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i_read_whatSo last time, Carillon was pretty much a terrible father. Donal needs to shit or get off the pot when it comes to this king thing. And Aislinn really just needs better friends and family. Rowan's still cool though
Anyway, last chapter left off with Carillon essentially challenging Donal to a sword fight. So that's where we start.
We get a pretty nice description of the practice chamber:
The practice chamber had no aesthetics about it. It was a plain chamber of unadorned dark-blue stone, even to the floor, which had been worn into a perfectly smooth indigo-slate sheet from years of swordplay and footwork. Each wall bore only weapons racks: swords, long-knives, spears, halberds, axes, bows and other accouterments of war. Wooden benches lined the sides for students who chose to or were ordered to watch. Wall sconces with fat candles in them lit the room with a pearly glow. Donal had been in the chamber many times in fifteen years, but he far preferred the training sessions with Finn and others in the Keep.
Ugh, I get it, I do. This isn't Donal's culture and he's far happier just being a Cheysuli. I do sympathize with that. But I'm also a pragmatic person at heart. Donal can't just be a Cheysuli. That's not his destiny. And while it sucks that everyone else basically made his life choices for him, I can't comprehend why he hasn't at least TRIED to adjust to the idea. He's known he would be Mujhar at the age of EIGHT.
And I'm sorry, but I'm never going to be terribly sympathetic to "But I don't WANT to be king" angst. Not really. Maybe if it were about fear of pressure and the lives that depend on you. But Donal hasn't even thought about that.
The qu'mahlin only truly ended about eighteen years ago, when Carillon took the throne. But there's still a lot of hate. Donal is going to have a very rough time as Mujhar, admittedly, but he can also do SO MUCH GOOD for his people. But he's not even thinking about that and I find it so frustrating.
Okay, anyway, Carillon's outfit gets a description: He was still fully dressed, not bothering to shed even his doublet of mulberry velvet. His boots were low-cut, of soft gray leather, lacking the heavy soles of thigh-high riding boots. And in his twisted hands was gripped the gold-hilted sword with its baleful, blackened eye.
Donal admits that this will be a travesty. Carillon...I don't even know:
“Will it?” Carillon smiled. “Then I am pleased you so willingly admit you lack what skill any soldier should possess.” He gestured sharply. “Rowan—the door. It may be the Prince of Homana will not desire anyone to see this—travesty.”
Okay, really dude? What's the fucking point of this? I agree that Donal needs to learn to use the sword, considering that's the symbol of the goddamn throne. (Albeit only since Hale forged it for Shaine.) But this just seems like a power game. Why not just ORDER the kid to learn?
Carillon just seems so weirdly indulgent of Donal, to be honest. I mean, he won't give the kid what he really wants of course (freedom from the throne), but he seems very happy to bend over backwards to give him time off at the keep. He has no problem with the secret family (and seems to be blind of the fact that this will devastate the daughter that he SUPPOSEDLY dotes on.) There's something offputting in this dynamic. And I think maybe it's because of Alix. I hope not though, it's been fifteen years since she turned him down. So it's likely I'm reading too much into this.
Anyway, actually, apparently Donal has had some sword training but has always been an "indifferent student". Sigh. Anyway, he whines in narration about it, since he knows that if he has to fight it'll be with knife or warbow.
...again, you're going to be the fucking KING, dude. That's the KING's SWORD. You're going to have enough problems getting racists to follow you, you're going to need the fucking symbols.
So the sparring starts. Carillon uses the opportunity to ask who poisoned Donal. He notes that he, at least, can talk when he spars. And...goddamnit.
Carillon grunted. “Electra, was it? I would have guessed the Ihlini.”
...you sent him to Electra, you flipping moron.
Anyway, he's shocked to find out that Electra had help:
“Who? Have I traitor on the island?”
“Traitors, rather…though I think it is too harsh a word. I believe she was unknowing.” Donal touched his blade gently to Carillon’s in brief salute. “It was Aislinn, my lord.”
...you let your daughter stay there for two years. I feel like you should be more worried about that possibility. Especially since we saw no one but Electra and her handmaidens, so I suspect you might well have a few traitors.
Anyway, Carillon is horrified and disbelieving, though he insists on hearing the explanation over "sword-song" and keeps goading Donal onward. Pretty quickly, he gets the upper hand, pointing the sword at Donal's abdomen.
Carillon's not doing this for no reason though. Apparently things have gotten bad with Solinde, and Royce (the viceroy in Solinde's capitol) thinks that there's going to be a full-scale rebellion. Tynstar may be uniting the rebels.
Osric of Atvia is acting up too. Right now, he's fighting with Shea of Erinn (both are island kingdoms west of Solinde) over some kind of title. But Carillon thinks he'll turn east soon enough, sick of the tribute. Donal suggests ending the tribute to give him less reason to march.
...I feel like that's naive, honestly. Maybe that would have worked early on, but now it'd be perceied as a sign of weakness. Which is basically what Carillon says.
Donal had no desire to entangle himself in the intricacies of kingcraft, even verbally. “We were not speaking of the potential for war, my lord, but of your daughter’s complicity in Electra’s attack on me. Should we not finish that topic before we begin another?”
YOU ARE GOING TO BE KING, you fucking douchenozzle! YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS SHIT.
Carillon seems to be having the same frustration and for once I sympathize. He tells Donal to look at him, pointing out that he's an old man growing older and very quickly. And admittedly, if he's aged naturally since Tynstar's attack, he should be physically around sixty. That's not THAT old, admittedly, but tricky when there's a war coming. And he clearly has health issues. Carillon, quite seriously, thinks he may not even live to see the new year.
Donal disbelieves it, Carillon just beat him in a sword fight. And I do have some sympathy here. It's the nature of the young to believe their elders are immortal.
But the topic does finally shift to Aislinn. To Donal's credit, he makes it clear, more than once, that he doesn't think Aislinn was acting of her own volition. He accuses Electra and...for fuck's sake:
The creased lids with their silvered lashes flickered just a little. “Aislinn is her daughter. Do you tell me Electra would stoop to such perversion?”
Donal did not smile. “You know her better than I. Tell me, my lord, if Tynstar’s meijha would.”
The breath was expelled suddenly; an explosion of disbelief and horrified acknowledgment. The sword tip wavered against Donal’s abdomen. “She would,” he whispered. “By the gods, she would. And I sent Aislinn there—”
Donal points out that Aislinn was of an age where she needed to see her jehana. And yeah, okay, if her mother wasn't an attempted regicide. I still can't get over the fact that apparently she doesn't have some kind of nurse or older female lady-in-waiting who can take this role. Why not send her to Alix? Admittedly, as mentioned before, that may not be ideal because of Alix's divided loyalties, but at least she might get used to the Keep and Donal won't seem so alien to her. (Also there are girls her own age there: Donal's sister Bronwyn, for example, and Finn's daughter, Meghan. Who also doesn't have a mother, if I recall correctly!)
Carillon at least realizes now that he should have refused to send Aislinn. But now there's a problem: if she's ensorceled, she could try again. This is when Donal brings up the idea of taking Aislinn to the keep and having Finn go into her mind. I have the vague thought that I think we see more active telepathy from Finn than from most of the other Cheysuli in the series. I'm reminded of how annoying I found it that Alix gets her Old Blood from her white mother. It'd be far less annoying to have the Old Blood come from Hale. It could easily be made to fit what's established (perhaps Finn and Alix's powers manifest differently. He's the stronger telepath/healer, she's can take any shape and communicate with any lir.)
But I digress.
So anyway, Carillon asks why not Donal, since he has the power. Donal tried, but there was someone else's presence. Carillon knows enough to realize this means Tynstar may have hurt Aislinn through Electra. He agrees to have Finn examine her...on one condition.
Donal is horrified that Carillon would put conditions on his daughter's sanity, but, for all my complaints that Carillon is a crap dad, I kind of like it. It's ruthless, but the kind of ruthlessness a king has to have sometimes. He wants Donal to win his grandfather's sword from him.
They fight again. This time Donal fights dirty, tripping Carillon and jerking him to the ground. Rowan tries to interfere:
“My lord—!” It was Rowan, moving from his place by the door, until Donal stopped him with an outthrust hand.
“Do you want the same?” he asked. “This is between Carillon and me.”
“Donal—you do not know—”
“I know well enough!” Donal retorted. “He goaded me into this…let him reap what seed he sows.”
...I think it might be worth hearing the dude who actually serves Carillon directly out? But what do I know.
Donal starts feeling guilty, when he remembers how arthritic Carillon is. Carillon is just happy that Donal succeeded in disarming him, even if it wasn't strictly with swordplay. Donal has a slight wound, actually, that's bleeding, but Donal claims it as an honorable scar.
But when Donal starts to return the sword to Carillon, something happens:
“The ruby!” The shocked outcry came from Rowan.
Instantly Donal glanced down at the stone set so deeply in the prongs of the pommel. And then he lost his smile.
Like the stare of an unblinking serpent, the Mujhar’s Eye glared back at him. But no longer was it the tainted black of Ihlini sorcery. It glowed a rich blood-red.
Remember, it had been black since Carillon fought Tynstar. And indeed, it turns black again as soon as Donal relinquishes it. Carillon remembers past love:
“I know now what Finn meant when he explained it to me.”
“Explained what?”
Carillon gestured. “How a Cheysuli sword knows the hand of its master. How it will serve well any man who wields it, because it must, but comes to life only in the hands of the warrior it was meant for. Do you not know your own legends?”
Donal tries to demur, as he's a Cheysuli and he doesn't deal with swords. Carillon cites his bad drug trip, claiming that for a very little while he was Cheysuli himself. Oh brother. But he does seem to be right when he says that the sword was made for Donal.
Donal keeps trying to deny it, and the scene is very dramatic:
Carillon turned the sword in the candlelight, so the flames ran down the blade and set the runes afire. “Do you see? I know you read Cheysuli Old Tongue. Decipher these runes for me.”
Donal looked at them. He saw the figures wrought in the shining steel. He saw them clearly enough to read them, and then he drew back once more. “I will not.”
“Donal—”
“I cannot!” he shouted. “Are you blind? You tell me my grandsire made this sword for me while knowing what would happen, and I dare not acknowledge what it means.”
“The runes, Donal. I can have them read by another. I would rather you read them to me.”
He took yet another step back. “Do you not see? If that sword were truly made for me, it means I must succeed you. And I am not certain I can!”
For FUCK'S SAKE. YOU'VE KNOWN SINCE YOU WERE EIGHT.
I mean, look, even without the stupid betrothal plan, Homana is ruled by MEN. Donal is Carillon's closest male relative. Shaine's grandson! There is no other possible claimant in the bloodline! His only other hope might be to marry Aislinn off to a nearby prince and hope for the best. (Evan of Ellas might not be a terrible choice, but Alaric of Atvia could be a fucking problem....and I only just noticed the alliteration.)
So anyway, Donal has his "you're a legend and I don't measure up" angst, which I am a little more sympathetic toward. A better argument might be that it's only been eighteen years or so since the general Homanan population stopped being outright genocidal. But neither Donal or Carillon bring that up.
Oh, here we go:
Surely you must see it, Carillon. Surely you must hear it. How they worship you even as they curse the heir you chose.”
“Curse you—”
“Aye.” Donal’s throat was dry. His voice scraped through the hoarseness. “There are times I almost hate myself. I play the polished plate and reflect the things they see. Cheysuli. Arrogant. Believing myself better than any Homanan. And yet even as they mutter to one another how I will be given the Lion instead of earning it, I wonder if I am worthy of your trust.” He looked into the older man’s face. “Gods, Carillon—there are times I want nothing more than to turn my back on you, so I can keep a piece of myself.”
This is better. And admittedly, I do appreciate that being a king SUCKS. Especially when it's not your damn culture. I'm not sure why I'm so annoyed at Donal about this. Maybe it's just because I know it's a foregone conclusion that Donal WILL become King, so the angst is a waste of time. (Though I suppose he could always get exiled first, like Carillon did.)
Anyway, Carillon is hurt by Donal's angst, which makes Donal feel bad. Carillon doesn't care what other people think about Donal. Donal shouldn't judge himself by others. And blah-blah-tahlmorra.
And really, Carillon needs Donal to be Donal, the first Cheysuli Mujhar in four hundred years.
Donal agrees to take the throne, but not the sword. Carillon tries to get him to agree to take it on his acclamation (...apparently some kind of welcoming ceremony as heir?), but Donal doesn't want to "strip Carillon of his power". One day, there'll be no choice and he'll take the sword. But right now there is, so he's made it.
...you know what, dude. Fair enough.
And Carillon has his own moment of existential angst:
The Mujhar looked at Rowan. “It is Donal,” he said clearly. “It is Donal, after all.” He laughed, but the sound was the sound of bittersweet discovery. “For all Finn and Duncan told me how important I was to the prophecy, it does not come down to me at all.” Slowly, he shook his head. “To Donal. I am only the caretaker of this realm…until another’s time has come.”
Imagine how ALIX feels.
The chapter ends here.
Anyway, last chapter left off with Carillon essentially challenging Donal to a sword fight. So that's where we start.
We get a pretty nice description of the practice chamber:
The practice chamber had no aesthetics about it. It was a plain chamber of unadorned dark-blue stone, even to the floor, which had been worn into a perfectly smooth indigo-slate sheet from years of swordplay and footwork. Each wall bore only weapons racks: swords, long-knives, spears, halberds, axes, bows and other accouterments of war. Wooden benches lined the sides for students who chose to or were ordered to watch. Wall sconces with fat candles in them lit the room with a pearly glow. Donal had been in the chamber many times in fifteen years, but he far preferred the training sessions with Finn and others in the Keep.
Ugh, I get it, I do. This isn't Donal's culture and he's far happier just being a Cheysuli. I do sympathize with that. But I'm also a pragmatic person at heart. Donal can't just be a Cheysuli. That's not his destiny. And while it sucks that everyone else basically made his life choices for him, I can't comprehend why he hasn't at least TRIED to adjust to the idea. He's known he would be Mujhar at the age of EIGHT.
And I'm sorry, but I'm never going to be terribly sympathetic to "But I don't WANT to be king" angst. Not really. Maybe if it were about fear of pressure and the lives that depend on you. But Donal hasn't even thought about that.
The qu'mahlin only truly ended about eighteen years ago, when Carillon took the throne. But there's still a lot of hate. Donal is going to have a very rough time as Mujhar, admittedly, but he can also do SO MUCH GOOD for his people. But he's not even thinking about that and I find it so frustrating.
Okay, anyway, Carillon's outfit gets a description: He was still fully dressed, not bothering to shed even his doublet of mulberry velvet. His boots were low-cut, of soft gray leather, lacking the heavy soles of thigh-high riding boots. And in his twisted hands was gripped the gold-hilted sword with its baleful, blackened eye.
Donal admits that this will be a travesty. Carillon...I don't even know:
“Will it?” Carillon smiled. “Then I am pleased you so willingly admit you lack what skill any soldier should possess.” He gestured sharply. “Rowan—the door. It may be the Prince of Homana will not desire anyone to see this—travesty.”
Okay, really dude? What's the fucking point of this? I agree that Donal needs to learn to use the sword, considering that's the symbol of the goddamn throne. (Albeit only since Hale forged it for Shaine.) But this just seems like a power game. Why not just ORDER the kid to learn?
Carillon just seems so weirdly indulgent of Donal, to be honest. I mean, he won't give the kid what he really wants of course (freedom from the throne), but he seems very happy to bend over backwards to give him time off at the keep. He has no problem with the secret family (and seems to be blind of the fact that this will devastate the daughter that he SUPPOSEDLY dotes on.) There's something offputting in this dynamic. And I think maybe it's because of Alix. I hope not though, it's been fifteen years since she turned him down. So it's likely I'm reading too much into this.
Anyway, actually, apparently Donal has had some sword training but has always been an "indifferent student". Sigh. Anyway, he whines in narration about it, since he knows that if he has to fight it'll be with knife or warbow.
...again, you're going to be the fucking KING, dude. That's the KING's SWORD. You're going to have enough problems getting racists to follow you, you're going to need the fucking symbols.
So the sparring starts. Carillon uses the opportunity to ask who poisoned Donal. He notes that he, at least, can talk when he spars. And...goddamnit.
Carillon grunted. “Electra, was it? I would have guessed the Ihlini.”
...you sent him to Electra, you flipping moron.
Anyway, he's shocked to find out that Electra had help:
“Who? Have I traitor on the island?”
“Traitors, rather…though I think it is too harsh a word. I believe she was unknowing.” Donal touched his blade gently to Carillon’s in brief salute. “It was Aislinn, my lord.”
...you let your daughter stay there for two years. I feel like you should be more worried about that possibility. Especially since we saw no one but Electra and her handmaidens, so I suspect you might well have a few traitors.
Anyway, Carillon is horrified and disbelieving, though he insists on hearing the explanation over "sword-song" and keeps goading Donal onward. Pretty quickly, he gets the upper hand, pointing the sword at Donal's abdomen.
Carillon's not doing this for no reason though. Apparently things have gotten bad with Solinde, and Royce (the viceroy in Solinde's capitol) thinks that there's going to be a full-scale rebellion. Tynstar may be uniting the rebels.
Osric of Atvia is acting up too. Right now, he's fighting with Shea of Erinn (both are island kingdoms west of Solinde) over some kind of title. But Carillon thinks he'll turn east soon enough, sick of the tribute. Donal suggests ending the tribute to give him less reason to march.
...I feel like that's naive, honestly. Maybe that would have worked early on, but now it'd be perceied as a sign of weakness. Which is basically what Carillon says.
Donal had no desire to entangle himself in the intricacies of kingcraft, even verbally. “We were not speaking of the potential for war, my lord, but of your daughter’s complicity in Electra’s attack on me. Should we not finish that topic before we begin another?”
YOU ARE GOING TO BE KING, you fucking douchenozzle! YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS SHIT.
Carillon seems to be having the same frustration and for once I sympathize. He tells Donal to look at him, pointing out that he's an old man growing older and very quickly. And admittedly, if he's aged naturally since Tynstar's attack, he should be physically around sixty. That's not THAT old, admittedly, but tricky when there's a war coming. And he clearly has health issues. Carillon, quite seriously, thinks he may not even live to see the new year.
Donal disbelieves it, Carillon just beat him in a sword fight. And I do have some sympathy here. It's the nature of the young to believe their elders are immortal.
But the topic does finally shift to Aislinn. To Donal's credit, he makes it clear, more than once, that he doesn't think Aislinn was acting of her own volition. He accuses Electra and...for fuck's sake:
The creased lids with their silvered lashes flickered just a little. “Aislinn is her daughter. Do you tell me Electra would stoop to such perversion?”
Donal did not smile. “You know her better than I. Tell me, my lord, if Tynstar’s meijha would.”
The breath was expelled suddenly; an explosion of disbelief and horrified acknowledgment. The sword tip wavered against Donal’s abdomen. “She would,” he whispered. “By the gods, she would. And I sent Aislinn there—”
Donal points out that Aislinn was of an age where she needed to see her jehana. And yeah, okay, if her mother wasn't an attempted regicide. I still can't get over the fact that apparently she doesn't have some kind of nurse or older female lady-in-waiting who can take this role. Why not send her to Alix? Admittedly, as mentioned before, that may not be ideal because of Alix's divided loyalties, but at least she might get used to the Keep and Donal won't seem so alien to her. (Also there are girls her own age there: Donal's sister Bronwyn, for example, and Finn's daughter, Meghan. Who also doesn't have a mother, if I recall correctly!)
Carillon at least realizes now that he should have refused to send Aislinn. But now there's a problem: if she's ensorceled, she could try again. This is when Donal brings up the idea of taking Aislinn to the keep and having Finn go into her mind. I have the vague thought that I think we see more active telepathy from Finn than from most of the other Cheysuli in the series. I'm reminded of how annoying I found it that Alix gets her Old Blood from her white mother. It'd be far less annoying to have the Old Blood come from Hale. It could easily be made to fit what's established (perhaps Finn and Alix's powers manifest differently. He's the stronger telepath/healer, she's can take any shape and communicate with any lir.)
But I digress.
So anyway, Carillon asks why not Donal, since he has the power. Donal tried, but there was someone else's presence. Carillon knows enough to realize this means Tynstar may have hurt Aislinn through Electra. He agrees to have Finn examine her...on one condition.
Donal is horrified that Carillon would put conditions on his daughter's sanity, but, for all my complaints that Carillon is a crap dad, I kind of like it. It's ruthless, but the kind of ruthlessness a king has to have sometimes. He wants Donal to win his grandfather's sword from him.
They fight again. This time Donal fights dirty, tripping Carillon and jerking him to the ground. Rowan tries to interfere:
“My lord—!” It was Rowan, moving from his place by the door, until Donal stopped him with an outthrust hand.
“Do you want the same?” he asked. “This is between Carillon and me.”
“Donal—you do not know—”
“I know well enough!” Donal retorted. “He goaded me into this…let him reap what seed he sows.”
...I think it might be worth hearing the dude who actually serves Carillon directly out? But what do I know.
Donal starts feeling guilty, when he remembers how arthritic Carillon is. Carillon is just happy that Donal succeeded in disarming him, even if it wasn't strictly with swordplay. Donal has a slight wound, actually, that's bleeding, but Donal claims it as an honorable scar.
But when Donal starts to return the sword to Carillon, something happens:
“The ruby!” The shocked outcry came from Rowan.
Instantly Donal glanced down at the stone set so deeply in the prongs of the pommel. And then he lost his smile.
Like the stare of an unblinking serpent, the Mujhar’s Eye glared back at him. But no longer was it the tainted black of Ihlini sorcery. It glowed a rich blood-red.
Remember, it had been black since Carillon fought Tynstar. And indeed, it turns black again as soon as Donal relinquishes it. Carillon remembers past love:
“I know now what Finn meant when he explained it to me.”
“Explained what?”
Carillon gestured. “How a Cheysuli sword knows the hand of its master. How it will serve well any man who wields it, because it must, but comes to life only in the hands of the warrior it was meant for. Do you not know your own legends?”
Donal tries to demur, as he's a Cheysuli and he doesn't deal with swords. Carillon cites his bad drug trip, claiming that for a very little while he was Cheysuli himself. Oh brother. But he does seem to be right when he says that the sword was made for Donal.
Donal keeps trying to deny it, and the scene is very dramatic:
Carillon turned the sword in the candlelight, so the flames ran down the blade and set the runes afire. “Do you see? I know you read Cheysuli Old Tongue. Decipher these runes for me.”
Donal looked at them. He saw the figures wrought in the shining steel. He saw them clearly enough to read them, and then he drew back once more. “I will not.”
“Donal—”
“I cannot!” he shouted. “Are you blind? You tell me my grandsire made this sword for me while knowing what would happen, and I dare not acknowledge what it means.”
“The runes, Donal. I can have them read by another. I would rather you read them to me.”
He took yet another step back. “Do you not see? If that sword were truly made for me, it means I must succeed you. And I am not certain I can!”
For FUCK'S SAKE. YOU'VE KNOWN SINCE YOU WERE EIGHT.
I mean, look, even without the stupid betrothal plan, Homana is ruled by MEN. Donal is Carillon's closest male relative. Shaine's grandson! There is no other possible claimant in the bloodline! His only other hope might be to marry Aislinn off to a nearby prince and hope for the best. (Evan of Ellas might not be a terrible choice, but Alaric of Atvia could be a fucking problem....and I only just noticed the alliteration.)
So anyway, Donal has his "you're a legend and I don't measure up" angst, which I am a little more sympathetic toward. A better argument might be that it's only been eighteen years or so since the general Homanan population stopped being outright genocidal. But neither Donal or Carillon bring that up.
Oh, here we go:
Surely you must see it, Carillon. Surely you must hear it. How they worship you even as they curse the heir you chose.”
“Curse you—”
“Aye.” Donal’s throat was dry. His voice scraped through the hoarseness. “There are times I almost hate myself. I play the polished plate and reflect the things they see. Cheysuli. Arrogant. Believing myself better than any Homanan. And yet even as they mutter to one another how I will be given the Lion instead of earning it, I wonder if I am worthy of your trust.” He looked into the older man’s face. “Gods, Carillon—there are times I want nothing more than to turn my back on you, so I can keep a piece of myself.”
This is better. And admittedly, I do appreciate that being a king SUCKS. Especially when it's not your damn culture. I'm not sure why I'm so annoyed at Donal about this. Maybe it's just because I know it's a foregone conclusion that Donal WILL become King, so the angst is a waste of time. (Though I suppose he could always get exiled first, like Carillon did.)
Anyway, Carillon is hurt by Donal's angst, which makes Donal feel bad. Carillon doesn't care what other people think about Donal. Donal shouldn't judge himself by others. And blah-blah-tahlmorra.
And really, Carillon needs Donal to be Donal, the first Cheysuli Mujhar in four hundred years.
Donal agrees to take the throne, but not the sword. Carillon tries to get him to agree to take it on his acclamation (...apparently some kind of welcoming ceremony as heir?), but Donal doesn't want to "strip Carillon of his power". One day, there'll be no choice and he'll take the sword. But right now there is, so he's made it.
...you know what, dude. Fair enough.
And Carillon has his own moment of existential angst:
The Mujhar looked at Rowan. “It is Donal,” he said clearly. “It is Donal, after all.” He laughed, but the sound was the sound of bittersweet discovery. “For all Finn and Duncan told me how important I was to the prophecy, it does not come down to me at all.” Slowly, he shook his head. “To Donal. I am only the caretaker of this realm…until another’s time has come.”
Imagine how ALIX feels.
The chapter ends here.
no subject
Date: 2021-06-02 03:24 pm (UTC)I suppose he is supposed to not be too bright in the stories.
The Mujhar looked at Rowan. “It is Donal,” he said clearly. “It is Donal, after all.” He laughed, but the sound was the sound of bittersweet discovery. “For all Finn and Duncan told me how important I was to the prophecy, it does not come down to me at all.” Slowly, he shook his head. “To Donal. I am only the caretaker of this realm…until another’s time has come.”
Imagine how ALIX feels.
This! How she was treated was repulsive!
no subject
Date: 2021-06-02 04:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-07-04 10:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-07-04 10:50 pm (UTC)