A tiny excerpt from the novel...

"So often I have been made to feel rich by the humble generosity of the poor, but poor by the flashy charity of the rich." — Naarah, the seamstress

Another one of Tobiel's observations

"It is a common misconception that a square peg won't fit into a round hole. Truth is, if the opening is big enough, no matter the shape, a square peg will fit with room to spare." — Tobiel, the carpenter, friend of Tehtena, the princess

BTW...

If there's one thing I have learned over the years, it is never to wait idly for inspiration. The muses don't talk you into writing, they talk to you as you write.

To stick with the theme of the previous entry...

"What good are wings to a caged bird, or dreams to a dying man?  And of what use are these wretched hands of mine if they cannot cradle your precious face?" — from the diary of the Princess Tehtena