#this book...

Therapon was the word he used. A brother-in-arms sworn to a prince by blood oaths and love. In war, these men were his honor guard; in peace, his closest advisers.

Life wants you to go down and suffer far as I can see. You gotta dance around all that. A child must come out to dance and dance around all obstacles and dance in the end the creaky quadrille of age.

Other feelings were stirring within her: Sophia was awakening to sensuality. At thirteen and fourteen, she often went to her room at night, still restless with nervous energy. Attempting to find some release, she sat up in bed, placed a hard pillow between her legs, and astride an imaginary horse 'galloped until I was quite worn out.' When maids outside her room came in to investigate the noise, they found her lying quietly, pretending to be asleep. 'I was never caught in the act' she said.