"King Joyse," he said slowly, "persuaded you he was right by abandoning us. You think he went after Torrent—after Queen Madin. When somebody he loves is in danger, he forgets all about Mordant—all about his plans for saving his kingdom. He leaves that to us. Not because he doesn't think Mordant is important, but because he can't help caring about her." Terisa's spirit lifted. "He isn't an idealist—not really. If anyone here is an idealist, it's Havelock. King Joyse didn't create Mordant and the Congery out of an abstract set of beliefs. He did it because people he knew and cared about were being hurt in the wars—hurt by Imagery. He wanted to save the world, a world made up of individual farmers and merchants and children who couldn't defend themselves. "Don't forget that he risked a lot to protect us. Treating us the way he did, he confused us—even hurt us. But that gave Eremis a reason not to kill us. And we were left free to make our own choices. Just to keep us alive, King Joyse took the risk that we might go against him completely.
