It’s the being there; the working of it; the feel of moving through what could surprise you at any moment. It’s being a dust speck in that scale and … - C. J. Cherryh

There was love, a reliable and real love grown in a handful of days, and Tristan did not know why it was: friendship had happened to both of them, on the sudden, completely aside from Tristan's both endangering and saving Crissand's life.

It was no reason related to that, it was no reason that either of them quite knew. Crissand had simply risen on his horizon like the sun of his banner...and that was that....They were together, and there was a great deal right with the day simply in that.

The t'ca [ship] left them, rolled and slewed off in a maneuver that made sense to a multi-brained snake.

A year of ending and beginning, a year of loss and finding...and all of you were with me through the storm. I drink your health, your wealth, your fortune for long years to come, and I hope for many more days in which we can gather like this.