Tamora Quotes & Sayings

I said I fell down.
Ah. The ground bloodied your nose, split yer lip, and punched ye in th' eye, all at once.
I said I don't want to talk about it. — Tamora Pierce

I swear the sparrows called us ten kinds of idiot when we did it. — Tamora Pierce

You have an audience that is fairly well grounded in the real world. You serve them and yourself best by making everything as real as possible. — Tamora Pierce

Frostpine made a face. Lifting the cup, he dumped its contents down his throat. "Auugghh!" he yelled, his voice stronger than it had been since his return from the harbor. "Are you trying to kill me, woman?"
"If I mean to kill someone, I do it," Rosethorn told him. "I don't try. — Tamora Pierce

It's been interesting, "Frostpine said casually. "I wanted Daja to get some experience of other smiths'-and other mages'- ways of doing things, if only so she can see mine is best. — Tamora Pierce

The hardest lesson any of us must learn is there's only so much we can do," she informed him, her voice lemon-tart. "We run into it headfirst all the time, knowing what we can do, what we can't, how much we can do. We think of magic as this promise that we will fix anything that comes our way, Keth. We can't. — Tamora Pierce

We're just frisking like little captive lambkins. — Tamora Pierce

A friend had commented once that Neal had a gift for making someone want to punch him just for saying hello. — Tamora Pierce

A noble madiden must convery diginity and chstity wihotut appearing to think about either one. Let common-born girls tuddle in the hay with their loutish swains. the future of your familys bloodline and your furture lord's bloodline should be your grearest concern. Let no man but one of your family embrace you. Let no man but your betrothed kiss any more than your fingertips; let your betrothed kiss you only on fingers, cheek, or forhead, lest he think you unchaste. and enver allow yourself to be alone wiht a man, to safeguard the percioud jewel of your reputaiotn. No well-born maigen e vetr suffered form keeping her cuitors at arms length. You cbhastity will make you a prize to your future husbands house and an honor to your own.
- form adivce to younge noblewomen, by lady fronia of whitehall (in Maren). given to ally on her twelfth birhdya by her godmother, Queen Thayet, — Tamora Pierce

I wish we had a sign that this flaming dragon is part of an attack or something. Those dung heaps might think it's just one of their own monsters enjoying the sunrise. — Tamora Pierce

Waves are the voices of tides. Tides are life," murmured Niko. "They bring new food for shore creatures, and take ships out to sea. They are the ocean's pulse, and our own heartbeat. — Tamora Pierce

We are what we're made to be. — Tamora Pierce

Raoul: Age and treachery!
Neal: Youth and skill! — Tamora Pierce

Girls are 50% of the population. We deserve to represent 50% of the heroes. — Tamora Pierce

The Chamber is only a room, though a magical one, and you will enter it when the time comes. Duke Roger is only a man, for all he wields sorcery. He can be met and defeated. But you, my daughter - learn to love. You have been given a hard road to walk. Love will ease it. Much depends on you, Alanna of Trebond. Do not fail me! - The Goddess — Tamora Pierce

We're on a hunt, Cooper. When you're on a hunt, you do whatever it takes. — Tamora Pierce

Daja doesn't exactly need to be tested on whether she's honorable or not."
"Doesn't she? Don't all of you? This is your first taste of the things which may come from your being powerful mages. People will offer you gold, status, even love. I want to know how you will react. If want to know if your teachers will release greedy, thoughtless monsters into the world. — Tamora Pierce

Sweetheart, never listen to what my enemies say. They're very confused people. I know they are because I've spent years making them that way. — Tamora Pierce

Oakbridge did his work with dramatics and prophecies that all would go horribly awry. Having dealt with him over midwinter, Kel wondered why the man hadn't died of a heart attack. Instead he seemed to thrive on disaster and finding people seated in the wrong places. — Tamora Pierce

Shut your gob, You tell me nothing in my kennel. Here, I am Queen Bitch, and you will muzzle yourself. Kebibi Ahuda to prisoner — Tamora Pierce

What trouble have you brought to my doorstep, Beka" she asked.
"I don't see where blaming me for things that began months ago will be useful," I replied. — Tamora Pierce

He's just rather more lively than most fossils. — Tamora Pierce

Someday I must read this scholar Everyone. He seems to have written so much
all of it wrong. — Tamora Pierce

Horses are calmer people. They also don't throw things at cats. — Tamora Pierce

Ishabal: "If you may correct your vision as you like, why do you wear spectacles?"
Tris: "Because I like them. Because I have better things to do with my magic than fixing my vision when ordinary glass will do. — Tamora Pierce

You look as scary as a buttered muffin. — Tamora Pierce

I suppose he could have changed," Neal said dryly. "I myself have noticed my growing resemblance to a daffodil." The other pages snorted.
Kel eyed her friend. "You do look yellow around the edges," she told him, her face quite serious. "I hadn't wanted to bring it up."
"We daffodils like to have things brought up," Neal said, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "It reminds us of spring. — Tamora Pierce

I wish he wouldn't do this when he's on me. It's really very upsetting. — Tamora Pierce

When I say I want time to think, I want time to think!"
Jonathan sighed wearily. "All right, you've had time to think. What's your answer?"
"That I need more time to think! — Tamora Pierce

Now to find Tristan, if he survived the excitement. I hope he did. I have some things to say to him, and none of them are 'Goddess bless'.
-Numair Salmalin — Tamora Pierce

I come from a dysfunctional family, so my views of parents and parenting used to be highly mixed. — Tamora Pierce

There are times in every rider's life when it is necessary to apologize to a horse ... — Tamora Pierce

Sandry: "There has to be something we can do."
Lark: "We're mages. We do what we can, but some problems are too big to fix."
Sandry: "Then I wish I weren't a mage. What good is magic, if you can't use it to help people. — Tamora Pierce

It's harder to heal than it is to kill. — Tamora Pierce

The girl looked at the mess she had made, at the ax, the shattered immortal, and the gouts of dark blood all around, and vomited. — Tamora Pierce

My heart bleeds buttermilk.

-Daine — Tamora Pierce

We could mate. In a year our nestlings would be large enough to mob anyone we like ... Should I begin to court you? Do you like grubs or ants better? ... I will be here. In case you change your mind about mating. — Tamora Pierce

You mortals are like fish swimming in a globe of glass. That globe is your world. You do not see beyond it. — Tamora Pierce

I don't write from dreams because I don't remember mine, but I had a fragment of an image left about twins, whose father was telling them how their lives were going to go for the next eight years. I wrote a scene about that, and then another and then another and then another, and after five months I had 732 pages. — Tamora Pierce

A good friend will help you up when you fall. A best friend will laugh and try to trip you again.
- I'm not sure — Tamora Pierce

Mithros's spear, Kel!" he exclaimed. "When did you turn into a real girl?"
"You said she was a girl already," muttered one of his cousins ...
"But not a girl-girl, with a chest and all!" protested Owen.
... "I've been a girl for a while, Owen," Kel informed him.
"I never realized," her too outspoken friend replied. "It's not like you've got melons or anything, they're just noticeable. — Tamora Pierce

After I recovered from 'Lioness', I wanted to write something about animals because I really like mythical creatures, especially dragons. At 12, I was one of those semi-recluses who did better with animals than people. Out of that, came the character, Daine, who could communicate with animals. — Tamora Pierce

If you aren't having fun, if you aren't anxious to find out what happens next as you write, then not only will you run out of steam on the story, but you won't be able to entertain anyone else, either. — Tamora Pierce

I will tell the stork-man. — Tamora Pierce

I'd like to find whoever taught the Stump that extra work builds character and push him down the stairs, Neal told Kel at lunch. — Tamora Pierce

Think selfishly,' Daine said, trying to make these arrogant two-leggers see what she meant. 'You can't go on this way. Soon you will have no forests to get wood from or to hunt game in. You poison water you drink and bathe and fish in. Even if you keep the farms, they won't be enough to feed you if the rest of the valley's laid waste. You'll starve. Your people will starve- unless you buy from outside the valley, and that's fair expensive. You'll ruin Dunlath. — Tamora Pierce

She decided to be quiet for now. There was a Yamani saying: "You need never unsay anything that you did not say in the first place. — Tamora Pierce

Military folk," Neal said with exaggerated patience, shaking his head. "The only way you know to solve problems is by beating them with a stick. — Tamora Pierce

I'm about to commence four years of obeying the cause of a bruiser on a horse. I refuse to put down what might be the last book I see for months. — Tamora Pierce

Never express anger with a friend or a subordinate in public," Vedris always said. "They might forgive a private expression of anger or a deserved scolding, but they never forget a public humiliation. It is the surest way to destroy a friendship and to create enemies. — Tamora Pierce

Turnstall's view of what men could and couldn't do was sometimes odd. Our old parter Goodwin and I agreed that there was no manly or unwomanly, only what you chose to do. — Tamora Pierce

If you've a story, make sure it's a whole one, with details close to hand. It's the difference between a good lie and getting caught. — Tamora Pierce

I love you, Jonathan," she whispered.
A long arm snaked around her, and he pulled her against his side.
"I know," he said. "I just wanted to be sure you knew it, too. — Tamora Pierce

Shouldn't you know what love's like, before you begin renouncin' it
George Cooper — Tamora Pierce

Cats aren't special advisers. They advise us all the time, whether we want them to or no. — Tamora Pierce

Sometimes there's nothing you can do. [ ... ] Sometimes they don't have enough to fight with. — Tamora Pierce

If I say you're a goatherd's son, you say, 'Yes, Lord Ralon.'"
Alanna gasped with fury. "I'd as soon kiss a pig! Is that what you've been doing-kissing pigs? Or being kissed? — Tamora Pierce

He knows about things like betrayal, and being afraid, and the looks on people's faces when they know you did something they thought impossible — Tamora Pierce

You do not take your place in your father's tent, letting men make your decisions. You ride as a man, you fight as a man, and you think as a man - " "I think as a human being," she retorted hotly. "Men don't think any differently from women - they just make more noise about being able to." As — Tamora Pierce

A noble maiden must convey dignity and chastity without appearing to think about either one. Let common-born girls tussle in the hay with their loutish swains. The future of your family's bloodline and your future lord's bloodline should be your greatest concern. Let no man but one of your family embrace you. Let no man but your betrothed kiss any more than your fingertips; let your betrothed kiss you only on fingers, cheek, or forehead, lest he think you unchaste. And never allow yourself to be alone with a man, to safeguard the precious jewel of you reputation. No well-born maiden ever suffered from keeping her suitors at arm's length. Your chastity will make you a prize to you future husband's house and an honor to your own."
- form Advice to a Young Noblewoman, by Lady Fronia of Whitehall (in Maren) given to Ally on her twelfth birthday by her godmother, Queen Thayet — Tamora Pierce

When in doubt, shoot the wizard. — Tamora Pierce

Faithful: When will you learn to leave well enough alone?
Alanna sighed. When I want to stop learning, I guess. — Tamora Pierce

You turned into a hero when I wasn't watching. — Tamora Pierce

Don't call me 'gentleman'. I work for a livin'. — Tamora Pierce

I think it's fair rude to make him a tree and not know what kind he is. — Tamora Pierce

I hate those things," grumbled Kel as she removed the bowstring. — Tamora Pierce

These mages," Kol asked, a wicked glint in his eye, "what kind of fees will they charge? Will I get a two-for-one discount, since they're twins? — Tamora Pierce

What if custom is wrong? demanded the part of her that believed in the code of chivalry. A knight must set things right. — Tamora Pierce

You didn't kill him. He would have killed you, but you didn't kill him."
"So? He was stupid. If I killed everyone who was stupid, I wouldn't have time to sleep. — Tamora Pierce

Evvy: "Is she going to eat Jooba-hooba? She looks like she's going to bite him, at least."
Briar: "No - if she bit him, he'd die. — Tamora Pierce

Buri rode along with her own Group Askew and two more Rider Groups, the Sixth, called Thayet's Dogs, and the Fifteenth, Stickers. — Tamora Pierce

Feelings, she learned, were hard to fight. She treasured his smiles and compliments and tried not to dwell on the fact that he gave this things to his friend Kel.
His dreamy-eyed gazes, poems, and fits of passionate melancholy were for Uline. It was hard not to resent the older girl. — Tamora Pierce

I don't know about some of these other people, particularly the ministers who served my uncle."
"Can't you get rid of them?"
Kaddar shook his head. "The country's already in turmoil. I need to keep a few of the same faces around, at least until I get their measure."
"It doesn't sound like much fun. I wish you luck with it."
"I'll need luck," Kaddar took her hand. "Daine, I found my uncle's papers. He was going to have me arrested and charged with conspiring against him - which means he planned to have me killed. I owe you my life. I know this will sound trite, but I mean it: whatever you want that I can give, even to half of my kingdom, all you need do is ask."
Daine gave him a skeptical look. "Your ministers wouldn't like the half-kingdom part."
He grinned. "Actually, they want to arrest you for crimes against the state. — Tamora Pierce

He liked me to help him when he did things. He explained what I didn't know, warned me when to stand aside, never told me to get out of his way because he could do it faster, and thanked me for helping. There were moments when he needed me to rescue him, and he never blamed me for it, or got angry about it. — Tamora Pierce

Well, label me very impressed and ship me to Carthak! — Tamora Pierce

Stefan spat. Oh, aye, he fell. O' course, Master Ralon helped him fall, several times. Poor li'l tyke didn't have a chance. — Tamora Pierce

I believe that we haven't begun to understand the many forces that bind the physical world, any more than we understand our own minds and what they're capable of. — Tamora Pierce

She glared at him. "Why are you forever asking hard questions?"
He smiled. "Sooner or later you'll have to be able to answer one."
Daja shoved him, grinning. — Tamora Pierce

Wenna followed us out. "You've done him some good, Clary, I have to say! He's got color in his cheeks, and he's stepping along as if he was sixty again," she told Goodwin as she walked us to the gate. "You'll come back?"
"Of course," Goodwin said. "But thank Cooper for his improved spirits. Once he'd insulted her a few times, he was in the pink. — Tamora Pierce

I wanted to have something good to remember about today," she replied quietly. "Something that wasn't petty and mean. Sometimes you have to provide such moments yourself. — Tamora Pierce

No one expects a woman busy at her sewing to pay attention to what's being said around her. Nevermind if a man's mother and sister showerd them they heard everything while they stictched, he'll still think a woman who plies her needles saves all her brains for the work. You're a far better spy hemming sheets than if you clank with daggers. — Tamora Pierce

I'm sick of this. Call me what you like, say I'm without honor, I don't care. I'm not getting on any more horses to whack you people with a stick. — Tamora Pierce

Fear is a good thing. It mean you're paying attention. — Tamora Pierce

Tortall and the Queens Riders! — Tamora Pierce

As I recall, this word's use means somewhere there is a tree that is now a - a two-legger.
-Numair Salmalin — Tamora Pierce

People are jackals, always willing to feed off someone else's kill. — Tamora Pierce

As long as there's life, there's hope. — Tamora Pierce

Scary with you is better than scary without you — Tamora Pierce

Not one word," Kel warned. "Tobe and I have reached an understanding."
Neal's lips twitched. "Why do I feel you did most of the understanding. — Tamora Pierce

And if they don't believe us, I can give them the ghost eyes, you can go all big and threatening, Farmer can do his cracknob simpleton, and my lady can don her nobleness. We'll do all right. — Tamora Pierce

You come from a race that spends more time murdering your own kind than do all the immortals put together, yet you insist you are better than us. — Tamora Pierce

Thus went my first Court Day.
I think i'm going to puke. — Tamora Pierce

The god touched me once, Beka. I'd soon not get his attention again. — Tamora Pierce

She got to her feet and tucked her fingers into her armpits to warm them, glaring at Briar and Parahan as she walked over to the mules. It wasn't fair that men didn't have to twist themselves into knots to pee! — Tamora Pierce

The first thing every mage should learn is that magic makes fools of us. Now you may call yourself a mage. You have learned the most important lesson. — Tamora Pierce

Pounce had it easier than any of us. No one noticed a black cat in the street. He stopped here and there to sniff aught of interest. Wherever our Rat stopped, Pounce was there, close enough to see up the Rat's nose. I was so proud. Now there was a proper god, making himself useful!
Since my thought might be deemed blasphemy, I said silent prayers to the Goddess and to Mithros. I begged forgiveness and asked them not to misunderstand. Since I wasn't blasted where I stood, I guess they forgave me, or they hadn't heard my blasphemy. — Tamora Pierce

Men broke into their homes, killed their families, threatened you
and you won't let them do anything for fear you'll be hurt. That's selfish. How would you like it if I took your bow and said I cared too much about you to let you fight? — Tamora Pierce

At the house, the gathering broke up quickly. Sarai announced that she had a headache and needed to lie down. Without her to hold them together, the young nobles chose to go home. The gloss had been stripped from the afternoon. — Tamora Pierce

The bravest person I know is afraid of the dark. She sleeps with a night lamp always, but if her friends are threatened? She suddenly thinks she's a bear twelve feet tall and attacks whoever scared her friends. — Tamora Pierce

You aren't a bit romantic, are you?" he asked, amused.
She sat back and stared at him. She was beginning to think that Neal required a keeper. He seemed to have the craziest ideas. "Romance? Isn't that love stuff?" She asked finally.
"It's more than just love. It's color, and-and fire. You don't want things magnificent and filled with-with grandeur," he said, trying to make her understand. "You know, drama. Importance. Transcendent Passion."
"I just want to be a knight," Kel retorted, putting her used tableware on her tray. "Eat your vegetables. They're good for you. — Tamora Pierce