Luck in the Shadows - Chapter Thirty-Five
Jan. 9th, 2022 01:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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i_read_whatSo this chapter is later than it was supposed to be, by a lot. In my defense, I am incredibly, incredibly lazy.
So last time there were investigations and confessions and even more intrigue. This time, who knows?
Apparently it's nightmares. Alec's not doing very well with the whole charnel house experience. I suppose that makes some sense. Alec lived a pretty isolated life as a hunter, so while death itself probably isn't so traumatizing, he wouldn't likely have ever dealt with something at that level of decay before.
Interestingly though, his dreams feature a threatening black figure stalking him through the charnel house. Is this general anxiety? Or is this connected with Seregil's own dreams/hallucinations?
So anyway, preparations are being made for their trip to Cirna. The cover story seems pretty plausible: "Lord Seregil" is taking a journey to recover from his imprisonment ordeal. They'll be taking a lot of luggage, which will be promptly stored at Watermead. It seems pretty clear that Seregil's manservant, Runcer, has a pretty clear idea of what's going on. Or at least, what isn't.
Micum and Seregil's connection is apparently well known, socially, as Runcer also gets instruction to tell any callers that Micum is off with the loveliest woman in Skala and will set dogs on anyone who disturbs them.
Runcer bowed gravely. “I shall convey the sentiment, sir.”
I love butler-type characters.
They split off from Micum part way through the journey (Micum is genuinely going home) and Seregil surprises Alec by being thrilled to be "free" of Wheel Street. And actually, I'll share this, because it's a good scene. Alec is finally clearing the air a little.
They reined in at last to rest the horses. Pushing back the hood of his cloak, Seregil let out a happy whoop. “By the Four, it’s good to be free of Wheel Street again!”
“You, too?” Alec turned to him in surprise.
“I can scarcely breathe there anymore!” exclaimed Seregil, shaking his head. “I hate to admit it, but I’ve felt pretty trapped there these past few years. It’s a disguise that’s taken on a life of its own. Once you’ve seen how far it all goes, you’ll understand.”
“Is that why you never told me about it?” Alec asked. The residual mood left by the nightmare, together with some lingering irritation over his first introduction to the place, lent an unexpectedly sharp edge to the words.
Seregil is genuinely surprised that Alec is still upset about the Wheel Street test. And a lot of other things. From Alec's perspective, Seregil doesn't tell him anything. From Seregil's perspective, all he's been doing is telling him things.
I actually think that's true, for both of them. Seregil HAS been secretive, but he's also used to being a solo operator. But there's a difference between an apprentice and a partner, and Alec's feeling that difference:
“It’s not that.” Alec struggled to put his warring emotions into words. At last he blurted out, “I’d just like to have had some say in the matter. Now that I think of it, I haven’t had much of a say in anything since we met. After all we’ve been through? Bilairy’s Guts, Seregil, I saved your life!”
Seregil opened his mouth as if to answer, then silently nudged Scrub into a walk.
Alec followed, still angry but aghast at his outburst. Why was it that strong emotions always seemed to take him by surprise?
“I suppose you’re justified in thinking that,” Seregil said at last.
“Seregil, I—”
“No, it’s all right. Don’t apologize for speaking the truth.” Staring down at Scrub’s neck, Seregil let out an exasperated sigh. “It was different when we first met. You were just someone who needed help and might prove momentarily useful. It wasn’t until after Wolde that I was sure about bringing you south with me.”
Ooof. Alec is justifiably a bit upset there. Remember the job offer? Both Alec and I remember that that took place BEFORE Wolde.
Seregil shrugged, still not looking up. “I don’t know, I guess so. I mean, it sounded good to me at the time, too. But I didn’t really know how suitable you were until that burglary in Wolde.”
“What would you have done if I wasn’t ‘suitable’?”
“Left you somewhere safe with money in your pocket, and then disappeared. I’ve done that often enough, with people I’ve helped. But you were different, and so I didn’t do that.”
Alec was surprised by an eerie sense of connection as their eyes met; heat like a gulp of brandy sprang up in his belly and spread out from there.
“So yes, I lied to you a little at first,” Seregil was saying. “Think of how many strangers you’ve lied to since you hooked up with me. It’s the nature of our work. Since Wolde, though, I swear I’ve been as honest with you as I could be. I wanted to tell you more, prepare you, but then the sickness came on.” He paused. “In your place, I doubt I’d have been as faithful. Anyway, after Wolde and the ambush in the Folcwine Forest I began to think of you as a friend, the first I’d made in a long time. I’d assumed you understood that, and for that assumption I beg your kind forgiveness.”
Seregil, that would have been an insanely dick move. And the lies Alec told, in Seregil's service, aren't exactly the same. Alec relied on Seregil's promise, took risks that he might not have ordinarily taken. And Seregil may have been financially generous, but Alec might well have lived a much safer life if he'd just taken the initially promised reward, bought new supplies and went on his way.
Seregil does have some of his own insecurities here, particularly involving Alec's age. Basically, he's not used to dealing with a kid. While Alec thinks that it seems like Seregil doesn't trust him.
Seregil, being Seregil, decides to be dramatic:
Seregil gave a rueful laugh. “Ah, Alec! Rei phöril tös tókun meh brithir, vrí sh’ruit’ya.”
“What’s that?”
Seregil held out his poniard hilt first to Alec. “ ‘Though you thrust a knife at my eyes, I will not flinch,’ ” he translated. “It’s a solemn pledge of trust and I give it to you with all my heart. You can take a stab at me if you want.”
“Do you just make those things up?”
“No, it’s genuine, and I’ll swear ten others just as dire if it will convince you I’m sorry.”
“Maker’s Mercy, Seregil, just tell me about Wheel Street!”
I give Seregil a lot of shit, but I do enjoy the combination of melodramatic mentor and practical-and-annoyed student.
So Seregil gives backstory: After he failed as a wizard apprentice, he went off and "lived rough" learning thief trades, and realized that he could make a good living by getting involved with Skalan intrigue. Which basically explains how the Rhiminee Cat came about. He tangents into founding the Cockerel as a hiding place/sanctuary, and finally purchased Wheel Street because "Lord Seregil" had to look and be noble sometimes.
And of course, we get a pretty interesting bit here:
“Unfortunately, the charade has grown rather cumbersome. If I didn’t love Rhíminee so much, I might just kill off Lord Seregil and start over again somewhere else. What it all boils down to for you, though, is that Sir Alec of Ivywell has a lot of educating ahead of him.”
“I’ll be an old man with a beard to my knees before I’ve learned half what you expect me to know!”
Seregil gazed out over the sea a quizzed look on his face. “Oh, I doubt that. I doubt that very much indeed.”
...this won't be important.
Anyway, they make it to the Canal, which is a very deep chasm and freaks Alec out a little. He's pretty determined though. Seregil explains the construction of the bridges overtop: basically they were made first and THEN wizards dug out the chasm below. Clever.
So they make it to Cirna, pretending to be a pair of merchant brothers (Myrus (Seregil) and Alsander (Alec)). They luck out a bit, because the old harbor master had died, and his replacement hadn't had time to sort through and junk the old records.
Unfortunately, there's not much of a filing system, and Alec's not a very strong reader, which makes it difficult when dealing with documents written aboard rolling ships. But he and Seregil both find some relevant documents.
Mostly they determine that the White Hart is a short hawler working on the northern coasts of both sides of the Canal. There are a number of odd runs, but nothing they can immediately pinpoint as being suspicious.
Eventually they take a break for dinner, and Seregil gets the idea to have Alec read the Outgoing columns out to him. And in the fourth document, there IS something. A shipment of marble TO a quarry instead of FROM a quarry. And with this new clue, the chapter ends.
A document trawl isn't the most interesting material for a fantasy novel, but I think Flewelling did a good job by pairing it up with some long overdue character discussion. I don't think the issues are completely resolved, but Alec seems happier having said his piece, and I think Seregil does seem to be trying to treat him more as a junior partner rather than an apprentice.
They're probably lucky that they each have their respective temperaments though. I doubt Seregil would have been as forgiving over the lie as Alec seems to be. Then again, I doubt Alec would have been impulsive enough to make an offer at all.
So last time there were investigations and confessions and even more intrigue. This time, who knows?
Apparently it's nightmares. Alec's not doing very well with the whole charnel house experience. I suppose that makes some sense. Alec lived a pretty isolated life as a hunter, so while death itself probably isn't so traumatizing, he wouldn't likely have ever dealt with something at that level of decay before.
Interestingly though, his dreams feature a threatening black figure stalking him through the charnel house. Is this general anxiety? Or is this connected with Seregil's own dreams/hallucinations?
So anyway, preparations are being made for their trip to Cirna. The cover story seems pretty plausible: "Lord Seregil" is taking a journey to recover from his imprisonment ordeal. They'll be taking a lot of luggage, which will be promptly stored at Watermead. It seems pretty clear that Seregil's manservant, Runcer, has a pretty clear idea of what's going on. Or at least, what isn't.
Micum and Seregil's connection is apparently well known, socially, as Runcer also gets instruction to tell any callers that Micum is off with the loveliest woman in Skala and will set dogs on anyone who disturbs them.
Runcer bowed gravely. “I shall convey the sentiment, sir.”
I love butler-type characters.
They split off from Micum part way through the journey (Micum is genuinely going home) and Seregil surprises Alec by being thrilled to be "free" of Wheel Street. And actually, I'll share this, because it's a good scene. Alec is finally clearing the air a little.
They reined in at last to rest the horses. Pushing back the hood of his cloak, Seregil let out a happy whoop. “By the Four, it’s good to be free of Wheel Street again!”
“You, too?” Alec turned to him in surprise.
“I can scarcely breathe there anymore!” exclaimed Seregil, shaking his head. “I hate to admit it, but I’ve felt pretty trapped there these past few years. It’s a disguise that’s taken on a life of its own. Once you’ve seen how far it all goes, you’ll understand.”
“Is that why you never told me about it?” Alec asked. The residual mood left by the nightmare, together with some lingering irritation over his first introduction to the place, lent an unexpectedly sharp edge to the words.
Seregil is genuinely surprised that Alec is still upset about the Wheel Street test. And a lot of other things. From Alec's perspective, Seregil doesn't tell him anything. From Seregil's perspective, all he's been doing is telling him things.
I actually think that's true, for both of them. Seregil HAS been secretive, but he's also used to being a solo operator. But there's a difference between an apprentice and a partner, and Alec's feeling that difference:
“It’s not that.” Alec struggled to put his warring emotions into words. At last he blurted out, “I’d just like to have had some say in the matter. Now that I think of it, I haven’t had much of a say in anything since we met. After all we’ve been through? Bilairy’s Guts, Seregil, I saved your life!”
Seregil opened his mouth as if to answer, then silently nudged Scrub into a walk.
Alec followed, still angry but aghast at his outburst. Why was it that strong emotions always seemed to take him by surprise?
“I suppose you’re justified in thinking that,” Seregil said at last.
“Seregil, I—”
“No, it’s all right. Don’t apologize for speaking the truth.” Staring down at Scrub’s neck, Seregil let out an exasperated sigh. “It was different when we first met. You were just someone who needed help and might prove momentarily useful. It wasn’t until after Wolde that I was sure about bringing you south with me.”
Ooof. Alec is justifiably a bit upset there. Remember the job offer? Both Alec and I remember that that took place BEFORE Wolde.
Seregil shrugged, still not looking up. “I don’t know, I guess so. I mean, it sounded good to me at the time, too. But I didn’t really know how suitable you were until that burglary in Wolde.”
“What would you have done if I wasn’t ‘suitable’?”
“Left you somewhere safe with money in your pocket, and then disappeared. I’ve done that often enough, with people I’ve helped. But you were different, and so I didn’t do that.”
Alec was surprised by an eerie sense of connection as their eyes met; heat like a gulp of brandy sprang up in his belly and spread out from there.
“So yes, I lied to you a little at first,” Seregil was saying. “Think of how many strangers you’ve lied to since you hooked up with me. It’s the nature of our work. Since Wolde, though, I swear I’ve been as honest with you as I could be. I wanted to tell you more, prepare you, but then the sickness came on.” He paused. “In your place, I doubt I’d have been as faithful. Anyway, after Wolde and the ambush in the Folcwine Forest I began to think of you as a friend, the first I’d made in a long time. I’d assumed you understood that, and for that assumption I beg your kind forgiveness.”
Seregil, that would have been an insanely dick move. And the lies Alec told, in Seregil's service, aren't exactly the same. Alec relied on Seregil's promise, took risks that he might not have ordinarily taken. And Seregil may have been financially generous, but Alec might well have lived a much safer life if he'd just taken the initially promised reward, bought new supplies and went on his way.
Seregil does have some of his own insecurities here, particularly involving Alec's age. Basically, he's not used to dealing with a kid. While Alec thinks that it seems like Seregil doesn't trust him.
Seregil, being Seregil, decides to be dramatic:
Seregil gave a rueful laugh. “Ah, Alec! Rei phöril tös tókun meh brithir, vrí sh’ruit’ya.”
“What’s that?”
Seregil held out his poniard hilt first to Alec. “ ‘Though you thrust a knife at my eyes, I will not flinch,’ ” he translated. “It’s a solemn pledge of trust and I give it to you with all my heart. You can take a stab at me if you want.”
“Do you just make those things up?”
“No, it’s genuine, and I’ll swear ten others just as dire if it will convince you I’m sorry.”
“Maker’s Mercy, Seregil, just tell me about Wheel Street!”
I give Seregil a lot of shit, but I do enjoy the combination of melodramatic mentor and practical-and-annoyed student.
So Seregil gives backstory: After he failed as a wizard apprentice, he went off and "lived rough" learning thief trades, and realized that he could make a good living by getting involved with Skalan intrigue. Which basically explains how the Rhiminee Cat came about. He tangents into founding the Cockerel as a hiding place/sanctuary, and finally purchased Wheel Street because "Lord Seregil" had to look and be noble sometimes.
And of course, we get a pretty interesting bit here:
“Unfortunately, the charade has grown rather cumbersome. If I didn’t love Rhíminee so much, I might just kill off Lord Seregil and start over again somewhere else. What it all boils down to for you, though, is that Sir Alec of Ivywell has a lot of educating ahead of him.”
“I’ll be an old man with a beard to my knees before I’ve learned half what you expect me to know!”
Seregil gazed out over the sea a quizzed look on his face. “Oh, I doubt that. I doubt that very much indeed.”
...this won't be important.
Anyway, they make it to the Canal, which is a very deep chasm and freaks Alec out a little. He's pretty determined though. Seregil explains the construction of the bridges overtop: basically they were made first and THEN wizards dug out the chasm below. Clever.
So they make it to Cirna, pretending to be a pair of merchant brothers (Myrus (Seregil) and Alsander (Alec)). They luck out a bit, because the old harbor master had died, and his replacement hadn't had time to sort through and junk the old records.
Unfortunately, there's not much of a filing system, and Alec's not a very strong reader, which makes it difficult when dealing with documents written aboard rolling ships. But he and Seregil both find some relevant documents.
Mostly they determine that the White Hart is a short hawler working on the northern coasts of both sides of the Canal. There are a number of odd runs, but nothing they can immediately pinpoint as being suspicious.
Eventually they take a break for dinner, and Seregil gets the idea to have Alec read the Outgoing columns out to him. And in the fourth document, there IS something. A shipment of marble TO a quarry instead of FROM a quarry. And with this new clue, the chapter ends.
A document trawl isn't the most interesting material for a fantasy novel, but I think Flewelling did a good job by pairing it up with some long overdue character discussion. I don't think the issues are completely resolved, but Alec seems happier having said his piece, and I think Seregil does seem to be trying to treat him more as a junior partner rather than an apprentice.
They're probably lucky that they each have their respective temperaments though. I doubt Seregil would have been as forgiving over the lie as Alec seems to be. Then again, I doubt Alec would have been impulsive enough to make an offer at all.