Jessica Day George > Quotes

“I've faced worse than a dressmaker who breaths fire.”
― Jessica Day George

“Galen Werner, you may choose one of my daughters to be your bride, and when I die, you shall sit beside her as co-ruler of Westfallin."
"Your Majesty.... I - I don't know - "
Rose felt her knees shaking. Did he not love her after all?
"Psst, Galen?" Pansy tugged on his arm. Galen leaned down. "If Rose doesn't want you," the little girl whispered loudly, "you can marry me."
Galen laughed shakily. "Thanks, Pansy."
"Oh, Rose! Don't just stand there like a lump," Poppy said, poking her in the back. "If he's too embarrased, you should be the one to say something."
"Poppy!" Daisy looked scandalized. "It's not Rose's place to - "
Under cover of their squabbling, Rose took Galen's hand and moved closer to him. "Do you want to marry me?" she whispered in a much quieter tone than Pansy had used.
"Yes," he said.
"If neither of you is going to speak up," King Gregor said, "I shall simply have to decide it for myself!"
"Father," Rose protested, "that won't be necessary!"
"I choose Rose," Galen blurted out at the same time.
"There. Done. Easy." King Gregor clapped his hands.”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Midnight Ball

“It looks as though your shop is doing well," Luka said gazing around, "Could you help me find a gift for a lady friend of mine?"

My heart plunged to my grenn satin slippers, and I had to stare down at Azarte for a minute, petting him hard. Naturally Luka had a "lady friend." She was probably nobly born: the daughter of a count or a duke. I imagined her having thick dark hair and clear skin, and was bitterly jealous. "Of course," I stammered after a time. "What would she like? A gown? A sash?" If she came in for a fitting, I decided to "accidentlly" poke her with every pin.”
― Jessica Day George

“No need, no, need. Life is already too short to find it.”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Midnight Ball

“What does it say? Does he love you madly?”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Midnight Ball

“But I really would love to give her a very special gift. I was hoping if I did, she might give me a kiss in return, instead of the brotherly hugs I always get instead.”
― Jessica Day George, Dragon Slippers

“How wonderful," he purred. "I've been longing to speak to you for days, Princess Cecelia."
"And I've been wanting to kick you in the shin for days.”
― Jessica Day George, Tuesdays at the Castle

“Took you long enough!,' she said, and planted a kiss on his lips.”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of Glass

“Love you always, miss you always... running day and night, leaving the place of sun and moon, of ice and snow.

Never look back, never forget.”
― Jessica Day George, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

“Dancing? You, Poppy?" Marianne shook her head slowly. I never thought..."
Rose looked concerned. She even felt Poppy's head for fever, but Poppy shook her off.
"I don't know about you, Rose, but I'm done letting creatures like Under Stone and the Corley dictate my life. I enjoy dancing, and I will blasted well dance at my wedding!"
"Poppy! Language!"
Poppy didn't answer; she just threw her arms around Christian and kissed him soundly.”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of Glass

“Violet heard the coughing and came running back. She sank down on the bench beside Rose, putting her arm around the older girl and holding a handkerchief to Rose's lips. "What happened?" she asked Galen, her tone just shy of being accusatory.

"I am so sorry, Your Highness," Galen said, backing away. "I made her laugh, and–"

"You made her laugh?" Violet's eyes widened. "She hasn't laughed in weeks!" She smiled at Galen and gave Rose's shoulders a little squeeze.”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Midnight Ball

“Sire," Oliver said as he helped Petunia to her feet, "I'd like to marry Petunia.
"Of course you would," retorted the King Gregor. "But not right now! we just got those two taken care of." He pointed to the twins who were still trying to play Christian's odd game. "And weddings are expensive!”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Silver Woods

“And the prince who had once been a bear pulled close the girl who had once had no name, and kissed her.”
― Jessica Day George, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

“You were a soldier?"

"Yes, sir."

"You barely look old enough to have seen the last battle."

"My father was a career army man, sir. I was there at the first engagement with Analousia, and took up my father's rifle when I was barely fifteen."

"Saints preserve us," Dr. Kelling said, and squeezed Galen's shoulder. "What have we done to our youth?”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Midnight Ball

“I want to help you," Oliver said.
"Why?" Galen looked up at him. "Because of Petunia?" Oliver was relieved that the prince didn't seem to be skeptical about his conviction. He simply looked like he wanted to know, and so did Heinrich, when Oliver dared to look at the other prince. Oliver was very aware that Heinrich had known his father. Had known him better than Oliver had, in fact.
"Because of her," Oliver said at last. "Even though I have only met her twice, really...I just..."
"I risked my life to save Rose after only speaking with her twice," Galen said with a small smile.”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Silver Woods

“Saints preserve us,' Dr. Kellen said, and squeezed Galen's shoulder. 'What have we done to our youth?”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Midnight Ball

“I already have a plan." Celie said, raising her hand as she would with her tutor.
"Do you?" Rolf's eyes gleamed. "What is it?"
"I don't think you'll like it, Lilah." Celie apologized straightaway. "It involves manure...a great deal of manure."
Rolf started to laugh again.”
― Jessica Day George

“Marianne's mouth was open in surprise, but Poppy looked murderous. She clutched her reticule as though it contained a weapon. Realizing that it probably held some very sharp knitting needles, Christian reflected that it did.”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of Glass

“Even now, Dickon was upstairs, writing sonnets to his new love, while back at Seadown House, Marianne was writing 'Ella' on scraps of paper and then burning them.”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of Glass

“We startled some strange, long-necked shaggy creatures that had been grazing in the field, and I swear one of them spit at Feniul. Hagen slipped off of Leontes'neck and started to follow the creatures into the little copse of trees they had taken shelter in, fascinated, but I called him back.
"They spit."I said. "They probably bite as well."
"They are ill tempered things,"Amacarin agreed."But I saw someone riding one yesterday. It did not look like a smooth-gaited beast, though."
Now there was even more longing in Hagen's face."
Luka started laughing. "I shall buy you one when you finish your apprenticeship." He told my brother. "It can be your mastery gift. A hairy, spitting cow horse.”
― Jessica Day George, Dragon Spear

“Galen!" The crown princess flung herself into her husband's arms with a glad cry. The other princesses shrieked and threw themselves at their brother-in-law only a moment later.”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Silver Woods

“Love’? What do you know about love?”
"It’s at the heart of every story,” Rollo said with authority. “If humans could avoid falling in love, you would never get yourselves into any trouble.”
― Jessica Day George, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

“Jonquil went by with a full plate of food, and Petunia reached out and tried to snag a small cream puff from it. Jonquil lifted it over Petunia's head before she could, and clucked her tongue.
"These are for Lily," she said.
"Oh really?" Petunia gave her a look.
"And possibly some are for that Analousian duke Jacques invited," Jonquil said with a sparkle in her eye. "But none are for you." Then she flipped one to Oliver. "You can have one, my lord earl," she said, and twirled away.
"These are excellent," Oliver said, eating half of it in one bite. He fed Petunia the other half so she wouldn't get cream on her knitting. Oliver was just leaning in to steal a kiss - "I hope this means you're planning on marrying her, boy," barked King Gregor.
Oliver leaped to his feet. "Sire! Yes! I mean ... I ... sire!"
"I didn't pardon you and restore your earldom so that you could loll around my gardens flirting with my daughters," King Gregor said. Then he bent down and gave Petunia a kiss on the cheek. "I like him," he whispered loudly in her ear.
"Me too," she whispered back, blushing.”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Silver Woods

“You're very short, aren't you?" She smirked at Petunia. "And you've got a nose like a stoat," Petunia replied. "But at least I can always have my gowns altered.”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Silver Woods

“Never look back, never forget.”
― Jessica Day George, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

“Allow me to give you this orange, Your Highness, along with my wishes for a swift recovery.”
“That’s very generous of you, Master Galen,” she replied, a faint light kindling in her eyes, “especially since they are my family’s oranges.” She took it from him, rolling it between her palms. “And considering that my illness if most likely a result of falling into the fountain the day we met.”
Galen winced. He had known she would remember that, but he had hoped she wouldn’t hold it against him. Although, judging by the faint smile on her pale lips, she didn’t mean it in earnest.
“Well, Your Highness, I know that I am indeed handsome, but I can hardly be blamed if my good looks overcame you so strongly that you fainted,” he said, striking a pose.”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Midnight Ball

“Earnest young knights are my favorite. I love the looks on their faces when they realize that they're being slow-cooked in their own armor.”
― Jessica Day George, Dragon Slippers

“Galen stowed the goblets behind a curtain and walked up to twitch the hem of Rose’s shawl. She gasped and looked around.
“Hello,” Galen said in a low voice. “Would you like to dance?”
“So you’re Pansy’s good spirit?”
“I am.”
“Your voice sounds familiar.” Her eyes sparkled. “Could you pretend to snore, so that I could make sure?”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Midnight Ball

“The wardrobe? It was so full of gowns that he didn't think he could cram himself inside. Besides, it would be awkward if the maid came in to lay out a gown for dinner and grabbed Oliver instead of the blue silk with lace sleeves.”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Silver Woods

“Where is Galen?" She had many questions to ask the king, and it surprised her a little that this should be the first one to pop out of her mouth. Still, it was just as urgent as any of the others. "What have you done to him?"

"Nothing." The king spread his weirdly elongated hands in an innocent gesture. "The gardener's boy is in perfect health. For the present."

"And then he'll fall off a horse, or slip on the wet pavement? So that you don't need to get your hands dirty?" Rose sneered at him.

He smiled his cold smile. "Keeping one's hands clean – maintaining one's innocence. Is that not the human way?”
― Jessica Day George, Princess of the Midnight Ball