“Every now and then I like to do as I'm told, just to confuse people.”

“I'm sorry," she said humbly. "I haven't wanted to lie to you.""I should hope so. You're the worst liar I've ever met." He thought about it for a moment, then added, "--or the best. Now I'm all confused.”

“Alanna: All I know is that I'm to jump when I'm told and I have no free time.”

“I'm sick of this. Call me what you like, say I'm without honor, I don't care. I'm not getting on any more horses to whack you people with a stick.”

“If we pick a fight, then we're just as bad as them. Combat should be used just to help people who can't defend themselves, period.""Well, if I don't fight back and they pound on me, then I'm one of the people I should be defending.”

“Gran, for the gods' love, it's talk like yours that starts riots!" I said keeping my voice down. "Will you just put a stopper in it?"She looked at me and sighed. "Girl, do you ever take a breath and wonder if folk don't put out bait for you? To see if you'll bite? You'll never get a man if you don't relax."My dear old Gran. It's a wonder her children aren't every one of them as mad as priests, if she mangles their wits as she mangles mine."Granny, "I told her, "this is dead serious. I can't relax, no more than any Dog. I'm not shopping for a man. That's the last thing I need.”

“Do we say, Oh now I'm going to be nice to the weak and the small? Or do we do as we learned when we were pages?”