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i_read_whatSo, last time, if you recall, Fax and the dragonriders were going to Ruatha, Lessa is already in Ruatha. That means we're about to have both viewpoint characters at the same place at the same time!
Please kill F'lar, Lessa.
So this next section starts off with F'lar, and his unfortunately named brother, F'nor. If you've forgotten who F'nor is, I don't blame you. He's one of the dragonriders who arrived with F'lar, and is the only one to actually get speaking lines. He hasn't been egregiously offensive yet, which puts him a step above his older brother, but we also don't really get a clear idea of who he is as a person either. About the only distinct character trait that I've noticed so far is that he seems to really like going off to sleep with his dragon.
...I didn't mean that the way it sounds. I think.
F'lar is certain that the object of his Search is in Ruatha. The unfortunately named F'nor (Does anyone remember that old bit from the Carol Burnett show, where Tim Conway talks about the Siamese elephants joined at the trunk? The sound they make? That's this poor asshole's name!) is a bit more skeptical, pointing out that the power they sense could just as easily come from a male bastard, and they need a woman. Poor F'norgle hasn't realized yet that the narrative will always prove F'lar right, even when there is no actual basis for it.
The most important thing we learn from the conversation though is that Lessa's friend, the watch-wher is trying to hide her from the dragons. Aw. I like the watch-wher so much more than I like either of these dicks.
Just in case I didn't hate F'lar enough, we get this charming bit of misogyny.
"F'lar was heartily bored with the lady Fax had so courteously assigned him. She giggled incessantly and sneezed constantly. She waved about, but did not apply to her nose, a scarf or handkerchief long overdue for a thorough washing. A sour odor, compounded of sweat, sweet oil, and rancid food smells, exuded from her. She was also pregnant by Fax. Not obviously so, but she had confided her condition to F'lar, either oblivious to the insult to the dragonman or directed by her Lord to let drop the information. F'lar deliberately ignored the matter and, except when her company was obligatory on this Search journey, had ignored her too."
Hey, F'lar? You ever think about the fact that this girl probably didn't have a choice in the matter of accompanying you? And what kind of man considers being informed of a pregnancy an insult anyway?! It's HER condition, not yours.
And have you ever thought that she might be nervous around a man that rudely ignores her and is trying to make conversation?
Also, F'lar, have you ever thought about why a member of Fax's harem might prefer to look and smell unappealing? Especially if she's ordered to keep a strange man company?
Fuck you, F'lar.
It's worse because Lady Tela appears to be a genuinely sweet person, and her "nervous jabbering" is mostly about the terrible conditions of Lady Gemma's rooms and worries about her health. F'lar notes that the lighthead's concern sounded sincere.
Fuck you, F'lar.
Meanwhile, Fax is frustrated by the lack of preparation and amenities available in the Hold (that he apparently hasn't bothered to visit in three years, remember), and enraged, announces that the day one of his Holds can't support itself, he would renounce it.
That causes a reaction: a surge of power that causes the dragons to roar. F'lar notes that there is an indefinably feminine touch to it. He tries to find the source:
"One of Fax's women? F'lar found that hard to credit. Mnementh had been close to all of them, and none had shown a vestige of power, much less-with the exception of Lady Gemma-any intelligence."
Fuck you, F'lar.
F'lar does actually echo a thought I had before though, when, noting the disreputable state of two of the kitchen drudges, he hopes they weren't involved with preparing food. I'll give you that one, F'lar. But you're still awful.
The dinner continues: Lady Gemma is having contractions but doesn't dare leave the table. Meanwhile, Fax is absolutely furious about the state of the dinner, leading F'lar to challenge him.
F'lar realizes quickly that he's being psychically provoked to fight Fax. He's far more interested in finding the cause than in fighting Fax, though. (Because god forbid, F'lar decide to care about getting rid of a rapist murderer.) But they're interrupted as Gemma goes more obviously into labor.
Fax, delighted by this, announces that he'll renounce Ruatha in favor of Gemma's child, if it's male and it lives.
The section ends with one of the drudges being sent out to find a birthing-woman. "With a nimbleness at odds with her appearance of extreme age and decrepitude, the drudge evaded the parting kick the Warder aimed in her direction." Hi, Lessa! Also, dude, I wouldn't do that if I were you. Consider your predecessors.
--
We're back with Lessa for the next section. She's running to find the birthing-woman and is very frustrated because she had been so close to seeing Fax die.
So far, Dragonflight has made a point of showing how ruthless and manipulative Lessa is, so I'm happy to see a few moments of human sympathy and compassion as well, as first, she spares a moment to worry about the watch-wher, thinking that its fear of the dragons would drive it to its death. She also stays to help after the birthing woman "shot her a terrified glance" and she realizes the other women in the room would be unable to help.
Gemma is stoically bearing the pain, which makes Lessa angry, because of how she'd cried out and interrupted the fight before. She squeezes Gemma's hands too hard, and they have a very brief, heated exchange. In which Gemma tries to say something about how the dragonriders are needed, and there's a star. Unfortunately, Gemma dies before she can continue her warning.
Lessa meanwhile has a moment of regret:
"Lessa laid the woman down on the bed, staring amazed at the oddly triumphant smile on Gemma's face. She retreated into the shadows, far more shaken than anyone else. She who had never hesitated to do anything that would thwart Fax or beggar Ruatha further was trembling with remorse. She had forgotten in her single-mindedness that there might be others motivated by a hatred of Fax. The Lady Gemma was one, and one who had suffered far more subjective brutalities and indignities than Lessa had. Yet Lessa had hated Gemma, had poured that hatred on a woman who had deserved her respect and support rather than her condemnation."
This reminds me of one of the reasons that I decided to choose Dragonflight as the first book for this blog. I had stumbled onto a review of the book that complained that Lessa never faced any kind of consequences for what she does.
Look, I can already tell you now that Dragonflight has a lot of problems. There are some plot points coming up that I find absolutely infuriating. The fact that someone might review it negatively isn't the problem.
But I feel like this particular complaint is very similar to the accusation that a given main character is a "Mary Sue". I only ever see it directed toward female characters. Because god forbid female characters be special or noteworthy.
You could make the same complaint about F'lar, really. F'lar never seems to face any real consequences for his decisions. F'lar is constantly proven correct by the narrative. We're supposed to see F'lar as a clear-headed man with vision and intelligence, even when his conclusions seem to based on nothing more than gut instinct and wishful thinking. But the reviewer (who was male, by the way) singles out LESSA.
And honestly, I'd argue that Lessa DOES experience consequences. Look at the quote above. Sure, it's not a huge denouncement, but Lessa has come face to face with someone that she had treated cruelly, because she was so caught up in her vendetta against Fax. She realizes, too late, that she was wrong. She feels genuinely horrible about it. And ultimately, it's a factor in why she will eventually decide to give Ruatha up.
Lessa is one of many self-centered characters in this story, but she's the only one so far to demonstrate any kind of introspection or regret. I think that's significant, personally.
Sorry for that digression.
Anyway, Lessa decides that she needs to move past her regret, because she has the opportunity to avenge both herself and Gemma. She goes out to lie to Fax and tell him that the child is alive and male.
Unfortunately, we end up switching viewpoints, as Fax hits Lessa in a rage, knocking her unconscious. F'lar interrupts and reminds him of his oath, and Fax, charmingly, calls the dragonmen, "dragonwomen" and "parasites".
...he's not completely wrong about the latter, but still, he's a dick. So I'm, reluctantly, cheering for F'lar during this fight.
As fight scenes go, the duel is actually very well-written. The pacing is good, McCaffrey wisely keeps the paragraphs short and limited to a few actions at a time. It kind of reads like each paragraph is an exchange of blows. I have a bad attention span when it comes to protracted battle sequences, but I can follow it easily. Credit where it's due, this is a very good sequence.
Ultimately F'lar wins (getting a minor shoulder injury in the process) and he goes to check on Lessa, having figured out that she is the source of power that he'd been sensing. He carries her to his rooms...why exactly.
F'lar rapidly begins to lose the goodwill he won from me for killing Fax by his reaction to Lessa's state of cleanliness. "Relief was colored with disgust. There was no telling under the filth how old this creature might be."
He also starts creeping me out a little:
"He put the body on the high bed, then stirred up the fire and added more glows to the bedside bracket. His gorge rose at the thought of touching the filthy mat of hair, but nonetheless and gently, he pushed it back from the face, turning the head this way and that. The features were small, regular. One arm, clear of rags, was reasonably clean above the elbow but marred by bruises and old scars. The skin was firm and unwrinkled. The hands, when he took them in his, were dirt-encrusted but all the same, well-shaped and delicately boned."
One. Hey, asshole, I'm sorry that the KITCHEN SLAVE is too dirty for your tastes, but why don't you fuck off with the judgment?
Two. Also, how about you STOP TOUCHING THE UNCONSCIOUS WOMAN WHEN SHE IS NOT IN A POSITION TO CONSENT.
Three. I'm so happy for you, that you're seeing signs that this woman might just be attractive under all that dirt and grime. Pardon me while I vomit.
It gets worse.
"Delighted and fascinated by this unexpected luck, F'lar reached out to tear the dress from the unconscious body and found himself constrained not to. The girl had roused."
WHY THE FUCK WERE YOU GOING TO STRIP AN UNCONSCIOUS WOMAN?!?!
F'lar and Lessa exchange their first words. And F'lar continues to be fucking awful. He laughs at her when she announces that she claims Ruatha.
"'This? This crumbling heap?' He could not help but mock the disparity of her manner and her dress."
Fuck you, F'lar.
He doesn't react well when he finds out she lied about the baby:
"F'lar wanted to strike that look of haughty contempt from her face. He twisted her arm savagely, bringing her to his feet before he released his pressure. She laughed at him and had scuttled to one side and was on her feet and out the door before he could realize what she was about and give chase."
Fuck you, F'lar. Go, Lessa. #TeamLessa all the way.
As F'lar chases after her, he gets some news from F'norgle. Gemma's baby actually did live. And he's male.
Mnementh ends up catching Lessa (the watch-wher frantically tries to protect her, but is caught at the end of its chain. Still better than pretty much every human dude in this series.) And F'lar tells her that the baby is alive.
"'Ruatha is mine,' she insisted in a tense, low voice.
'Aye, and it would have been had you approached me directly when the wing arrived here.'
Her eyes widened. 'What do you mean?'
'A dragonman may champion anyone whose grievance is just. By the time we reached Ruatha Hold, my lady, I was quite ready to challenge Fax given any reasonable cause, despite the Search.' This was not the whole truth, but F'lar must teach this girl the folly of trying to control dragonmen. 'Had you paid any attention to your harper's songs, you'd know your rights. And' - F'lar's voice held a vindictive edge that surprised him - "the Lady Gemma might not now lie dead. She, brave soul, suffered far more at that tyrant's hand than you'"
Wow. Just wow.
1. I love how F'lar's first response is to gaslight this girl as a punishment for "trying to control dragonmen". Because THAT's the most important part of all of this. Not the fact that Lessa was an abused slave for ten years.
2. How the fuck is a kitchen drudge supposed to know her rights, you fucking asshole?!
3. You're seriously going to tell a desperate and abused slave that SHE's the reason Gemma died. Not Fax, even though we knew from your first section that he hated his wife and kept her pregnant in the hopes that she'd die. Who dragged her to Ruatha in her condition, a move so cruel that even his 'lightbrain' companion commented on it. No, it's Lessa's fault.
4. Let's all appreciate how this dragonrider, coming from a life of relative privilege, feels like he can tell a woman he just met that someone else has suffered more than her.
5. FUCK YOU, F'LAR.
F'lar then brings up his sales pitch, pointing out that Lessa has gotten her revenge, and that Ruatha isn't much good to her now. Why Ruatha, when she could be Weyrwoman?
He then blatantly lies to her (as we'll see later on). "You've won here. Let the babe" - he saw her startled rejection of that idea and ruthlessly qualified it- "Gemma's babe-be reared at Ruatha. You have command of all the Holds as Weyrwoman, not ruined Ruatha alone. You've accomplished Fax's death. Leave off vengeance."
While I hate to give F'lar credit, I do think that the role he describes to Lessa is the role he wants her to have. As we've seen, F'lar is ambitious and he intends to change a lot of things about the Weyr. But it's not the present situation. Fuck you, F'lar.
Lessa's response kind of breaks my heart though. "She stared at F'lar with wondering eyes, absorbing his words. 'I never thought beyond Fax's death.' she admitted slowly. 'I never thought what should happen then.'"
Oh, honey.
"'Her confusion was almost childlike and struck F'lar forcibly. He had had no time or desire to consider her prodigious accomplishment. Now he realized some measure of her indomitable character. She could not have been above ten Turns of age herself when Fax had murdered her family. Yet somehow so young she had set herself a goal and managed to survive both brutality and detection long enough to secure the usurper's death. What a Weyrwoman she would be! In the tradition of those of Ruathan Blood. The light of the paler moon made her look young and vulnerable and almost pretty."
...you were doing so well there for a moment, F'lar. Actual recognition that Lessa's skill and spirit would make her a great choice. I'm so glad that on top of that, you've decided that she's almost pretty after all. Fuck you, F'lar.
Then he goes full douchebag to provoke her:
"'Or perhaps you enjoy rags?' he said, making his voice harsh, mocking. 'And matted hair, dirty feet, and cracked hands? Sleeping in straw, eating rinds?'"
God, fuck you, F'lar. When he accuses her of being afraid, she snaps back at him. Accepting his challenge. Damnit, Lessa.
I want Lessa to have a dragon, but I would have also been thrilled if she decided to keep Ruatha after all, just as a fuck you to this douchebag. Alas.
F'lar sends for Lytol, basically appointing him the Warder for Gemma's baby. It occurs to me that no one bothers to stop and ask the Ruathan people how they feel about any of this.
I mean, Lessa's plans did put a lot of them in danger. Maybe they wouldn't have wanted her as a leader. But would they be happier with the infant son of the guy who conquered them. And Lytol is a former dragonman and a weaver, what the hell does he know about running a Hold?
I have to admit, I do admire the coup that F'lar pulled off here though: by appointing Lytol, he's ensuring that there will be one Lord - since that's what Lytol will be essentially until the baby is old enough to do much of anything- that will be completely loyal to the Weyr. He's also ensuring that the baby will grow up with a healthy respect for Weyr traditions.
I hate you, F'lar. But well done.
Lessa gets one more final tragedy though: because the watch-wher sees F'lar lead Lessa away and charges to protect her. It knocks F'lar over (yay!), but stops itself when Lessa cries out to it, and crashes to the ground, breaking its back.
Goddamnit. The Watch-wher was the closest thing we had to a heroic character in the whole fucking book.
Lessa is devastated, while F'lar is appalled that anyone could be reduced to claiming friendship with a watch-wher (Fuck you, F'lar), and the dragons all give a keening note in tribute, the way that they would one of their own. Aw. As a final gesture, Lessa removes its chain.
So anyway, F'lar and Lessa fly between to the Weyr, in Benden. Between is dragon teleportation, and indeed, per the map, they have instantaneously crossed half the world. Nice.
F'lar takes Lessa to his quarters, he actually has a moment of self-conscious uncertainty, suddenly aware of the shabbiness of his own quarters and how they're not that different from Ruatha. It's the first genuinely human moment that we've seen from the guy.
I'm sure he will ruin it soon enough.
Next time though: Lessa finally gets a fucking dragon!
Part 1:2 | Table of Contents | Part 1:4
Please kill F'lar, Lessa.
So this next section starts off with F'lar, and his unfortunately named brother, F'nor. If you've forgotten who F'nor is, I don't blame you. He's one of the dragonriders who arrived with F'lar, and is the only one to actually get speaking lines. He hasn't been egregiously offensive yet, which puts him a step above his older brother, but we also don't really get a clear idea of who he is as a person either. About the only distinct character trait that I've noticed so far is that he seems to really like going off to sleep with his dragon.
...I didn't mean that the way it sounds. I think.
F'lar is certain that the object of his Search is in Ruatha. The unfortunately named F'nor (Does anyone remember that old bit from the Carol Burnett show, where Tim Conway talks about the Siamese elephants joined at the trunk? The sound they make? That's this poor asshole's name!) is a bit more skeptical, pointing out that the power they sense could just as easily come from a male bastard, and they need a woman. Poor F'norgle hasn't realized yet that the narrative will always prove F'lar right, even when there is no actual basis for it.
The most important thing we learn from the conversation though is that Lessa's friend, the watch-wher is trying to hide her from the dragons. Aw. I like the watch-wher so much more than I like either of these dicks.
Just in case I didn't hate F'lar enough, we get this charming bit of misogyny.
"F'lar was heartily bored with the lady Fax had so courteously assigned him. She giggled incessantly and sneezed constantly. She waved about, but did not apply to her nose, a scarf or handkerchief long overdue for a thorough washing. A sour odor, compounded of sweat, sweet oil, and rancid food smells, exuded from her. She was also pregnant by Fax. Not obviously so, but she had confided her condition to F'lar, either oblivious to the insult to the dragonman or directed by her Lord to let drop the information. F'lar deliberately ignored the matter and, except when her company was obligatory on this Search journey, had ignored her too."
Hey, F'lar? You ever think about the fact that this girl probably didn't have a choice in the matter of accompanying you? And what kind of man considers being informed of a pregnancy an insult anyway?! It's HER condition, not yours.
And have you ever thought that she might be nervous around a man that rudely ignores her and is trying to make conversation?
Also, F'lar, have you ever thought about why a member of Fax's harem might prefer to look and smell unappealing? Especially if she's ordered to keep a strange man company?
Fuck you, F'lar.
It's worse because Lady Tela appears to be a genuinely sweet person, and her "nervous jabbering" is mostly about the terrible conditions of Lady Gemma's rooms and worries about her health. F'lar notes that the lighthead's concern sounded sincere.
Fuck you, F'lar.
Meanwhile, Fax is frustrated by the lack of preparation and amenities available in the Hold (that he apparently hasn't bothered to visit in three years, remember), and enraged, announces that the day one of his Holds can't support itself, he would renounce it.
That causes a reaction: a surge of power that causes the dragons to roar. F'lar notes that there is an indefinably feminine touch to it. He tries to find the source:
"One of Fax's women? F'lar found that hard to credit. Mnementh had been close to all of them, and none had shown a vestige of power, much less-with the exception of Lady Gemma-any intelligence."
Fuck you, F'lar.
F'lar does actually echo a thought I had before though, when, noting the disreputable state of two of the kitchen drudges, he hopes they weren't involved with preparing food. I'll give you that one, F'lar. But you're still awful.
The dinner continues: Lady Gemma is having contractions but doesn't dare leave the table. Meanwhile, Fax is absolutely furious about the state of the dinner, leading F'lar to challenge him.
F'lar realizes quickly that he's being psychically provoked to fight Fax. He's far more interested in finding the cause than in fighting Fax, though. (Because god forbid, F'lar decide to care about getting rid of a rapist murderer.) But they're interrupted as Gemma goes more obviously into labor.
Fax, delighted by this, announces that he'll renounce Ruatha in favor of Gemma's child, if it's male and it lives.
The section ends with one of the drudges being sent out to find a birthing-woman. "With a nimbleness at odds with her appearance of extreme age and decrepitude, the drudge evaded the parting kick the Warder aimed in her direction." Hi, Lessa! Also, dude, I wouldn't do that if I were you. Consider your predecessors.
--
We're back with Lessa for the next section. She's running to find the birthing-woman and is very frustrated because she had been so close to seeing Fax die.
So far, Dragonflight has made a point of showing how ruthless and manipulative Lessa is, so I'm happy to see a few moments of human sympathy and compassion as well, as first, she spares a moment to worry about the watch-wher, thinking that its fear of the dragons would drive it to its death. She also stays to help after the birthing woman "shot her a terrified glance" and she realizes the other women in the room would be unable to help.
Gemma is stoically bearing the pain, which makes Lessa angry, because of how she'd cried out and interrupted the fight before. She squeezes Gemma's hands too hard, and they have a very brief, heated exchange. In which Gemma tries to say something about how the dragonriders are needed, and there's a star. Unfortunately, Gemma dies before she can continue her warning.
Lessa meanwhile has a moment of regret:
"Lessa laid the woman down on the bed, staring amazed at the oddly triumphant smile on Gemma's face. She retreated into the shadows, far more shaken than anyone else. She who had never hesitated to do anything that would thwart Fax or beggar Ruatha further was trembling with remorse. She had forgotten in her single-mindedness that there might be others motivated by a hatred of Fax. The Lady Gemma was one, and one who had suffered far more subjective brutalities and indignities than Lessa had. Yet Lessa had hated Gemma, had poured that hatred on a woman who had deserved her respect and support rather than her condemnation."
This reminds me of one of the reasons that I decided to choose Dragonflight as the first book for this blog. I had stumbled onto a review of the book that complained that Lessa never faced any kind of consequences for what she does.
Look, I can already tell you now that Dragonflight has a lot of problems. There are some plot points coming up that I find absolutely infuriating. The fact that someone might review it negatively isn't the problem.
But I feel like this particular complaint is very similar to the accusation that a given main character is a "Mary Sue". I only ever see it directed toward female characters. Because god forbid female characters be special or noteworthy.
You could make the same complaint about F'lar, really. F'lar never seems to face any real consequences for his decisions. F'lar is constantly proven correct by the narrative. We're supposed to see F'lar as a clear-headed man with vision and intelligence, even when his conclusions seem to based on nothing more than gut instinct and wishful thinking. But the reviewer (who was male, by the way) singles out LESSA.
And honestly, I'd argue that Lessa DOES experience consequences. Look at the quote above. Sure, it's not a huge denouncement, but Lessa has come face to face with someone that she had treated cruelly, because she was so caught up in her vendetta against Fax. She realizes, too late, that she was wrong. She feels genuinely horrible about it. And ultimately, it's a factor in why she will eventually decide to give Ruatha up.
Lessa is one of many self-centered characters in this story, but she's the only one so far to demonstrate any kind of introspection or regret. I think that's significant, personally.
Sorry for that digression.
Anyway, Lessa decides that she needs to move past her regret, because she has the opportunity to avenge both herself and Gemma. She goes out to lie to Fax and tell him that the child is alive and male.
Unfortunately, we end up switching viewpoints, as Fax hits Lessa in a rage, knocking her unconscious. F'lar interrupts and reminds him of his oath, and Fax, charmingly, calls the dragonmen, "dragonwomen" and "parasites".
...he's not completely wrong about the latter, but still, he's a dick. So I'm, reluctantly, cheering for F'lar during this fight.
As fight scenes go, the duel is actually very well-written. The pacing is good, McCaffrey wisely keeps the paragraphs short and limited to a few actions at a time. It kind of reads like each paragraph is an exchange of blows. I have a bad attention span when it comes to protracted battle sequences, but I can follow it easily. Credit where it's due, this is a very good sequence.
Ultimately F'lar wins (getting a minor shoulder injury in the process) and he goes to check on Lessa, having figured out that she is the source of power that he'd been sensing. He carries her to his rooms...why exactly.
F'lar rapidly begins to lose the goodwill he won from me for killing Fax by his reaction to Lessa's state of cleanliness. "Relief was colored with disgust. There was no telling under the filth how old this creature might be."
He also starts creeping me out a little:
"He put the body on the high bed, then stirred up the fire and added more glows to the bedside bracket. His gorge rose at the thought of touching the filthy mat of hair, but nonetheless and gently, he pushed it back from the face, turning the head this way and that. The features were small, regular. One arm, clear of rags, was reasonably clean above the elbow but marred by bruises and old scars. The skin was firm and unwrinkled. The hands, when he took them in his, were dirt-encrusted but all the same, well-shaped and delicately boned."
One. Hey, asshole, I'm sorry that the KITCHEN SLAVE is too dirty for your tastes, but why don't you fuck off with the judgment?
Two. Also, how about you STOP TOUCHING THE UNCONSCIOUS WOMAN WHEN SHE IS NOT IN A POSITION TO CONSENT.
Three. I'm so happy for you, that you're seeing signs that this woman might just be attractive under all that dirt and grime. Pardon me while I vomit.
It gets worse.
"Delighted and fascinated by this unexpected luck, F'lar reached out to tear the dress from the unconscious body and found himself constrained not to. The girl had roused."
WHY THE FUCK WERE YOU GOING TO STRIP AN UNCONSCIOUS WOMAN?!?!
F'lar and Lessa exchange their first words. And F'lar continues to be fucking awful. He laughs at her when she announces that she claims Ruatha.
"'This? This crumbling heap?' He could not help but mock the disparity of her manner and her dress."
Fuck you, F'lar.
He doesn't react well when he finds out she lied about the baby:
"F'lar wanted to strike that look of haughty contempt from her face. He twisted her arm savagely, bringing her to his feet before he released his pressure. She laughed at him and had scuttled to one side and was on her feet and out the door before he could realize what she was about and give chase."
Fuck you, F'lar. Go, Lessa. #TeamLessa all the way.
As F'lar chases after her, he gets some news from F'norgle. Gemma's baby actually did live. And he's male.
Mnementh ends up catching Lessa (the watch-wher frantically tries to protect her, but is caught at the end of its chain. Still better than pretty much every human dude in this series.) And F'lar tells her that the baby is alive.
"'Ruatha is mine,' she insisted in a tense, low voice.
'Aye, and it would have been had you approached me directly when the wing arrived here.'
Her eyes widened. 'What do you mean?'
'A dragonman may champion anyone whose grievance is just. By the time we reached Ruatha Hold, my lady, I was quite ready to challenge Fax given any reasonable cause, despite the Search.' This was not the whole truth, but F'lar must teach this girl the folly of trying to control dragonmen. 'Had you paid any attention to your harper's songs, you'd know your rights. And' - F'lar's voice held a vindictive edge that surprised him - "the Lady Gemma might not now lie dead. She, brave soul, suffered far more at that tyrant's hand than you'"
Wow. Just wow.
1. I love how F'lar's first response is to gaslight this girl as a punishment for "trying to control dragonmen". Because THAT's the most important part of all of this. Not the fact that Lessa was an abused slave for ten years.
2. How the fuck is a kitchen drudge supposed to know her rights, you fucking asshole?!
3. You're seriously going to tell a desperate and abused slave that SHE's the reason Gemma died. Not Fax, even though we knew from your first section that he hated his wife and kept her pregnant in the hopes that she'd die. Who dragged her to Ruatha in her condition, a move so cruel that even his 'lightbrain' companion commented on it. No, it's Lessa's fault.
4. Let's all appreciate how this dragonrider, coming from a life of relative privilege, feels like he can tell a woman he just met that someone else has suffered more than her.
5. FUCK YOU, F'LAR.
F'lar then brings up his sales pitch, pointing out that Lessa has gotten her revenge, and that Ruatha isn't much good to her now. Why Ruatha, when she could be Weyrwoman?
He then blatantly lies to her (as we'll see later on). "You've won here. Let the babe" - he saw her startled rejection of that idea and ruthlessly qualified it- "Gemma's babe-be reared at Ruatha. You have command of all the Holds as Weyrwoman, not ruined Ruatha alone. You've accomplished Fax's death. Leave off vengeance."
While I hate to give F'lar credit, I do think that the role he describes to Lessa is the role he wants her to have. As we've seen, F'lar is ambitious and he intends to change a lot of things about the Weyr. But it's not the present situation. Fuck you, F'lar.
Lessa's response kind of breaks my heart though. "She stared at F'lar with wondering eyes, absorbing his words. 'I never thought beyond Fax's death.' she admitted slowly. 'I never thought what should happen then.'"
Oh, honey.
"'Her confusion was almost childlike and struck F'lar forcibly. He had had no time or desire to consider her prodigious accomplishment. Now he realized some measure of her indomitable character. She could not have been above ten Turns of age herself when Fax had murdered her family. Yet somehow so young she had set herself a goal and managed to survive both brutality and detection long enough to secure the usurper's death. What a Weyrwoman she would be! In the tradition of those of Ruathan Blood. The light of the paler moon made her look young and vulnerable and almost pretty."
...you were doing so well there for a moment, F'lar. Actual recognition that Lessa's skill and spirit would make her a great choice. I'm so glad that on top of that, you've decided that she's almost pretty after all. Fuck you, F'lar.
Then he goes full douchebag to provoke her:
"'Or perhaps you enjoy rags?' he said, making his voice harsh, mocking. 'And matted hair, dirty feet, and cracked hands? Sleeping in straw, eating rinds?'"
God, fuck you, F'lar. When he accuses her of being afraid, she snaps back at him. Accepting his challenge. Damnit, Lessa.
I want Lessa to have a dragon, but I would have also been thrilled if she decided to keep Ruatha after all, just as a fuck you to this douchebag. Alas.
F'lar sends for Lytol, basically appointing him the Warder for Gemma's baby. It occurs to me that no one bothers to stop and ask the Ruathan people how they feel about any of this.
I mean, Lessa's plans did put a lot of them in danger. Maybe they wouldn't have wanted her as a leader. But would they be happier with the infant son of the guy who conquered them. And Lytol is a former dragonman and a weaver, what the hell does he know about running a Hold?
I have to admit, I do admire the coup that F'lar pulled off here though: by appointing Lytol, he's ensuring that there will be one Lord - since that's what Lytol will be essentially until the baby is old enough to do much of anything- that will be completely loyal to the Weyr. He's also ensuring that the baby will grow up with a healthy respect for Weyr traditions.
I hate you, F'lar. But well done.
Lessa gets one more final tragedy though: because the watch-wher sees F'lar lead Lessa away and charges to protect her. It knocks F'lar over (yay!), but stops itself when Lessa cries out to it, and crashes to the ground, breaking its back.
Goddamnit. The Watch-wher was the closest thing we had to a heroic character in the whole fucking book.
Lessa is devastated, while F'lar is appalled that anyone could be reduced to claiming friendship with a watch-wher (Fuck you, F'lar), and the dragons all give a keening note in tribute, the way that they would one of their own. Aw. As a final gesture, Lessa removes its chain.
So anyway, F'lar and Lessa fly between to the Weyr, in Benden. Between is dragon teleportation, and indeed, per the map, they have instantaneously crossed half the world. Nice.
F'lar takes Lessa to his quarters, he actually has a moment of self-conscious uncertainty, suddenly aware of the shabbiness of his own quarters and how they're not that different from Ruatha. It's the first genuinely human moment that we've seen from the guy.
I'm sure he will ruin it soon enough.
Next time though: Lessa finally gets a fucking dragon!