Murtagh (The Inheritance Cycle #5)

by Christopher Paolini

“Because a scar means you survived. It means you’re tough and hard to kill. It means you lived. A scar is something to admire.”

“But sometimes, if you work very hard, you can mend a break so that it’s stronger than before.”

“It’s funny, y’ know,” said the blacksmith. “Y’ take all that time t’ feed and clothe a child. Take care of ’em. Keep ’em from killing themselves on every such thing. But y’ can’t protect ’em from themselves.

“Well, far as I see it, there’s no putting a price on pain, if’n you follow. Everyone’s entitled to their own. Would be a strange thing t’ say that some pain is easier ’an others without knowin’ what it’s like in another’s shoes, if’n that makes sense.”