Yendi - Chapter Sixteen

[kalinara]

So we're getting into the home stretch. The characters have figured out who's been scheming against them. But what will they do about it?



This chapter starts immediately after the last, as everyone processes things and Morrolan suggests they eat dinner. Vlad tells us he has no memory of the meal or being hungry later, which says something right there, because Vlad rarely hesitates at describing food to us.

Norathar thinks they should make plans to meet with Sethra the Younger and the Sorceress in Green here at the Castle but Vlad vetoes that, pointing out that Morrolan forbids mistreatment of his guests.

I love the little exchange after where Aliera's like "surely the circumstances" is answered by Morrolan's "no". Reminds me of Jhereg. I think I've said this before, but the idea of the Houses revolving around a shared trait could easily end up lazy writing. But I appreciate that Brust makes it clear that this trait operates differently for different people. Dragons are big on honor, but Norathar's honor isn't the same as Aliera's honor isn't the same as Morrolan's honor.

Vlad points out that they should also actually verify their guesses. Not used to Vlad, Norathar asks if this means he's not actually sure about his conclusions. But Vlad confirms, he is sure. But they should still verify it.

As they eat, he contacts Fentor, who's looking into all sorts of stuff. He gives him the names of the suspected perpetrators and then gets back to the conversation.

We do get a pretty funny Monty Python reference:

“Yes,” said Morrolan dryly. “You wouldn’t want her to turn you into a newt.”

“I’ll get better,” I said.

So they can't confront them at Morrolan's place. No one knows where the Sorceress in Green actually lives. One possibility to find them is to try to use Laris, but we run into Dragon honor here. None of the Dragaerans are on board with pretending to befriend Laris to get the info and kill him later.

I sighed. “Yeah, I know. You insist that everything be honorable, upright, and in the open. It isn’t fair to take advantage of someone, just because he’s been trying to assassinate you and conspiring against your friends, right?”

“Right,” said Aliera, with a perfectly straight face.

“You Dragons amaze me,” I said. “You claim it’s unfair to attack someone from behind, but somehow it’s a fair fight even when it’s against someone both of you know is weaker, less experienced, and less skilled than you. That’s not taking advantage? What rubbish.”

I tend to think Vlad has a point here. It's always the interesting element with any "honor-obsessed" culture we see in media. They're always the strong, proud warrior types. They are nearly always at an advantage anyway. So of course they don't cheat. Unless you count going up against someone clearly outmatched - which they never do.

Anyway, Vlad gets the verification from Fentor - the flats that were used in the set up against Vlad were owned by Sethra the Younger. So now they're free to act.

--

So now there's planning. I like this exchange:

“It’s simple enough,” I said a while later, “but Cawti and I aren’t at our best right after a teleport.”

“Cawti and you,” said Aliera, “will have no need to do anything.”

We are dealing with a cast of assholes, so I enjoy little moments like this where it's very obvious that these characters actually do care about each other.

Vlad and Cawti are on board with watching, but Vlad asks for a Morganti blade just in case. If you recall, Morganti blades are the ones that cause absolute perma-death. He gets one.

So after that, they go find the Sorceress in Green and Sethra the Younger. Morrolan tells them that for the next seventeen hours, they're not welcome here. After that, they may return. Dragaeran etiquette means that neither of them argue. Our Sethra disappears with Sethra the Younger while the Sorceress in Green just vanishes.

They chase the Sorceress in Green, triggering a fire trap. Fortunately Aliera is able to protect them from incineration. And of course the Sorceress has troops, but Aliera and Morrolan are happy to divide the forces. Norathar too, of course. There's lots of fighting.

Interestingly, the Sorceress pulls some necromantic tricks causing the dead, even the ones slain by Morrolan's weapon, to rise again. Aliera and the Sorceress are now engaged in a magic battle.

Eventually though it's time for Vlad and Cawti to act. Cawti goes to protect Norathar, while Vlad uses Spellbreaker to take out the Sorceress's shield and threaten her with the Morganti weapon. He demands Laris's location from her and gets it. No loyalty for minions. He lets her go. Norathar then stabs the Sorceress through the chest. Woo.

--

Back at Castle Black, they take a moment to rest. Morrolan's arm is in a sling. Aliera's being worked on by the Necromancer (whose presence here is interesting. I don't remember if she has a major role later). Morrolan asks about Vlad letting the Sorceress go. Vlad just points out that they said they didn't need his help.

But now that Vlad has Laris's location, he can finish the mob war. He alerts Kragar that they need to plan an attack, though he doesn't specify too much. He and Cawti head out - though there's a very nice moment where Norathar offers to help. Vlad very respectfully turns her down (and it's probably for the best since Norathar shouldn't be getting involved in a turf war), but it also feels like a moment.

The chapter ends here.