The Book of Dragon: Dragon and Issola (Vlad Taltos Collections 4)

by Steven Brust

“Well, so here you are, unable to move, to escape, or to act in any way. Good. There are a number of things I’ve wanted to say to you both over the years.”

“Okay, Boss. But just for the record, where is it you haven’t wanted to avoid fighting?”

So I didn’t have a plan. I did, as I stood there, start to get the seeds of what might, sometime, become a vague step generally in the direction of an intention. I may be stating that too strongly.

“you seem determined to express your displeasure to me in more and more obvious ways until I take notice. Very well, I take notice. You are wroth with me because I have used you; because I have offended against your innate right to be a useless cyst on the hindquarters of life. Yes, well, you may continue to be wroth with me, because I intend to continue making you useful. You may attempt to kill me, in which case I will destroy you; or may continue to annoy me; in which case I will cause you sufficient pain to make you stop; or you may shut up and accept the inevitable.”

VERY close to a conversation I had to have with one of the middle daughters! I cherish it, though mine didn't work out QUITE as well... ended with a smack to the face, where I'd hoped to win at the mental level. Oh, and BEFORE I GET SPAMMED, the girl struck first, and the return was FAR less than a child who thinks they can actually have a go at their parent gets, or deserves.

“I hate sitting around while other people decide what’s going to happen to me.” “Well, you can always do something stupid.” “No, I think I’m over that, for the moment.” “Note down the date.” “Oh, shut up.”