In Sylvan Shadows - Chapter Six

[kalinara]

I swear I will start doing these on a regular schedule again. One day.

Anyway, last time, Elbereth was Elbereth and I wanted to hit him with a brick. I'm going to guess that's going to continue this time too. But we'll see.



I usually don't comment on chapter titles in books. This one catches my attention: "the Quality of Mercy". And I can already tell that something in this chapter will probably irk me.

I'm guessing Elbereth.

Anyway, we start the chapter with Cadderly. It's just after the battle and he is now processing that he's just killed three orogs. Very easily. Too easily. And I appreciate this beat, especially given the way I harped on about that part of Strands of Silver, when Catti-brie just mows down a bunch of duergar, but has a crisis of conscience when she kills one human who'd abused her for most of the book.

Cadderly thinks about how Avery had called him a Gondsman, comparing him to a sect of inventive priests who showed little moral guidance in forming their dangerous constructions which is a bit harsh really. Also, I think it's subtly racist since most, if not all, followers of Gond are gnomes. But Cadderly is dwelling on how easy it is to kill with his inventions.

I mean, Danica and Elbereth killed like twenty orogs with fists and a bow/sword, so it's not like the crossbow is all that different when you think about it. But okay.

Anyway, Cadderly's not really okay:

Cadderly came out of his trance to see Danica standing beside him, wiping her face, and Kierkan Rufo holding Cadderly’s wide-brimmed hat and nodding appreciatively. Cadderly shuddered as Danica wiped blood from her fair cheek. Could she really clean it? he wondered. And could he cleanse his hands? The image of beautiful Danica covered in gore seemed horribly symbolic; Cadderly felt as if the world had been turned upside down, as if the lines of good and evil had flip-flopped and blurred together to become a gray area based purely on savage and primal instincts for survival.

The simple truth was that the companions could have bypassed this tree, could have avoided the slaughter altogether.

I mean, the bad guys were basically waiting in ambush, dude. If you didn't get them now, they'd likely have gotten you later. But okay.

Danica is pretty sympathetic though, handing Cadderly his hat, and taking his arm. Hell, even Kierkan is being supportive, giving him a grim nod of thanks, at least apparently respecting his inner turmoil.

Elbereth...actually, I have to admit, Elbereth's response is interesting here.

They headed back to the maple, Danica and Cadderly arm in arm, just in time to see Elbereth smash in the skull of the writhing orog. The elf prince unceremoniously tore his stiletto out of the creature’s leg.

Cadderly looked away, pushed Danica from him, and felt sure he would vomit. He eyed the elf prince for a moment with a grave stare, then pointedly turned and walked from the scene. He moved parallel to Elbereth, but did not look at him.

“What would you have me do?” he heard an angry Elbereth call out. Danica mumbled something to the elf that Cadderly could not hear, but Elbereth was not finished with his tirade.

So all along, Elbereth has been an utter dick to Cadderly. Dismissive and scornful. You'd think he'd just brush off Cadderly's reaction here as a sign of weakness or cowardice. But he seems genuinely bothered and upset at Cadderly's judgment.

“If it were his home . . .” Cadderly heard clearly, and he knew that Elbereth, though talking to Danica, was directing the remark his way. He looked back to see Danica nodding at Elbereth, the two exchanging grim smiles, then clasping hands warmly.

...really Danica? Look, I'm not saying Elbereth is wrong in his violence against the creatures invading his home. He's not even wrong to feel hurt or offended at being judged - though again, it's an odd reaction. But I feel like Danica could express understanding without the warm hand clasps and smiles to the guy who has been bullying her boyfriend for the last god knows how many chapters.

And as I said before, I'm not saying a person can't be friends with someone who doesn't get along with their partner. But there's a difference between "dislike" and ACTIVE BULLYING. What about this constant awful behavior says "this is a person that I should be friends with?"

I'd mentioned Jack, Bobbi and Marza from the Vampire Diaries last chapter, but I'll bring them up again. Jack and Marza dislike each other, but they act cordially because they respect Bobbi. And even though Jack is our viewpoint character, we do get enough of a glimpse into Bobbi and Marza's relationship to understand that they've been friends a long time - before Jack was in the picture, that Marza has been a good support for Bobbi and is protective of her. We can appreciate WHY Bobbi likes Marza, even if Jack doesn't.

Here though, the only thing Elbereth does is be a dick and cause violence. I think maybe the intent is that Danica feels a bond with Elbereth because they're both fighter types, as opposed to Cadderly's scholar type. But that doesn't seem like enough to base a friendship on. Especially when Elbereth is being such a dick to someone Danica supposedly loves.

This book is kind of ruining my appreciation of this 'ship.

So we see why the chapter is titled the way it is though, because Cadderly finds a wounded orog survivor. And being a compassionate type (and dealing with massive PTSD), he wants to try to help it.

I admit, that's a beat I wasn't entirely expecting, chapter title aside. It's very rare that characters in D&D acknowledge monsters as living creatures worthy of mercy.

I'm sure Elbereth will be understanding:

“He is still alive,” Cadderly replied. “I have spells . . .”

“No!”

The sharpness of the retort did not strike Cadderly as profoundly as the fact that it had been Danica, not Elbereth, who snapped at him. He turned about slowly, as if he expected to see a horrid monster looming over him.

It was just Danica and Elbereth and Rufo; Cadderly hoped there remained a difference.

“The creature is too far gone,” Danica said, her voice suddenly quiet.

“You shall not waste your spells on the likes of an orog!” Elbereth added, and there was nothing at all quiet about his sharp tones.

Cadderly is surprised at the "grim elf's lack of mercy", for some reason. Even though Elbereth is Elbereth.

I don't actually blame Elbereth for not wanting to save a monster that invaded his home. But he doesn't have to be a fucking dick about it.

Cadderly actually asserts himself here, telling him to go if he will, but as a cleric of a merciful god, he won't leave a wounded creature like this. And Danica helps too, by leading Elbereth away to deal with their equipment.

And we get this:

Elbereth understood and honored the young woman’s feelings. Cadderly had fought well—the elf couldn’t deny that—and they could prepare to leave without his assistance.

Huh, that's a moment where you're not hateful.

Anyway, they realize there's smoke over the forest.

Meanwhile, Cadderly is working on healing, and there's a lot of description here that's actually quite good, he starts with the first aid then...

“Young scholar!” he heard Elbereth say. Cadderly looked to the side, then fell back and cried out, seeing a drawn bow leveled his way.

The arrow cut right by his chest—he felt the windy wake of its rushing flight—and dove into the wounded orog, catching the monster under the chin and driving up into its brain. The creature gave one violent jerk, then lay still.

“We have no time for your folly,” Elbereth snarled, and he stormed past the stunned man, not taking his glare off Cadderly until he reached the wounded horse.

Oh, well, there we go then.

Danica tells Cadderly to let in drop, as the forest is burning. And you know, I feel like if Elbereth had said THAT instead of being insulting, it might have gone over better.

This bit is a little funny.

With his already bloodied sword, Elbereth mercifully finished off the doomed horse. Cadderly noted the elf’s sad expression and the gentle way he completed the grim task, noted that the elf cared more for the horse than for the orogs.

The horse didn't try to kill him Cadderly. Elbereth is a dick, but it's fair here. And I suppose I'll give Elbereth credit for one other thing:

It had been Cadderly’s mount, and when they left, Cadderly was the one walking, refusing offers from Danica and Rufo to share their steeds, and not even answering Elbereth’s offer that the elf prince would walk and Cadderly ride.

Elbereth making the offer probably does mean something, but I don't blame Cadderly for not accepting it. I wouldn't put it past Elbereth to turn into some other way to insult Cadderly later.

They do end up making camp in Shilmista. Cadderly decides to confront Elbereth, which gives me embarrassment squick, because there's no way he's going to win this argument.

“Can you sleep?” Cadderly snarled at him. Elbereth’s silver eyes narrowed as the young scholar boldly approached.

“Can you?” Cadderly asked again, his voice growing dangerously loud. “Does your heart cry at the deeds of your bow and sword? Do you even care?”

Danica and Rufo looked on with alarm, almost expecting Elbereth to kill Cadderly where he stood.

“They were orogs, orc kin,” Elbereth calmly reminded him.

“Without mercy, how much better are we?” Cadderly growled in frustration. “Do our veins run thick with the same blood as orcs?”

“It is not your home,” the elf replied evenly. His voice filled with sarcasm. “Have you ever had a home?”

It annoys me that the narrative and Cadderly act like the Library where he's lived his entire life wouldn't count.

It particularly annoys me because of Elbereth's speech here:

“If your home was in danger, you would fight for it, do not doubt,” Elbereth continued as he maintained control. “You would kill whatever threatened your home without mercy, and would hold no laments for its death.” The elf stared into Cadderly’s gray eyes for a few moments longer, awaiting a reply.

Then Elbereth was gone, disappeared into the forest gloom to scout out the region.

...so the narrative reads like Elbereth won this argument without acknowledging that the entire plot of Canticle was Cadderly trying to save his home and successfully doing so. I want Cadderly to bring up the fact that he stopped a curse from killing pretty much everyone.

Danica coems to talk with Cadderly. She thinks he shouldn't be so troubled. And gives the usual adventurer spiel:

“Was I to let the orog die?” Cadderly asked sharply.

Danica shrugged and nodded. “Orogs are vicious, evil things,” she said. “They live to destroy, further no causes beyond their own vile desires. I do not lament their deaths.” She glanced sidelong at Cadderly. “Nor do you.

“It is Barjin, is it not?” Danica asked him, her voice full of pity.

The words stung. Incredulous, Cadderly turned on Danica.

“It was never about the orog,” Danica continued, undaunted. “The fury of your movements as you tended the creature was not befitting any kin of orcs. It was guilt that drove you, memories of the dead priest,”

Now this aggravates me a bit. Why can't Cadderly genuinely not agree with gratuitous killing?

The narrative even tells us that Cadderly can't dispute Danica's claim. But why is it so bad to just not want to kill unnecessarily again???

I don't even think Danica's wrong to tell him that Cadderly fought as the situation demanded, Barjin caused his own death and Cadderly shouldn't accept guilt for something beyond his control. Those are all good things that Cadderly should hear.

I just don't think it's comparable to the last orog. Wanting to save a wounded creature is NOT the same as feeling guilty for killing in self-defense and I dislike that the chapter seems to be going that route.

The narrative treats Danica as correct:

Cadderly sat for a while longer, watching the young woman. She understood him so well, better than he understood himself. Or was it just that Danica understood the wide world as sheltered Cadderly could not? For all of his short life, Cadderly had found his answers in books, while Danica, worldly wise, had searched out her answers through experience.

Some things, it seemed, could not be learned simply by reading about them.

Because in D&D, I guess, it's a sign of trauma to not treat monsters as all chaotic evil. (Unless they're drow.)

We end the chapter with Elbereth being creepy:

Elbereth came back into camp a short while later. Cadderly was down, but not asleep, and he watched the elf. Elbereth rested his bow against a log, and unbelted his sword, and place it beside his bedroll. Then, to Cadderly’s surprise, Elbereth went over to Danica and gently tucked her blankets up tightly about her shoulders. He stroked Danica’s thick hair, then walked back to his own bedroll and lay under the myriad stars.

For the second time that day, Cadderly didn’t know what to think or how to feel.

Um. Dude? What the fuck is that? How is it appropriate to tuck in a woman and stroke her hair, when you're NOT in a romantic or familial relationship???

I think asking Elbereth if he got Danica's permission to do that might be a good place to start, Cadderly.