“I'd rather have ten soldiers to guard than a single scholar.”

“I'd rather be single, happy, and lonely sometimes than married, lonely, and happy sometimes.”

“But I'd rather help than watch. I'd rather have a heart than a mind. I'd rather expose too much than too little. I'd rather say hello to strangers than be afraid of them. I would rather know all this about myself than have more money than I need. I'd rather have something to love than a way to impress you.”

“I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance”

“Could I get mansions covering ten thousand miles, I'd house all the poor scholars and make them beam with smiles”

“Trust me?" I held my breath for her answer. She had every reason not to trust me. I'd been her kidnapper, her captor, yet I'd rather have died than hurt a single hair on her head.”