Given ignorance in the mix, stupidity was at least as common in politics as astute maneuvering; - C. J. Cherryh

It had been a parting-gift, from a man he had begun to love, one he had wished had been his father. But in Morgaine's service there were only partings - and deaths.

The world was so beautiful, and there was so much of it: he could gaze forever at the wonder of leaves and not see them all: could inhale the wind and not smell all its scents, hear the sounds of men and horses and not hear all the sounds of the woods, and taste the thousand flavors in stale water and still find it wonderful... because it was not the darkness.

The world was getting scary. That was the truth. And it was moving fast. And it wasn’t a good morning. Not at all.