Pride of Princes - Part Two, Chapter Seven

[kalinara]

So last time, we had a pretty nice doozy of a cliffhanger and were reminded that Ian exists only to suffer.



One of the things I've really liked about Track of the White Wolf, that continues in Pride of Princes, is that the sibling relationships actually matter. There may be some conflict, but these are characters that do actually care about each other. And we see that immediately here:

"You cannot be certain," Niall declared. "Rujho—you cannot."

Ian's face was a peculiar chalky gray. "How not?" he asked hoarsely. "Am I to ignore the obvious?"

"What is obvious?" Niall demanded. "Do you think Lillith kept herself celibate before or after you?"

Rhiannon is bewildered and Brennan is about to reassure her, when Ian shoulders him out of the way. To Brennan's credit (and Roberson's), there's no sign of last chapter's resentment or jealousy. He asks Rhiannon how old Jarek was. She guesses twenty, same as her.

"Twenty," Ian repeated blankly. He turned his head to look at Niall. "The age is right . . . and he was bastard-born of an Ihlini jehana whose name we know is Lillith. What other proof do you require?"

The Mujhar looked infinitely older. "Perhaps none," he said wearily, rubbing at the ruined flesh around the patch. "Perhaps we have all we need."

"Aye." Ian's face was oddly blank. "It was what she wanted. A child of us both, to mix the blood, the heritage, the power—"

"And now he is dead." Niall's voice was steady. "Why hate yourself the more when the need for it is passed?"

Ian's posture was incredibly rigid as he released Rhiannon's hand and rose. Brennan, watching him in growing alarm, thought he had never seen his uncle so shaken, or so vulnerable.

I like seeing Niall in the role of comforter here. It's something we didn't get to see much of in Track of the White Wolf. It's nice.

There's something interesting about the family dynamics here:

How does a man deal with the death of a son he never knew? Brennan slowly shook his head. "Su'fali—'

"Surely you recall the story," Ian said harshly. The mask slipped from his face; Brennan saw the hostility that was so uncharacteristic of his uncle. "I was stud to Lillith's mare. She ensorcelled my lir, ensorcelled me ... she stole the seed from me. Do you think I will grieve for that misbegotten spawn?"

Poor Ian.

The interesting thing though, to me, is that the children already know this story. It's a source of deep shame to the victim - earlier, we were told that Ian takes part in that cleansing ceremony every year, to cope. But it's not a secret. Everyone knows.

And honestly, that makes sense. The royal family is dealing with an enemy that has plagued them for generations. Strahan and Lillith, like Tynstar before them, can live for centuries. It's pretty much a guarantee that they'll go after this generation (as we saw from the prologue) and the next. It's important then, that the children know about this danger and what they could potentially face. And it's a good character beat that Ian is willing to push through his own personal shame and talk about his own experiences with them, as harsh and horrible as it is.

And of course, poor Ian has just learned that there was a child from his rape, and said child hurt a member of Ian's family. Ouch.

Unfortunately, Brennan isn't really in a good position to comfort his uncle, as this reveal means something to him too:

It is as if he wishes to flagellate himself since we will not do it for him. "Su'fali—" Brennan began again, thinking to ease Ian's anguish, and realized there was himself to think of as well. Ian could not, for the moment, see past his own feelings to those of his nephew. "Su'fali, you are saying I killed a kinsman."

For a brief arrested moment there was acknowledgment in Ian's eyes, and then it was quickly banished.

"Ihlini. No more than that."

Slowly Brennan shook his head. "But he was. He was an enemy, aye, but we shared blood. He was my cousin, just as Teirnan is. It does matter, su'fali.''

And this is a really interesting character beat in its own right. To the other characters, "Ihlini" is damning. Keely and Maeve share horrified speculation as to Jarek's powers: as a Cheysuli AND Ihlini, was he firstborn? (Niall weighs in: no, he lacks the other prophecied blood lines.) Ian, understandably, rejects the idea of kinship entirely.

But Brennan...

"No." Niall's answer was quick and definitive. "No, not a Firstborn. He lacked the other blood; therefore the prophecy was unfulfilled . . . and even if it had been, do you think the gods would countenance an accursed kinslayer on the Lion?"

Brennan's belly twisted. "Kinslayer," he said hoarsely. "Am I not accursed, then?"

He saw their eyes upon him. He could not read them, even as well as he knew them, because what they all considered was something entirely new. Killing enemy Ihlini, Homanans, Solindish and Atvians in service to the prophecy was one thing, and well accepted, but slaying kin? It carried a heavy weight.

To Brennan, Jarek was a cousin. Like Teirnan. Brennan is possibly the first character since Alix to acknowledge that Ihlini blood doesn't negate kinship ties. He wonders then: what if Jarek had been raised by Ian instead of Lillith?

I suggested before that Brennan might be a bit of a "do-over" for Duncan. I wonder if he isn't a "do-over" for Donal as well. He's not quite the same level of "chosen one", though as oldest sibling, there is an element of that which isn't shared by his younger siblings. But I remember how horribly Donal treated his sister, both when he believed she was Ihlini and when he didn't. I can't help but think that Brennan would have been a much better brother.

Ian, of course, is not the right person to process this question:

"Must I?" Ian shook his head. "No, I must not. Else I will begin to question my conviction that Ihlini and Cheysuti cannot possibly coexist, within a realm or within a conscience." His eyes were on the Mujhar. "You say that once we were brother races, rujho; that the gods sired us both. And I say they did not, being gods of uncommon sense. But if you have the right of it ... if we are brother races, intended for cohabitation once again when the prophecy is fulfilled . . . then how do I live with it? How do I live with the knowledge that my son tried to murder yours?"

There is a bit of a Roberson non-sequitur in here. Why would it matter at this point if the Cheysuli and Ihlini are brother races or not? Why is that even a part of this conversation? It doesn't matter! Either way, Ian's true anguish comes from the fact that his son hurt his nephew. That's true regardless of the races' relationship with each other.

But it is worth noting that at some point, per the prophecy, the bloodlines do have to mix for the Cheysuli to accomplish their goals. So it might be worth trying to see their adversaries as human. Assuming we ever meet one that isn't trying to rape or murder them.

(To be fair, there is Taliesin, and no one seems to have a problem with him.)

But anyway, Ian asserts that he couldn't live with it, and would rather give himself to the death-ritual than acknowledge an Ihlini as kin, regardless of the prophecy. He pointedly thanks Brennan, in the Old Tongue, for killing Jarek and leaves.

Poor Rhiannon is bewildered and asks for clarification. They explain. Though Keely is weirdly a dick about this:

Rhiannon frowned. "I do not understand.”

Keely cast her an impatient glance, then looked at Brennan. "You would do well to tell her, rujho. Her ignorance is appalling."

"Keely, enough," Deirdre said quietly. "Are you thinking everyone knows what the Ihlini are to us?"

"Us?" Keely asked. "You are not Cheysuli."

Niall steps in, not willing to tolerate insults to Rhiannon or Deirdre. Keely, to her credit, is startled - she hadn't meant offense, only that Deirdre doesn't have as much to fear since she's not part of the prophecy. Deirdre points out, with a crooked smile, that she still has to worry about her partner and children.

But on the plus side, Rhiannon now has a job offer: Deirdre wants to take her into her service, out of gratitude for saving Brennan. Rhiannon is delighted. (There's some cute banter between Deirdre and Brennan that I'm omitting, and also a random moment where Brennan is reminded of Hart and misses his twin.)

Anyway, the women end up leaving, Keely with some resentfulness, and Niall and Brennan get to talk alone. Brennan brings up "Teir" (Teirnan), and gets to inform his father that the a'saii aren't as disbanded as they thought. They discuss Teir's schemes - and to my appreciation, Niall is disgusted with his shortsightedness. But Niall has a plan. He wants to bring Teirnan to Homana-Mujhar.

"Here?" Brennan frowned. "Why?"

"I discounted the a'saii before, because I was foolish enough to believe my place secured," Niall said. "I was, after all, Cheysuli and Homanan, a part of the prophecy." He smiled in wry self-deprecation. "It nearly got me slain. I will not do it again . . . not when my son is at risk."

Brennan stared at his father thoughtfully for a long moment. Then he slowly shook his head as he understood the ramifications. "You are taking Teirnan hostage against the a'saii."

"Am I?" Niall's bland tone divulged nothing of his thoughts.

I really enjoy the dynamic between father and son here. And I think it explains a bit more about why Niall favors Brennan over the others. As Hart and Corin were characterized, it's hard to imagine them having this sort of serious, almost-equal dialogue with their father. Of course, that could also be because they'd never had the opportunity. It's tough to say. Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

Brennan wonders if Teir will come. Niall think so, thinking Teirnan will have something to prove. He admits that it's not likely he and Brennan will get along, but perhaps Brennan can influence his cousin.

I think now might be a good time to bring up Maeve, actually. Since this would put her under the same roof as the man who manipulated her. But sadly, Brennan doesn't think of that at the moment.

He's about to excuse himself, but Niall's got something else to talk about.

"You have bedded the girl."

Brennan took his hand off the latch and turned to face his father more fully. "Aye." He felt a brief spasm of guilt as he recalled the initial circumstances, but it faded instantly. In the end, what he and Rhiannon had shared had not been a thing of force or mere gratification at all, but of entirely different dimensions.

The Mujhar's single eye was oddly opaque, but unwavering. "Perhaps I would do well to remind you that although meijhas are accepted in the clans, Aileen is not Cheysuli."

Ah, the lesson Donal never could understand. Though I'll say it again, I'm not really sure that the Cheysuli women are quite as okay with the concept as the men believe. Sorcha certainly wasn't.

Brennan feels some resentment that his father is poking into his personal life, but understands that Niall's concern is Aileen's "Erinnish sensibilities". And we get a declaration of intent here, as Brennan states unequivocally that he has no intention of insulting Aileen and doesn't intend to make Rhiannon his meijha either. Niall is glad to hear it.

Later, we see Brennan waking up out of a sound sleep, in a panicked sweat and the awareness that he needs to "resolve his fear once and for all".

By this he means the claustrophobia. He gets dressed and heads down to the Great Hall, opening the firepit entrance to the Womb of the Earth, and descends, for the first time in sixteen years. Apparently, he's decided to try some aversion therapy.

He counted. Each step took him nearer the Womb, farther from the Lion. Deeper. Until there was no light at all from the Great Hall, only the flames from the torch, and he knew it was not enough.

Brennan stopped. Sweat stung his armpits and dampened the hair against his face. The torch shook from the rigidity of his grip, distorting illumination. All he could see was blackness ahead and the promise of close confinement.

Down.

It sounds pretty hellish and I'm not even claustrophobic. He makes it to the rune-worked "closet", and opens the chamber. I do like this description:

The wall fell inward, as he knew it would, and the vault revealed itself to him. The torch roared, spat flame, threatened briefly to snuff out. But it did not. And when he could, Brennan stepped into the vault.

The walls ran wet with torchlight. Gold veined the creamy marble and lent life to the lir imprisoned there.

Brennan saw wings and claws and beaks and eyes, all frozen in the stone. Each wall, from floor to ceiling, was alive with marble Ur.

"Ja'hai," he muttered aloud. But the gods made no indication they heard his instinctive plea for acceptance.

Sixteen years . . . and I am no less afraid at twenty-one than I was at five.

I'm not sure when we actually learn the full circumstances of Brennan's claustrophobia-inducing traumatic experience. It's somewhere in this book. But if I recall correctly, the poor kid got trapped down here at the age of five. So yeah, that would suck horribly. And because the Cheysuli are ableist as fuck, he sees the resulting trauma as a major character flaw.

He looks down at the oubliette and thinks about Carillon's wild drug trip that taught him how to be native. He wonders if he needs to do it himself - he IS Cheysuli after all. Um, no, dude. You're the firstborn son of the King. And while I'm not generally a pro-monarchy fan, I feel like that's all the legitimacy you really need.

But well...

"Homanan," Brennan said aloud. "But I am Cheysuli; is there really a need for such sacrifice?"

"Is there, my lord?"

He stood very still on the edge of the oubliette, taking great care to maintain his balance. When he could move again without fear of falling, he turned.

Rhiannon stood in the open doorway. She had exchanged gown for linen nightrail and woolen robe.

Wrapped in deepest blue, cloaked in a mantle of raven hair, she blended into the shadows.

Rhiannon has a remarkable sense of timing.

Brennan's view of her is interesting:

In her eyes was the knowledge of what they had shared the night before, and the desire to share it again. She was not a bold jade such as many of the court women, but neither was she a coy woman whose mouth was filled with innuendo. That she believed herself in love with him, he knew; perhaps she was. But he was not in love with her.

That is probably a good thing to keep in mind. Especially when you're engaged to someone else dude.

Anyway, Rhiannon says she'd gone to his chamber, saw him leaving it, and followed. He looked troubled and was so intent he'd never seen her. She thinks she understands what he's trying to do.

And this exchange is significant (sorry for the length):

"Aye." She raised her chin slightly. "Whatever you may think of yourself in the aftermath of what Jarek did, you remain a brave man. A man of pride and strength and determination, not one to let a thing like fear cripple his tahlmorra." She smiled. "Deirdre is a remarkable woman, my lord. She answered my questions before I asked them, and told me what it was to love a man so bound by a prophecy. She told me how to share a Cheysuli with his tahlmorra."

He would not spare her the truth. "And did she also tell you that within a matter of months there will be a Princess of Homana who will share those things with me?”

"Aye," Rhiannon said.

He had expected tears, disappointment, resentment.

She gave him none of those things. What she gave him was pride to match his own, and integrity, and an honesty he so rarely saw in Homana-Mujhar, except when he spoke with Cheysuli.

He smiled a trifle sadly. "Where is the innocence?"

A tinge of color entered her face. "Do not mistake me, Brennan. I want nothing more than what I had last night. You wanted it—needed it—then . . . and I think you want it now."

He did. For different reasons, perhaps, but he would not lie to himself any more than to her.

"Her name is Aileen." His words were brutal by design; he offered a final chance for withdrawal.

But it was not accepted. "I know," she said evenly. "And my name is Rhiannon."

This kind of exchange makes me frustrated at Legacy of the Sword all over again. Because honestly, it wouldn't have taken THAT much to make me sympathetic to Donal. I'm never going to be a fan of infidelity as a character choice, but I think it's pretty clear by now that I also don't expect characters to be flawless. Sometimes a good character will do something wrong or problematic, and I can generally accept that if I can understand WHY they did it.

I can understand why Niall fell in love with Deirdre. I can understand why Brennan is drawn in to Rhiannon here. I appreciate their efforts to be honest and honorable. I probably could have understood Donal's love for Sorcha, if she ever bothered to give Sorcha anything in terms of characterization. Or had Donal pay even a bit of lip service toward respecting his wife. Alas, she did not.

Anyway, the chapter ends here.