In "Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade," the character reflects on the complex nature of love. He acknowledges that it cannot be forced or controlled, suggesting that true affection arises naturally and cannot be manufactured. This idea highlights the unpredictable and often uncontrollable aspects of emotions. Additionally, he expresses a sense of resignation about love, implying that once it is felt, it cannot simply be wished away. This duality encapsulates the struggle many face when dealing with deep feelings, revealing the often painful reality that love is both a gift and a burden that one must navigate without the ability to dictate its presence or absence.

You cannot compel love, he said finally, nor summon it at will.

Still less, he added ruefully, can you dismiss it.