Shapechangers - Book Three - Chapter One
Dec. 16th, 2019 01:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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i_read_whatSo this "book" is called "the Cheysula". I think I've made it pretty clear how I feel about Alix and Duncan as a pairing, so you can guess I'm sure that this title does not fill me with optimism.
So this new chapter one starts us with Alix going to meet Cai and Storr for more lessons. Basically, her plan seems to be to impress the Council with her new abilities, and she wants to make sure she can do it competently. I'm not completely sure what that's meant to accomplish, as I'd think it'd only make them more adamant to marry her off. Maybe Alix intends to threaten to peck their eyes out. I could be in favor of that.
Anyway, I appreciate that Alix is being proactive, even if her logic seems faulty.
So she has Storr walk her through the wolf change again, and she has some fun running through the underbrush and making observations: she notes that she doesn't lose self-awareness, and she isn't really any smarter or stupider than she would be normally, but she understands things as a human and a wolf.
She also decides that she understands why Shaine hates her race: he's afraid that the Cheysuli will use their arts to get retribution for the qu'mahlin, so he won't ever rescind it. Um, I think he hated them initially too. We generally don't try to commit genocide against people we like, or are even mildly apathetic toward.
Anyway, Alix is too busy contemplating to realize that there's a hunter approaching. Cai and Storr are as dickish as their partners, as both conveniently get out of the way (Cai flying higher and Storr slipping into the shadows) without bothering to warn her. She gets shot in the neck for her trouble. She turns back human, which scares the hunter into running away. (The arrow wound is now in her shoulder, rather than her neck.)
Cai and Storr are agitated now (fuck you, assholes), and they try to urge her to the Keep. She passes out instead. She wakes up when she's lifted from the ground and cradled against a "broad chest". Duncan, of course. The lir called him. It's all nice and romantic, except this bit:
“What of Council?”
His arms tightened. “Be silent, Alix! I will not have you weaken yourself with such worries.”
You fucking asshole. She's WORRIED about getting forced into a marriage with her attempted rapist, because you refuse to protect her.
He takes her to Raissa's pavilion and makes a big show of asking her consent to use Cheysuli healing magic on her. This would be more meaningful if he'd ever once given the slightest interest in her consent in the past, but okay. Alix consents.
The description of the healing is pretty evocative, at least. Not entirely present, but over quickly. She's exhausted afterward. He explains that this is "earth magic" that resides in all the lands (convenient, given that Ellas was never ruled by the Cheysuli) but only the Cheysuli can summon it.
Then this happens:
“I will miss Council,” she said.
“Aye. It will take time for your strength to return.”
Her eyes closed. “It is better so. I have no wish to see you ask for Malina.”
“Or have Finn ask for you?”
Her eyes flew open. “Duncan…do not tease me. Not about this.”
“I do not tease,” he said gently. “And I should not long prolong this for either of us.” He took her right hand and laced his fingers into hers. “Finn will not be asking for your clan-rights this night. Or ever.”
“You have refused him?”
“There is another warrior who takes precedence over Finn.”
1) I love how casual he is about Finn asking for her, when she has made it clear over and over again how afraid she is of him. And by "love", I mean that I want to see him castrated with a rusty set of pliers.
2) I also love that at no point does HER preference matter. What if she actually had wanted to marry Finn? She doesn't, of course. But if it were Finn she loved and Duncan who was the unwanted suitor, could he pull this shit? How fucking terrifying is this society?
3) Because of course, Duncan is the warrior who takes precedence. Here we see the conflict that made up the entirety of book two resolved in about three paragraphs. Now, this could work. Let's say Duncan took his head out of his ass and realized that he'd made promises to Alix, who is reliant upon him in many ways. He could realize that, while this isn't entirely fair to Malina, she has recourse that Alix doesn't. Ideally, he could continue to support Malina and her child, until Malina finds a partner of her own. But most importantly, he could apologize to Alix for like an eternity for what he put her through in the last few chapters.
Now let's see the actual explanation:
His free hand covered her mouth again. “Listen to me, small one; do not be so ready to fight me when there is no need.” He smiled at her. “I went to see Malina after you had left. I had every intention of asking for her clan-rights this night. But she let fall the truth of the child…that it was Borrs’s, and she knew it. She said nothing because she did not wish to lose me to you.” His expression was wry. “I had not thought myself the sort of man two women would want so badly, but I will not task myself over it. I will simply accept the wisdom of the gods.”
Alix grinned at him, amused by his masculine assurance. Her fingers tightened in his. “If you will not have Malina—”
“—I will have you.” He bent and kissed her tenderly. “If you will take me.”
“There is no question,” she whispered, fighting against drowsiness. “None.”
What. The. Fuck.
How is THAT a satisfying resolution?!
He didn't even CHOOSE Alix over Malina! Not really! The only thing that happened is that Malina told him the child isn't his! How would she even know that? It's not like there are DNA tests here!
I'd like to think that Malina saw how Duncan treated Alix and came to her senses and realized she could literally have any other man, or none at all, than this fucking son of a bitch. Maybe the kid is Duncan's, maybe it's Borrs, but I'd like to think she realized she'd rather have it be a dead man's child than get any more caught up in this bullshit than she already is.
Anyway, you might expect, you know, an APOLOGY from Duncan for all of this. An acknowledgement of the pain and fear that he caused Alix. But no. Instead, he just gives her a neck torque, as part of Cheysuli custom (raising again the question of where they get this stuff now that they're refugees). She asks about clan-rights, and he says that he'll ask for them formally, but it won't hurt if they precede it a little, "if [she is] willing".
Oh no, Ms. Roberson. You don't get to spend this entire chapter with Duncan emphasizing consent over and over again, as though he didn't spend all of Book Two utterly trampling over Alix's. You don't get to pretend that Duncan isn't the man who manhandled her over horseback, misled her under a thousand false pretenses in order to have sex with her, chopped her hair off when she refused to be his mistress, and then used her fear of his brother as another weapon against her. No. Fucking. Way.
The only good thing that has come of any of this is that Alix has gotten a lot more confident at asserting her boundaries, and she has another:
She ran a trembling finger over the gleaming hawk, down to the amber. “I must ask it, Duncan.”
“Then ask.”
“You said your race does not place so much honor on fidelity.”
He smiled. “I thought it might be that. Small one, you need fear nothing. While it is true the Cheysuli do not often keep themselves to one woman, it does not mean we cannot. I respect your Homanan ideals, cheysula. I do not intend to give you reason to cast me out of your heart.”
I hate that he's amused by this. In a fair universe, she'd have cast him out entirely and decided to marry some other Cheysuli warrior unconnected to either of them. Or an Ellasian. or just run away. But this isn't a fair universe.
So Duncan leaves for Council, Alix sleeps, and Raissa offers her some platitude about how the qu'mahlin changed his life, it also made Duncan a warrior. Ugh, fuck you, Raissa. Don't think I forgot how you told the man she hates most how she's not pregnant.
Oh, hey, there's a reveal that puts all of Raissa's bullshit in context: Raissa is Finn and Duncan's mother. I did wonder that briefly, when they mentioned the fox pavilion (Hale's lir was a fox), but then I forgot about that. This means Raissa was talking about Hale when she talked about insisting on being cheysula instead of meijha. Huh, well, we know how well THAT turned out: considering that Hale left her for an eighteen year old princess.
I am pleasantly surprised though at Ms. Roberson for not just fridging Duncan and Finn's mother, as I'd assumed she had. I still kind of hate her though:
She stared at the woman blankly. “You did not say…” She thought it over. “Nor did they.”
“There was no need. But have I not proven a good ear for you to rant of Finn’s arrogance while you silently longed for Duncan?”
Alix closed her eyes. “You shame me, lady. I have said things no mother should hear.”
Raissa laughed. “I know all of Finn’s faults, small one. And you fool yourself if you think Duncan has none.”
“I have not seen any,” Alix said distinctly.
The woman laughed again and smoothed back her shortened hair. “Only because you will not let yourself. Have you not lost most of your hair because of his jealousy?”
1. I don't like how this new betrayal of Alix's trust is getting brushed aside. Alix confided a lot in Raissa, without ever realizing that she was talking to the mother of the men who were hurting her. Raissa's defense of Duncan and Finn were not coming from someone relatively neutral, but from someone who had every reason to be on their side. And we know that at least one bit of private information (Alix's not-pregnancy) made it into her would-be rapist's ears.
2. I hate that Alix is being made to apologize here. Fuck Raissa's "good ear".
3. And Finn's faults are ATTEMPTED RAPE and CONSTANT SEXUAL HARASSMENT, Raissa. That's not a laughing matter. You should be ashamed of your son, not amused. Oh and also, while I appreciate that you specifically acknowledge that Duncan's cutting of Alix's hair was motivated by jealousy, I really hate that you're amused by that too. Abuse isn't fucking funny.
4. Alix. Alix. No faults? He spent ALL OF LAST BOOK making you fucking miserable. RUN.
Alix actually does ask Raissa about her feelings regarding Hale, which would be interesting if I thought Roberson had any interest in Raissa as a person as opposed to a plot device to shill Duncan and Finn:
Alix struggled for awareness a moment longer. “I am Hale’s daughter, lady. How can you show kindness to the daughter of the man who left you for another?”
“It does not matter, Alix. That is all in the past.”
“I know how Finn hates,” Alix said quietly. “I would not have you hate me like that.”
“Hale was a Cheysuli warrior. He conducted himself according to his lights. It is the custom among us. Alix, you are welcome in my pavilion. If I can have Hale back through you, I am glad of it."
a) "If I can have Hale back through you" is so fucking creepy.
b) The idea that Finn's behavior toward Alix is at least in part motivated by hate as well as lust is an interesting one. It doesn't make it any more forgivable of course, but it is a layer that might be worth exploring, if I didn't want Finn dead. It makes me hate Duncan even more for being willing to give Alix to him.
c) I'm not saying that I want Raissa to resent or hate Alix. But I don't feel like Raissa's serenity here is a genuine character beat. This is a woman who has gotten utterly fucked over by her husband's behavior. She's a hunted refugee, and her children have grown up in terrible conditions. Her entire race is being destroyed. All because her husband couldn't keep it in his pants. Let her be angry about THAT at least.
Anyway, Alix goes to sleep, wondering about Lindir's power to "so ensorcel a man", and wondering if she has that power too. Let's stop blaming the teenaged girl here, please?
So anyway, two days later, she's in Duncan's tent, which is now hers too. He wants to know how she got shot. She tells him the truth: she'd taken lir form. He doesn't believe her at first, but she tells him to ask Cai.
Apparently this sort of thing hasn't been done for centuries: once all Cheysuli could assume any lir shape, but since before Duncan's grandfather's time, only men could do it. This still pisses me off. There's still no reason besides author fiat why men AND women couldn't have animal partners and take animal forms. It's not like Alix's multi-shape ability wouldn't still be special.
But we're leading into the single most offensive idea in the entire novel now. Basically Duncan brings a shar tahl in to see her. Apparently he could summon one at any time? But anyway, they're here to talk about Alix's birthline. They know the one through her father (which Finn shares), but where Alix is special comes from her MOTHER.
Yes, ladies, gentlemen, and various non-binary folk, Alix has special native-allegory blood from her WHITE mother. Here's the explanation.
The shar tahl touched a red symbol gone dark with age. “It is here in the birthline. Five generations ago the Mujhar took a Cheysuli meijha, whose clan was so pure it could name members of the Firstborn as direct ancestors. All could assume lir-shape, even the women.” His thin shoulders stiffened. “That clan has since been destroyed by the qu’mahlin.”
Basically, the mistress had a daughter, who married an Erinnish prince (Erinn is pseudo-Ireland, if you can't tell by the name. VERY white) and eventually, Shaine married her descendant. Alix notes that Shaine must have Cheysuli blood himself...and I'm not sure that's the case, but the shar tahl's response makes less sense:
“It has been thinned,” the shar tahl said firmly. “Marriage with foreigners has overcome any Cheysuli traits left.” He pushed a wisp of white hair from his brow. “It is the women who have done this. It is in their blood. Ellinda bore Lindir, who has gifted you with the Old Blood long lost to us all.”
Look, I agree, the thought of Shaine with this ultra special blood is sickening. I'd like to think Roberson knows better than to have the genocidal maniac with more "pure" blood than the Cheysuli themselves. And really, as part of the royal line, he'd probably be descended from that Mujhar's wife, not his mistress.
But the idea that the blood was thinned through marriage with foreigners doesn't really work when we look at Alix herself. IF Shaine was also descended from this mistress, then he and Ellinda would have had the same amount of Old Blood and the same amount of foreign ancestry. Lindir's share, coming from both sides would be exactly the same as both parents.
Either way, let's just agree that the idea that Alix's extra special Cheysuli blood comes from her white mother is really fucking offensive.
Especially since Duncan has decided that Lindir and Hale may have been following tahlmorra after all so that Alix could bring this blood back to the clan. God, I love how Alix learning cool magic powers has basically been reduced to Alix's worth as a broodmare, yet again.
But at least now the shar tahl is here to tell Alix about the prophecy. It's...not really anything we didn't figure out already. Ugh.
Basically: Homana was once Cheysuli. The Firstborn, who were the children of the gods, gave it to them. The Cheysuli used to be Mujhar (and the words Mujhar and Homana are Cheysuli). The Ihlini moved against them, the Cheysuli defended themselves with their arts, and the Homanan people began to be afraid and eventually became hateful and violent and the Cheysuli gave the throne to them. We're told this was almost four hundred years ago.
Wait a second. Four hundred years? Then there should be actual records of this. Four hundred years isn't actually that long when it comes to a country's history! I mean it is for us in the States, sure. But we know who was the king of England in 1619. We know who was the king of France in 1619. The Homanan people would have stories of how the first Mujhar in Shaine's line took power from the Cheysuli.
This is not a realistic time frame, Ms. Roberson!
Anyway, more information that we knew: the Homanan Mujhar were served by Cheysuli liegemen, like Hale. Then Shane began the qu'mahlin. Apparently that was mentioned in the prophecy, but the Cheysuli chose to ignore it. Because they're idiots I guess. They didn't think the Homanans would turn on them, even though that sort happened already four hundred years ago.
So here's the prophecy, and this is new: “One day a man of all blood will unite four warring realms and two races bearing the gifts of the old gods.”
...
That's it. That's the prophecy. That's the thing that every Cheysuli has been working for. Eventually the wording is changed slightly to say "two magical races", because they don't mean Homanan+Cheysuli there. but that's the prophecy.
I mean, it sounds pretty good to unite four warring realms at least. Unless they mean by conquering them. Then that might suck. What on earth does "bearing the gifts of the old gods" mean? Is that actually a good thing?
So anyway, apparently there'll be a Cheysuli Mujhar soon. Alix points out that Carillon will be Mujhar, and the Cheysuli believe that his destiny is to prepare the way for the "proper path".
Duncan comments that this is what he meant when he spoke to Carillon in the city: "He must be turned from this hatred Shaine has put in him, and be made to see Homana’s need of us." That might have been easier if you hadn't abducted him and Alix, dude.
Alix asks what she has to do with it, and oh joy.
“It is up to you to give us back our pride and ancient magic.”
“How?”
He smiled gently. “By bearing more of us.”
I hate this fucking book. Of all the things this story could be: a girl who is half one race and half another learns to appreciate a heritage that's completely different than anything she's known, a girl with special powers that she can learn to master to help protect her long lost people from the racist persecution that's killing them, a girl who has loved ones on both sides of this conflict who could theoretically help bring them together to make peace (after getting rid of the main instigator of course).
And admittedly, Alix's story does involve some of that. But the bulk of her importance to the narrative has to do with giving birth to the next link in an eight book chain. Ugh.
So this new chapter one starts us with Alix going to meet Cai and Storr for more lessons. Basically, her plan seems to be to impress the Council with her new abilities, and she wants to make sure she can do it competently. I'm not completely sure what that's meant to accomplish, as I'd think it'd only make them more adamant to marry her off. Maybe Alix intends to threaten to peck their eyes out. I could be in favor of that.
Anyway, I appreciate that Alix is being proactive, even if her logic seems faulty.
So she has Storr walk her through the wolf change again, and she has some fun running through the underbrush and making observations: she notes that she doesn't lose self-awareness, and she isn't really any smarter or stupider than she would be normally, but she understands things as a human and a wolf.
She also decides that she understands why Shaine hates her race: he's afraid that the Cheysuli will use their arts to get retribution for the qu'mahlin, so he won't ever rescind it. Um, I think he hated them initially too. We generally don't try to commit genocide against people we like, or are even mildly apathetic toward.
Anyway, Alix is too busy contemplating to realize that there's a hunter approaching. Cai and Storr are as dickish as their partners, as both conveniently get out of the way (Cai flying higher and Storr slipping into the shadows) without bothering to warn her. She gets shot in the neck for her trouble. She turns back human, which scares the hunter into running away. (The arrow wound is now in her shoulder, rather than her neck.)
Cai and Storr are agitated now (fuck you, assholes), and they try to urge her to the Keep. She passes out instead. She wakes up when she's lifted from the ground and cradled against a "broad chest". Duncan, of course. The lir called him. It's all nice and romantic, except this bit:
“What of Council?”
His arms tightened. “Be silent, Alix! I will not have you weaken yourself with such worries.”
You fucking asshole. She's WORRIED about getting forced into a marriage with her attempted rapist, because you refuse to protect her.
He takes her to Raissa's pavilion and makes a big show of asking her consent to use Cheysuli healing magic on her. This would be more meaningful if he'd ever once given the slightest interest in her consent in the past, but okay. Alix consents.
The description of the healing is pretty evocative, at least. Not entirely present, but over quickly. She's exhausted afterward. He explains that this is "earth magic" that resides in all the lands (convenient, given that Ellas was never ruled by the Cheysuli) but only the Cheysuli can summon it.
Then this happens:
“I will miss Council,” she said.
“Aye. It will take time for your strength to return.”
Her eyes closed. “It is better so. I have no wish to see you ask for Malina.”
“Or have Finn ask for you?”
Her eyes flew open. “Duncan…do not tease me. Not about this.”
“I do not tease,” he said gently. “And I should not long prolong this for either of us.” He took her right hand and laced his fingers into hers. “Finn will not be asking for your clan-rights this night. Or ever.”
“You have refused him?”
“There is another warrior who takes precedence over Finn.”
1) I love how casual he is about Finn asking for her, when she has made it clear over and over again how afraid she is of him. And by "love", I mean that I want to see him castrated with a rusty set of pliers.
2) I also love that at no point does HER preference matter. What if she actually had wanted to marry Finn? She doesn't, of course. But if it were Finn she loved and Duncan who was the unwanted suitor, could he pull this shit? How fucking terrifying is this society?
3) Because of course, Duncan is the warrior who takes precedence. Here we see the conflict that made up the entirety of book two resolved in about three paragraphs. Now, this could work. Let's say Duncan took his head out of his ass and realized that he'd made promises to Alix, who is reliant upon him in many ways. He could realize that, while this isn't entirely fair to Malina, she has recourse that Alix doesn't. Ideally, he could continue to support Malina and her child, until Malina finds a partner of her own. But most importantly, he could apologize to Alix for like an eternity for what he put her through in the last few chapters.
Now let's see the actual explanation:
His free hand covered her mouth again. “Listen to me, small one; do not be so ready to fight me when there is no need.” He smiled at her. “I went to see Malina after you had left. I had every intention of asking for her clan-rights this night. But she let fall the truth of the child…that it was Borrs’s, and she knew it. She said nothing because she did not wish to lose me to you.” His expression was wry. “I had not thought myself the sort of man two women would want so badly, but I will not task myself over it. I will simply accept the wisdom of the gods.”
Alix grinned at him, amused by his masculine assurance. Her fingers tightened in his. “If you will not have Malina—”
“—I will have you.” He bent and kissed her tenderly. “If you will take me.”
“There is no question,” she whispered, fighting against drowsiness. “None.”
What. The. Fuck.
How is THAT a satisfying resolution?!
He didn't even CHOOSE Alix over Malina! Not really! The only thing that happened is that Malina told him the child isn't his! How would she even know that? It's not like there are DNA tests here!
I'd like to think that Malina saw how Duncan treated Alix and came to her senses and realized she could literally have any other man, or none at all, than this fucking son of a bitch. Maybe the kid is Duncan's, maybe it's Borrs, but I'd like to think she realized she'd rather have it be a dead man's child than get any more caught up in this bullshit than she already is.
Anyway, you might expect, you know, an APOLOGY from Duncan for all of this. An acknowledgement of the pain and fear that he caused Alix. But no. Instead, he just gives her a neck torque, as part of Cheysuli custom (raising again the question of where they get this stuff now that they're refugees). She asks about clan-rights, and he says that he'll ask for them formally, but it won't hurt if they precede it a little, "if [she is] willing".
Oh no, Ms. Roberson. You don't get to spend this entire chapter with Duncan emphasizing consent over and over again, as though he didn't spend all of Book Two utterly trampling over Alix's. You don't get to pretend that Duncan isn't the man who manhandled her over horseback, misled her under a thousand false pretenses in order to have sex with her, chopped her hair off when she refused to be his mistress, and then used her fear of his brother as another weapon against her. No. Fucking. Way.
The only good thing that has come of any of this is that Alix has gotten a lot more confident at asserting her boundaries, and she has another:
She ran a trembling finger over the gleaming hawk, down to the amber. “I must ask it, Duncan.”
“Then ask.”
“You said your race does not place so much honor on fidelity.”
He smiled. “I thought it might be that. Small one, you need fear nothing. While it is true the Cheysuli do not often keep themselves to one woman, it does not mean we cannot. I respect your Homanan ideals, cheysula. I do not intend to give you reason to cast me out of your heart.”
I hate that he's amused by this. In a fair universe, she'd have cast him out entirely and decided to marry some other Cheysuli warrior unconnected to either of them. Or an Ellasian. or just run away. But this isn't a fair universe.
So Duncan leaves for Council, Alix sleeps, and Raissa offers her some platitude about how the qu'mahlin changed his life, it also made Duncan a warrior. Ugh, fuck you, Raissa. Don't think I forgot how you told the man she hates most how she's not pregnant.
Oh, hey, there's a reveal that puts all of Raissa's bullshit in context: Raissa is Finn and Duncan's mother. I did wonder that briefly, when they mentioned the fox pavilion (Hale's lir was a fox), but then I forgot about that. This means Raissa was talking about Hale when she talked about insisting on being cheysula instead of meijha. Huh, well, we know how well THAT turned out: considering that Hale left her for an eighteen year old princess.
I am pleasantly surprised though at Ms. Roberson for not just fridging Duncan and Finn's mother, as I'd assumed she had. I still kind of hate her though:
She stared at the woman blankly. “You did not say…” She thought it over. “Nor did they.”
“There was no need. But have I not proven a good ear for you to rant of Finn’s arrogance while you silently longed for Duncan?”
Alix closed her eyes. “You shame me, lady. I have said things no mother should hear.”
Raissa laughed. “I know all of Finn’s faults, small one. And you fool yourself if you think Duncan has none.”
“I have not seen any,” Alix said distinctly.
The woman laughed again and smoothed back her shortened hair. “Only because you will not let yourself. Have you not lost most of your hair because of his jealousy?”
1. I don't like how this new betrayal of Alix's trust is getting brushed aside. Alix confided a lot in Raissa, without ever realizing that she was talking to the mother of the men who were hurting her. Raissa's defense of Duncan and Finn were not coming from someone relatively neutral, but from someone who had every reason to be on their side. And we know that at least one bit of private information (Alix's not-pregnancy) made it into her would-be rapist's ears.
2. I hate that Alix is being made to apologize here. Fuck Raissa's "good ear".
3. And Finn's faults are ATTEMPTED RAPE and CONSTANT SEXUAL HARASSMENT, Raissa. That's not a laughing matter. You should be ashamed of your son, not amused. Oh and also, while I appreciate that you specifically acknowledge that Duncan's cutting of Alix's hair was motivated by jealousy, I really hate that you're amused by that too. Abuse isn't fucking funny.
4. Alix. Alix. No faults? He spent ALL OF LAST BOOK making you fucking miserable. RUN.
Alix actually does ask Raissa about her feelings regarding Hale, which would be interesting if I thought Roberson had any interest in Raissa as a person as opposed to a plot device to shill Duncan and Finn:
Alix struggled for awareness a moment longer. “I am Hale’s daughter, lady. How can you show kindness to the daughter of the man who left you for another?”
“It does not matter, Alix. That is all in the past.”
“I know how Finn hates,” Alix said quietly. “I would not have you hate me like that.”
“Hale was a Cheysuli warrior. He conducted himself according to his lights. It is the custom among us. Alix, you are welcome in my pavilion. If I can have Hale back through you, I am glad of it."
a) "If I can have Hale back through you" is so fucking creepy.
b) The idea that Finn's behavior toward Alix is at least in part motivated by hate as well as lust is an interesting one. It doesn't make it any more forgivable of course, but it is a layer that might be worth exploring, if I didn't want Finn dead. It makes me hate Duncan even more for being willing to give Alix to him.
c) I'm not saying that I want Raissa to resent or hate Alix. But I don't feel like Raissa's serenity here is a genuine character beat. This is a woman who has gotten utterly fucked over by her husband's behavior. She's a hunted refugee, and her children have grown up in terrible conditions. Her entire race is being destroyed. All because her husband couldn't keep it in his pants. Let her be angry about THAT at least.
Anyway, Alix goes to sleep, wondering about Lindir's power to "so ensorcel a man", and wondering if she has that power too. Let's stop blaming the teenaged girl here, please?
So anyway, two days later, she's in Duncan's tent, which is now hers too. He wants to know how she got shot. She tells him the truth: she'd taken lir form. He doesn't believe her at first, but she tells him to ask Cai.
Apparently this sort of thing hasn't been done for centuries: once all Cheysuli could assume any lir shape, but since before Duncan's grandfather's time, only men could do it. This still pisses me off. There's still no reason besides author fiat why men AND women couldn't have animal partners and take animal forms. It's not like Alix's multi-shape ability wouldn't still be special.
But we're leading into the single most offensive idea in the entire novel now. Basically Duncan brings a shar tahl in to see her. Apparently he could summon one at any time? But anyway, they're here to talk about Alix's birthline. They know the one through her father (which Finn shares), but where Alix is special comes from her MOTHER.
Yes, ladies, gentlemen, and various non-binary folk, Alix has special native-allegory blood from her WHITE mother. Here's the explanation.
The shar tahl touched a red symbol gone dark with age. “It is here in the birthline. Five generations ago the Mujhar took a Cheysuli meijha, whose clan was so pure it could name members of the Firstborn as direct ancestors. All could assume lir-shape, even the women.” His thin shoulders stiffened. “That clan has since been destroyed by the qu’mahlin.”
Basically, the mistress had a daughter, who married an Erinnish prince (Erinn is pseudo-Ireland, if you can't tell by the name. VERY white) and eventually, Shaine married her descendant. Alix notes that Shaine must have Cheysuli blood himself...and I'm not sure that's the case, but the shar tahl's response makes less sense:
“It has been thinned,” the shar tahl said firmly. “Marriage with foreigners has overcome any Cheysuli traits left.” He pushed a wisp of white hair from his brow. “It is the women who have done this. It is in their blood. Ellinda bore Lindir, who has gifted you with the Old Blood long lost to us all.”
Look, I agree, the thought of Shaine with this ultra special blood is sickening. I'd like to think Roberson knows better than to have the genocidal maniac with more "pure" blood than the Cheysuli themselves. And really, as part of the royal line, he'd probably be descended from that Mujhar's wife, not his mistress.
But the idea that the blood was thinned through marriage with foreigners doesn't really work when we look at Alix herself. IF Shaine was also descended from this mistress, then he and Ellinda would have had the same amount of Old Blood and the same amount of foreign ancestry. Lindir's share, coming from both sides would be exactly the same as both parents.
Either way, let's just agree that the idea that Alix's extra special Cheysuli blood comes from her white mother is really fucking offensive.
Especially since Duncan has decided that Lindir and Hale may have been following tahlmorra after all so that Alix could bring this blood back to the clan. God, I love how Alix learning cool magic powers has basically been reduced to Alix's worth as a broodmare, yet again.
But at least now the shar tahl is here to tell Alix about the prophecy. It's...not really anything we didn't figure out already. Ugh.
Basically: Homana was once Cheysuli. The Firstborn, who were the children of the gods, gave it to them. The Cheysuli used to be Mujhar (and the words Mujhar and Homana are Cheysuli). The Ihlini moved against them, the Cheysuli defended themselves with their arts, and the Homanan people began to be afraid and eventually became hateful and violent and the Cheysuli gave the throne to them. We're told this was almost four hundred years ago.
Wait a second. Four hundred years? Then there should be actual records of this. Four hundred years isn't actually that long when it comes to a country's history! I mean it is for us in the States, sure. But we know who was the king of England in 1619. We know who was the king of France in 1619. The Homanan people would have stories of how the first Mujhar in Shaine's line took power from the Cheysuli.
This is not a realistic time frame, Ms. Roberson!
Anyway, more information that we knew: the Homanan Mujhar were served by Cheysuli liegemen, like Hale. Then Shane began the qu'mahlin. Apparently that was mentioned in the prophecy, but the Cheysuli chose to ignore it. Because they're idiots I guess. They didn't think the Homanans would turn on them, even though that sort happened already four hundred years ago.
So here's the prophecy, and this is new: “One day a man of all blood will unite four warring realms and two races bearing the gifts of the old gods.”
...
That's it. That's the prophecy. That's the thing that every Cheysuli has been working for. Eventually the wording is changed slightly to say "two magical races", because they don't mean Homanan+Cheysuli there. but that's the prophecy.
I mean, it sounds pretty good to unite four warring realms at least. Unless they mean by conquering them. Then that might suck. What on earth does "bearing the gifts of the old gods" mean? Is that actually a good thing?
So anyway, apparently there'll be a Cheysuli Mujhar soon. Alix points out that Carillon will be Mujhar, and the Cheysuli believe that his destiny is to prepare the way for the "proper path".
Duncan comments that this is what he meant when he spoke to Carillon in the city: "He must be turned from this hatred Shaine has put in him, and be made to see Homana’s need of us." That might have been easier if you hadn't abducted him and Alix, dude.
Alix asks what she has to do with it, and oh joy.
“It is up to you to give us back our pride and ancient magic.”
“How?”
He smiled gently. “By bearing more of us.”
I hate this fucking book. Of all the things this story could be: a girl who is half one race and half another learns to appreciate a heritage that's completely different than anything she's known, a girl with special powers that she can learn to master to help protect her long lost people from the racist persecution that's killing them, a girl who has loved ones on both sides of this conflict who could theoretically help bring them together to make peace (after getting rid of the main instigator of course).
And admittedly, Alix's story does involve some of that. But the bulk of her importance to the narrative has to do with giving birth to the next link in an eight book chain. Ugh.
no subject
Date: 2019-12-16 05:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-12-16 07:41 pm (UTC)To answer your cut text question, it certainly is!
Date: 2024-08-27 10:07 am (UTC)[Is castration by hawk an option?]
“We will do whatever we must, Alix,” he said gently. “Even to one of our own.”
She rose slowly, shaking her skirts into order. Somehow she summoned a smile. “You cannot force me, Duncan. That you will see.”
She turned on her heel and left him.
As she walked out of the tent, she heard a sudden commotion from somewhere behind it. It was in her mind, she noticed after a moment. She heard Cai and... another voice she could not quite place. She was not quite able to understand them either.
After a quick look around for a sign of Finn or Duncan, went to see what was happening. At the least, it might be a reprieve from all of her current trouble. As she came close, the voices stopped.
When she peeked around the corner of the tent, she saw Cai and... someone who looked like a man-shaped hawk, who was wearing a cloak along with a belt with many pouches.
After a moment of shock, she recovered enough to ask Cai, "Who is this?"
Someone who wants to help you. And someone who has shown me how much Duncan has deceived me. She nearly took a step back at the anger in his voice.
Then the hawk-man spoke, saying in a quite soft voice: And, if you would like, I can get you out of here.
"Of course I would! As long as you can make sure that no one from this camp can chase me."
The hawk-man nodded, and she was about to ask him to do so, when Cai said, Do you not wish to repay your treatment, Alix?
She almost laughed. "How could I? I would have no chance of getting out alive, even if I managed to do something. I would have expected..." She looked around. She had thought there would be a commotion around her; surely the voices should have attracted someone? There were voices and sounds of camp life... but no one seemed to have noticed anything.
That is my doing. We will not be disturbed soon, the hawk-man said. So, you may have your revenge, if you wish.
"Thank you", she said. Then she took a deep breath and let her anger at Duncan flow through her. He had shamed her time and again, had even cut off her braid, he had lied to her, and now he wanted to marry her off to Finn! A very nasty idea occurred to her then and she mentioned it to Cai and the hawk-man.
The latter seemed somewhat put off, but Cai said, That seems like just what Duncan needs. He flew to the larger hawk's shoulder and perched there. Will you come along, then? Alix quickly walked ahead, lest her resolve fail. The hawk-man came too, seeming rather more reluctant.
Soon they were inside the tent again. Duncan sat there, completely oblivious to even the hawk-man. She grinned at the sight. The hawk-man now made some gestures in the air, apparently changing his spell. Here we go, he said as he made a final gesture.
At that, Duncan suddenly saw them. He tried to get up, but could not move more than a few inches. "What is this, Cai?!" he shouted.
It is retribution for your betrayal. When I accepted you as my lir, I did not expect you to violate what it means to be Cheysuli.
"I have never done such a thing!"
Alix could no longer contain herself. "Is lying and breaking all your promises an honourable thing among the Cheysuli, then? Don't tell me you didn't knew what you did!"
Duncan looked away. He seemed to concentrate intently on something, but nothing happened. "Lir..."
Lir no longer, Cai said. Alix could not help but feel some sympathy at the look of utter hopelessness Duncan gave him.
She shook it off and continued, "There is also the retribution for the way you have treated me all this time."
He immediately turned to glare at her. "Was it not enough for you to steal my lir from me? Must you also bring a demon to hurt me? I have always done my best to—"
At a nod from Alix, the hawk-man stepped forward and slapped Duncan across the face. Then he bent down to grab at Duncan's groin and began to tear.
She watched fascinatedly and somewhat sickened as the larger hawk worked. Then she noticed that she did not hear Duncan at all, though he was undoubtedly screaming. With a shudder, she turned to look back. It had been her idea, after all.
Then the hawk-man was done. He stood tall again, though he avoided looking at anyone. As she began to speak to him, she heard more noise outside. "Finn and Storr!" she shouted as it struck her. How could I have forgotten?
Cai flew outside, saying, I will distract them. Alix stood frozen for a moment, trying to think of something to do. Then it came to her. "What did you use on Cai?" she asked the hawk-man. He stayed silent for an uncomfortably long moment and then indicated a pouch. She quickly grabbed it and then walked out of the tent, dragging the hawk with her.
Once outside, she barely had time to see Finn and Storr before the former charged at the hawk-man, shifting into wolf-shape as he did so. She let go and dived out of the way, running to Storr, who was held up by Cai. Without hesitation, she opened the pouch and threw its contents over Storr.
He stood there for a moment, confused. Without hesitation, she said, "Finn would have me dead!" Storr ran after Finn as fast as he could, Alix and Cai not far behind, and jumped on the back of the red wolf. Finn let the hawk-man go to defend against Storr.
Now! Cai called as they came to a stop. The hawk-man quickly made some gestures as more people started to emerge. Alix had a moment to see how badly wounded the man was, and to see Raissa among the crowd— And then the camp disappeared and was replaced by an empty hilltop.
She gaped at the view for a moment, and then dropped to her knees in sheer relief.
Re: To answer your cut text question, it certainly is!
Date: 2024-08-27 03:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-08-27 04:02 pm (UTC)Ooh, that's very good to hear! Once I saw the cut text, it lived in my head for a day, and then I just wrote it!
no subject
Date: 2024-08-27 05:05 pm (UTC)Why don't they warn her for the hunter? Seriously, that makes no sense. (Neither does Alix's wound moving around.)
Cai and Storr are agitated now
They're so useless!
He takes her to Raissa's pavilion and makes a big show of asking her consent to use Cheysuli healing magic on her. This would be more meaningful if he'd ever once given the slightest interest in her consent in the past, but okay. Alix consents.
It's somewhat better than nothing, at least?
He explains that this is "earth magic" that resides in all the lands (convenient, given that Ellas was never ruled by the Cheysuli) but only the Cheysuli can summon it.
Then... why not make it Cheysuli magic? (Or Cheysuli/Ihlini magic, since I think Taliesin could also use it at some point.) This just doesn't fit well with their other powers.
Oh, that's resolved ridiculously fast, but I'm glad Finn won't ever marry her.
1) I love how casual he is about Finn asking for her, when she has made it clear over and over again how afraid she is of him. And by "love", I mean that I want to see him castrated with a rusty set of pliers.
Well, you did got your wish in some form!
His free hand covered her mouth again.
Is that actually something he does? I hate him so much!
I respect your Homanan ideals, cheysula. I do not intend to give you reason to cast me out of your heart.”
"Because I only respect you because I don't want to lose you."
“I have not seen any,” Alix said distinctly.
No, of course not. Roberson forbid he be actually held accountable.
It frankly feels to me like Raissa is supposed to be a kind of mother figure for Alix, so she gets crammed into that role, no matter if it works.
Apparently this sort of thing hasn't been done for centuries: once all Cheysuli could assume any lir shape, but since before Duncan's grandfather's time, only men could do it.
That makes no sense! It should become rarer with time, not be limited only to men!
Basically Duncan brings a shar tahl in to see her. Apparently he could summon one at any time?
Then why did we have to be constantly told about the shar tahl?
Either way, let's just agree that the idea that Alix's extra special Cheysuli blood comes from her white mother is really fucking offensive.
Yep, it absolutely is.
And we also do about 1624!
So here's the prophecy, and this is new: “One day a man of all blood will unite four warring realms and two races bearing the gifts of the old gods.”
Then how is the qu'mahlin "mentioned" in the prophecy? I guess it's the "four warring realms" bit, but that gave me the impression the prophecy was much larger. Either way, I didn't think it was this small!
It still sounds like a good thing? By the time of Daughter of the Lion, I think they'd only need the Ihlini.
He smiled gently. “By bearing more of us.”
(deep sigh)
no subject
Date: 2024-08-27 05:16 pm (UTC)We don't actually know if non-Old Blood women can perform healing magic at all.
no subject
Date: 2024-08-28 06:14 am (UTC)Thanks for the clarification, then!