--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Though I would not delight to see the…" description: "\"“Though I would not delight to see the straps sink into your skin, neither would I mourn.' 'Enough blustering,' he says. 'You've already won. Look.' He..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/holly-black-329_broken-curses_though-i-would-not-delight-to-see-the-st_1209443.png" --- # Though I would not delight to see the straps sink into… ![“Though I would not delight to see the straps sink into your skin, neither would I mourn.' 'Enough blustering,' he says. 'You've already won. Look.' He takes me by the shoulders and turns me so that I can see where the great body of the serpent lies. A jolt of horror goes through me, and I try to…” quote by Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/holly-black-329_broken-curses_though-i-would-not-delight-to-see-the-st_1209443.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/holly-black-329_broken-curses_though-i-would-not-delight-to-see-the-st_1209443.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/holly-black-329_broken-curses_though-i-would-not-delight-to-see-the-st_1209443.png) > ““Though I would not delight to see the straps sink into your skin, neither would I mourn.' 'Enough blustering,' he says. 'You've already won. Look.' He takes me by the shoulders and turns me so that I can see where the great body of the serpent lies. A jolt of horror goes through me, and I try to wrench out of his grip. And then I notice the fighting has ebbed, the Folk are staring. From within the body of the creature emanates a glow. And then, through that, Cardan steps out. Cardan, naked and covered in blood. Alive. Only out of his spilled blood can a great ruler rise. ... Cardan takes a step forward and little cracks appear from his footfalls. Fissures in the very earth. He speaks with a boom that echoes through everyone gathered there. 'The curse is broken. The king is returned.' He's every bit as terrifying as any serpent. I don't care. I run into his arms.”” [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character witnesses a terrifying, blood‑soaked ruler emerging from a slain serpent, symbolizing rebirth through sacrifice and the awe‑inspiring power of a restored king. **In simple terms:** A fearsome king rises from a dead monster, showing power can come from sacrifice. Key Takeaway Accept that power may be frightening but necessary. Themes rebirth power sacrifice leadership fear Mood awe intense hopeful Type mythic dramatic inspirational When to use this quote - ritual combat - royal coronation - war aftermath - personal courage Key Concepts mythic symbolism transformation authority Questions to Reflect On - What does true leadership require? - Can fear be a tool for unity? A Different Perspective The ruler’s terror may alienate allies and provoke rebellion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cardan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cardan/) [Cardan-greenbriar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cardan-greenbriar/) [Holly-black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holly-black/) [Jude-duarte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jude-duarte/) [Madoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madoc/) [Serpent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serpent/) [The-folk-of-the-air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-folk-of-the-air/) [The-queen-of-nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-queen-of-nothing/) ## Related quotes > [“He's every bit as terrifying as any serpent. I don't care. I run into his arms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/he-s-every-bit-as-terrifying-as-any-serpent-i-don-t-care-i-run-into/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“The curse is broken. The king is returned." He's every bit as terrifying as any serpent. I don't care. I run into his arms.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/the-curse-is-broken-the-king-is-returned-he-s-every-bit-as-terrifying/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Jacks idly stroked her jaw with his fingers. 'I love you,' he said simply. Then his face went abruptly serious. 'I'm never going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/jacks-idly-stroked-her-jaw-with-his-fingers-i-love-you-he-said-simply/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [“Madoc makes a snorting sound, then turns to me. 'I am sure that Wren here wouldn't mind taking Lady Nore's castle and lands for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/madoc-makes-a-snorting-sound-then-turns-to-me-i-am-sure-that-wren/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“What do you think he did to me to deserve to die?' I ask. He stokes the fire. Sparks fly up. 'I assumed he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/what-do-you-think-he-did-to-me-to-deserve-to-die-i-ask-he-stokes-the/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“He might not want to hurt me, but that doesn't mean he won't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/he-might-not-want-to-hurt-me-but-that-doesn-t-mean-he-won-t/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“You were my guest until you drew your very fancy sword. Put it down and by my guest again.' 'Put it down?' says Madoc.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/you-were-my-guest-until-you-drew-your-very-fancy-sword-put-it-down/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Wisdom is for the meek,' he returns. 'And it seldom helps them as much as they believe it will. After all, as wise as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/wisdom-is-for-the-meek-he-returns-and-it-seldom-helps-them-as-much-as/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“...when they are gone, it will be use staring across a chessboard at each other. And when I best you, I will make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/when-they-are-gone-it-will-be-use-staring-across-a-chessboard-at-each/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Father, I am what you made me. I’ve become your daughter after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/father-i-am-what-you-made-me-i-ve-become-your-daughter-after-all/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Let's have a toast. To the incompetence of our enemies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/let-s-have-a-toast-to-the-incompetence-of-our-enemies/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Have you come to throw yourself on the mercy of the crown? Perhaps you hope the Queen of Elfhame will show leniency.' Madoc barks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/have-you-come-to-throw-yourself-on-the-mercy-of-the-crown-perhaps-you/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“The Serpent lies in the scalding cage; it wakes, rigid with pain. The King stands outside the bars, her face twisted with a malicious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-chan/the-serpent-lies-in-the-scalding-cage-it-wakes-rigid-with-pain-the/) [Kylie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-chan/) > [“The Serpent lies in a cage of jade, the demons laugh and poke it. It does not cry. The Turtle lies on a hospital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-chan/the-serpent-lies-in-a-cage-of-jade-the-demons-laugh-and-poke-it-it/) [Kylie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-chan/) > [“The Serpent lies on the carpet, alone. The city lights shine through the windows. It raises its head and tastes things gone; it drops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-chan/the-serpent-lies-on-the-carpet-alone-the-city-lights-shine-through/) [Kylie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-chan/) ## More by Holly Black > [“What they don’t realize is this: Yes, they frighten me, but I have always been scared, since the day I got here. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/what-they-don-t-realize-is-this-yes-they-frighten-me-but-i-have/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [When you don't know what you're searching for, you have to look absolutely everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-searching-for-you-have-to-look/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Madoc makes a snorting sound, then turns to me. 'I am sure that Wren here wouldn't mind taking Lady Nore's castle and lands for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/madoc-makes-a-snorting-sound-then-turns-to-me-i-am-sure-that-wren/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [That’s family for you. Can’t live with them, can’t murder them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/that-s-family-for-you-can-t-live-with-them-can-t-murder-them/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“No, I won't help you. No I won't hear you explain why I should. It really is a magical word: no. You say whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/no-i-won-t-help-you-no-i-won-t-hear-you-explain-why-i-should-it/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Let her alone,' said the enkanto, 'or I will curse you blind, lame, and worse.' The old man laughed. 'I'm a curse breaker, fool.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/let-her-alone-said-the-enkanto-or-i-will-curse-you-blind-lame-and/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“lt's an honor and a delight to meet you and a tragedy you're here”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/lt-s-an-honor-and-a-delight-to-meet-you-and-a-tragedy-you-re-here/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“No fire at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/no-fire-at-all/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“His wax-white skin was cool to the touch when she brushed his neck to find the knot of cloth. She'd never been this close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/his-wax-white-skin-was-cool-to-the-touch-when-she-brushed-his-neck-to/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [So what are you really wearing?" The words left her mouth before she could consider them. She winced. He didn't seem to mind; in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/so-what-are-you-really-wearing-the-words-left-her-mouth-before-she/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“I grab a chair. "I don't mean to pry," I say, "but we're in a hospital. You sure you're fine?" She sighs heavily. "No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/i-grab-a-chair-i-don-t-mean-to-pry-i-say-but-we-re-in-a-hospital-you/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Kaye: You know what the sun looks like? Janet: No, What? Kaye: Like he slit his wrists in a bathtub and the blood is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/kaye-you-know-what-the-sun-looks-like-janet-no-what-kaye-like-he-slit/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“That was how she felt, right then. As if there was too much of her, as if her skin was tight with muchness. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/that-was-how-she-felt-right-then-as-if-there-was-too-much-of-her-as/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“It was a vow, a piece of a chant, their scripture, something they took so seriously that saying it aloud embarrassed them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/it-was-a-vow-a-piece-of-a-chant-their-scripture-something-they-took/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Some broken things stay broken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/some-broken-things-stay-broken/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) [Explore all 666 Holly Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) ## More Broken-curses quotes > [“Jacks idly stroked her jaw with his fingers. 'I love you,' he said simply. Then his face went abruptly serious. 'I'm never going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/jacks-idly-stroked-her-jaw-with-his-fingers-i-love-you-he-said-simply/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) Browse all 2 Broken-curses quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Though I would not delight to see the straps sink into your skin, neither would I mourn.' 'Enough blustering,' he says. 'You've already won. Look.' He takes me by the shoulders and turns me so that I can see where the great body of the serpent lies. A jolt of horror goes through me, and I try to wrench out of his grip. And then I notice the fighting has ebbed, the Folk are staring. From within the body of the creature emanates a glow. And then, through that, Cardan steps out. Cardan, naked and covered in blood. Alive. Only out of his spilled blood can a great ruler rise. ... Cardan takes a step forward and little cracks appear from his footfalls. 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