The Well of Ascension (Mistborn, #2)

by Brandon Sanderson

“Now, see, you don’t understand how clever that is of me,” he said. “If people can’t tell when I’m being an idiot and when I’m being a genius, perhaps they’ll assume my blunders are brilliant political maneuverings.”

“Good men don’t need to become legends.” She opened her eyes, looking up at him. “They simply do what’s right anyway.”

Kelsier had reportedly insisted on laughing, no matter how bad the situation. It had been a form of rebellion to him.

It seemed to her that people shouldn’t be so casual with the way that they touched others.

A man can only lead when others accept him as their leader, and he has only as much authority as his subjects give to him. All of the brilliant ideas in the world cannot save your kingdom if no one will listen to them.”

See, they claimed that we were noble because our ancestors supported the Lord Ruler before the Ascension. But that meant we were privileged because of what other people had done. Not really fair, eh?” Vin shrugged. “Fair as anything else, I guess.”

She breathed in deeply of the cool misty air, her heart still beating quickly from the exchange. She felt tired, yet alive, from fighting someone who might actually be better than she was.

he found insanity no excuse for irrational behavior. Some men were blind, others had poor tempers. Still others heard voices. It was all the same in the end. A man was defined not by his flaws, but by how he overcame them.

A lesser man would never have fallen in love with me.

Who was he? A man who had haphazardly ended up on the throne? A poor replacement for their brilliant leader? An idealist who hadn’t considered the dangers his philosophies would bring? A fool? A child? An impostor? The best they had.

Every scholar knew that one of the greatest dangers in research was the desire to find a specific answer.

You can wear the court’s dresses, Vin, but make them your own. Don’t worry that you aren’t giving people what they want. Give them who you are, and let that be enough.” He paused, smiling. “It was for me.”