Trickster's Choice (Daughter of the Lioness, #1)

by Tamora Pierce

Marriage gives a woman plenty to do, particularly the noble ones,” George said. “Keeping your lands in order, supervising the servants, using your men-at-arms to defend the place when your lord’s away, working up your stock of medicines, making sure your folk are fed and clothed—it’s important work, and it’s hard.”

You try being the daughter of a legend. It’s a great deal like work.”

You do your bit, and then you get to pretend to be part of the scenery. You sit and you sweat and you hope that all those who are paid to go out and show their faces and do the bloody work don’t foul everything up. The waiting for others to act on your information will give you the belly gripes, but that’s what agents do. And I advise you not to pray as you wait. You don’t know who will answer, times like that.

the spy you know is present is always preferable to the unidentified spy. Veron could be watched. He might lead her to other royal spies within the Balitang household, or even help her to locate spies sent by enemies other than the Crown.

“Curiosity killed the cat,” Fesgao remarked, his dark eyes unreadable. Aly rolled her eyes. Why did everyone say that to her? “People always forget the rest of the saying,” she complained. “ ‘And satisfaction brought it back.’ ”

noble honor hindered those who had it as much as it helped them.

It’s those who are overlooked by the folk around them you want to watch. They see more than they tell, and they think more than they talk. You want them for your friend. You don’t want them asking questions about you.

I don’t trust anyone who feels you should like them because they love themselves so much,

The god cannot watch you always. No god can. And you are too wise to take foolish chances, Aly of the crooked eye.

Fesgao was the quietest of the four raka leaders, but Aly had come to value the few things he chose to say. Did he value her in the same manner? she wondered.

A noble maiden must convey dignity and chastity without appearing to think about either one. Let common-born girls tussle in the hay with their loutish swains. The future of your family’s bloodline and your future lord’s bloodline should be your greatest concern. Let no man but one of your family embrace you. Let no man but your betrothed kiss any more than your fingertips; let your betrothed kiss you only on fingers, cheek, or forehead, lest he think you unchaste. And never allow yourself to be alone with a man, to safeguard the precious jewel of your reputation. No well-born maiden ever suffered from keeping her suitors at arm’s length. Your chastity will make you a prize to your future husband’s house and an honor to your own.

In a time of fear, the One Who I Promised will come to the raka, bearing glory in her train and justice in her hand. She will restore the god to his proper temple and his children to her right hand. She will be twice royal, wise and beloved, a living emblem of truth to her people. She will be attended by a wise one, the cunning one, the strong one, the warrior, and the crows. She will give a home to all, and the kudarung will fly in her honor.

“You’re very observant,” she remarked. “And cold,” Dove said, her mouth pulled down in distaste. “You didn’t say cold. Everyone does.” “But you’re not cold,” Aly replied. “You’ve learned to hide yourself. To hide in plain sight.” “Like you,” Dove pointed out. Aly grinned. “You have to admit, it’s very useful.”

If you’re to lie to a god, and sometimes it’s fair useful, do it with the truth. They smell lies on two-leggers, or they see it, or whatever it is they do. But if all you’re telling them is whatever part of your lie that’s truthful, they’ll accept it. The gods don’t see what’s always in our minds. Mayhap they’d go mad if they knew everything we think as we think it—I know I would. Besides, mortals were granted the right to make our own choices when we were shaped. So if a god’s got no reason to be suspicious, he won’t enter your mind to find that you’ve only spoken half the story.

You asked me why the king doesn’t just call on the gods for help with Scanra. We mustn’t get too dependent on the gods. On the day before King Jonathan’s coronation, the Great Mother Goddess spoke of a crossroads in time, when not even the gods can predict how things might go. At such times they must step away and let us deal with things. It’s a blessing, in a way. It evens the balance and saves us mortals from being the gods’ puppets. Still, it’s hard to think of it as a blessing when you’re frightened, you don’t know why, and all you want is for the god to tell you what the bad thing is so you can hunt it down and kill it.

Most humans think the appearance of quiet is quiet. They do not see that sometimes the enemy is as quiet as the serpent. Only when it has stolen all of their eggs will they know bad walks in the quiet as well as the noisy.”

George inspected the younger man from head to toe, then looked at his daughter. Without a word he cocked one eyebrow. She raised one of hers in reply.