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When there is no law, there is no crime.
Better one of them die than both, surely? God would understand that, wouldn’t he? God was made of understanding.
Times like these reveal a man for what he truly is. For a while Temple had convinced himself he was a righteous man, but it is easy to be virtuous before your virtue is put to the test.
‘You are on the wrong side as soon as you pick one, my son. We must act as we would want to act. We must act as we would want others to act. Now more than ever.’
Surprise is like virginity. You only get the one chance at using it, and that normally turns out a crushing disappointment.
‘Some men will break a thing just because they can,’ he had whispered. ‘But war must be a leader’s last resort. Fight a war, you’ve lost already.’
‘Rules must be for all, and for those who lead most of all.
Without rules, every man stands alone, owning only what he can tear from the world with one hand and grip with the other. Chaos.’
‘We are family,’ he said. ‘If we’re not always for each other, who will be?
They like great warriors in the North, and great warriors rarely make great leaders. Men without fear are men without imagination. Men who use their heads for smashing through things rather than thinking. They celebrate spiteful, prideful, wrathful men here, and pick the most childish of the crowd for leaders.’
He is the Bloody-Nine. If you stop finding fights for him, do you think he’ll stop fighting? No. He will find his own, and with whoever’s nearest. That’s what he is. Sooner or later he will find a fight with you.’
‘Wisdom’s wisdom, ain’t it, no matter the source?
‘You can’t kill the whole world, Logen.’
‘Before you make a man into mud, make sure he’s no use to you alive. Some men will smash a thing just because they can. They’re too stupid to see that nothing shows more power than mercy.’
The dead know I’ve faced some hard men. Fought beside ’em, fought against ’em. Big names. Dangerous bastards.’ He leaned forward, white hair stirred in the breeze, and spat. ‘I never met one scared me like the Bloody-Nine, though. Have you?’
‘The wise leader hopes he won’t need his sword. But he keeps it sharp even so.’
Swords are well enough, but the only true victories are won with words. Now he would set to building. Building something to be proud of. Something his father would have been proud of.
