“Isn't it easier to forgive than to hate?
-Eriond”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“Belgarath turned back to Senji. “All right,” he said. “The Sardion came to Zamad. How?”
“It’s said to have fallen out of the sky.”
“They always do,” Beldin said. “Someday I’d like to see something rise up out of the earth –just for the sake of variety.”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“Nothing that's really worthwhile should be easy, Belgarion. If it's easy, we don't value it...
--Eriond”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“Garion,' she said very calmly, 'the universe knew your name before that moon up there was spun out of the emptiness. Whole constellations have been waiting for you since the beginning of time.'
I didn't want them to, Aunt Pol.'
There are those of us who aren't given that option, Garion. There are things that gave to be done and certain people who have to do them. It's as simple as that.'
He smiled rather sadly at her flawless face and gently touched the snowy white lock at her brow. Then, for the last time in his life, he asked the question that had been on his lips since he was a tiny boy. 'Why me, Aunt Pol? Why me?'
Can you possibly think of anyone else you'd trust to deal with these matters, Garion?'
He had not really been prepared for that question. It came at him in stark simplicity. Now at last he fully understood. 'No,' he sighed, 'I suppose not. Somehow it seems a little unfair, though. I wasn't even consulted.'
Neither was I, Garion,' she answered. 'But we didn't have to be consulted, did we? The knowledge of what we have to do is born into us.”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“I was reading an old text on the exploits of Belgarath the Sorcerer, and I –“ Senji stopped, going very pale, turned, and gaped at Garion’s grandfather.
“It’s a terrible letdown, isn’t it?” Beldin said. “We always told him he ought to try to look more impressive.”
“You’re in no position to talk,” the old man said.
“You’re the one with the earthshaking reputation.” Beldin shrugged. “I’m just a flunky. I’m along for comic relief.”
“You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you, Beldin?”
“I haven’t had so much fun in years. Wait until I tell Pol.”
“You keep your mouth shut, you hear me?”
“Yes, O mighty Belgarath,” Beldin said mockingly.”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“...If there's a noise in the woods, and there's nobody around to hear it, is it really a noise?"
"Of course it is," she replied calmly.
"How did you reach that conclusion?" Beldin demanded.
"Because there's no such thing as an empty place, uncle. There are always creatures around --wild animals, mice, insects, birds --and they can all hear."
"But what if there weren't? What if the woods are truly empty?"
"Why waste your time talking about an impossibility?”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“Zakath stared at the floor. 'I suddenly feel very helpless,' he admitted, 'and I don't like the feeling. I've been rather effectively dethroned, you know. This morning I was the Emperor of the largest nation on earth; this afternoon, I'm going to be a vagabond.'
You might find it refreshing,' Silk told him lightly.
Shut up, Kheldar,' Zakath said almost absently. He looked back at Polgara. 'You know something rather peculiar?'
What's that?'
Even if I hadn't given my word, I'd still have to go to Kell. It's almost like a compulsion. I feel as if I'm being driven, and my driver is a blindfolded girl who's hardly more than a child.'
There are rewards,' she told him.
Such as what?'
Who knows? Happiness, perhaps.'
He laughed ironically. 'Happiness has never been a driving ambition of mine, Lady Polgara, not for a long time now.'
You may have to accept it anyway,' She smiled. 'We aren't allowed to choose our rewards any more than we are our tasks. Those decisions are made for us.”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“...it's as empty as a merchant's soul. Sorry, Kheldar, it's just an old expression."
"That's all right, Beldin," Silk forgave him grandly. "These little slips of the tongue are common in the very elderly.”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“...I can't abide snakes."
"I don't even think of her as a snake."
"Ce'Nedra," he said patiently, "she's long and skinny, she wriggles, she doesn't have any arms or legs, and she's poisonous. By definition, she's a snake."
"...I'm bitterly disappointed in you, Prince Kheldar. She's a sweet, loving, brave little creature, and you're insulting her." He looked at her for a moment, then rose to his feet and bowed floridly to the earthenware bottle. "I'm dreadfully sorry, dear Zith," he apologized. "I can't think what came over me. Can you possible find it in your cold little green heart to forgive me?"
Zith hissed at him, a hiss ending in a curious grunt.
"She says to leave her alone," Sadi told him.
"Can you really understand what she's saying?"
"In a general sort of way, yes. Snakes have a very limited vocabulary, so it's not all that difficult to pick up a few phrases here and there." The eunuch frowned. "She's been swearing a great deal lately, though, and that's not like her. She's usually a very ladylike little snake."
"I can't believe I'm actually involved in this conversation," Silk said, shaking his head and going off down the hall toward the back of the house.”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“There was a sudden, shocking sound that echoed through Garion's head like an explosion.
"What was that?" Zakath exclaimed.
"You heard it, too?" Garion was amazed. "You shouldn't have been able to hear it!"
"It shook the earth, Garion. Look there." Zakath pointed off toward the north where a huge pillar of fire was soaring up toward the murky, starless sky. "What is it?"
"Aunt Pol did something. She's never that clumsy..."
Belgarath and Beldin were both pale and shaken, and even Durnik seemed awed.
"She hasn't done anything that noisy since she was about sixteen," Beldin said,m blinking in astonishment. He looked suspiciously at Durnik. "Have you gone and got her pregnant?”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“Belgarath and Garion effortlessly hurdled over the driftwood and loped off into the fog. "It's going to be a wet day," Garion noted soundlessly as he ran alongside the great silver wolf.
"Your fur won't melt."
"I know, but my paws get cold when they're wet."
"I'll have Durnik make you some little booties."
"That would be absolutely ridiculous, Grandfather," Garion said indignantly.”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“Ce'Nedra returned, frowning and a little angry. "They won't give me their eggs, Lady Polgara," she complained. "They're sitting one them."
"You have to reach under them and take the eggs, dear."
"Won't that make them angry?"
"Are you afraid of a chicken?”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“The Hierarch of Rak Urga drew himself up. “This is not a request, Urgit. I’m not asking you.”
“Good. Because I’m not going.”
“I command you to go.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Do you realize to whom you’re talking?”
“Perfectly, old boy. You’re the same tiresome old Grolim who’s been boring me to tears ever since I inherited the throne from that fellow who used to chew on the carpets back in Rak Goska. Listen carefully, Agachak. I’ll use short words and simple sentences so I don’t confuse you. I am not going to Mallorea. I’ve never had any intention of going to Mallorea. There’s nothing I want to see in Mallorea. There’s nothing I want to do there. I most definitely do not intend to put myself anywhere near Kal Zakath, and he’s gone back to Mal Zeth. Not only that, they have demons in Mallorea. Have you ever seen a demon, Agachak?”
“Once or twice,” the Hierarch replied sullenly.
“Are you’re still going to Mallorea? Agachak, you’re as crazy as Taur Urgas was.”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“Your extensive travels must have been fatiguing," Zakath said in that same flat tone, "particularly for the ladies. I'll see to it that your return journey to Mal Zeth is made in easy stages."
"Your Majesty is very kind, but we're not going back to Mal Zeth."
"You're wrong, Belgarion. You are going back to Mal Zeth."
"Sorry, I've got a pressing engagement elsewhere."
"I'll convey your regrets to Zandramas when I see her."
"I'm sure she'd be overjoyed to hear that I'm not coming."
"Not for very long, she won't. I fully intent to have her burned as a witch."
"Good luck, your Majesty, but I don't think you'll find that she's very combustible.”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“I'd really like to go with you, Agachak. Truly I would...but I just can't."
"I don't understand. Why not?"
"I'm not allowed to leave home. My mother'd punish me something awful if I did..."
"But you're the king."
"That doesn't change a thing. I still do what mother says. She tells everybody that I'm the best boy ever when it comes to that."
Agachak resisted a powerful urge to change this half-wit into a toad or perhaps a jellyfish.”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“Who owns a man, Durnik?” the blond young man asked sadly. “The one who rules him, or the one who pays him?”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“Isn't it easier to forgive than to hate? Until we learn how to forgive, that sort of thing is going to keep on happening." He pointed at the tall pillars of smoke rising to the north. "Hate is a sterile thing, Belgarion.”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“The policeman recognized me, but I suppose that’s only natural. Silk was going to kill him, but I said no.”
“Why?” Beldin asked bluntly.
“We were in the middle of a busy street for one thing. Killing somebody’s the sort of thing you ought to do in private, wouldn’t you say?”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“Now what?” Urgit warily asked his bride-to-be.
“Am I disturbing your Majesty?” Prala asked.
“…You always disturb me, my beloved,” he answered her question, spreading his arms extravagantly.”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“If you can’t do something about a situation, there’s no point in worrying about it.”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“We was doing a lot of what our officers called “maneuvering”—which is officer talk for running”
― David Eddings, quote from Sorceress of Darshiva
“One day, Reed,” I begin dabbing at his cheek again, “you and I will get in the car and just drive. We’ll wander from silver cities to golden coasts.” I use an alcohol swab to clean the blood from his cheek. “We’ll sleep when we’re tired. When we wake, I’ll find a way to make you laugh and I’ll live in the sound of it.” My throat gets tight because I long for that day to be now. “We’ll find somewhere you’ve never been and we’ll make it ours—fill it with memories of us. That’s what I want.” I finish with the alcohol swab. Leaning close, I gently blow on his healing wound to ease the sting. Reed takes my hand and brings it to his lips, kissing it tenderly. “And when we get that sleep, there will never be a your side or a my side of the bed—we’ll always meet in the middle. And when I hold you there, in our bed, you’ll let me rest my lips here.” Reed lets go of my hand to move his”
― Amy A. Bartol, quote from Iniquity
“Z morderstwem jest jak z życiem; i jedno, i drugie jest nieprzewidywalne.”
― Simon Beckett, quote from Written in Bone
“Fakin’? No,” the captain said, giving her a careful stare. “But don’t be misunderestimatin’ Captain Bluebeard anytime soon, lassie. I don’t be who ye think I be!” “You be someone without a good grasp on yer grammar, is who I think ye be,” May pointed out.”
― James Riley, quote from Twice Upon a Time
“In lots of books I read, the writer seems to go haywire every time he reaches a high point. He’ll start leaving out punctuation and running his words together and babble about stars flashing and sinking into a deep dreamless sea. And you can’t figure out whether the hero’s laying his girl or a cornerstone. I guess that kind of crap is supposed to be pretty deep stuff—a lot of the book reviewers eat it up, I notice. But the way I see it is, the writer is just too goddam lazy to do his job. And I’m not lazy, whatever else I am. I’ll tell you everything.”
― Jim Thompson, quote from The Killer Inside Me
“It is time for us to part, my friend. Perhaps our time together will bring more understanding to your life’s journey. I can do nothing to alleviate your struggles and would not if I were able. It is never the duty of a leader to struggle for someone else; a leader must encourage others to struggle and assure them that the struggles are worthwhile. Do battle with the challenges of your present, and you will unlock the prizes of your future.”
― Andy Andrews, quote from The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success
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