Anne Elisabeth Stengl > Quotes

“I'll never tell you to stop loving. You see, I believe in hopeless love. Oh yes. I believe in it with all my heart, though you may discount the heart of an old nanny like me. For real love brings pain. Real love means sacrifices and hurts and all the thousand shocks of life. But it also means beauty, true beauty.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Moonblood

“If a man has to ask for your trust, it's a sure sign that you should not give it. Trust should be earned inherently, without any verbal demands. Trust is knowing a man's character, knowing truth, and relying on that character and truth even when the odds seem against you.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Heartless

“I could try to care, but I ain't sure it's worth the bother.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Veiled Rose

“There is a moment that comes into every life when the right word, the right look even, could change the shape of the world forever. The wrong one could as well, though the resulting shape would be different. No word at all, however, and the moment slips by, and things remain unsaid that perhaps should have been said, perhaps shouldn't, and no one can ever know for sure.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Moonblood

“Her eyes pleaded with him to understand, to try. Under that gaze, Eanrin had no option but to sit and stare at the scribbles in the dust, stare with all the intensity a cat can muster. His pupils dilated until the golden irises were like rings of eclipsed sunfire. Imraldera watched him, chewing her bottom lip and waiting.
At last the cat lashed his tail and raised his whiskered face to her. "I'm sorry, my girl. It looks to me like the Greater Stick Bug pursues the Lesser Stick Bug over the back of a giant alligator. Can't make a thing of it otherwise.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Starflower

“I listened long to your story,
Listened but could not hear.
When you chose to walk that path so overgrown,
I remained alone with my fear.

Cold silence covers the distance,
Stretches from shore to shore.
I follow in my mind your far-off journeying,
But I will walk that path no more.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Heartless

“Were the world a just place and given into Poet Eanrin's hands to dictate, he would have written things as they ought to be. Lionheart would not have bowed like some wooden puppet and left without another word. He would have acted like a man, taken the silver-eyed queen into his arms, and kissed her! He would have told her all the things in his heart that he did not fully understand yet, because, honestly, who ever understands those things anyway?

But some stories refuse to play themselves out the way poets think they ought.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl

“I'll choose an ugly truth over your pretty lies any day.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Moonblood

“Vengeance cannot abide the agony of grace.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Goddess Tithe

“The heart is a peculiar thing. It sees and interprets details long before the brain has started to think there might be something worth noticing. The brain resents this skill, however, and will often spitefully do all it can to repress what the heart might be whispering.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Shadow Hand

“She was the sort of person from whom one would expect to receive warm cookies, not plots.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Shadow Hand

“One conversation! One simple, honest, true conversation, and all your questions would be answered, all your problems solved! Really, man, is it that difficult? Then you'd be free to fall into each other's arms and live your Happily Ever After. Why make it so complicated?"
--Eanrin”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Dragonwitch

“I chose to long ago, long before we met. When my father sent me to win you, I loved you already.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Heartless

“Regret and repentance do not always walk hand in hand.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Moonblood

“See! See, she's gone and put her foot in her mouth again! Right in, heel and all.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Heartless

“I can't believe in the impossible," he whispered as though trying to convince himself against what he had just witnessed. "A man can't be big and small at once. He can't be a freak and a hero."
The cat glared. "Do you believe in justice?"
The Chronicler hesitated. Then, only once, he nodded.
"Do you believe in mercy?" pressed the cat.
"Yes."
"Ha!" Eanrin lashed his tail again. "What an impossible contradiction. Ha!”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Dragonwitch

“That isn't trust; that's foolishness! If a man has asked for your trust, it's a sure sign you should not give it. Trust should be earned inherently, without any verbal demands. Trust is knowing a man's character, knowing truth, and relying on that character and truth even when the odds seem against you. That is trust, my dear, not this leap in the dark..." (King Fidel)”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Heartless

“My love," she said, "I could never betray you. You betray yourself, but I will only ever bring you back.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Shadow Hand

“Hope is such a beautiful dream that dies such a hideous death.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Heartless

“Our Prince does not give his servants hopeless tasks. They sometimes do not follow an expected path, but they are never hopeless.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Moonblood

“In my anger, I slew you twice. I saw you only as the dragon, and I forgot what you were meant to be. Can you forgive me?"
--Etanun”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Dragonwitch

“Do you understand, mortal?" Eanrin said. "We Faerie know it's the spirit that counts, and all else is malleable. Beauty or ugliness; brawn or frailty; height or lack thereof--these appearances can be exchanged with scarcely a thought! But the truth...now, that's another issue. The truth of the thing, the person behind what you perceive with any of your paltry five senses...Creature of dust, it's the truth that counts! And you'll rarely find more truth than in Faerie tales."
With those words, the golden man dwindled into the golden cat, and try as he might, the Chronicler could perceive him as nothing else. But he was still Eanrin, and he smiled, pleased with himself.
"That wasn't a half-bad monologue. Do you find yourself inspired to new heights of ambition?”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Dragonwitch

“Foxbrush sneezed again.

He couldn't help himself. It's not something a fellow likes to do when a stunningly beautiful woman is leaning toward him with an expression on her face like Nidawi's wore. But sneezes are not prey to the wants or wishes of those inflicted with them. He sneezed so violently that he nearly knocked his forehead against Nidawi's exquisite little chin. She leapt back lightly, frowning at first, then shaking the frown into a rain of laughter.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Shadow Hand

“If there is one thing in which I hold complete confidence, it is the conviction of my own desirability.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Heartless

“Alistair spoke behind his visor. "You look very pretty."
Mouse looked to Eanrin. "He sounds concerned. What did he say?"
"He said they're never going to believe you're a girl.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Dragonwitch

“Tell me, cat-man, why can I understand her?"
"First," said Eanrin with a glower, "you will not call me 'cat-man' again. I am a knight, a poet, and a gentleman, and you will address me as sir or not address me at all.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Dragonwitch

“You don't understand," Lionheart said, turning his back on the cat. "No one does."
"While I am a firm believer in the uniqueness of each person," said the cat, "the motications of the spirit are as predictable as the seasons.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Moonblood

“What's the good of a story that ain't got a happy endin'?" the girl demanded, crossing her arms.

Leo considered. "Maybe it does have a happy ending. At least, when it's actually complete. I mean, this part of it is sad. But maybe something good will come from it still? I suppose you have to read all the legends together to know for sure, but I don't know all of them. This one is sad, but there might be a story out there somewhere to make it happy."

The girl nodded. "I'd like to know that story someday.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Veiled Rose

“What, suddenly I am a figure from an ancient bit of nursery nonsense?" He lifted a forepaw and began chewing his toes, the picture of dismissive indifference. "And the next egg you come across you'll ask, 'Tell me, sir, what were you doing up on that wall anyway?'"
"Are you ashamed to answer?"
"I am ashamed of nothing. I am a cat." The cat gracefully placed his paw next to the other, sitting as prim as a perfect statue.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Moonblood

“Benedict studied her. 'A mirror? What in Lume's name would you need a mirror for?'
'To admire my pretty face, obviously,' she snapped.”
― Anne Elisabeth Stengl, A Branch of Silver, a Branch of Gold