Quotes from Stuart Hill

In all that enormous excitement of fighting spirit, only Oskan noticed that the terrible warlike figure of Redrought Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield, Bear of the North, Drinker of Blood was still wearing his fluffy slippers and that Primplepuss the kitten was peeping out of his shirt collar to see what all the noise was about.

Only fools skirmish in their backyard when war is knocking down their front door.

Thirrin pointedly ingnored the long woollen warmers that Oskan had carefully rolled down over the ears of his mule, Jenny. Even the fact that they were bright yellow with red pom-poms on the very tips didn't drag any sort of comment out of her.

Good, that's a job well done," Grishmak said cheerfully. "Am I the only one who's hungry?

At the far end of the hall she could make out the raised dais where a throne of black oak stood. Its arms had been carved to represent the forelegs of a bear, and its feet into those of a dragon. And above it hung the battle standard of the Icemark: a standing polar bear, lips drawn back in a vicious snarl and claws outstretched.

Ah, that's better!" Redrought boomed again. In fact, the King only ever seemed to bellow, boom or shout, no matter what his mood. But nobody seemed to mind too much; at least he never had to repeat himself.

Put her in any situation that was even vaguely new and personal and she was lost; her pale, almost translucent skin and auburn hair seemed to signal everything she was feeling. She may raise her chin in proud disdain and even curl her lip in an emergency, but nobody was likely to be fooled if she glowed the colour of a midsummer sunset.

She knew she could kill him in a variety of gory ways in less time than it took him to adjust the strange spectoculums that rested on the very end of his nose, but even this distraction didn't seem to help!

She'd invited Oskan to the Yule Feast. Or rather, she'd sent a royal command ordering his presence on the twenty-first day of Icemas.

And where did you spring from, Oskan? I'd already had enough shocks without you leaping out of the shadows like a skinny ghost!

Healers make the most dreadful enemies, Scion of the House of Strong-in-the-Arm. The knowledge that saves lives can be used to do exactly the opposite. Especially when they have the blood of the Wise Ones in their veins.

They're the strongest creatures I know and they'd make a formidable ally in the coming war. Perhaps…just perhaps, Thirrin could make a friend of them and bring them into the struggle. If anyone can do it, she can. She could make peace between night and day, between dark and light if she wanted.

I can assure you that frostbite to any part of that animal's anatomy wouldn't delay us for a second. If she was unfit to travel I'd personally poleaxe her," Thirrin said with venom. Then she added as an afterthought, "And I'd enjoy it!

Thanks, Dad," she whispered in his ear. Then recovering her composure, she knelt before him and said, "I give thanks, my Father. May your decision be proved right and true.