BattleAxe First Read: Chapter Two: At King Priam's Court (Part II)

[pangolin20]

Chapter Two (Part I) | Table of Contents | Chapter Two (Part III)

NRSG: Welcome back to BattleAxe, everyone! Last time, we left off with Devera and Faraday, as they saw Queen Judith. This time, we will learn some more backstory.

 

Well, Devera says that the woman is indeed Judith, and that “[i]t’s so sad.” Priam “loves her dearly”, but she cannot have children. Every year they were married, she became pregnant, except for the last two, and every time, she lost “the babe in the fourth or fifth month.” Hmmm, that seems somewhat suspicious to me. I do suspect possible sabotage here. It might be a medical condition, too, but should someone not have come up with a cure by now? It just feels off. Devera says that now, she might be too old for children.

They both fall silent as “they contemplate[] this supreme tragedy.” The narration explains that the main promise of “any noblewoman” is to get her husband sons as soon as possible. “No matter the dowry, the connections or the beauty that a woman [brings] to her marriage bed”, her life “be[comes] meaningless” if she cannot “produce heirs”. Ah yes, that is why Priam still obviously cares about Judith. And I absolutely do not trust Douglass to use this in any kind of interesting way, or just in any way other than “medieval society is misogynistic”.

Faraday picks up some “cloudberry cheese” (?), and nibbles on it, with a “line of worry” appearing between her eyes. She says it would be a tragedy if Priam did not have any sons to follow him. Devera drinks some wine, and says that would open the way for “his closest living relative”. She asks Faraday to tell her who that is. Faraday gets irritated by Devera’s condescending tone, and “retort[s]” that it’s his nephew, “Duke Borneheld of Ichtar”.

She explains that she only came at court yesterday, and she has yet to be introduced to “the King and his family.” I am quite certain “King” should not be capitalised here. She does know names, but not faces, and “to her humiliation”, she cannot place him among the people at the royal table.

Devera “savour[s] Faraday’s embarrassed confusion for a moment” (can we leave Devera already?), then she indicates the man sitting “immediately at Priam’s right hand”. Faraday sees him, and immediately begins to describe him. She can see some resemblance to Priam, as they have the same “grey eyes” and their hair is the same “shade of auburn”, though Borneheld has “a soldier’s close crop” instead of “court curls”. He is “in the prime of his life, about thirty”, and he is solid, with “his bulk [being] all muscle.” Borneheld is a warrior, “his body honed by years in the saddle and wielding the sword.” He “look[s] a formidable man”. We are then told that Merlion had been “remarkably silent” about Priam’s family. Not that that has much to do with the previous paragraph, but whatever.

Devera explains that Borneheld is “the child of Priam’s only sister, Rivkah, who married Borneheld’s father Searlas, the previous Duke”. Hmm-hmm. Faraday looks back at Devera. She thinks there is “some hesitation, or some darker shadow”, behind her words, but she cannot quite explain it. Faraday says that if Priam has no children, Borneheld will become king.

Devera shrugs and drinks more wine. She says that is probably, unless “the other Earls and Barons” decide to fight him for the throne. One, these titles should not be capitalised, and two, why would Duke Roland not join in? He is a lord of Achar, after all. It might just have been better to use “Lords” instead of this.

Faraday helpfully explains that would mean civil war, and she is shocked that Devera suggests their fathers might be so disloyal. I mean, Devera did not suggest her own father might be… Anyway, we are told that Faraday “value[s] loyalty above most other virtues.” Good to know.

Devera snaps back that the price would be worth it, “the wine she had drunk making her tongue dangerously loose.” Faraday looks away and concentrates on her food. She thinks it might be best if she let “Devera chat to the youth on her right for a time.” Yes, I fully support you, Faraday.

There is a timeskip, and we pick up twenty minutes later. Faraday notices a man silently moving around behind the columns, and then weaving through the crowd, occasionally speaking with people. She watches him, “fascinated by his unusual grace and the suppleness of his movement.” He goes toward the royal dais, and she wonders if he is one of the nobles. “Faraday was enthralled.” Yes, yes, we get that our protagonist is attractive.

Finally, he steps into the chamber itself, and Faraday can see him clearly. She “[takes] a quick, sharp breath of surprise”, and she says that not even Priam “command[s] the same presence that this man [does].” And well, here is the description, in full:

He was still a relatively young man, perhaps some ten or eleven years older than herself, striking rather than handsome. This was due partly to his lithe grace, but also to the unusual alien cast of his features. His shoulder-length hair, drawn back into a short tail in the nape of his neck, and his close-shaven beard were the colour of sun-faded harvest wheat, his eyes an equally faded blue—but as penetrating as a bird of prey’s. He was tall and lean, and wore a uniform unlike any that Faraday had seen before, either in her home of Skarabost or here in Carlon. Over slim-fitting black leather trousers and riding boots, he wore a black, close-fitting hip-length tunic coat of cleverly woven wool. Even the trimmings and the raised embroideries down the sleeves of his tunic were black. The only relief was a pair of crossed golden axes embroidered across his left breast. As he stepped into the brilliance of the central chamber the entire effect was as if a panther had suddenly strolled out of a dark jungle into the sunlight of a glade.

 

Yes, this is all one paragraph. Let me say some thing on this:

 

-          Faraday’s guess as to his age is remarkably on point. As we will see, Axis (because who else could this be), is 29 years old at this point.

-          I wish we could get some more on what this “alien cast” is. Regardless, he is probably not entirely human.

-          Of course he has blond hair and blue eyes.

-          I love the phrasing here: “sun-faded harvest wheat”. Because “sun-faded wheat” would not be enough.

-          Black leather trousers seem very impractical to me.

-          Also, why does Faraday know about panthers? Or is that the omniscient narration taking over? Looking at the wider world map from the later books, I don’t see where panthers would even live. Maybe beneath the southern edge of the map?

 

She whispers Devera’s name, and Devera looks too. We then get this: “Faraday’s reaction was the same as every woman’s the first time they laid eyes on the BattleAxe. It was a reaction the BattleAxe was fully aware he created and, if in the mood, capitalised on.” No, no, this is quite horrible. This is just like Bloodwolf and his sexual assault perfume, only here no-one can even notice something definite! And he also “capitalises” on it when he feels like it? That is dubious consent at best. And it will only get worse. In fact, let me get out a count from the Mists of Avalon sporking…

 

Chris Hansen Will See You Now: 1

 

That is better. Devera gets Faraday’s attention as Axis nears the royal dais, and she introduces him as “Axis, BattleAxe of the Axe-Wielders.” Well, I think we could have already worked that out. Also, I love how clunky his title sounds. Faraday mentally goes wild with awe at hearing this, saying that it is “[n]o wonder he caught her attention.” She had not hoped to ever see him, as the Axe-Wielders generally stay close to the Tower of the Seneschal.

 

Cut to Devera. Ah yes, I have been neglecting that count for some time. Let me see…

 

Stick to a POV: 12

 

There we go. Her lips twitch, and she says it is “a shame to disillusion Faraday about this man, but if she [doesn’t] do it, then someone else soon [will].” She tells Faraday to compare Axis to Priam. Faraday does so, and she sees they are related. They have “the same distinctive hairline and forehead.” Devera says they are related, as “Axis is also Priam’s nephew and Borneheld’s half-brother”, but neither of them want to acknowledge that, as Axis is “the ultimate embarrassment” for the royal family.

 

Cut to Faraday.

 

Stick to a POV: 13

 

She frowns, wondering why Merlion did not tell her about this, but she keeps looking at Axis. He is laughing with “a lady of minor nobility” nearby, and “she [does] not want to take her eyes from him while he [is] so close.” That does nothing to reassure me, at all. Faraday says she does not understand.

 

Cut to Devera.

 

Stick to a POV: 14

 

She “settles back in her chair and smiles”. We are told the story of Axis’ birth is well-known in Carlon (though not outside of it), and she does not often have the opportunity to “tell the deliciously scandalous tale of Rivkah’s shame to someone who [knows] nothing about the affair.”

 

So she says that Axis is “the illegitimate son of Rivkah, Priam’s sister.” Ah, that is a problem. Also, Devera, you explained some twenty minutes ago that Rivkah was Priam’s sister. Do we need to hear this again? Also also, why did we need the earlier line about Faraday noticing something in Devera’s words if we are hearing about it now anyway?

 

This Is What the Mystery: 23

 

Well, this is enough for Faraday to return her attention to Devera, as she “breathe[s]” “really!” Devera “nod[s] sagely”, and begins with her story.

Rivkah was married at an early age, “younger than [Faraday is] now”, to Searlas, “Duke of Ichtar”. Can you please not repeat everyone’s title every time, Douglass? Anyway, “[w]ithin a year she had produced a son, Borneheld.” I do not like “produced” in this context, I must say. Also, Borneheld is 30, and 29 years ago, Rivkah was 17. So she was 16 when she got Borneheld, and probably 15 when she got married. I can bear being married at that age, but Rivkah probably getting pregnant when she was 15? I really do not like that, especially as there was no reason to include this.

 

Chris Hansen Will See You Now: 2 (I will use this count generally for all the awful sexual undertones this series has)

Gratuitous Grimdark: 10

Well, Searlas was happy, and while Rivkah was occupied with Borneheld, he left her at Sigholt, “safe enough one would think”, while he went on a tour of the fortifications at Gorkenfort and the “River Andakilsa”. Looking at the map, that is a river that flows west of Gorkernfort and forms the northern border of Ichtar.

He was gone a year, and when he came back, Borneheld was “a strong, one-year-old boy” (well, I would hope he was a year old), and Rivkah was eight months pregnant. So she got pregnant with Axis around April of that year. There was a large scandal, of course, and even “the stabeboys” knew of it before Searlas did.

Faraday asks who the father was. Devera’s eyes twinkle and “her mouth curl[s] mischievously” at that. She tosses her hair, and “her breasts jiggle[] in their too-tight bodice”. What of it, Douglass?

Devera says that no one knows, and Rivkah refused to tell. She did not want to marry Searlas in the first place, so many people assumed this was “her way of ending the marriage”. Searlas was furious, of course, and because he believed Rivkah would be safe at Sigholt, “his suspicions immediately fell upon the garrison guard and servants.” “It is said” (citation, please) that he tortured half of the staff before he came out of his rage. I have to say this man sounds like a villain stereotype, really.

Well, he sent Rivkah to Gorkentown’s Retreat, “in a futile effort to keep the birth secret.” But news of the pregnancy had already reached Carlon and the whole court knew Searlas was not the father. “The old king Karel, Priam and Rivkah’s father”, was just as angry. He gave Searlas permission to do what he wanted with Rivkah. But Searlas did not have to do anything, as “Rivkah died in childbirth”. And now we know exactly who the second woman in the prologue was. Why bother with all that mystery, when you will reveal in the second chapter who it was, Douglass?

 

This Is What the Mystery: 24

 

And we can also guess who Axis’ father was: StarDrifter. After all, he is not human, which explains Axis’ “alien features”. And also, we know that Gorgrael is the brother to the StarMan, and they must share the same father, so StarDrifter is Axis’ father, and Axis will become the StarMan.

 

This Is What the Mystery: 44

 

And part of the central mystery is already blown away. Good job, Douglass!

 

Anyway, Faraday thinks this tragic. Devera responds with “Tragic my foot”, which just fits in so well.

 

Tone Soap: 15

 

She says it was the “best thing that could have happened”. She says that it would have been even better if they child had died in birth as well, but that did not happen. Searlas refused to acknowledge him, and neither Karel or Priam mentioned Rivkah’s name, nor did they acknowledge Axis as being their family.

 

Faraday asks what became of the baby.

 

Devera explains further. Jayme just happened to be in Gorkentown at the moment, so he took the child in as “his protégé”, which still does not fit in (Epistler pointed out a better term would be “foster-child”). He hoped that Axis would “take orders and become a reclusive brother attached to some retreat in a dusty corner of Achar.” That would be a good solution and would allow both the “King and the Duke of Ichtar” to save face. Unfortunately, Axis took to “the sword and the axe” rather than the Brotherhood. He trained in arms “at a noble household for several years” (where? how?), and then joined the Axe-Wielders at 17, and became BattleAxe at 24, when Jayme became Brother-Leader (which we already knew).

 

Jayme ignored the looks from the court, and argued that “despite his relative youth”, Axis was “the perfect man for the job”, which he indeed turned out to be. And so the court now has to live with a bastard, “who everyone hoped would fade into obscurity”, who holds one of the best military spots withing Achar. “Rivkah’s shame refuses to go away.” Oh, how awful. Yes, it is quite inconvenient for them, but if they wanted to do something about it, could they not try Jayme? I think they should be able to get something done, at least.

 

Faraday looks at Jayme, and she says that she has hears stories about how “good and kind [a] man” he was, but this story proves it. “To take a young babe no-one else wanted and give him home and family. Artor bless him for that.” Good to see that Faraday apparently does not care about the shame Jayme brought on the court. Well, I will cut here for the time being, as I have already done a greater share than I planned to do.