The False Prince

A person can be educated and still be stupid, and a wise man can have no education at all.

Master Graves was incensed and said, as punishment for my disruption, I would have to write my letters an extra ten times that day. "Ten times the better I'll know them, then." I said. "How strange that you should punish me by ensuring I come out more educated than Roden, who has tried to obey you.

The saddest thing is there won’t be anyone to miss us when we’re gone. No family, no friends, no one waiting at home.” “It’s better that way,” I said. “It’ll be easier for me, knowing my death doesn’t add to anyone’s pain.” “If you can’t give anyone pain, then you can’t give them joy either.

Hail His Majesty, the scourge of my life," Conner said to Roden and Tobias as he stomped up the stairs. "I fear the devils no longer, because I have the worst of them right here in my home!

There's an old saying in Avenia that goes, "Just because it's calmer than a hailstorm doesn't mean it's calm.

In a crowd of a thousand boys claiming to be the prince, there would be only one with the same look of trouble in his eye.

...a strong heart will always overcome a strong body

Conner answered, "Mrs. Turbeldy warned me that you have a history of running away. Where did you go?" To the church of course. To confess my sins.

You are the biggest fool of a boy I've ever known," Mott said. Then his tone softened. "But you will serve Carthya well." "I wish I felt ready to do this," I said. "The closer we come to the moment, the more I see every defect in my character that caused my parents to send me away in the first place." "From all I'm told, the prince they sent away was selfish, mischievous, and destructive. The king who returns is courageous, noble, and strong." "And a fool," I added Mott chuckled. "You are that too.

I've got to go." "Go where?" "To go. I'd have just taken care of it myself, but it looks like you want to come along." Mott cursed. "Wait for morning." "Wish I could. I've been cursed with my mother's pea-size bladder.

Kneel, please," Connor said. "I wish to study you better." Come as close to me as you'd like," I answered. "Study me here, on my feet." "You won't kneel?" "Would a prince?" Conner raised his voice. "You're not a prince until I say so." "I don't need you to say so, sir. As you see me standing here, I am the prince of Carthya.

And you're the biggest coward," I hissed, then caught my breath in my throat as his blade cut deeper. "Don't call me a coward," Tobias said, "I'm not!" "Have you come here to kill me?" I asked. "Because I'll scream when you do and it'll wake up the princess and probably a whole lot of other people and you'll get into trouble." "You'll be dead." "Yes, but you'll be in trouble.

No, my lady. If I cannot look at you as an equal, i will not look at you at all

This is for you." i pressed the stone in Kerwyn's hand. Kerwyn turned it over in his hands, unimpressed. "imatator's gold? It's worthless." "No, it's real gold. I am real Kerwyn." ... He pulled a creased and worn paper from his pocket and unfolded it. His hands shook increasingly as he read it. Then he turned to the audience and said, "This note was given to me by King Eckbert ... to read it only if someone ever came forward claiming to be the prince. This is what it says." He read aloud, "'Many may one day claim to be the lost prince of Carthya. ... You will know the Prince Jaron by one sign alone. He will give you the humblest of rocks and tell you it's gold.'" ... "Lords and ladies of Carthya, I present to you the son of King Eckbert and Queen Erin. He is the lost royal of Carthya, who lives and stands before you. Hail, Prince Jaron.

Valuable lessons were code words for pain that no one apologized for.

This is real, then?" Jaron's heart pounded, though he couldn't tell whether it was from sadness or fear for his future. "When you leave, I'm no longer Prince Jaron. I'll be nothing but a commoner. An orphan.

Carthya's not my country," I said, reaching for the doors to leave. "Frankly, I hope Avenia Destroys it

As the day progressed, it became evident that I would eat better on this period of punishment from Mott than I'd eaten yet since coming to Farthenwood. Tobias snuck me back better than half of his breakfast, and Errol left some food in my room while cleaning up, expressing false dismay after I ate it that "it was food intended for somebody else." We were to remain in our room in private study because of Princess Amarinda being in the house, but after lunch was brought to us, Tobias gave me all of his lunch and Roden shared half.

That brought a faint smile to my face. "Then let's hope Conner chooses Roden, so that Carthya has some hope of an honerable king.

Once Conner was dragged out of the room, I directed the musicians to play. Then, exhausted, I fell into my father's throne. No, my throne. I was king now. The reality of that was incomprehensible.

if i had to do it all over again, i would not have chosen this life. Then again, i'm not sure i ever had a choice

Darius was dead, and very soon she and I would meet as equals. But i had the feeling it wouldn't be a day she ended up celebrating

Any number of hours later, Mott came with a rock that he said was as shiny as the one I'd had before. He pointed out that it was a little bigger than the other one and looked more valuable. I could have this rock. I only had to return the other one to Conner.

Sage: "Conner's held you down for so long, you've forgotten what it's like to breathe free air." Imogen: "And you've given your life to his control forever. You'll never breathe free air again.

It’s better that your queen pretends to love you, because if she truly did, she would only love a lie.

How will it look to everyone at dinner if the servant who left with Amarinda fails to return? How will it look if that servant's bandages bleed through and he drips blood on Conner's dinning table?

It had been a long time since i dared call anyone a friend. The concept was only theoretical to me now.

How will it look to everyone at dinner if the servant who left with Amarinda fails to return?" "How will it look if that servant's bandages bleed through and he drips blood on Conner's dinning table?

You know that if you’re this paranoid as king, it’ll eat you alive.