Xenocide (Ender's Saga #3)

by Orson Scott Card

Grief, she reminded herself, is almost always for the mourner’s loss.

‘Though the wise man’s punishments may be light, this is not due to his compassion; though his penalties may be severe, this is not because he is cruel; he simply follows the custom appropriate to the time. Circumstances change according to the age, and ways of dealing with them change with the circumstances.’

“But the sky only seems to be far away from you,” said Master Han, when she told him this. “Actually it is all around you.

You’re making us very tired, with all your thinking of stupid imaginary impossible things.>