Mad Ship (Liveship Traders, #2)

by Robin Hobb

“The ship belongs to herself. Vivacia is a free creature, with the right to determine her own life. Or would you, who have worn the heavy chains of slavery, presume to do to another what was done so cruelly to you?”

“That part of your life is over. Set it aside as something you have finished. Complete or no, it is done with you. No being gets to decide what his life is ‘supposed to be.’ ” She lifted her eyes and her gaze stabbed him. “Be a man. Discover where you are now, and go on from there, making the best of things. Accept your life, and you might survive it. If you hold back from it, insisting this is not your life, not where you are meant to be, life will pass you by. You may not die from such foolishness, but you might as well be dead for all the good your life will do you or anyone else.”

It was right, what they said: enlightenment was merely the truth at the correct time.

Confinement and pain had made Kyle more of a tyrant than ever, and he seemed to believe Wintrow was his only remaining subject. In truth, the boy felt almost no loyalty to him at all, save for a residue of duty. His father’s insistence that he must constantly spy and plot for a way to regain control of the ship struck him as laughable. But he had not laughed; he had merely let the man rant

“Would you give up the Ophelia to marry me and live with me aboard the Vivacia while I captained her?” The shock on his face made it evident he had never considered such a question.

Grag, you’ll have a quiet word with Ophelia. Sa help us all, but I plan to give her free rein and let her be as unpleasant and bitchy as only she knows how. Let the dock workers and passers-by deal with that.”

There is no time; there is never any time. Tomorrow may never come, but todays are linked inexorably in a chain, and now is always the only time we have to divert disaster.”

The bottom rungs of the ladder become very slippery, once slavery is accepted. If a human’s life can be measured in counted coins, then that worth can be diminished, a copper at a time, until no value is left. When an old woman is worth less than the food she eats…well.”

I do not wish Malta to be unhappy. I want her to wake up and see that she must choose to be happy within the framework of her life.

“He has expectations. They don’t include me captaining my own liveship. He’d want me to settle down and manage things for him. I’d make a home for him to come back to, and raise our children and keep our household in order.” Her brows knit over her dark eyes. “I’d do everything that needed to be done so that he could sail off without any worries save the ship.” Bitterness came into her voice. “I’d do all the things that made it possible for him to live the life he wanted.” She spoke the next words sadly. “If I decide to love Grag, to marry him, it would cost me everything else I’ve ever wanted to do with my life. I’d have to lay it all down for the sake of loving him.”

“Why must love cost anything? Why does need have to be mixed up with love? Why can’t people be like butterflies, coming together in bright sunshine and parting while the day is still bright?”

Open your eyes. This horrible mess is your life. There is no sense in waiting for it to get better. Stop putting it off and live it.”

“Everyone thinks that courage is about facing death without flinching. But almost anyone can do that. Almost anyone can hold their breath and not scream for as long as it takes to die. True courage is facing life without flinching. I don’t mean the times when the right path is hard, but glorious at the end. I’m talking about enduring the boredom, and the messiness, and the inconvenience of doing what is right.”

“Even a stone is worn down by the rain eventually, my boy. No shame to the stone in that.”

Kennit cocked his head. “And you do not think she could ever accept me in your stead? For I only want what will make the both of you happy. Your monastery for you, if it can be managed without destroying the ship’s spirit.”

When I give Clef an order, I don’t watch him to see if he’ll obey. I’d never let him believe he had more power over me than I had over him. Boys can’t deal with that. They’ll keep groping for the limits until they find them. They only feel safe when they know where the boundaries are.”

It didn’t change what she had learned. You couldn’t depend on men, even powerful men, even when they truly loved you. To save her father, she was going to have to gather power to herself, and then use it. Afterwards, she would keep it.

His family disowned him for his wild ways. When I heard about that, I halfway expected him to die from it. But he didn’t. He comes and goes as he pleases, lives where he wants, sails where the wind blows him. He’s free.”

“Help me get to firmer ground,” Kennit demanded, but it was Sorcor who took his arm and helped him along. Etta and Wintrow followed together. For an instant, that rankled. Then he reminded himself that it was his intention to throw Etta and Wintrow together.

Kennit looked with distaste at the trampled muck he must pass through on his way back to the boat. He must manage it so that it looked no more difficult for him than for anyone else.

Few things appeal so much to the heart of a man as a fresh start.

Kennit set a muddy hand on Wintrow’s shoulder. The boy turned his head to look up at him and the admiration in his eyes near blinded the pirate. For an instant, he truly felt something, a pang of some emotion so sharp he could not tell if it was pain or love. His throat closed. When he did speak, his words came out softly and folk drew nearer still to hear him. He felt like a holy man. No. Like a wise and beloved king.

Since then, she had wondered if it were strength or a sort of madness that let her pretend she was normal. As before, she resolved to create for herself a place where no man had authority over her.

“All you have to do, my dear, is trust me to lead you in your steps,” he told her indulgently. His patronizing words popped the bubble he had created around them.

“If a man can believe it, then he can know he is as important as any other man. He can also know that he is no more important than any other is. It creates a vast equality of purpose.”

“You’re right. I know you’re right. We’re better as we are.” He sighed heavily. “That doesn’t make it any easier for me.” He released her hand. She could not think of anything to say to that. It was not easy for her, either, but to tell him that would only make it harder for both of them. He’d said she was a tough woman. She proved it by walking to the door. “Thank

“I’m not just what the Ludlucks made of me!” he burst out suddenly. “There is a me I was before, just as much a part of me. I don’t have to be whom they made me. I can be who I was. Before.”

They were humans. One could not owe anything to such beings. They were creatures of a few breaths, frantic to eat and breed before their brief span of days was done. What could one of her kind owe to something that died and rotted swifter than a tree did? Could one be in debt to a butterfly or a blade of grass?