Ashley Cassidy

“In the darkness of the forest he saw her, and whispered her name, Melusina, and at that summoning she rose out of the water and he saw that she was a woman of cool and complete beauty to the waist, and below that she was scaled, like a fish. She promised him that she would come to him and be his wife, she promised him that she would make him as happy as a mortal woman can, she promised him that she would curb her wild side, her tidal nature, that she would be an ordinary wife to him, a wife that he could be proud of; if he in return would let her have a time when she could be herself again, when she could return to her element of water, when she could wash away the drudgery of a woman’s lot and be, for just a little while, a water goddess once more. She knew that being a mortal woman is hard on the heart, hard on the feet. She knew that she would need to be alone in the water, under the water, the ripples reflected on her scaly tail now and then. He promised her that he would give her everything, everything she wanted, as men in love always do. And she trusted him despite herself, as women in love always do.”
― Philippa Gregory, The White Queen

“What a test of love it is, when the beloved is less than perfect.”
― Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl

“Anne's smile was as sweet as poison. 'What matter? So long as it is a Boleyn girl?'
'I didn't want you to come back to court to be my rival,' I said sulkily.
'I was born to be your rival,' she said simply. 'And you mine. We're sisters aren't we?”
― Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl

“Nothing would be the same for any woman in this country again. From this time onward no wife, however obedient, however loving, would be safe. For everyone would know that if a wife such as Queen Katherine of England could be put aside for no reason, then any wife could be put aside.”
― Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl