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i_read_whatSo okay, here's the thing. There's a big content warning for this chapter. Rape. There is rape in this chapter. Because fuck this series and its inability to let the characters develop natural, non-fucking rape relationships.
Anyway, here we go.
So we're back with F'nor, same day as before. He's doing some scouting and noticing the same thing that F'lar did before. The ground crews who are searching for Thread burrows are annoyed because they haven't found anything and resent being taken away from their actual jobs. Which dudes, really, you KNOW what burrowed Thread can do. Be happy that it's not happening here.
We're told that people generally like to talk to F'nor, even when they barely know him, and he finds this is often an advantage "despite the hours he'd had to spend listening to maundering tales." I like this character beat, because it fits with what we know about F'nor so far, and it's a nice contrast to F'lar, who is generally a bit too much of a dick/hyperfocused to take that kind of time. Anyway, one of the younger men, a crew chief named Toric, has found some signs of fire lizards at a cove near his Hold. Toric thinks he can Impress a fire lizard, because he has good interaction with watch wher, and he had been denied a chance to try at Fort Weyr.
F'nor cuts him off (which...kind of goes against the characterization just established a paragraph ago, but okay), to muse about the Holder and Weyr interaction yet again. It's nothing new, except to note that unlike other crafts, dragonriding does involve a lot more risking of life as a matter of course. Which is true, WHEN THREAD IS FALLING. It wasn't exactly true for the last four hundred years though, which is a blind spot in these discussions.
Anyway, F'nor thinks that Toric will lose some bitterness if he gets a fire lizard and feels vindicated. F'nor also thinks that if they can be trained for messages and can bond with everyone, that could be very helpful. I'm personally wondering: is Toric wrong? I mean, if fire lizards can bond with anyone, why can't dragons? Until F'lar and Lessa, the Weyrs spent god knows how long only recruiting from their own cult raised children as candidates for Impression, but outsiders clearly are capable of Impressing too.
F'nor realizes that he didn't bring up Brekke's problem to F'lar, and F'lar was probably gone. F'nor also berates himself, not for y'know trying to "solve" Brekke's problem against her wishes, but for meddling with another Weyr. He is restless and resentful and Canth tries to soothe him.
When F'nor returns to the Weyr, he's told that Brekke wants to see him. And ugh, this is annoying. Brekke seems to be having a Lessa style premonition of dread, but F'nor isn't really listening.
I wish I could put my finger on why exactly I find their dynamic less appealing. Let me show you this exchange.
“So I hear.” Brekke frowned. “Everything’s askew. I have the oddest sensation . . .”
“Go on,” F’nor urged when she broke off. “What kind of a sensation?” Was Wirenth about to rise? Brekke seemed to remain untouched by so many disturbances, a serene competent personality, tranquilly keeping the Weyr going, healing the wounded. For her to admit to uncertainty was disturbing.
As if she caught his thoughts, she shook her head, her lips set in a fierce line.
“No, it’s not personal. It’s just that everything is going awry—disorienting, changing . . .”
“Is that all? Didn’t I hear you suggesting a minor change or two? Letting a girl Impress a fighting dragon? Handing out fire lizards to placate the common mass?”
“That’s change. I’m talking about a disorientation, a violent upheaval . . .”
“And your suggestions don’t rank under that heading? Oh, my dear girl,” and F’nor suddenly gave her a long, penetrating look. Something in her candid gaze disturbed him deeply.
Ugh. Stop belittling her concerns.
F'nor asks if Kylara is pestering Brekke, and again brings up the idea of N'ton or B'dor, and Brekke tells him to stop trying to foist his friends on her and that she likes being at Southern where she's needed.
Go Brekke. I like Brekke when she stands up for herself.
F'nor says that she's being exploited, but Brekke doesn't mind hard work and likes feeling needed. F'nor starts telling her that she deserves more and Brekke's response is really interesting:
"'Useful, worthwhile, wholesome, capable, dependable, the list is categoric, F’nor, I know the entire litany,' Brekke said with a funny little catch in her voice. 'Rest assured, my friend, I know what I am.'"
It's almost like Brekke is as frustrated with her writing as I am. But honestly, this is the first chapter where Brekke has really felt like a PERSON rather than a collection of traits. Which is going to make this worse very soon.
Anyway, F'nor decides to interrupt her self-deprecation by kissing her. I'm not entirely sure why this strikes him as a good idea, but well, his kiss is strongly reciprocated. So much so that F'nor some how immediately detects that Brekke is a virgin.
Seriously.
His eyes never leaving Brekke’s, F’nor rose slowly and circled the table. He slid beside her on the bench, pulling her against him with his good arm. Her head fell back on his shoulder and he bent to the incredible sweetness of her lips. Her body was soft and pliable, her arms went around him, pressing him to her with a total surrender to his virility that he had never before experienced. No matter how eager others had seemed, or gratified, there had never been such a total commitment to him. Such an innocence of . . .
Abruptly F’nor raised his head, looking deep into her eyes.
'You’ve never slept with T’bor.' He stated it as a fact. 'You’ve never slept with any man.'
F'nor is apparently a magic virgin detector. And I'm grossed out by this series's obsession with virginity. Oh yes, Weyr society is more sexually open, but only the bad women like Jora and Kylara are actually allowed to enjoy sex. Well, Lessa is too now, but she's married and monogamous so that's a different kettle of fish.
So anyway, F'nor asks Brekke why she's been letting people assume that she and T'bor have slept together:
'To keep other men from you?' F’nor demanded, giving her a little shake. 'Why? Whom are you keeping yourself for?'
Okay, let's unpack this a little.
a) what the hell fucking society is it when a woman has to pretend to be involved with a man to keep other men away. And yes, I know that happens in real life too, but the Weyrs are supposed to be sexually enlightened.
b) ENOUGH WITH THE FUCKING SHAKING. Physical abuse was not okay when F'lar did it and it's not okay now. I thought you'd figured that out, Ms. McCaffrey, since you haven't had F'lar do it all book. Apparently no, it's just proper romantic lead behavior.
c) Why does Brekke have to be keeping herself for anyone? Maybe she just doesn't want to have sex? Fuck you, F'nor.
Anyway, of course, Brekke is in love with F'nor, and has been since the day she met him: when she had been brought to Southern on the Search for Wirenth. He was tall, handsome, kind, and she was devastated to find out only bronzes fly queens.
Poor Brekke. This really is a horrific system.
F'nor's response is bizarre:
'Then you’re a silly clunch and deserve all the anguish you’ve put yourself through,' he said, his teasing voice taking the sting from his words. He patted her shoulder and sighed exaggeratedly. 'And craftbred as well. Have you taken in nothing you’ve been told about dragonfolk? Weyrwomen can’t be bound by any commoner moralities. A Weyrwoman has to be subservient to her queen’s needs, including mating with many riders if her queen is flown by different dragons. Most craft and holdbred girls envy such freedom . . .'
How the fuck is that comforting? How is that even relevant? She doesn't WANT to mate with many riders. She wants YOU, you fuckhead, (god knows why), but even if she didn't. She doesn't WANT this "freedom".
Brekke says as much. She loves Wirenth, but she's not weyrbred and doesn't have that kind of "wantonness" in her nature. She calls herself inhibited and is afraid that she'll inhibit Wirenth as well.
God, poor Brekke. She may have only a flimsy amount of character, but I really identify with her here. (Well, not the F'nor part. F'nor is awful.) It's why Pern as a concept doesn't really resonate with me as an asexual person. I love the idea of dragons, but the stuff that comes with it...
F'nor points out that Brekke doesn't have to change completely, and most queens prefer one bronze over others consistently. Which is still missing the fucking point. Brekke is not comforted: she doesn't want any other men and she thinks she'll freeze and lose Wirenth. Oh, also, She tried to break away from him, but even with one arm the brown rider was stronger. Trapped, she began to cling to him with the strength of utter despair.
Gross.
F'nor says this and I vomit a little:
'You won’t lose Wirenth. It’s different when dragons mate, love. You’re the dragon, too, caught up in emotions that have only one resolution.' He held her tightly as she seemed to shrink with revulsion from him as well as the imminent event. He thought of the riders here at Southern, of T’bor, and he experienced a disgust of another sort. Those men, conditioned to respond to Kylara’s exotic tastes, would brutalize this inexperienced child.
a) That's not remotely comforting.
b) Possessiveness is still not a positive trait. And you know, men aren't mindless assholes. Some of them might well be able to realize that you don't treat every woman the same.
c) STOP CALLING HER A CHILD WHEN YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN LOVE.
Oh and now this happens:
F’nor glanced round at the low couch and rose, Brekke in his arms. He started for the bed, halted, hearing voices beyond the clearing. Anyone might come.
Still holding her, he carried her out of the weyrhold, smothering her protest against his chest as she realized his intention. There was a place behind his weyrhold, beyond Canth’s wallow, where the ferns grew sweet and thick, where they would be undisturbed.
He wanted to be gentle but, unaccountably, Brekke fought him. She pleaded with him, crying out wildly that they’d rouse the sleeping Wirenth. He wasn’t gentle but he was thorough, and, in the end, Brekke astounded him with a surrender as passionate as if her dragon had been involved
It is that fucking abrupt. Congratulations F'nor, you're a fucking rapist.
And fucking congratulations, Ms. McCaffrey, you've actually made it WORSE than in Dragonflight. In Dragonflight, there was some very slight level of deniability. They were in a mating flight and it wasn't 100% clear whether F'lar knew that Lessa had no idea what was going on. It's not a great situation, Lessa didn't consent, and it doesn't excuse F'lar's behavior later. But it's something. F'lar is a rapist, but not necessarily a deliberate one. And that grey area is what ultimately makes him potentially salvageable as a character.
There's no grey area here. Brekke makes it clear, repeatedly, that she doesn't want this. She tries to get away. She protests when she's carried. She fights and pleads with him. There's no mating flight to possibly cloud his own judgment. There's no possibility for mistake.
F'nor is a rapist.
So anyway, after the rape, Brekke is still sad. But not because she was raped, oh no, because the women's reaction to these scenes doesn't matter in this series. Honestly, Dragonflight's better here too. Because while we don't get Lessa's point of view, she at least gets to be distant and resentful. But see, F'nor is the better, more sensitive brother, so Brekke doesn't even get that.
Brekke's upset because she still doesn't know what she'll do when Wirenth rises. F'nor feels guilty. Oh, not for raping her of course. But because he can't comfort her and had "compromised her values" which will make this harder for her.
He tries to hide his feelings from Canth, because he doesn't want Canth to know that F'nor could fault him for not being a bronze. Fuck you, F'nor. But Canth, continuing the trend of dragons being better than their human partners, is unbothered. He points out that he is as large as most of the bronzes, and as strong as well.
F'nor realizes the obvious: that Canth could fly Wirenth. According to F'nor the only reason that browns don't fly queens is that they're smaller, but Canth is big. I thought there was something about the clutches not being as good either, but to be fair to the rapist here, Dragonquest did establish that the modern Weyrs have been doing very well clutch wise. So even if Wirenth's clutch was less ideal, it probably wouldn't be devastating.
This also made F'nor's rape of Brekke completely unnecessary, but let's leave that alone. Wait. No. Let's NEVER leave that alone.
Also, this is what gets me about F'nor as a character. Ms. McCaffrey created F'nor to be the more appealing brother of F'lar. Where F'lar is driven, focused asshole, intentionally so, most of the time. F'nor is supposed to be kinder, more laid back, with a sense of humor. The dragons choices are part of that. F'lar has a bronze, indicating that he's meant for ambition and power. F'nor has a brown because he's more humble and approachable.
Which is fine. This is a workable contrast. But here's the thing that gets me. McCaffrey tries to have her cake and eat it too. F'nor gets the credit of being a humble brown rider, but he has none of the actual disadvantages. His dragon is as big and powerful as most bronzes. (Mnementh is bigger, but at no point are Canth and Mnementh, or F'nor and F'lar in direct competition.) He has a position of authority, as F'lar's Wing Second, which basically makes him the second in command and able to poke his nose into other Weyr business. Back in Dragonflight, he got to command K'net and other bronze riders in F'lar's wing. And when they were sent back in time, F'nor was given the practical leadership while T'bor was nominally the leader. At no point do we ever see F'nor express any kind of jealousy or inadequacy when compared to the difference between his and F'lar's ranks. There's also no mention of F'nor ever taking part in a brown-green mating flight. Because god forbid we get the idea that F'nor may have had sex with men.
Basically F'nor might as well be a bronze rider for all that Canth being brown actually matters.
Oh, hey, remember how Mnementh actually scolded F'lar for his behavior toward Lessa sometimes?
Canth is actually kind of terrible. He kissed her again, using every trick learned from a hundred casual encounters to wed her to him, body, soul and mind, aware of Canth’s enthusiastic endorsement.
Yay, for being a rape apologist, Canth. Fuck you, too.
We conclude the chapter with Kylara, who is still pissed off that F'lar "lost" her queen. She gets some catharsis by imagining that the beasts Prideth hunts are F'lar, T'bor and Lessa. Finally, she goes to Brekke's to get some numbweed, and she catches a glimpse of F'nor and Brekke. She's disgusted of course (yep, me too), and storms away angrily. Since she leaves, Canth doesn't tell F'nor.
Canth is fucking useless.
And the rape chapter is over, yay. Now the book will never acknowledge the rape again and we will be expected to cheer for this abysmal pairing of a patronizing douchebag and a doormat of virtue.
Anyway, here we go.
So we're back with F'nor, same day as before. He's doing some scouting and noticing the same thing that F'lar did before. The ground crews who are searching for Thread burrows are annoyed because they haven't found anything and resent being taken away from their actual jobs. Which dudes, really, you KNOW what burrowed Thread can do. Be happy that it's not happening here.
We're told that people generally like to talk to F'nor, even when they barely know him, and he finds this is often an advantage "despite the hours he'd had to spend listening to maundering tales." I like this character beat, because it fits with what we know about F'nor so far, and it's a nice contrast to F'lar, who is generally a bit too much of a dick/hyperfocused to take that kind of time. Anyway, one of the younger men, a crew chief named Toric, has found some signs of fire lizards at a cove near his Hold. Toric thinks he can Impress a fire lizard, because he has good interaction with watch wher, and he had been denied a chance to try at Fort Weyr.
F'nor cuts him off (which...kind of goes against the characterization just established a paragraph ago, but okay), to muse about the Holder and Weyr interaction yet again. It's nothing new, except to note that unlike other crafts, dragonriding does involve a lot more risking of life as a matter of course. Which is true, WHEN THREAD IS FALLING. It wasn't exactly true for the last four hundred years though, which is a blind spot in these discussions.
Anyway, F'nor thinks that Toric will lose some bitterness if he gets a fire lizard and feels vindicated. F'nor also thinks that if they can be trained for messages and can bond with everyone, that could be very helpful. I'm personally wondering: is Toric wrong? I mean, if fire lizards can bond with anyone, why can't dragons? Until F'lar and Lessa, the Weyrs spent god knows how long only recruiting from their own cult raised children as candidates for Impression, but outsiders clearly are capable of Impressing too.
F'nor realizes that he didn't bring up Brekke's problem to F'lar, and F'lar was probably gone. F'nor also berates himself, not for y'know trying to "solve" Brekke's problem against her wishes, but for meddling with another Weyr. He is restless and resentful and Canth tries to soothe him.
When F'nor returns to the Weyr, he's told that Brekke wants to see him. And ugh, this is annoying. Brekke seems to be having a Lessa style premonition of dread, but F'nor isn't really listening.
I wish I could put my finger on why exactly I find their dynamic less appealing. Let me show you this exchange.
“So I hear.” Brekke frowned. “Everything’s askew. I have the oddest sensation . . .”
“Go on,” F’nor urged when she broke off. “What kind of a sensation?” Was Wirenth about to rise? Brekke seemed to remain untouched by so many disturbances, a serene competent personality, tranquilly keeping the Weyr going, healing the wounded. For her to admit to uncertainty was disturbing.
As if she caught his thoughts, she shook her head, her lips set in a fierce line.
“No, it’s not personal. It’s just that everything is going awry—disorienting, changing . . .”
“Is that all? Didn’t I hear you suggesting a minor change or two? Letting a girl Impress a fighting dragon? Handing out fire lizards to placate the common mass?”
“That’s change. I’m talking about a disorientation, a violent upheaval . . .”
“And your suggestions don’t rank under that heading? Oh, my dear girl,” and F’nor suddenly gave her a long, penetrating look. Something in her candid gaze disturbed him deeply.
Ugh. Stop belittling her concerns.
F'nor asks if Kylara is pestering Brekke, and again brings up the idea of N'ton or B'dor, and Brekke tells him to stop trying to foist his friends on her and that she likes being at Southern where she's needed.
Go Brekke. I like Brekke when she stands up for herself.
F'nor says that she's being exploited, but Brekke doesn't mind hard work and likes feeling needed. F'nor starts telling her that she deserves more and Brekke's response is really interesting:
"'Useful, worthwhile, wholesome, capable, dependable, the list is categoric, F’nor, I know the entire litany,' Brekke said with a funny little catch in her voice. 'Rest assured, my friend, I know what I am.'"
It's almost like Brekke is as frustrated with her writing as I am. But honestly, this is the first chapter where Brekke has really felt like a PERSON rather than a collection of traits. Which is going to make this worse very soon.
Anyway, F'nor decides to interrupt her self-deprecation by kissing her. I'm not entirely sure why this strikes him as a good idea, but well, his kiss is strongly reciprocated. So much so that F'nor some how immediately detects that Brekke is a virgin.
Seriously.
His eyes never leaving Brekke’s, F’nor rose slowly and circled the table. He slid beside her on the bench, pulling her against him with his good arm. Her head fell back on his shoulder and he bent to the incredible sweetness of her lips. Her body was soft and pliable, her arms went around him, pressing him to her with a total surrender to his virility that he had never before experienced. No matter how eager others had seemed, or gratified, there had never been such a total commitment to him. Such an innocence of . . .
Abruptly F’nor raised his head, looking deep into her eyes.
'You’ve never slept with T’bor.' He stated it as a fact. 'You’ve never slept with any man.'
F'nor is apparently a magic virgin detector. And I'm grossed out by this series's obsession with virginity. Oh yes, Weyr society is more sexually open, but only the bad women like Jora and Kylara are actually allowed to enjoy sex. Well, Lessa is too now, but she's married and monogamous so that's a different kettle of fish.
So anyway, F'nor asks Brekke why she's been letting people assume that she and T'bor have slept together:
'To keep other men from you?' F’nor demanded, giving her a little shake. 'Why? Whom are you keeping yourself for?'
Okay, let's unpack this a little.
a) what the hell fucking society is it when a woman has to pretend to be involved with a man to keep other men away. And yes, I know that happens in real life too, but the Weyrs are supposed to be sexually enlightened.
b) ENOUGH WITH THE FUCKING SHAKING. Physical abuse was not okay when F'lar did it and it's not okay now. I thought you'd figured that out, Ms. McCaffrey, since you haven't had F'lar do it all book. Apparently no, it's just proper romantic lead behavior.
c) Why does Brekke have to be keeping herself for anyone? Maybe she just doesn't want to have sex? Fuck you, F'nor.
Anyway, of course, Brekke is in love with F'nor, and has been since the day she met him: when she had been brought to Southern on the Search for Wirenth. He was tall, handsome, kind, and she was devastated to find out only bronzes fly queens.
Poor Brekke. This really is a horrific system.
F'nor's response is bizarre:
'Then you’re a silly clunch and deserve all the anguish you’ve put yourself through,' he said, his teasing voice taking the sting from his words. He patted her shoulder and sighed exaggeratedly. 'And craftbred as well. Have you taken in nothing you’ve been told about dragonfolk? Weyrwomen can’t be bound by any commoner moralities. A Weyrwoman has to be subservient to her queen’s needs, including mating with many riders if her queen is flown by different dragons. Most craft and holdbred girls envy such freedom . . .'
How the fuck is that comforting? How is that even relevant? She doesn't WANT to mate with many riders. She wants YOU, you fuckhead, (god knows why), but even if she didn't. She doesn't WANT this "freedom".
Brekke says as much. She loves Wirenth, but she's not weyrbred and doesn't have that kind of "wantonness" in her nature. She calls herself inhibited and is afraid that she'll inhibit Wirenth as well.
God, poor Brekke. She may have only a flimsy amount of character, but I really identify with her here. (Well, not the F'nor part. F'nor is awful.) It's why Pern as a concept doesn't really resonate with me as an asexual person. I love the idea of dragons, but the stuff that comes with it...
F'nor points out that Brekke doesn't have to change completely, and most queens prefer one bronze over others consistently. Which is still missing the fucking point. Brekke is not comforted: she doesn't want any other men and she thinks she'll freeze and lose Wirenth. Oh, also, She tried to break away from him, but even with one arm the brown rider was stronger. Trapped, she began to cling to him with the strength of utter despair.
Gross.
F'nor says this and I vomit a little:
'You won’t lose Wirenth. It’s different when dragons mate, love. You’re the dragon, too, caught up in emotions that have only one resolution.' He held her tightly as she seemed to shrink with revulsion from him as well as the imminent event. He thought of the riders here at Southern, of T’bor, and he experienced a disgust of another sort. Those men, conditioned to respond to Kylara’s exotic tastes, would brutalize this inexperienced child.
a) That's not remotely comforting.
b) Possessiveness is still not a positive trait. And you know, men aren't mindless assholes. Some of them might well be able to realize that you don't treat every woman the same.
c) STOP CALLING HER A CHILD WHEN YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN LOVE.
Oh and now this happens:
F’nor glanced round at the low couch and rose, Brekke in his arms. He started for the bed, halted, hearing voices beyond the clearing. Anyone might come.
Still holding her, he carried her out of the weyrhold, smothering her protest against his chest as she realized his intention. There was a place behind his weyrhold, beyond Canth’s wallow, where the ferns grew sweet and thick, where they would be undisturbed.
He wanted to be gentle but, unaccountably, Brekke fought him. She pleaded with him, crying out wildly that they’d rouse the sleeping Wirenth. He wasn’t gentle but he was thorough, and, in the end, Brekke astounded him with a surrender as passionate as if her dragon had been involved
It is that fucking abrupt. Congratulations F'nor, you're a fucking rapist.
And fucking congratulations, Ms. McCaffrey, you've actually made it WORSE than in Dragonflight. In Dragonflight, there was some very slight level of deniability. They were in a mating flight and it wasn't 100% clear whether F'lar knew that Lessa had no idea what was going on. It's not a great situation, Lessa didn't consent, and it doesn't excuse F'lar's behavior later. But it's something. F'lar is a rapist, but not necessarily a deliberate one. And that grey area is what ultimately makes him potentially salvageable as a character.
There's no grey area here. Brekke makes it clear, repeatedly, that she doesn't want this. She tries to get away. She protests when she's carried. She fights and pleads with him. There's no mating flight to possibly cloud his own judgment. There's no possibility for mistake.
F'nor is a rapist.
So anyway, after the rape, Brekke is still sad. But not because she was raped, oh no, because the women's reaction to these scenes doesn't matter in this series. Honestly, Dragonflight's better here too. Because while we don't get Lessa's point of view, she at least gets to be distant and resentful. But see, F'nor is the better, more sensitive brother, so Brekke doesn't even get that.
Brekke's upset because she still doesn't know what she'll do when Wirenth rises. F'nor feels guilty. Oh, not for raping her of course. But because he can't comfort her and had "compromised her values" which will make this harder for her.
He tries to hide his feelings from Canth, because he doesn't want Canth to know that F'nor could fault him for not being a bronze. Fuck you, F'nor. But Canth, continuing the trend of dragons being better than their human partners, is unbothered. He points out that he is as large as most of the bronzes, and as strong as well.
F'nor realizes the obvious: that Canth could fly Wirenth. According to F'nor the only reason that browns don't fly queens is that they're smaller, but Canth is big. I thought there was something about the clutches not being as good either, but to be fair to the rapist here, Dragonquest did establish that the modern Weyrs have been doing very well clutch wise. So even if Wirenth's clutch was less ideal, it probably wouldn't be devastating.
This also made F'nor's rape of Brekke completely unnecessary, but let's leave that alone. Wait. No. Let's NEVER leave that alone.
Also, this is what gets me about F'nor as a character. Ms. McCaffrey created F'nor to be the more appealing brother of F'lar. Where F'lar is driven, focused asshole, intentionally so, most of the time. F'nor is supposed to be kinder, more laid back, with a sense of humor. The dragons choices are part of that. F'lar has a bronze, indicating that he's meant for ambition and power. F'nor has a brown because he's more humble and approachable.
Which is fine. This is a workable contrast. But here's the thing that gets me. McCaffrey tries to have her cake and eat it too. F'nor gets the credit of being a humble brown rider, but he has none of the actual disadvantages. His dragon is as big and powerful as most bronzes. (Mnementh is bigger, but at no point are Canth and Mnementh, or F'nor and F'lar in direct competition.) He has a position of authority, as F'lar's Wing Second, which basically makes him the second in command and able to poke his nose into other Weyr business. Back in Dragonflight, he got to command K'net and other bronze riders in F'lar's wing. And when they were sent back in time, F'nor was given the practical leadership while T'bor was nominally the leader. At no point do we ever see F'nor express any kind of jealousy or inadequacy when compared to the difference between his and F'lar's ranks. There's also no mention of F'nor ever taking part in a brown-green mating flight. Because god forbid we get the idea that F'nor may have had sex with men.
Basically F'nor might as well be a bronze rider for all that Canth being brown actually matters.
Oh, hey, remember how Mnementh actually scolded F'lar for his behavior toward Lessa sometimes?
Canth is actually kind of terrible. He kissed her again, using every trick learned from a hundred casual encounters to wed her to him, body, soul and mind, aware of Canth’s enthusiastic endorsement.
Yay, for being a rape apologist, Canth. Fuck you, too.
We conclude the chapter with Kylara, who is still pissed off that F'lar "lost" her queen. She gets some catharsis by imagining that the beasts Prideth hunts are F'lar, T'bor and Lessa. Finally, she goes to Brekke's to get some numbweed, and she catches a glimpse of F'nor and Brekke. She's disgusted of course (yep, me too), and storms away angrily. Since she leaves, Canth doesn't tell F'nor.
Canth is fucking useless.
And the rape chapter is over, yay. Now the book will never acknowledge the rape again and we will be expected to cheer for this abysmal pairing of a patronizing douchebag and a doormat of virtue.