Victoria Goddard Quote Bot
@victoriagoddardbot.bsky.social
Managed by @alura.bsky.social
“We found that the Lord Emperor is the fire at the centre of the court. Everyone circling around him, everyone dancing around that fire, the hearth at the centre of the world.
“Cliopher didn’t dance around the centre. He stood beside him.”
“Cliopher didn’t dance around the centre. He stood beside him.”
December 10, 2025 at 1:22 AM
“We found that the Lord Emperor is the fire at the centre of the court. Everyone circling around him, everyone dancing around that fire, the hearth at the centre of the world.
“Cliopher didn’t dance around the centre. He stood beside him.”
“Cliopher didn’t dance around the centre. He stood beside him.”
Féonie let the old man, Tanà Tovo’s boyfriend, examine her closely, and examined him right back.
She’d only ever seen one other person with eyes that strange, and he was worshipped as a living god.
Right.
There were always stories.
She’d only ever seen one other person with eyes that strange, and he was worshipped as a living god.
Right.
There were always stories.
December 9, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Féonie let the old man, Tanà Tovo’s boyfriend, examine her closely, and examined him right back.
She’d only ever seen one other person with eyes that strange, and he was worshipped as a living god.
Right.
There were always stories.
She’d only ever seen one other person with eyes that strange, and he was worshipped as a living god.
Right.
There were always stories.
But fire was chaotic, and creation, and there were—not rules, not even laws, but—principles, yes, principles at work. All supposed rules of poetry could be broken, if you were good enough.
Magic was, I knew (I hoped, I prayed, I wished), the same.
Magic was, I knew (I hoped, I prayed, I wished), the same.
December 9, 2025 at 4:23 PM
But fire was chaotic, and creation, and there were—not rules, not even laws, but—principles, yes, principles at work. All supposed rules of poetry could be broken, if you were good enough.
Magic was, I knew (I hoped, I prayed, I wished), the same.
Magic was, I knew (I hoped, I prayed, I wished), the same.
“He called me his friend.”
“Then you must continue to act in the office of friendship,” Cliopher said firmly.
“Then you must continue to act in the office of friendship,” Cliopher said firmly.
December 9, 2025 at 12:37 PM
“He called me his friend.”
“Then you must continue to act in the office of friendship,” Cliopher said firmly.
“Then you must continue to act in the office of friendship,” Cliopher said firmly.
Conju did not waste time and energy being angry or hurt.
What did it matter to him, anyway, if his Radiancy’s commoner secretary was such a prude as that?
What did it matter to him, anyway, if his Radiancy’s commoner secretary was such a prude as that?
December 9, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Conju did not waste time and energy being angry or hurt.
What did it matter to him, anyway, if his Radiancy’s commoner secretary was such a prude as that?
What did it matter to him, anyway, if his Radiancy’s commoner secretary was such a prude as that?
“You clasped shoulders, embraced, hugged, kissed, touched foreheads, bowed over your hands—I have not—Kip, I haven’t touched anyone! I don’t know how.”
“Here, my lord,” he said, getting up and opening his arms slightly. “I will show you.”
“Here, my lord,” he said, getting up and opening his arms slightly. “I will show you.”
December 9, 2025 at 4:26 AM
“You clasped shoulders, embraced, hugged, kissed, touched foreheads, bowed over your hands—I have not—Kip, I haven’t touched anyone! I don’t know how.”
“Here, my lord,” he said, getting up and opening his arms slightly. “I will show you.”
“Here, my lord,” he said, getting up and opening his arms slightly. “I will show you.”
“What are you writing?” Jullanar asked, after they had sat in companionable quiet for a time.
“A letter,” he said simply.
“A long letter,” Jullanar responded, her voice light. “Who is it for?”
Fitzroy looked down at the sheets beside him, which he’d weighted down with a stone. “A ... friend.”
“A letter,” he said simply.
“A long letter,” Jullanar responded, her voice light. “Who is it for?”
Fitzroy looked down at the sheets beside him, which he’d weighted down with a stone. “A ... friend.”
December 9, 2025 at 1:20 AM
“What are you writing?” Jullanar asked, after they had sat in companionable quiet for a time.
“A letter,” he said simply.
“A long letter,” Jullanar responded, her voice light. “Who is it for?”
Fitzroy looked down at the sheets beside him, which he’d weighted down with a stone. “A ... friend.”
“A letter,” he said simply.
“A long letter,” Jullanar responded, her voice light. “Who is it for?”
Fitzroy looked down at the sheets beside him, which he’d weighted down with a stone. “A ... friend.”
“There’s a bookstore in town that I think you would very much like to see, sir. It’s called Elderflower Books—”
December 8, 2025 at 8:20 PM
“There’s a bookstore in town that I think you would very much like to see, sir. It’s called Elderflower Books—”
His Radiancy stood frowning down at him, his power high and menacing. Cliopher did not try to match his stare, but thought of himself as a stone being swamped by the sea. If the sea truly wished to unseat him, he knew he would have no recourse.
December 8, 2025 at 4:23 PM
His Radiancy stood frowning down at him, his power high and menacing. Cliopher did not try to match his stare, but thought of himself as a stone being swamped by the sea. If the sea truly wished to unseat him, he knew he would have no recourse.
The decision not to leave your crown where it had fallen was the hardest decision you had ever made.
December 8, 2025 at 12:36 PM
The decision not to leave your crown where it had fallen was the hardest decision you had ever made.
I’d been known to get much more thoroughly lost on slighter grounds. (Though in my defence: the universe is full of invitations, some of which are irresistible.)
December 8, 2025 at 8:27 AM
I’d been known to get much more thoroughly lost on slighter grounds. (Though in my defence: the universe is full of invitations, some of which are irresistible.)
“I, Cliopher Mdang of the Vangavaye-ve, do swear upon my soul and my heart and my life that I will keep this world of yours safe while you are absent and return it hale to you when you are come home.”
December 8, 2025 at 4:31 AM
“I, Cliopher Mdang of the Vangavaye-ve, do swear upon my soul and my heart and my life that I will keep this world of yours safe while you are absent and return it hale to you when you are come home.”
“It had always been so important to me that in the stories they were not lovers. That two people could love each other like that, but it didn’t need to be about sex. That you could find someone who was your match. Your other half. Your equal.”
December 8, 2025 at 1:21 AM
“It had always been so important to me that in the stories they were not lovers. That two people could love each other like that, but it didn’t need to be about sex. That you could find someone who was your match. Your other half. Your equal.”
“I was wondering,” Fitzroy said after a moment, “whether there was a special efela for fanoa.”
December 7, 2025 at 8:17 PM
“I was wondering,” Fitzroy said after a moment, “whether there was a special efela for fanoa.”
“It’s Mdang,” he said sharply.
Prince Rufus stopped and visibly swallowed affront. “I beg your pardon?”
“It’s Mdang,” Kip said, enunciating carefully. Prince Rufus stared blankly at him. “Rhymes with hang, tang, sang, oh, Fitzroy Angursell.”
Prince Rufus stopped and visibly swallowed affront. “I beg your pardon?”
“It’s Mdang,” Kip said, enunciating carefully. Prince Rufus stared blankly at him. “Rhymes with hang, tang, sang, oh, Fitzroy Angursell.”
December 7, 2025 at 4:19 PM
“It’s Mdang,” he said sharply.
Prince Rufus stopped and visibly swallowed affront. “I beg your pardon?”
“It’s Mdang,” Kip said, enunciating carefully. Prince Rufus stared blankly at him. “Rhymes with hang, tang, sang, oh, Fitzroy Angursell.”
Prince Rufus stopped and visibly swallowed affront. “I beg your pardon?”
“It’s Mdang,” Kip said, enunciating carefully. Prince Rufus stared blankly at him. “Rhymes with hang, tang, sang, oh, Fitzroy Angursell.”
There were probably a thousand things she should be asking Jullanar, but—oh, there was something so immensely precious at simply being able to sit with her.
December 7, 2025 at 12:32 PM
There were probably a thousand things she should be asking Jullanar, but—oh, there was something so immensely precious at simply being able to sit with her.
Three days after leaving the Palace and here I was, already halfway across a different continent having adventures and assisting maidens in distress. It was all most satisfactory.
December 7, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Three days after leaving the Palace and here I was, already halfway across a different continent having adventures and assisting maidens in distress. It was all most satisfactory.
His name, spoken in such a voice; a simple choice offered and made; one glimpse of the famous lion eyes he had never believed were real.
“Very good, Glorious One,” he said, and pretended not to be shaken.
It had been a long time since he had last fallen in love with someone.
“Very good, Glorious One,” he said, and pretended not to be shaken.
It had been a long time since he had last fallen in love with someone.
December 7, 2025 at 4:30 AM
His name, spoken in such a voice; a simple choice offered and made; one glimpse of the famous lion eyes he had never believed were real.
“Very good, Glorious One,” he said, and pretended not to be shaken.
It had been a long time since he had last fallen in love with someone.
“Very good, Glorious One,” he said, and pretended not to be shaken.
It had been a long time since he had last fallen in love with someone.
Kip—I—I hoped that people at home were alive, I hoped that they’d survived the Fall, I thought they must have ... but I didn’t ... I couldn’t see how I could go home if you weren’t there.”
December 7, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Kip—I—I hoped that people at home were alive, I hoped that they’d survived the Fall, I thought they must have ... but I didn’t ... I couldn’t see how I could go home if you weren’t there.”
One of the things that she had always loved was sparring.
And sparring verbally with Fitzroy had always been one of her very favourite things.
And sparring verbally with Fitzroy had always been one of her very favourite things.
December 6, 2025 at 8:18 PM
One of the things that she had always loved was sparring.
And sparring verbally with Fitzroy had always been one of her very favourite things.
And sparring verbally with Fitzroy had always been one of her very favourite things.
He walked forward to meet his Radiancy, who was coming out of the water, looking (to Cliopher) like some story of Creation as the water streaming off his dark shoulders caught the light and the three men stood awaiting his coming.
December 6, 2025 at 4:19 PM
He walked forward to meet his Radiancy, who was coming out of the water, looking (to Cliopher) like some story of Creation as the water streaming off his dark shoulders caught the light and the three men stood awaiting his coming.
By the time they were halfway to the secretary Ghilly had started to sweat with nerves, and was frantically trying to come up with some real reason for them to have sought an audience with the Viceroy, some grave and sensible and adult purpose for their visit.
December 6, 2025 at 12:32 PM
By the time they were halfway to the secretary Ghilly had started to sweat with nerves, and was frantically trying to come up with some real reason for them to have sought an audience with the Viceroy, some grave and sensible and adult purpose for their visit.
“I am Fitzroy. The poet. And adventurer.”
December 6, 2025 at 8:21 AM
“I am Fitzroy. The poet. And adventurer.”
Your new secretary fell rather than descended into his obeisance, eyes glimmering with welling tears. At your automatic dismissal Sayo Mdang turned and fled, writing kit forgotten on his desk and magic reverberating in the air.
December 6, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Your new secretary fell rather than descended into his obeisance, eyes glimmering with welling tears. At your automatic dismissal Sayo Mdang turned and fled, writing kit forgotten on his desk and magic reverberating in the air.
“You, sir, are a fool. You will be fortunate indeed to be only a footnote in history. No—no. Do not speak. Every word you say is fuel to my fire; if Jullanar only speaks the word, I can ensure that you are a laughingstock on three worlds.”
December 6, 2025 at 1:16 AM
“You, sir, are a fool. You will be fortunate indeed to be only a footnote in history. No—no. Do not speak. Every word you say is fuel to my fire; if Jullanar only speaks the word, I can ensure that you are a laughingstock on three worlds.”