“You can't force folks to have good sense, even if they're family. Maybe especially then.”

“Sometimes, though, you have to do things for family, even if you'd rather not.”

“Your levity is unbecoming, Richard, and not at all the point,' Mrs Lowe said, giving him a stern look.'In another week, the Season will be upon us, and as you have chosen to come to Town for once, I shall expect you to find a little more time for your social and family obligations.''Oh, you may expect whatever you like, Aunt.' Mairelon's tone was careless, but there was a set to his shoulders that told Kim he was not pleased.'People are already arriving, and I fear there are quite a few who are...confused about your proper standing''I can't imagine why. I'm the least confusing person I know.”

“Of course it doesn't make sense." Lady Wendall said. "The rules of society rarely do.”

“Mendanbar took a deep breath. “You could stay here. At the castle, I mean. With me.” This wasn’t coming out at all the way he had wanted it to, but it was too late to stop now. He hurried on, “As Queen of the Enchanted Forest, if you think you would like that. I would.”“Would you, really?”“Yes,” Mendanbar said, looking down. “I love you, and—and—”“And you should have said that to begin with,” Cimorene interrupted, putting her arms around him.Mendanbar looked up, and the expression on her face made his heart begin to pound.“Just to be sure I have this right,” Cimorene went on with a blinding smile, “did you just ask me to marry you?”“Yes,” Mendanbar said. “At least, that’s what I meant.”“Good. I will.”Mendanbar tried to find something to say, but he was too happy to think. He leaned forward two inches and kissed Cimorene, and discovered that he didn’t need to say anything at all.”

“This is the most important lesson you must learn about magic," Miss Ochiba went on. "There are many ways of seeing. Each has an element of truth, but none is the whole truth. If you limit yourselves to one way of seeing, one truth, you will limit your power. You will also place limits on the kinds of spells you can cast, as well as their strength. To be a good magician, you must see in many ways. You must be flexible. You must be willing to learn from different sources. And you must always remember that the truths you see are incomplete.”

“(In reply to the question, 'Would you like some suggestions for a plot for your next book?')There are three problems with getting plot suggestions from other people. The first is that ideas are the easy part of writing; finding the time and energy to get them down on paper is the hard part. I have plenty of ideas already. Which brings me to the second problem: the ideas that excite you, the ones you think would make a terrific book, are not necessarily the same ideas that excite me. And if a writer isn't excited about an idea, she generally doesn't turn out a terrific book, even if the idea is terrific. And the third problem with my using your suggestions is that, theoretically, you could sue me if I did, and that tends to make publishers nervous, which makes it hard to sell a book. So thank you, but no.”