“The king killed his brother, who was actually king, so that he could be king. Then the dead king’s wife and baby disappeared, on account the baby would’ve been king, so the brother probably killed them, too. They do that kind of thing all the time, kings do. They can kill anybody they don’t like.”

“I was banished,” said Reven proudly.“What for?” Elfwyn pressed.“The king said I was anathema.”“He doesn’t like athemas?”“Anathema means, like, accursed,” said Jinx. “Probably it was for robbing people.”

“Kings kill; jesters don’t; therefore the jesters of the kings are more valuable than the kings!”

“I’ll accompany you too, fair lady,” said Reven. “I would fain meet your grandmother.”“You would what?” said Elfwyn.“He means he’d like to,” said Jinx. Some of the books in Simon’s house used old-fashioned words like that.”

“My father says there are more than twenty thousand turned out for the king. It seems that most men think that we will win, that York will be captured and killed, though the king in his tender heart has said he will forgive them all if they will surrender.~Will there be another battle?~Unless York decides he cannot face the king in person. It is one sort of sin to kill your friends and cousins, quite another to order your bowmen to fire at the king's banner and him beneath it. What if the king is killed in battle? What if York brings his broadsword down on the king's sanctified head?”

“...if you spent all your time being protected, you never got to find out anything new.”

“I’m not sure how people drink out of skulls,” Jinx added. Calvin had too many holes in him to make a good cup.”