Pride of Princes - Part Five, Chapter Four

[kalinara]

So last time, Strahan intensified his job offer, and one of the brothers actually took him up on it.



So we rejoin Brennan and Hart in Strahan's "luxurious tower chamber" as they're facing Strahan. Proving that Strahan is as dumb as his father, he hasn't actually killed either of them yet. He really should, given that he's got the one that gave in.

ANY of them could father the next generation of the prophecy after all. Why aren't you pruning the branches?

I mean, don't get me wrong. I vastly prefer Brennan to the other two (Corin is smarter than Hart, but I haven't forgotten how he laughed at Keely for being afraid of marital rape and forgot to talk to Sean or Liam about her reluctance) - I'm just saying that the SMART thing would be to stick to the one you've got.

But Strahan's weakness is his sadism, I think. So he has to dig the knife in deeper.

The boys want to know what he did to their brother.

"I?" One winged black brow rose. "I have done nothing at all."

"That bile you made him drink—"

"The blood of Asar-Suti," Strahan corrected calmly.

"And I made him drink nothing; did you see him turn away? Did you see him choke? Did you see him spit it out?" The Ihlini shook his head with its fall of raven hair. "No. He did none of those things. He drank it willingly, and was filled with the spirit of the Seker. You saw his eyes."

Brennan's temper flared. "He had no choice—"

"He had every choice." Strahan leaned forward in the chair. "He accepted my offer of his own free will. He drank of his own free will. I used nothing at all on him save persuasion, and that, my Cheysuli kinsman, is power no different from your own." He sat back again. The elaborate courtesy and negligent humor were gone, replaced by a sharp intensity. "Now. I have Corin; that is finished. What do I do with you?"

Ihlini have very fucked up ideas of "free will". The idea that duress or deception negates consent doesn't seem to occur to them.

Corin gave in because, I'll point out, Brennan was being actively tortured in front of him, while Hart was suffering the agony of throwing his bewitched hand in a fire.

Hart disputes the idea that anything is "finished", he doesn't intend to let this rest. But Strahan basically slaps him down, telling him that its his fault for throwing away the hand.

Brennan's defiance is more analytical.

"Willingness." Brennan was elaborately distinct. "A familiar refrain, Ihlini . . . but why is it so important? If you have so much power, why not force Hart and me to do your bidding? Why not mold us into the shapes that serve you best?" He spread his hands. "Here we stand, sorcerer—why not shape the clay?"

Something flickered in Strahan's mismatched eyes.

Briefly, so briefly, but Hart had seen it, and so had Brennan.

This question has been asked before, but it's still a good one. If anything, it's even sharper now. Strahan, theoretically, has everything he needs with one brother's acceptance. Why doesn't he just enslave the other two?

IS it just sadism?

Oh, and this is pretty good.

Hart's eyes narrowed. "You have us," he said intently.

"What can we do to gainsay you? Make us the minions you want."

Strahan flicked a finger and the door slammed open.

"You are dismissed."

Hart held his ground. Brennan moved to stand beside him.

Strahan's fair skin burned darker in slanted cheekbones, "You are dismissed."

"All those threats," Hart said quietly. "All those promises . . . empty, all of them?"

I think maybe this acquits Niall a little, because it's clear now how the boys are better together than they are apart. Brennan, on his own, overthinks to the point of paralysis. Hart, on his own, doesn't think at all. But as a united front, they compensate for the other. They're very formidable.

I can see why Niall, only seeing them together, might have missed each character's individual weakness to the extent he did. It doesn't necessarily make me optimistic for Solinde's future, mind you (overthinking is a better flaw for a king, I suspect), but it is somewhat understandable.

Either way, Strahan made a mistake when he put them together.

"Is it that we must be willing?" Brennan asked. "Why else do you waste so much time on trying to break us physically, hoping to persuade us? Is it that an unwilling minion lacks something you need in us? Something peculiar to us?"

"So peculiar that without it, your efforts would be in vain?" Hart smiled. "I think we have beaten you, Strahan. I think we have won at last."

Strahan doesn't have a response. The boys continue to put it together, and I'm excerpting too much, I know, but I really like their interplay.

Brennan began to smile. "And what are we? Princes. More than Cheysuli, but princes, meant to inherit realms. Homana. Solinde." He nodded. "You cannot rule on your own, so you hope to rule through us. But there is no puppet-king if the king is too much a puppet—"

"You need us sane," Hart said intently. "You need us complete in wits. And if you force us to your service, we will lack the thing you require—"

"—and the people will throw us down." Slowly, Brennan spread his hands. "Kill our bodies, kill our wits . . . and you are left with nothing."

I especially like how each character's beat suits their personality. It's easy, I think, when you write this sort of dynamic, to just divide the "points" equally. But Roberson is consistent with their traits.

Hart continues, pointing out that if Strahan kills Sleeta, Brennan loses his mind. And neither Homanan or Cheysuli would accept an insane king. Strahan doesn't have Rael at all, and Hart threw his own leverage into the fire. He's got nothing.

Well. Nothing except...

"Corin," Strahan said, and their triumph poured away.

There is that.

We now switch over to Strahan and Corin. Corin definitely seems to be feeling the effects of what he's done:

The youngest of Niall's sons stared at the man who faced him. For a long moment he did not know him, barely knowing himself, and then a name came into his head. Strahan. Strahan, called the Ihlini.

Strahan's outline was blurred. His face was a blaze of white, marred only by the holes for eyes, nose, mouth.

And then the blaze became more distinct, and the holes dissolved themselves into things identifiable, and Corin knew whom he faced.

He shuddered once, like a man awakening from a deep, dreamless sleep. He was, he realized, ensconced within a massive chair, supported by tall back, tall sides, cushioned seat. It cradled his lax body like a woman a sleeping child.

Is Corin a vampire now?

Strahan gives him a black goblet, because the man sticks to his aesthetic. It contains wine, to help restore him. Corin takes it, feeling like the world is "wrapped in swaddling clothes". We spare a moment to describe Strahan again.

Corin looked at the sorcerer. He saw the fine planes of jaw, cheekbones, brow; the oblique angles of mismatched eyes. Such fine, delicate features, yet there was no mistaking his sex.

Strahan notes that he'd thought the one who gave in might be Hart - with the whole disability/ostracism thing.

Corin's response is interesting:

Corin swallowed heavily. His voice seemed very distant, as if another man spoke. "Hart is often misjudged. People see only his fecklessness, his desire for amusement. They look no farther than that."

The reason I find it interesting is that Corin is basically praising/defending Hart for not giving in. A strange response for someone who chose to give in of his own "free will".

Strahan asks how he can win Hart now, since he can't replace his hand. Corin suggests that since Hart has lost his place in the clan, eventually he'll founder. Strahan can win him over if he offers succor.

As for Brennan?

"Him you may never win." Corin shifted in the chair.

His bones tingled. He itched. "I know of no way to convince him. Brennan's particular strength lies in his unequaled loyalty to kin, clan and prophecy." He shrugged. "It will make him a predictable Mujhar, but also a very good one."

Aw. There's something sweet about this.

Strahan sees an obvious solution to this. You know, the one I suggested at the beginning of the chapter. Maybe Brennan shouldn't be Mujhar after all. He can put Corin in his place.

Corin asks about Aileen.

Strahan waved a hand. "With Homana and Solinde under my control, it no longer matters whom she marries. The prophecy will not be completed no matter what child is born." He shrugged. "I no longer need her. Alaric failed to spirit her to Atvia, and there was no time for a second try. Now there is no need. You may have her, Corin. It was a part of our bargain."

Why would that prevent the prophecy? Corin's blood is the same as Brennan's. (I mean, it kind of doesn't matter because the boys already have Erinnish and Atvian blood, but we're not supposed to remember that.)

It's like what Lyam said about Aileen needing to marry Brennan because he's the heir. The prophecy doesn't actually say that. It ONLY talks about bloodlines. Now the fact that Brennan, Hart, Corin and Keely are all supposed to end up ruling their respective countries are what should bring peace on a practical level, but that's not the same thing. (And Lillith seems to understand that, since her attempt to take control of the prophecy involved Ian - who wasn't ruling anything.)

But to be fair, Strahan may not be telling the truth here. Why should he?

It's interesting though, for all that Strahan JUST said that they can replace Brennan, he goes back to telling Corin that he needs the brothers and asks for his help.

Corin says there might be a way, and we see the true way things work now:

Corin frowned. "There may be a way," he said. "Will you trust me to do it?"

Strahan showed even teeth in a silent laugh. "Trust? There is no need for trust. If I tell you to do a thing, you will do it without question. That is the way of the service."

Something flickered deep inside Corin. Mute denial.

But it was snuffed out so quickly by apathy he hardly recognized it.

Anyway, Corin says he can deliver them.

--

Okay, back to Brennan and Hart, who have been returned to Hart's cell. I like this bit.

The cell was new to Brennan, though not so to Hart; larger, brighter, more comfortable than the tiny one Brennan had known for months. Two fat candles burned in corners opposite one another. A narrow cot lined one wall, which was, like the others, cool but dry, lacking fetid slime. The occupant, unlike his brother, had also been provided with a bucket in which to relieve himself.

...wow, you have had it rough, kid. I kind of love how pretty much everything we know about Brennan's months of captivity come out in his reactions to things after the fact. It fits his character, I think, not to want to talk about it. Even to the reader.

Hart is having an emotional time though. It's sunk in, exactly what he gave up during his moment of heroism.

Gone," he said. "Gone." He looked at the emptiness where once his hand had been. "And I did it to myself."

Slowly Brennan sat down on the edge of the cot. He felt a vague sense of relief that he still had both hands, and guilt because he did. "If you had accepted Strahan's bargain—"

"I know!" Hart cried. "I know, Brennan—I do not require reminding!"

Inwardly Brennan recoiled, though his body did not move.

Poor Hart. And also, that's a possibly telling response right there.

Hart knows he did the right thing, but thinks it's all for naught now that Corin's given in.

Brennan tries to comfort him and Hart asks what Brennan was promised. There's a funny/awful bit where Brennan scratches viciously at a louse on his scalp. Poor finicky dude. Maybe Strahan should have offered a bath.

Anyway, Brennan, for once, is pretty open about it: Hart's hand, everyone's lives and release from fear.

Hart massaged his forearm above the cuff. He frowned a little, clearly reluctant to speak. "You never told me," he said finally, obviously hurt. "You never told me about your fear. You told me everything—"

"Everything but that." Brennan stared at the floor. "I was ashamed."

"To tell me?"

"To tell anyone." He flickered a glance at Hart. "You most of all; you are afraid of nothing."

Hart's face tightened; his mouth hooked down briefly in mute argument. "So you locked it away inside of you, until Strahan discovered the secret." He sighed heavily. "Oh, rujho, I am sorry ... I might have helped you with it."

Hart's too stupid to be afraid of anything. But I really do love Hart's empathy here. It's a trait that I wish we'd seen more of during his own part. It would have made him easier to like, I think.

But there's another question:

"For me to do." Brennan shrugged. "But now—" He stopped. "Oh, gods. Hart—what are we to do? How do we deal with Corin?"

"As we have dealt with Strahan."

"He is our rujholli!"

"And he has turned his back on his race to serve Asar-Suti."

"Has he?" Brennan asked. "Has he?"

I really need to not excerpt this whole chapter!

I'm realizing, through Brennan and Hart's interplay, that I think Hart's most consistent trait is in his ability to follow-through with what he believes needs to be done. That's what we saw at the base of his heroic moment: throwing his own hand into the fire. That's what we're seeing here.

It's not necessarily a positive trait, as we saw in his own part. The problem with follow-through is that, if you're a fucking idiot, you end up following through with the stupidest of actions. Like gambling away your fucking kingdom.

Hart points out Corin's eyes when he made the choice, and the way his legs were healed, and he rose and knelt down at the rim of the gate.

Brennan wonders what Strahan will do to Corin. Hart thinks he'll use him like the leverage he is.

This gives Brennan a chance to remind us what Hart's lost:

Before, overwhelmed by what the loss of Hart's hand represented, he had looked at nothing else, seeing nothing else. But now he looked, now he saw, and was shocked by the tension in the body so like his own; equally stunned by the pronounced lack of conditioning.

Hart had lost weight, muscle tone, the hard fitness characteristic of a Cheysuli.

Worse, and indicative of something far graver than physical discomforts, Brennan saw Hart had also lost the high-spirited good humor that marked him different from any of Niall's other children.

Brennan tries to make a weak crack about having a fortune game and is startled by Hart's vicious response.

So now it's Hart's turn to explain what happened. Though, I don't think it's entirely accurate.

"Not like this." Hart stopped pacing and fell back against the wall, pressing shoulders into stone. "Oh, Brennan, I was such a fool. They laid a trap most carefully, baiting it so well, and I gobbled it whole, not even bothering to sniff." He sighed. "But I thought she was a pawn as much as I."

"Ah." Brennan sighed. "She."

Ilsa wasn't the lure. She was never the lure. Hart might have chased her down at the beginning, but he was repeatedly told that she was basically interested in making an alliance from day one and he wasn't interested in curtailing his freedom.

The lure was the fucking GAME. The issue was that Hart was repeatedly too stupid to bother to learn about the context of what he was doing and why. He went to a Solindish bar, ignoring the context of being a literal invader in their country. He gambled away a part of the Solindish regalia to a man who was a Solindish nationalist because he didn't bother to learn the significance of either ring or man. He never even bothered to learn their language.

Even if Hart gives up gambling entirely, he's still going to be a fucking terrible king if he can't figure out what he did wrong, as opposed to blaming the woman.

That said, Brennan does understand women troubles.

It was too obscure for Brennan, who was more concerned with Hart's well-being than his reference. "Aye, well, take consolation in the fact you did not give Strahan the child he wanted." He pushed himself back until he leaned against the wall. "The girl from The Rampant Lion—do you recall?"

Hart does not. Brennan admits to making her his mistress and siring the child. Hart still doesn't get it.

"She is Ihlini. Daughter to Lillith and Ian." He removed the arm. "The child who will lie with Strahan's child to give him the power he needs."

Stunned, Hart stared. "Oh, Brennan—"

"But I did not lose a hand." Brennan rose and went to Hart, hooking an arm around his neck to pull him close.

...dude. Stop deflecting! It's not the trauma olympics, you moron.

So what we get from this part is that neither brother has actually figured out what their main issue is. Hart is still unwilling to examine his actual fuck ups, and instead just blames the gambling and Ilsa. Brennan is still unwilling to address his own trauma at all. Notice, he talks about Rhiannon, but not the fact that this is actually the SECOND time he's been captured and tortured this book.

Motherfuckers.

Thankfully for my sanity, we're interrupted now by the arrival of Corin.

He was whole, lacking splints or bandages. He had shaved, bathed, was clean again, smelling of scented oil instead of the stink of Valgaard's bowels. His hair was washed, cut, shining, indisputably free of lice. His clothing was immaculate, and of a decided Ihlini cut.

At his side was Kiri. Behind him two Ihlini.

Corin merely says that he wanted his lir and Strahan gave her back. More than that:

Corin lifted his right hand and displayed the ruby signet ring that once had hugged Brennan's forefinger. "I wanted Homana," he said, "and Strahan promised me it." His eyes were odd, more iris than pupil, with an eerie, unfocused cast. "I wanted your title, I wanted your throne, I said I wanted your woman. And Strahan will give her to me."

"This is for Aileen?"

"Aileen and all the rest."

Brennan's belly rolled. "By all the gods of Homana—"

But Corin shook his head. "By the god of the netherworld."

So this is when Brennan fucking snaps!

Corin was slammed back against the wall. Brennan's lingers dug deeply into the flesh of his throat. "I swear, I will save the Seker the trouble of freeing your soul of its shell."

Damn! What was I saying about follow-through?

Hart is trying to pull Brennan off. The two Ihlini actually do it, throwing him across the cell.

"There is that." Corin looked at the cot, the slops pail, the two dim candles. Then he looked at Brennan. "You have never been a fool. Not in all the years I have known you. Why be one now?"

Brennan turned his head and spat deliberately.

"Corin—" Hart moved forward, saw the Ihlini tense, stopped and held his ground. "Corin, you know what he has done to you—what he made you do—"

"I did it of my own choosing." His eyes should have been dilated black in the shadows, but his pupils were nonexistent. "There are things in this world I have always wanted, and this is how I get them,"

a) There is a funny aspect of a love triangle that isn't one. Corin even calls Brennan out on the fact that he never even bothered to write to Aileen. Which is funny when you think about it. Brennan has been the dutiful, responsible one all along. He's also generally characterized as the most thoughtful and considerate of the brothers (especially to women).

Why wouldn't he write to Aileen?

But when you think about it, it does fit. Maeve said it early on. Brennan and Aileen are basically in the same boat as Sean and Keely. Keely has it worse, of course (something Brennan acknowledged back then) - as she has to go to Erinn and suffer through childbirth and shit like that, while he gets to stay and be king.

In this chapter, Brennan uses Hart's permanent injury to distract/deflect from his own trauma over multiple kidnappings and rape. When Brennan pointed out that Keely has it worse than he does, it's very likely he was doing the same thing.

They've both seen, in their father, how a betrothal can go very very wrong. And Niall doesn't really help matters when he decides to summon Aileen as punishment for bad behavior.

Brennan's response to fear and trauma is to suppress and deflect. Of course, he'd never write to her. That would make her real. He'd have to acknowledge his feelings about the situation.

Which then plays into the mess we have now. Aileen is in the same boat after all. Likely as afraid and uncertain as Brennan and Keely are. MAYBE if she'd had any contact with her intended, she might not have fallen so hard for Corin. MAYBE if his feelings weren't reciprocated, Corin might have gotten past it. Maybe.

...that said, it's not like Aileen ever wrote to him. Or Sean or Keely to each other. (Niall, why didn't you MAKE them?)

b) It's an interesting role reversal here. Before, Brennan was the one who wanted answers. Hart was the one who wanted violence. Intentional, I think. I don't think Brennan, at this point, really cares about Aileen as a person. But we've seen his concern about women being used and manipulated, it's how Rhiannon got her teeth into him to begin with.

c) The black eyes are awesomely creepy.

I'm really trying to cut down on the excerpts but Corin's words here are really really interesting.

A thin white line banded Corin's mouth. "I did not come to speak of Aileen. I came to speak to you, to suggest the course you should take."

"To tell us, no doubt, that we should do as Strahan suggests," Hart said in dry disgust.

"It is best," Corin told him quietly. "You have the right of it, both of you." He flicked a glance at the silent Ihlini. "He does require men willing to become minions. Without that willingness, the Seker exerts force ... the results are—unattractive." His strange eyes focused a moment, than resumed their eerie cast."Strahan prefers to rule through men with minds, as you have said. But he is willing to do it another way." He brushed back a lock of hair, frowned, then continued. "If it becomes necessary, he will force you to accede, and use what is left of you."

Corin then points out that the boys wouldn't go mad immediately. During which time, Strahan could use them to strengthen his own grasp on the throne. Then they get locked away, but the damage would be done. Why bother refusing?

Anyway, Brennan reminds Corin of his oath, when he put on the lir gold. Corin simply says that he's sworn another. Poor Hart is in the background saying no-no-no. Brennan renounces him.

Corin gloats a bit here. He's now got what he wants, as Prince of Homana. Brennan retorts that if he accepts the service, Homana would remain his. But Corin says nope. Brennan's fitness will be in question - he points out the claustrophobia.

So...why would Brennan agree to this at all.

And we get the answer in a moment, when Corin tells the Ihlini to go to Strahan. He'll be bringing the boys.

Brennan slowly shook his head. "If you think I will agree to anything you suggest, or step one foot outside this cell with you—'

"I think you will." Corin briefly massaged his throat. "You give yourself away. You are so willing to believe the worst of me. If I were Hart, you would not be so quick." He sighed, bent to touch Kiri, then straightened again. He smiled a little, though it had an ironic hook.

Aye, you did believe it ... well, so did Strahan. At least I know last night was worth it."

Hart sat slowly upright on the cot. All Brennan could do was stare.

Corin sighed. "I spent all of last night with fingers down my throat, trying to rid myself of that foul, malodorous bile Strahan calls the blood of the god. But if you tarry any longer, I will have to drink it again . . . two cups remain before I am truly his." He gestured toward the door. "I would suggest we go."

Well now.

a) See, that's the problem with the Ihlini idea of "free will". They don't seem to comprehend the idea that someone under duress MIGHT just not mean what they say.

Maybe, that person will LIE. And Corin, sneaky, ambitious, self-aware Corin, is exactly the man who can pull that off.

b) That said, you probably could be nicer to your brother, Corin. Brennan's an analytical guy, sure, but he's also spent months in captivity bad enough that his reaction to Hart's cell was to be vaguely impressed by the shit bucket AND got psychically tortured just before you decided to play this game. He's not got the clearest head in the room and you're a very good actor!

c) Also, of course he wouldn't believe this of Hart. Hart is a fucking idiot. Keep up, dude.

d) It is a bit of a shame that Corin never heard the boys express their concern before he came in. He really does clearly admire his oldest brother, as much as he's envious of him. It might have been nice to see that his brother does care, before going and pushing his buttons.

But anyway with this quite excellent reveal, the chapter ends.