
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
f1f7585
|
What kind of meal would you like?" "Something edible would be a pleasant surprise."
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
8d9e7eb
|
Happiness comes from moving toward something. When you run away, ofttimes you bring your misery with you." "Who are you quoting now?" "No one," Myron said. "I learned that one first hand." --
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
39263d0
|
There are no honorable causes. There is no good or evil. Evil is only what we call those who oppose us.
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
7d0f842
|
Revenge is a bittersweet fruit that leaves the foul aftertaste of regret.
|
|
revenge
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
1c676ac
|
Breathe the air, taste the wine, kiss the girls, and always remember that the tales of another are never as wondrous as your own.
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
663cee2
|
We are more than the bodies we inhabit," Fawkes said. "They're little more than clothes, and yet we judge so much by them."
|
|
judging-others
clothes
|
Michael J. Sullivan |
|
520d4cc
|
And now she has you seizing control of my army." "Your army? I thought this was Gaunt's." "So did he."
|
|
|
Michael J. Sullivan |