Hesitating at the last instant, she gazed back at Vesper, and tears brimmed in her eyes as she murmured in a meek voice, “Good-bye, my love.” Then she returned to the enchanted device and called out, “May this new vessel serve you well!

There is no evil in the darkness, it’s just an absence of light.

Raise thy head, Handmaiden of Orion, thou has borne thyself well thus far.

The time is come,” he spoke quietly. “Now, when lesser folk would wither, thou must be true to the blood of thine ancestors. Much greatness is bred in thee; accept now this terrible mantle and take a step nearer thy destiny.

The most harmful lies and the most hurtful, always contain a grain of truth,” he said. “But nevertheless, lies they do remain.

I shall not waste any more words on you,” she said coldly. “Your mind is too closed to hear them.

There are many things in this unhappy world we cannot alter. We must learn to live with our lot and find peace with ourselves.

Have no fear," the voice told her, "for in thee lies the hope of all. Only thou can deliver the land from darkness.""How can I?" she asked. "I am just one against so many."The eyes gleamed behind the dappling leaves. "Yet the smallest acorn may become the tallest oak," came the answer.

Keep trying, especially at first. It can be very discouraging if your submissions keep being rejected by a publisher, but if your work is what people want to read, you should get there eventually!

Curious how even a little time can alter so much.