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themulberrytree · 4 years

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character sheet.

full name: Shallan Davar pronunciation: Sha-Lahn Dah-var (fuck IPA i am not doing that shit again)

nicknames: strong one (by hoid), love, dear (by adolin), storming woman (mostly by kaladin)

height: 5′6″ age: 19/20 (rosharan years) / 21-22 (earth years) zodiac: gemini (donut ask me when her bday is i donut have a date yet) languages: (spoken/written): veden (native), alethi, azish, selay (moderate skill in speaking only) thaylen (reading/writing only).

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.

hair colour: rich, deep red, only red. eye colour: bright blue skin tone: shallan is very fair, though she spends as much time in the sun as she can, so her face is dusted with freckles. body type: slim and slender. unlike the curvaceous body type often seen on alethi women, shallan is much smaller both in figure and stature. she could be mistaken for delicate, at first glance. as she spends more time training with her blade, her body becomes much more defined and muscular, but she will never achieve any kind of bulky muscles, she simply does not have the body type.

accent: her natural veder accent would be considered low, given shallan’s isolation out in the countryside. she can speak in a more posh (re: acceptable) accent, but she has little reason to do so. dominant hand: right posture: shallan has the posture of a perfect vorin lady, back straight and shoulders back at all times. when sitting, her freehand always covers her safehand, placed delicately in her lap unless she is sketching. when walking, her hands are clasped in front of her. she is rarely animated in her posture when speaking, and depending on her company, she works hard to blend in. when alone, shallan may slouch when studying, or do her work in a very unlady like fashion on her bed. if she trusts her present company, they may witness this lapse in acceptable posture, but only if she trusts them.

CHILDHOOD.

place of birth: jah kaved hometown: some hick town in the middle of the countryside. birth weight / height: 6 pounds, 3 ounces. 18 inches. manner of birth: natural first words: pa siblings: (all elder, all brothers) helaran, balat, twins: wikim and jushu parents: lin davar, and an unnamed mother, malise davar (step mother), all deceased. parental involvement: shallan remembers a somewhat happy childhood (although the likelihood of that being the case is up for debate). her mother taught her how to draw, and was in charge of shallan’s education in the early years. much of her early years have been forgotten due to the trauma of shallan’s witnessing (see: committing) her mother’s murder. she did not speak at all for half a year afterwards. from that point on, her father became overbearing, and with each year he was less of the man shallan had first known. he was violent towards two of her brothers and the servants, often scaring away tutors, so shallan’s education in those critical years was sporadic at best. her father demanded complete obedience, and any deviation on her part meant that a servant got beaten in her place. in order to spare them and placate her father, shallan worked hard to draw little attention to herself and obey. it was her father who also chose her devotary (purity) rather than her having the opportunity to choose for herself.

ADULT LIFE

occupation: she is the ward of jasnah kholin, having managed to convince the woman she was worthy of wardship at seventeen. after being taken in, shallan begins her education in scholarship, fine tuning her skills in making logic based arguments, study, and critical thinking.

on the shattered plains, she secures work with highprince sebarial as a clerk while maintaining the work in finding urithiru that she started with jasnah, and working to infiltrate the secret group known as the ghostbloods.

she latter assumes a more public role as a knight radiant, the first of the order of lightweavers in centuries. while her status as a radiant is known, she works very hard to keep her work covert. she deals in spywork and information, and uses her lightweaving to form disguises for herself and associates. she has also used her abilities to battle unmade, work oathgates, and help run reconnaissance in kholinar.

as highprincess, her duties would include helping manage affairs of the realm and detecting intrigue to better aid her husband.

close friends: lmafo what are those????? jk, her brothers, later adolin, renarin, kaladin, jasnah (sort of, more teacher/student) wit/hoid (when he’s around). relationship status: verse dependent, married to adolin kholin in canon financial status: her family is destitute, and shallan herself has little experience in personally handling money. that being said, she knows how to balance finances and plan expenses. when working for sebarial, she manages to secure a comfortable pay from him, her later marriage secures her financial security, though her status as a radiant could’ve done that too. driver’s license: she could probably drive, but would be terrible at it due to the fact that she’d keep lookin out the window. she has little experience on horseback, but can manage. criminal record: technically none yet, having managed to get away with murder twice. she had also stolen successfully from jasnah kholin.

SEX & ROMANCE.

sexual orientation: bisexual romantic orientation: biromantic, could be polyromantic preferred emotional role: submissive (someone pls force her to accept comfort i am beggin) | dominant | switch | unsure preferred sexual role: submissive | dominant | switch | sex repulsed | libido: she’s basically DTF anytime and anywhere, and yes, i wish i were kidding, but she’s just horny on main. turn ons: she’s into more traditional kinds of attractiveness, people who look put together. but she really enjoys some kind of hint at wildness, hair that won’t quite stay, a kind of subtle ruggedness. post-battle disheveledness is HOT. allow her to talk about her studies, things she’s working on or wanting to start, she’ll love that. don’t be afraid to talk about your own interests, she goes off on her own a lot, so she’ll want someone with their own hobbies too. be kind, be willing to grow and change and share. be there if she asks. laugh at her absolutely fucking awful jokes. on the more physical side, not being afraid to show affection in public. that spot on the neck below the ear? yeah, kiss it. leave a mark. kiss the inside of her wrist. do not be afraid to be rough with her, she’s not easily hurt and she doesn’t always like being treated like a china doll. go to town. BUT you must also be good at taking your time. tenderness is a good trait to have in every day life, but if you can translate that into the intimacy of the bedroom, give her a slow buildup, ur golden. turn offs: unnecessary rudeness, lack of independence. anyone who treats her like she needs protecting, or thinks she needs to confine herself in some way, for any amount of time. never laughing at her terrible jokes, or indulging her seemingly random curiosities. being a skybreaker. love language: physical touch is primary, but quality time and words of affirmation are also great. relationship tendencies: shallan has a tendency to fall fast. even when she’s telling herself to be careful and take things slow, it’s easy to pull her in and have her grow an attachment on a superficial level fairly early. she’s good about letting the other person lean on her for support, but she’s not so great when it comes to sharing anything deep about herself. she has a habit of trying to mold herself into what she thinks the other person would like, and clinging to that. if confused she might play around with feelings, though she’s not fully aware she’s doing it. she’s big on positive reinforcement, she’ll let you know if she enjoys your company, and when she’s invested in the relationship, she’ll look for fun ways to spend time with that person. she might attempt to appear more serious and mature than she is, but her silliness will slip out. when she loves though, she loves completely, and a distracted heart is settled once she makes a decision about what she wants.

MISCELLANEOUS.

character’s theme song: flowers, from ha.des.town iris, goo goo dolls moth’s wings, passion pit: this is more a general vibe. i picture it when shallan is in a creative spurt. sun, sleeping at last: for the same creation aesthetic. fire drills, dessa (for when she finally Snaps. and also some lines just really Hit)

hobbies to pass the time: drawing is the big one. she’s always got her sketchbook and something to draw with on hand. it’s an art she’s perfected and uses it both for her lightweaving, and to relax. she enjoys scholarship, exploring history is of a special interest, but taking a closer look at the local flora and fauna is just as fun. she’s naturally curious, so if something grabs her attention, she will want to take a look. she also enjoys discussing what she’s working on with other people, sometimes just so she can use them as a sounding board, but also because they might have insights she doesn’t. it’s very fun for her to explore ideas. she likes going on walks, exploring the area around her. just spending quality time with people she enjoys too. mental illnesses: Dissociative Personality Disorder is the big one. ADHD, PTSD, some depression. physical illnesses: None. left or right brained: right fears: CONFINEMENT. she fears vulnerability and relying others, but she also craves it quite a bit. she fears being understood completely because she’s certain there isn’t anything left to love if someone were to see everything. she fears what she can’t understand, and losing the people she loves, more than she already has. self confidence level: extremely low. she projects an air of self confidence, but frequently downplays her talents. she finds it completely astounding that adolin might actually find her attractive in any sense, let alone be interested in her as a person. her trauma and what she precieves as crimes has left her feeling hollowed out, because she is so terrified of someone really Seeing her, she works hard to hide those corners of herself from others and often feels like she’s failing at even that. vulnerabilities: shallan keeps secrets. too many of them. and she can often dig herself into a pit and struggle to get herself out, and even when she’s in that deep, she has difficulty asking for help. she doesn’t always think things through. her dpd can leave her particularly vulnerable depending on which personality is in control (veil in particular has trouble seeing the Big Picture). it’s easy to goad her into a fight (of the verbal variety) and she will stop at nothing to have the last word. if you have members of her family to hold over her, that’s a good tool. and shallan cannot resist a good mystery, that is a surefire way to pull her in.

tagged by: @luck-crowned tagging: @marblecarved (for mary, emma, or horace!), @melnchly (meg or ros), @minastiriiths, @arturiusrex, @gxtenoughnxrve, @ambiidexter, and @arborvitas

#c. shallan #this took me several days of fact checking the books for some shit lmafo #anyway meet my garbage daughter

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lev-iathan · 4 years

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RoW Thoughts

I was planning on doing one of these for every part, but then I kind of... got carried away and finished the book. So, here are my thoughts on the whole thing.

(spoilers for the entire Cosmere, just in case)

- Kaladin was wonderful all the way through. I was so worried all the time that he would die. Like, genuinely worried. Especially during the fight with Lezian (that was staged a bit too similarly to the Kelsier vs. Inquisitors fight in Mistborn and we all know how that ended) and when he jumped off the tower (I knew Brando wouldn’t let him die by suicide, but let’s just say I still hummed to the Terrors). And then he does it. He swears the Fourth Ideal and it goes better than anything I could’ve imagined. Now he’s committed to healing and has reconciled with his father and everything. I just love him so much. Though, I am concerned. At the end there, he did glow with some weird yellow light and Syl forgot the words. That doesn’t bode well.

- Teft’s death. Brando destroyed me with that one sentence, and while I don’t really want to talk about it, I have to acknowledge it. Also, Fuck Moash. I didn’t really care that he killed Elhokar, but after what he did to Kaladin and this, it’s gotten personal. I’m not opposed to a redemption arc for him, but right now, I’m not very sympathetic towards him.

- Dabbid was so good! I really like when minor characters get their chance to stand out and he was wonderful! I hope he bonds a spren, he deserves it.

- Rlain becomes a Truthwatcher! I did not see that coming. I thought Bondsmith or Willshaper but not Truthwatcher. He can see the future now, potentially creating another blind spot for Odium. And Sja-anat is creating more corrupted Truthwatchers that will have that ability, which I think will be a massive advantage in the coming battle.

- I was disappointed we got so little of Renarin and Jasnah. Renarin barely had a chapter and Jasnah had two but it wasn’t enough. To be honest, Jasnah and Hoid’s relationship annoyed me but oh well. Not worth complaining about.

- Dalinar has little pagetime too, but it was enough. I’d been waiting for them to confront Ishar since he was first mentioned in OB and boy oh boy did they confront him. Ishar is fucking terrifying. He stole Dalinar’s bond with the Stormfather, he can leech Stormlight out of Radiants, he’s experimenting on spren (that was truly and utterly fucked up). What was that all about??? I also loved that it was Dalinar that accepted Kaladin’s oath, not the Stormfather. Him speaking with that godly lowercase caps seems like a bit of foreshadowing...

- I’m so happy for Shallan. Finally coming to terms with everything and realizing that she’s strong enough to work though the pain. I loved Veil’s “death” scene. I was soooo relieved when it turned out that Pattern wasn’t a traitor and the moment we saw the Cryptic in the marketplace I suspected that Shallan could’ve had a different spren that she killed. Also, worldhoppper Shallan confirmed? Hell yeah! She already has a Seon and I can’t wait for her to get her hands on some Breaths because I think she would enjoy those immensely. But first to find a way to get off-world with Pattern.

- Adolin and Maya were phenomenal. I’m really glad he didn’t become a Radiant because we really have a bit of an oversaturation of those among the main characters, but I love that she awakened for him. When she finally reveals the secret of the Recreance... Chills.

- I liked Navani well enough though I have to admit that I was a bit bummed when she bonded the Sibling because of the aforementioned oversaturation of Radiants, but I guess it was foreshadowed. She’s still got a lot of work to do though, with the fabrials and all. I loved her interactions with Raboniel, them discovering the Rhythm of War and all the different lights. Them just sciencing together and coming to understand each other was just great.

- I appreciate that we got at least a glimpse of Szeth and Nightblood. Next book it going to be great, I can feel it.

- Could have used a bit more Lift. I’m happy that she’s doing well after Moash happened, but I’m still confused about the red chicken...

- And finally, the star of the show, Venli. She was actually much better than I expected. I was afraid she would be pushed to the side since she didn’t have many chapters in part 1 and 2, but she played a really great role. Her flashbacks didn’t hit me as hard as the ones in the other books, maybe because they were split and I was never really interested in Eshonai (though that last flashback hurt a lot), but her present-day plotline was great. I like how it wasn’t easy for her to swear the Ideals and she wasn’t forgiven. She didn’t even forgive herself, but she’s on the path and that’s all that matters. It felt fitting that she only managed to swear the First Ideal at the very end. I like Venli quite a lot. I hope she doesn’t get pushed to the side now that she’s rejoined the listeners. One question though? Does Cultivation accept her oaths? Because she hears a female voice instead of the Stormfather.

- Taravangian. Oh Taravangian. You can’t convince me that anyone predicted he would kill Rayse and Ascend to Odium. That was so out of the blue but it worked so goddamn well I actually screamed. That’s a gamechanger. Taravangian is waaaaaay scarier than Rayse could ever be because he’s smart and he’s a planner and those are always dangerous. And what was it he did at the end, mind wiping Hoid??? Seems like this was all part of Cultivations plan and now they’re in cahoots and I am Afraid.

- This was probably my favorite Sanderlanche??? Maybe, I’ll need to do a reread to say for sure, but just the way everything came together to a massive crescendo was phenomenal. Kaladin fighting Lezian. Navani and Raboniel. The boundaries breaking between singers and humans and the fight now becoming a battle between ideals not a battle between races. The Fused defying Odium. The Tower lighting up at the end. I teared up when Venli finally told Leshwi she is a Radiant and Leshwi asked after her old honorspren. I have to wonder if all Fused used to be Radiants back when the spren bonded singers, and Odium just transformed them into brands analogous to their Orders. Anyway, it was great.

- Thaidakar is actually Kelsier. Confirmed, on page. I yelled ‘I KNEW IT’ so loud my cat ran away from me. That bastard. He did it. He became the ultimate cult leader.

- Who the fuck is El? That’s all I’m going to say because I really have no clue.

- I don’t think it’s possible for the entirety of book 5 be set within 10 days. There’s too much stuff to be done. I think the duel will happen about halfway through the book and then we’ll be dealing with some of the fallout, but it’s waaaaay to early to speculate about that.

#rhythm of war spoilers #row spoilers

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emjenenla · 6 years

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I’m safe inside the light, so go on do your worst Part Two [A Stormlight Archive Fanfic]

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four

Elhokar was a failure at everything he’d ever done. He’d failed as a son, as a warrior and as a king. He saw no reason to fail as a Knight Radiant too. Or the one where Elhokar swears to the first Ideal at the end of WoK.

Warnings: Domestic Violence, Self-Esteem Issues

You know how I said this was going to be three parts? Yeah, I lied. At least this new four-part plan gives you more story to chew on while I inevitably get writer's block trying to deal with the failed get-Sadeas-to-duel-Adolin scheme which is my least favorite part of WoR for reasons that have nothing to do with Elhokar.

Also, I am planning to change the title of this work once I come up with something better, so the title might be different by the time I post part three.

Life went on, at least that was probably what happened to people who hadn’t been attacked by their uncles and bullied into handing over some more of their already shaky power. Elhokar, however, was having a hard time going on. At first he had nightmares that sometimes caused him to scream so loudly that his guards came running (of course they did that now when he wasn’t in any actual danger). After that had gone on for a while Elhokar became so terrified of reliving Dalinar’s attack in his dreams that he couldn’t sleep unless he downed a couple glasses of violet wine before lying down. When he was awake, he so panicky that he jumped at shadows and the smallest slights and threats were enough to send him into fits of hysterics.

And then there was the problem of the Stormlight. The spheres in his lamps and pockets were constantly going dun, some within hours of being recharged. Shadow had explained that was a byproduct of their bond and that Elhokar could learn to use the Light to do things if he practiced, but Elhokar didn’t even want to think about actually using the Light; he needed to figure out how to make it stop. He drew on a fair amount of Stormlight every time someone so much as mentioned Dalinar, eventually he was going to get caught and he didn’t want to explain what was happening.

“You look terrible. Have you slept?” Navani asked one morning when he was visiting her in her chambers.

“I’m fine,” Elhokar said. Shadow buzzed quietly, but Elhokar silently argued that it wasn’t really a lie. He was a lot more alert than he should have been given that he was running on about three hours of toss and turn sleep and a hangover. He suspected all the Stormlight had something to do with how surprisingly decent he was feeling, but he wasn’t about to tell Navani that.

“And you’ve been more anxious recently too,” Navani went on. “What’s been bothering you?”

“Oh, the usual,” Elhokar lied, making sure he kept his gaze focused on the view of the Plains out the window while he spoke. He was learning to be a better liar--something he couldn’t tell if Shadow liked or not--but he still couldn’t look someone in the eyes and lie convincingly, “Nothing particularly worth mentioning.”

Navani didn’t respond for a long time, and eventually Elhokar turned to look at her. Her lips were pressed together in thought, like she had sensed the lie and was trying to scope out the the truth. Navani and her two children had been cursed with the utter inability to truly understand each other. That said, Elhokar and Navani were much closer than Navani and Jasnah were because Navani found Elhokar at the very least less inscrutable than Jasnah. Navani might have been able to figure out at least part of what was bothering Elhokar if given enough time and he didn’t want to risk it.

“Mother,” he said as gently as possible. “Nothing out of the ordinary is wrong.”

“Dalinar said you’ve been calling him to investigate less supposed assassination attempts,” Navani said. “It’s good that your fear of assassination is fading, though I wish you would confide in me about what this new worry is. You’re starting to look like a walking corpse.”

Elhokar didn’t have the heart to tell her that his fear of assassination was just as strong as it had ever been, but that it had now been eclipsed by the fear of being assassinated by Dalinar.

The next time Dalinar held one of his “Oh look, my brilliant plan to use my ill-gotten power to force people to do what I want isn’t working” planning meetings, he brought along a contingency of darkeyed guards. Elhokar, like everyone else in the Warcamps, had heard about the bridgemen Dalinar had freed from Sadeas and turned into guards, but this was the first time he’d actually seen them. He was leery at first, as he always was of new people, but their leader--a serious man younger than Renarin with slave marks and a shash brand on his forehead--turned out to be very open to the idea that someone might be trying to hurt his charges which was refreshing. Still, Elhokar reminded himself that these bridgemen were even more firmly indebted to Dalinar than Elhokar’s lighteyed guards were; he could not trust them to actually save him if Dalinar told them not to.

Even though Elhokar was technically supposed to be in charge, Dalinar took over the planning, rambling around disarming the highprinces and treating them like new recruits and a million other things that were probably going to get not just him and Elhokar killed but everyone they cared about too. Elhokar tried to point that out, hoping that appealing to Dalinar’s hopefully more genuine feelings for Navani, Adolin and Renarin would actually convince the man to see sense.

“Yes, you are right,” Dalinar said, regretfully. “I hadn’t… but yes. That is how they think.” He sounded so sincere and gentle, like a kindly old grandfather. How did he manage that? Elhokar was torn between wanting to run the other way and wanting to get down on his knees and beg for the secret.

“And you’re still willing to go through with this plan?”

“I have no choice,” Dalinar said like that should be obvious.

Elhokar forced himself to go on, “Then at least tell me this: What is your endgame, Uncle? What is it you want out of all this? In a year, if we survive this fiasco, what do you want us to be?” That was boldest Elhokar had dared to be with Dalinar since the incident, and the sheer audacity of it made his stomach clench.

Dalinar was silent for a long time, simply staring out the window. “I’ll have us be what we were before, son. A kingdom that can stand through storms, a kingdom that is a light and not a darkness. I will have a truly unified Alethkar, with highprinces who are loyal and just. I’ll have more than that. I’m going to refound the Knights Radiant.”

Captain Kaladin jerked like he’d just been stung by something. Elhokar felt like someone had punched him in the stomach. He hadn’t really thought about what his strange connection to a creature claiming to be a spren meant, but Jasnah had used him as a sounding board on occasion--most likely because she’d assumed he wouldn’t understand what she was talking about--and some things had stuck in his head. Shadow began buzzing in a soft but discordant tone Elhokar had learned meant she was upset. That only confirmed his budding suspicions; whatever was happening to him had something to do with the Knights Radiant.

Great.

“Are you mad, Brightlord?” Brightness Teshav asked. “The Radiants? You’re going to try to rebuild a sect of traitors who gave us over to the Voidbringers?”

“The rest of this sounds good, Father,” Adolin said with a calm logic that most people probably wouldn’t have believed he possessed. “I know you think about the Radiants a lot, but you see them...differently than everyone else. It won’t go well if you announce that you want to emulate them.”

Elhokar felt like he was standing by watching everything even remotely sane about his life crumble to ash. Where they really seriously discussing refounding the Knights Radiant? The idea should have been dismissed as a joke the instant it was brought up, but Adolin and Brightness Teshav were trying to come up with logical reasons why refounding an organization of traitors that everyone hated was a bad idea. They were all so in Dalinar’s thrawl that they were actually considering it.

That wasn’t even the only problem. Shadow wouldn’t have gotten worked up if Dalinar was just spouting nonsense. Her reaction suggested that there was a real connection between her and the Knights Radiant, which meant that there was a real connection between Elhokar and the Knights Radiant.

Elhokar couldn’t help it, he covered his face and groaned.

“Am I a Knight Radiant?” Elhokar asked Shadow the instant they were alone.

She paused for a moment as if considering how she wanted to respond. “Not yet,” she said slowly.

“So I’m supposed to be a Knight Radiant,” Elhokar pushed on. “Dalinar is actually on the right track.”

“The way he plans to refound the Knights Radiant is not the way it is supposed to happen,” Shadow said. “The Knights Radiant must rise again, but it should be at the initiative of those who were chosen not at the behest of some over-zealous warlord with visions he thinks are from the Almighty.”

“People who are chosen,” Elhokar repeated. “People like me? Why would you choose me to be a Knight Radiant? Unless you want to make sure everyone hates them again. You can’t honestly expect me to believe that you thought I could actually manage to be a hero.”

“It doesn’t matter what I believe you capable of,” Shadow said. “It’s what you believe yourself capable of that matters.”

“Why do you always do that?” Elhokar burst out.

“Do what?” Shadow asked. She actually had the audacity to sound confused.

“Talk about me like I’m not a failure of a king and a pushover,” Elhokar said. “You’ve seen plenty of proof of both, why keep denying it?”

“One of us needs to have some self-esteem,” Shadow said curtly. “And since it’s obviously not going to be you…”

“What do you want me to do, Shadow?” Elhokar snapped marching across the room and flinging his hand out to his side. “Summon my Shardblade and waltz around the warcamps proclaiming the Knights Radiant reborn? If I was lucky people might actually kill me for being a legitimate threat and not just because Alethkar can’t have an insane ruler.”

“Elhokar,” Shadow said in a very peculiar tone. “You might not want to draw your-”

Elhokar’s Shardblade formed in his hand and the instant his fingers closed around it a dreadful screaming filled his head. It was as if something was crying out in pain, like something had been trapped unendingly in the moment of its murder.

Elhokar cried out and dropped the Shardblade. The instant he let go of the Blade the screaming stopped. Elhokar stumbled across the room and threw up in one decorative vases in the corner of the room. The screaming was one of the most horrid he’d ever experienced, up there with the battles which were little more than wholesale slaughters Gavilar and Dalinar had made him witness as a child to “give him a stomach for fighting.”

The guards burst in because they were evidently still under orders to pretend to care about his well being when it suited Dalinar. “I’m fine,” Elhokar growled, spitting bile into the vase. “Get out.”

“Your Majesty-” the guard began.

“Am I your king or not?” Elhokar snapped. “I ordered you out. Get out!”

The guards blinked looking like they were surprised to see their charge doing something other than whining about assassination attempts. “Yes, Your Majesty.” They said and slunk out of the room.

Elhokar leaned back against the wall and slid to the floor in a trembling heap. “You see?” He said to Shadow. “I can’t even use a Shardblade anymore.”

“I hate those things,” Shadow said coasting across the floor towards him. “They’re perversions.”

“I don’t care what you think of them,” Elhokar said. “No one will take an Alethi King who can’t use a Shardblade seriously.”

Shadow was silent for an almost outrageously long time. “What?” Elhokar asked when he couldn’t take it anymore.

“As time goes on I remember more and more,” Shadow said slowly. “I’m just not sure what I should tell you and what you should be allowed to figure out for yourself.”

“Oh,” Elhokar groaned. “So now you’re hiding things from me.”

“I-” Shadow seemed a little thrown. “I’m just not sure if telling you would be the best way to do it. I don’t want to hurt your development by telling you something you were supposed to figure it out on your own. Though I suppose if it bothers you so much I could just-”

She was cut off by a fist pounding heavily on the door. “Elhokar? Elhokar are you alright?” Dalinar. Elhokar felt his entire body go stiff. “Elhokar!”

Elhokar didn’t respond. His heart was beating wildly in his throat. Maybe if he said nothing Dalinar would just go away.

No such luck. “Elhokar, I’m coming in,” Dalinar said and forced his way into the room. Elhokar tried to stay as still and quiet as possible, but Dalinar saw him right away.

“Are you alright?” Dalinar crossed the floor in a couple steps to kneel before him. “The guards said you were sick.”

“I’m fine.” Elhokar said. If he was someone like Dalinar or even Adolin he might have managed to say that so it was believable or at least so no one would question him. However, Elhokar had a feeling that he just sounded like a child who was terrified his uncle was going to beat him up.

“Elhokar,” Dalinar said. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Elhokar lied. He couldn’t look Dalinar in the face so instead he stared at the man’s shoulder. “It must have just been something I ate. I’m feeling better now.”

“The guards said they heard you scream,” Dalinar said. “Did something else happen?”

“I’m fine!” Elhokar pushed himself to his feet and crossed the room, trying hide that he was still shaking.

Dalinar was silent and when Elhokar turned he was studying him with his lips pursed. “What?” he asked.

“You’re not panicking about being poisoned,” Dalinar said. He spoke in a tone of voice that suggested he didn’t realize he was being sort of insulting. “I’ve never known you to be this calm in the face of the unexpected.”

Calm? Elhokar’s stomach was still churning and he wasn’t completely convinced he wasn’t going to throw up again. He couldn’t get the memory of the screaming out of his head, and Dalinar’s presence was doing nothing for his nerves. He was anything but calm.

“There’s nothing wrong,” Elhokar said trying to look calmer than he actually was. “I told you; it was probably just something I ate. I feel better now.”

Dalinar studies him for a moment then stood up. “You might be right, but I still think it would be best if you let someone look at you. You’re not acting like yourself.”

Elhokar had to bite his tongue to hold back a snort of laughter. He spent half his life trying to convince Dalinar to take his fears seriously and the one time he tried to get him to ignore something the man latched onto it. It was almost unbelievable.

“Fine,” He eventually said. “If it makes you feel better. I’m not going anywhere.”

“It does,” Dalinar said with a nod. “I’ll be right back,” and he left.

Elhokar sighed and sunk down into the sofa and leaned his head against the armrest.

“His plan won’t work,” Shadow grumbled. It sounded a little like she was just beginning to vocalize the thoughts that had been running through her mind the entire time Dalinar had been there. “You can’t expect strong-arming people who don’t like you to work.”

“It works on me,” Elhokar whispered, his voice so quiet that it was barely more than air blowing over his lips. “And he knows it. He knows. He knows it all. He must.”

“What do you mean by ‘he knows it all?’” Shadow asked.

“Nothing,” Elhokar said perhaps a bit louder than he should have.

Shadow was silent for so long that Elhokar started to think the conversation was over, then she said, “The Words you swore after our run-in with Dalinar are the only official Oaths that you have to swear,” she spoke gently but very deliberately, like she knew she might upset him but felt that she needed to speak anyway. “However, the bond between us becomes stronger each time you reveal a deep truth about yourself. The less people who know the truth, the more powerful it is. If you’re hiding something it might be best to just confess it now and get it over with.”

Elhokar’s stomach clenched at the thought. While he didn’t tell a lot of outright lies he did have a number of things he simply hid. Still, what Shadow was asking about, that was different. She was asking for the only thing that he had never told anyone, not even his sister. It was a secret that would confirm all the worst things that had ever been said about him. It was a secret so horrible and shameful that if he told it, no one, not even a liespren, would ever associate with him again. He would become the ultimate liability.

“There’s nothing to tell,” he said.

“Elhokar,” Shadow began.

“That’s all.” he snapped and deliberately closed his eyes, effectively ending the conversation.

Things passed tensely which was not necessarily a surprise. Brightlord Amaram showed up which made Dalinar really happy, though Elhokar couldn’t figure out if that was just because he liked Amaram or because the brightlord was part of Dalinar’s plan. He was honestly afraid to ask.

They continued on with the planning meetings, though Dalinar’s plan still seemed insane. During one such meeting, Elhokar hung on until he couldn’t stand it anymore then headed out onto the balcony to get some air. He still couldn’t be around Dalinar and remain calm, not to mention other things were worrying him. Jasnah was supposed to have arrived at the Shattered Plains with Adolin’s new causal betrothed, but there had been no sign of either woman and no word. No one else seemed to be worrying about it, they kept saying things like “Jasnah always gets distracted and runs off to do other things. She’ll turn up.” Elhokar was worried, but of course he was always worried and as a result no one took him seriously, even though from what Navani had said it seemed like Jasnah had been quite keen on coming to the Shattered Plains.

Elhokar was worrying about all the harms which could have befallen his sister when he leaned against the railing and the whole thing gave way. For one horrible instant he was falling then he grabbed hold of a stable piece of railing and was jerked to a stop. He sucked in a breath and his veins flared up with Stormlight giving him enough strength to hold on and probably haul himself up once he calmed down enough to think. He swore as fouly as he was able, completely throwing all kingly decorum to the winds.

Adolin reached him first, and clung to his wrists until Dalinar arrived and they hauled Elhokar back up onto the balcony together. Elhokar half wanted to protest that he could have climbed up on his own, but he wasn’t known for his upper body strength and he didn’t want people asking pointed questions.

Once he was safely back up on the balcony, Dalinar ushered Elhokar inside with a hand on his back, seemingly unaware of how every muscle in Elhokar’s body tensed at his touch. Elhokar separated himself from his uncle as soon as possible and pointedly did not look towards the balcony. He wouldn’t be going out there again for a long time, possibly not ever. He kept his teeth clenched together, refusing to allow any of the words he wanted to say escape. He didn’t think he could handle his fears being pushed aside again.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Adolin said. He sounded breathless and flustered, which was weird, because Elhokar had always been under the impression that neither of his cousins particularly liked him. “What are the chances that an entire section of soulcast railing just gives way right when the king leans against it? It must have been an assassination attempt.”

Elhokar held his breath as he waited for Dalinar to berate Adolin and tell him that he was overreacting. However, all Dalinar did was look at Elhokar like he was hoping Elhokar had suddenly gone deaf and hadn’t heard then said, “You have a very legitimate point. Has someone sent for Captain Kaladin?”

Highstorms were on the list of things that didn’t terrify Elhokar. Sure, they made him uncomfortable, but no more so than any other person. If anything, he was actually less anxious during Highstorms because no one could get to him to assassinate him. Highstorms were better protection than bodyguards, especially when all your bodyguards were more loyal to your uncle than they were to you.

Ever since they’d realized that Dalinar was experiencing visions from the Almighty during Highstorms not raving madly, he and Navani had spent the Highstorms closed up in a private room. Dalinar described his visions and Navani copied them down, normally phonetically because Dalinar didn’t usually speak Alethi and often spoke in languages or dialects even Navani didn’t know. Navani had mentioned once in passing that she wished she had Jasnah to help her, and Elhokar had quickly avoiding the topic, because the easiest way to not to be terrified about his sister’s safety was not to think about her at all.

This particular Highstorm, Captain Kaladin was head of their guards, though the man bizarrely fell asleep partway through the Storm, something that Elhokar hadn’t even realized was possible. Adolin thought it was pretty funny and started speculating about how long it would take the bridgeman to notice if he drew a mustache on him.

“Remind me not to fall asleep around Adolin,” Elhokar muttered to Shadow, shifting into a more comfortable position in his armchair.

“I will keep that in mind,” Shadow said. “It would be very embarrassing if your cousin were to draw-” then she cut herself off and began buzzing in her high-pitched, something’s wrong tone.

Elhokar scrambled to his feet and headed to the privy without looking at Adolin and Renarin for fear of them seeing something. The roar of the Highstorm could cover Shadow’s voice when she was being quiet, but he didn’t want to risk someone hearing her like this.

He closed and locked the privy door behind him and turned to face the mirror, looking directly at the place where Shadow was riding on his shirt just over his heart, half-hidden by his coat. “Alright, what happened?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”

Shadow buzzed again, a high-pitched, whining sound. She was actually vibrating a little, almost like a tremor. “Something’s coming,” she said, her words so full of frightened buzz that she was hard to understand. “It’s bad. He’s bad.”

“What do you mean ‘he?’” Elhokar asked, a sinking feeling starting in his chest and travelling down to his stomach.

“Elhokar,” Shadow said quietly, still vibrating. “It’s not safe.”

Elhokar pushed the privy door open and burst out into the main room. The scene had changed. The door to Dalinar and Navani’s room was open and Adolin and Renarin were standing in it, Captain Kaladin was nowhere in sight. Elhokar struck out across the room trying to decide how to approach this. It wasn’t like he could say that a spren had told him it wasn’t safe, but if he said anything else people would just think he was being paranoid.

When he reached his cousins he found that Captain Kaladin was inside the room talking to Navani. “Can you wake him?” the bridgeman was asking. “We need to leave this room, leave this place.”

“What’s going on?” Elhokar asked pushing by his cousins and stepping into the room.

“You’re not safe here, Your Majesty,” Kaladin said. There was a wild sort of knowing in his gaze, the same kind of knowing that was burning its way through Elhokar’s veins. This bridgeman knew something was wrong, Elhokar wasn’t sure how but he knew. “We need to get you out of the palace and take you to the warcamp.”

“This is ridiculous,” Adolin objected from behind him. “This is the safest place in the warcamps. You want us to leave? Drag the king out into the storm?”

“We need to wake the highprince,” Kaladin said, turning towards Dalinar. Elhokar was impressed by the man’s refusal to be pushed aside even after being called ridiculous.

Dalinar caught Kaladin’s arm before the bridgeman could do anything. “The highprince is awake,” he said. “What is going on here?”

“The bridgeboy wants us to evacuate the palace,” Adolin explained.

Dalinar looked to Kaldin for his explanation.

“It’s not safe here, sir.” Kaladin said.

“What makes you say that?”

There was slight, almost awkward pause then Kaladin said, “Instinct, sir.”

Dalinar stared at Kaladin for a minute then he got to his feet. “We go, then.”

Elhokar breathed an audible sigh of relief, that got him a weird look from everyone in the room, but thankfully Kaladin was too worried about whatever instinct had him asking for them to move to let anyone ask questions. He ran to the door, gave some orders to his men, then came back and grabbed Elhokar by the arm. Elhokar jerked and almost pulled away, but reminded himself that he was supposed to be a confused king, not a maybe-Radiant who knew something was going on and let himself be lead.

They ran down the hall towards the kitchens. Kaladin’s hand was like a vice around Elhokar’s arm, cutting off his circulation. It did nothing to make Elhokar less nervous. He would have liked to be able to pretend that his captain of guard knew how to protect them from whatever threat they were facing.

They came around the corner and there were no lights. Elhokar had never known the palace to ever have a dark hallway, even during the Weeping. Something was very wrong.

“Wait,” Adolin said, voicing everyone’s concerns. “Why is it dark? What happened to the spheres?”

The realization struck Elhokar a moment later. “They’ve been drained of Stormlight.”

Kaladin jerked like he hadn’t expected anyone else to realize that. Then he pulled out a sphere for light and they could all see the hole cut into the wall leading outside.

“Danger,” Shadow buzzed. “Danger.”

There was movement from a side corridor, then a figure dressed all in white and streaming Stormlight stepped into the hallway and Elhokar’s heart stopped. He had not actually seen the Assassin in White the night the man had killed Gavilar, but he’d been obsessed with and terrified by the man for six years so he knew what the man looked like.

All around him his family members and the bridgemen burst into motion, but Elhokar was frozen. He was staring down the thing he had feared for years, and he couldn’t breathe let alone think.

One of the bridgemen, grabbed him by the arm and Elhokar jumped. “Your majesty,” the bridgeman said. “Come with me.”

Elhokar let the bridgeman drag him down the hall, away from the darkness and the death. Vaguely he was aware of Navani and Renarin and another bridgeman running with them, but he could barely focus on anything. His chest was tight as a vice and there was a roaring in his ears.

They stopped running and Elhokar’s legs gave out. He slid to the floor in a pathetic heap, wheezing for breath. “Moash, where did the Assassin go?” Renarin asked from somewhere above him. “Is he not following?”

“Maybe he got stopped by the Kal and others,” the bridgeman who hadn’t been dragging Elhokar along--Moash?--said.

“Captain Kaladin can take him,” the other bridgeman said.

A hand settled on Elhokar’s shoulder. “Elhokar?” Navani asked. “Are you alright?”

“I can’t breathe,” Elhokar panted.

Moash might have snorted and muttered something under his breath, but Elhokar was too busy trying to breathe to really worry about it. Navani ran a hand up and down his back, comfortingly.

“Is he alright?” the other bridgeman asked. “What’s wrong?”

“He’ll be fine,” Navani said. “This happens sometimes.”

“I can carry him if we need to,” Renarin said sounding annoyed.

That was a level of humiliation that Elhokar would not stand. He struggled to his feet. “I’m fine,” he said, still trying to get air to circulate through his lungs. “We can go now.”

Navani got up, but kept her hand on his elbow. She looked at him like she wanted to ask a question, but he pointedly ignored her. Why couldn’t she let him at least attempt to pretend this hadn’t happened? No to mention, they did need to move. The Assassin could have killed Dalinar, Adolin and Kaladin by now and be stalking the halls for them. Elhokar desperately wanted to ask Shadow if she could tell where the Assassin was, but he already looked weak enough without seeming to talk to himself.

Moash was staring at him with an expression that wasn’t exactly neutral, though Elhokar couldn’t figure out what it was instead. “Alright,” the bridgeman said. “Let’s go.”

On the day that Dalinar held a meeting of all the highprinces to discuss the threat of the Assassin in White, Elhokar was somewhere on the weird line between hungover and still drunk. He’d been drinking quite a bit since Dalinar had attacked him in an effort to calm his nerves, but in the days since the Assassin it had increased exponentially. This was partially to keep from panicking and partially because he wasn’t stupid enough not to realize that the Assassin had actually been after Dalinar. He was stuck somewhere between shame that not even the Assassin in freaking White thought he was enough of a threat to bother killing and guilty relief that he might get to survive the whole fiasco. Either way, he was stuck at a meeting being lead by his usurping uncle and not brave enough to do anything about it even while mildly intoxicated.

With no better options, Elhokar sat on his throne and let Dalinar do the talking. Even knowing that Dalinar was the one in real danger he still felt horribly exposed without his Shardplate. Perhaps he actually was, after all someone had masterminded the railing assassination attempt and that probably hadn’t been the Assassin. However, he couldn’t actually wear the armor because the gems on the inside kept cracking or going dun. He had a feeling that had something to do with him being a Knight Radiant in the making, so he’d stopped wearing the Plate to keep people from asking questions he couldn’t answer.

Unsurprisingly to probably everyone but Dalinar, the meeting accomplished nothing. When they paused for a break several hours in the only indication that any time had passed was the change in the sun’s position. Elhokar was now firmly on the hungover side of the intoxication scale, and the bright sunlight filtering into the chamber was only making his headache worse. He was pretty sure he could use Stormlight to make himself feel better, but he’d been getting really paranoid about people noticing how often his person spheres were going dun. He would probably only use the Stormlight if he started to feel like he was going to throw up, because vomiting during a meeting like this would be a level of humiliating he refused to sink to.

He’d been sitting for several minutes nursing a goblet of orange wine and contemplating a stronger color to test something Jasnah had mentioned once about hangovers basically being withdrawals, when Navani turned away from the conversation she had been having and practically fled from the room. Dalinar was left standing with a red-haired girl Elhokar had never seen before, looking like he was thinking about going after her but couldn’t decide if that was his job.

Elhokar was on his feet almost before he decided to move. He didn’t bother with any excuses because the highprinces were all to busy scheming to pretend that Elhokar was little more than a comma to their obsession with beating Dalinar. Still a couple people did look up and call after him, but he ignored them and ducked into the cool and dim hallway after his mother.

Navani had been moving fast and had already vanished around a corner. Elhokar broke into a jog to catch up. Each step drove a spear of pain into his brain so he finally sucked in a little Stormlight to ease his headache. The passage was empty and that was a little unnerving; Elhokar hadn’t been without guards since his father’s death.

When he rounded the first corner he saw Navani up ahead. “Mother!” he called breaking into a faster pace that would probably be classified as an actual run.

For one minute Elhokar thought she was just going to ignore him, but then she stopped in the middle of the hallway and whirled to face him just as he caught up. There were actual tears in her eyes and the sight of them froze Elhokar’s blood. He had never seen seen Navani cry.

“Mother?” Elhokar ventured, hesitantly. “What’s wrong?”

Navani took a deep, shaky breath. “That girl,” she said, “apparently she just arrived in the Warcamps. She claims to be Shallan Davar.”

“Who?” Elhokar asked blankly. The name sounded vaguely familiar but he wasn’t able to place it.

“Jasnah’s new ward,” Navani said. “The one who we were talking about marrying to Adolin.”

“Right,” Elhokar said, a little knot of anxiety loosening. If Jasnah’s ward was here that meant Jasnah must be here too, she was fine. He’d been worrying for nothing. “Then I’m afraid that I don’t understand what’s wrong. Isn’t that good?”

“This girl says,” Navani swallowed unsteadily. “That during their trip here they were attacked by pirates and that…And that Jasnah was killed.”

The small sliver of relief died. Elhokar felt a hole open up inside himself. He didn’t try to convince himself that it wasn’t true. He knew it was true. He’d known for weeks that something horrible had happened to Jasnah, all this was confirmation. His sister was gone. “Mother,” he said, a sob coloring his voice. “I-”

“The girl must be an imposter,” Navani said, straightening her spine and making as if to push her hair out of her face though it was still perfectly in place. “She must be lying. Jasnah will show up. She always does.”

“Mother,” Elhokar said, trying to figure out how to tell one of the most rational women alive that she was being irrational. “I don’t think that girl would-” And then it really hit him. Jasnah was gone. Jasnah who had once when they were children tried to comfort him while he cried by rambling about how tears were just meant to lubricate the eyes so crying when emotional didn’t actually make any sense. Jasnah who had at least listened to his worries even if she thought they were as irrational as everyone else did. Jasnah who had looked at him as her shadow fell in an impossible direction and trusted him to keep it a secret. Jasnah who had probably been a potential Radiant and everything that the refounded Order both Dalinar and Shadow wanted on their side. One sob burst out of his mouth and another and another. He tried to force them back, but he couldn’t.

Navani’s safehand came to rest gently on the side of his face. He looked up at her and her face crumbled into a sob as well. They sank to the floor and clutched at each other in a heap of sobbing bodies. Elhokar’s face was pressed against Navani’s shoulder and hers was pressed against his. They were gripping each other’s clothes in white-knuckle grips, squeezing each other so tightly it was a wonder they could breathe.

Dimly Elhokar was aware that this was wrong. Alethi didn’t break down, let alone is hallways where anyone could walk by. Even Elhokar, weak as he was, hadn’t cried for his father, and if Navani had cried for her husband it was only when no one could see her. They shouldn’t be doing this, but he wasn’t sure if he could stop.

Some indeterminable amount of time later, Elhokar became aware of someone clearing their throat rather loudly. He lifted his head from Navani’s shoulder, where he’d managed to soak a patch of her dress with his tears. Moash was standing a handful of paces distant with a look of open hatred on his face. It wasn’t the kind of contempt Elhokar would have expected from an Alethi discovering other Alethi in an emotionally compromised position, it was a look of pure, animal hatred. It was only there for a moment, then it was gone. Elhokar must have just been paranoid. Still, he wished that Kaladin spent more time guarding him and not this man, even if you didn’t believe Adolin’s crazy story about Kaladin taking a Shardblade to an arm that was now completely healthy.

“What?” he asked. His voice clogged with tears and snot. It was humiliating.

“The meeting is beginning again,” Moash said, voice normal, if a bit clipped. “I will need to escort you back. It’s not safe with the Assassin in White running around.”

They could not go back, not with evidence of their breakdowns imprinted clearly on their faces. Elhokar might have been able to use Stormlight to erase that, but what he could do needed to remain a secret. “In case you hadn’t noticed,” he said to Moash. “The Assassin is after Dalinar, so we’re probably fine.”

He felt Navani stiffen, apparently she like everyone else thought he hadn’t figured that out. Thankfully she didn’t comment, because when she straightened up she pushed her now slightly messy hair back and said, “You can escort us to my son’s chambers. If you’re so worried, you can post more guards for us there.”

Moash argued a little, but no one could stand up to Navani Kholin when she had her mind made up. Eventually he did as she asked and Elhokar found himself curled up with Navani in his big bed. They cried on and off for a long time, and eventually Elhokar ended up lying with his head buried in a pillow while Navani stroked his head the way she had when he was a child. Neither of them said a word.

Elhokar was on the edge of sleep when someone knocked tentatively on the door. “Enter,” Navani called, her powerful queen’s voice back.

The door opened and someone came in. “Are you alright?” Dalinar asked. Elhokar stiffened a little, but Navani’s fingers kept running through his hair and that relaxed him again. Navani would protect him. She wouldn’t let Dalinar attack him again. He resumed his slow float to sleep.

“We’re fine,” Navani replied stiffly.

“Navani…” Dalinar sounded like he wasn’t sure how to proceed. “About Jasnah-”

“Don’t say anything about Jasnah,” Navani said tightly. “There’s nothing to say. That girl must be mistaken. Jasnah will be back.”

“Navani, you can’t just-” Dalinar paused as he tried to figure out what to say, but Elhokar never got to hear what he came up with, because that was when he slid away into the relatively peaceful embrace of sleep.

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shiroxix · 6 years

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Hey now hold on one heckin minute, Oathbringer spoilers - but how can you have read Oathbringer and still be a Moash lover I would love to know?

Oh yes, here we go, anon! Short answer: because Moash is a good character with complex depth and motivation who was just working toward his idea of justice and personal end-goal. Also, I was already a huge fan of him (he’s my favorite character) and seeing him get what he wanted was very satisfying. If you want to reeeaaally get into it, check out the Read More:

Right from the beginning we see that Moash is someone out for vengeance. Branderson doesn’t mask or hide this. From the moment you meet him, you know that Moash’s anger comes from pain. He doesn’t hide his hatred at all. He and Kaladin bond over Lighteyes jokes and borderline backward classism, like… CLEARLY this man has been hurt by a Lighteyes in the pass. So he, and his best friend Kaladin become closer over working under them and being subjected by them in the Bridge Crews. Kaladin works on this plan to get them out, and then, just when it’s time for them to escape he’s like “nah, let’s go help these dudes.”

And Moash feels injustice. “Kaladin, they’re lighteyed, we’re trying to get away! Kaladin, we could be killed! That’s insane, risking our lives for them after all they’ve done to us? Dude, no.”

But Kaladin wins, and they rescue Dalinar and Adolin and are promoted into their army. Kaladin sees this as a success because it means his men are safe. Moash at first is frustrated because they’re STILL in the possession of Lighteyes, but at least now he has a little freedom– and oh what’s that? The man who hurt him??? Right here??? Out in the open??? Moash has been tasked with being the body guard of someone he’s spent the last several years (probably) having nightmares about.

Elhokar, we later learn, was not the man who personally killed Moash’s grandparents, but Moash doesn’t know that. To Moash, this was the man who locked two elderly people in a dungeon and watched them slowly starve to death. To Moash, this is the man who let his grandparents die because of BUSINESS COMPETITION. This is a man who threw away two lives of innocent people for selfish personal gain.

Moash feels injustice. But, it’s so easy. Almost too easy. He’s going to kill the King.

Things start rolling into motion, it’s all going according to plan, but the more he starts to creep toward his goal, the more he starts to run into snares… and one of those snares is his good and best friend, Kaladin. Damn it, he can’t kill the king while Kaladin is trying so hard to protect him… but the King has to die. He decides to do something very difficult. He decides to let Kaladin in on his plans and open up to him.

“Kal, this is the dude that hurt me, this is my Amaram.”

Yeah, sure, Elhokar is Dalinar’s Tien, but he’s Moash’s Amaram. You should feel the same way about Elhokar from Moash’s perspective, as you do about Amaram from Kaladin’s. He killed his family in cold blood (he didn’t, but that’s how Moash sees it). It takes weeks of convincing, but eventually Kaladin is like “yeah man, let’s kill your Amaram.”

Moash is psyched as hell. He’s going to get justice and he’s going to do it while holding his new best friend’s hand! Two Darkeyed Storming Bridgemen are going to kill the King of Alethkar and it is going to be so, so, so stormin’ satisfying. Moash spends all his time getting ready, carefully planning and making sure Kaladin knows where to be when the time comes. Kaladin isn’t enthusiastic, but hell, he was never enthusiastic about anything except loving his friends. This is going to be so choice, this is going to feel so GOOD.

–Wait Kaladin, what are you doing? That looks like you’re rescuing the King…

NO!!! NO STORM YOU, NO!!!! WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE FRIENDS!!!

–Moash feels injustice. Moash feels heartbroken. Kaladin Stormblessed has just betrayed one of his friends. His best friend.

Moash, in a flash of anger and betrayal, goes to take Kaladin out. How DARE he stand between him and his goal–

but Kaladin is a Radiant. Those light… eyes… look down at him and Moash knows that he’s lost his best friend. Kaladin doesn’t love him any more, hell, maybe he never loved him. Either way, Moash feels heartbroken and betrayed.

He leaves the war camps.

Time skip. Completely skipping his time with the Singers, let’s just leave it at that. Moash was betrayed by his best friend. He had his victory ripped away, torn from his fingers by his BEST STORMING FRIEND. His heart aches and he’s lonely. He rips the patch from his jacket and casts it away but he can’t let go of the jacket. He can’t let go of Bridge Four. With a new hatred for all of Alethi society, he storms Kholinar with his new Singer friends, and what is it that he finds…??

There, on the floor. Elhokar. Unguarded, unarmed. Finally. Taking up his spear, Moash rushes at this opportunity and, in a final stab of victory, seizes his justice. It feels so GOOD, it feels so SATISFYING. Finally, after all these years, after having this taken from him, he finally avenges his grandparents. Feeling accomplished, he turns from his quarry and there stands the man himself. Kaladin.

Moash gives him the Bridge Four salute and turns away.

“Hey,” it says, “Hey, I know you betrayed me, but I still care about you,” it says, “I’ll always be here for when you stop supporting the wrong side. We once cared about one another, but you hurt me. I forgive you. What’s done is done.”

So, Moash realizes, it wasn’t so much the Lighteyes as all of Alethi society. This world is trash, justice is a lie, and betrayal can come from the hands you least expect it. These are a people of revenge and war. Moash has gotten his, he feels at peace. That part of his narrative is lain to rest. It’s time to turn toward new horizons, new justices. It’s time to do what’s right and this time he’s going to do it from the side that he thinks is more Just.

The Fused give him a task. He shows his loyalty. Vyre feels justice.

#stormlight archive #spoilers #moash #moash is my favorite character #this ended up being more prose than dissertation but that's my whole jam #any questions?#Anonymous

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nightblink · 7 years

Text

Blink Reads Oathbringer - Chapters 33-38

Part Two – New Beginnings Sing

That title alone has me really hyped for this Part, you guys.

Also, Bridge Four as a POV? The entirety of Bridge Four? Sanderson you have given us a gift.

Chapter Thirty-Three – A Lecture

“Dearest Cephandrius” OH OH WE'RE GETTING LETTERS BACK FROM THE DRAGON NOW

That is a great sketch of Urithiru too. We need a person or chull or something down at the bottom for scale, though.

Jasnaaaaaaaaaahhhh

“All she'd done was grope an eldritch spren.” Yeah, and opened yourself in order to beat it back – no matter that the others did the physical fighting, that fact that you didn't pass out on the spot after that is, frankly, amazing.

Shallan, you already know that stormlight can make a Radiant extremely resistant to dying, and you're still this surprised that Jasnah sauntered back into your life?

Like the branch clan, Jasnah is Kholin Extra™

That crystal pillar sounds like a work of art, and symbolic of all ten orders of the Radiants that once lived there. Please please please let us see it infused at some point!

Shallan, your crush is showing again.

A lecture, hah! You are still technically her ward, and its entirely like Jasnah to just slide right back into that pre-established relationship as if nothing had happened.

[hums] The difference from what I can tell is that fabrials aren't powered by sentient spren, but ones that are the nature-forces, with no mind of their own.

Ooo, you're used to being the one giving the orders rather than ordered around now, and the change grates on you. Someone comes back who's always had authority over you and you realize how much you liked the power.

So. About those Ghostbloods, Jasnah…

You've been trying to impersonate an Elsecaller while not even knowing about Transportation, Shallan? That's a glaring oversight.

Ooo, speaking of which, apparently Transport – or at least Transport when the body passes into the Cognitive Realm entirely – isn't so simple as a Teleport spell.

Jasnah has a lot of catching up to do. (And not only with the current state of events, but also the fact that pretty much all of her family save her mother are mentally fraying apart.)

Chapter Thirty-Four – Resistance

YES YES YES TIME FOR DALINAR TO KICK DOWN SOME MENTAL DOORS

Mmm, good choice of vision. It'll let her see monsters and Radiants both, and throw an emotional weight behind the vision that some of the others don't have.

That's. Huh. I wasn't expecting that sort of philosophy from the Stormfather either. That's an entirely new side to him than we've ever seen before.

Heights – or sudden flying – aren't your thing, I see. Then again, after being tossed into the sky to fall and die by Szeth… understandable.

Tell us more about Plate, I need more information on Plate-

Oooo, yes, Navani and Jasnah are used to analysis, picking things apart piece by piece and extracting all the relevant detail. They'd both be the best picks for this – although Shallan with her eye for art would be a good counterpoint in observation.

“You will know or you will not.” That's so very helpful, Stormfather.

Yeah, it's not going the same as before – her involvement will change it differently than yours did.

The Midnight Essence isn't a true creature, but a monster, and you now know that the Midnight Mother is behind these things and the mirror-murders both.

Fling-and-stick! Like an al dente ramen noodle

There's the Queen! Where Dalinar fought his way through this vision, she organized a resistance – and in so little time! Wow, if I didn't already like her before, this would seal the deal.

Yes, best not to mention your little God-is-dead heresy. People haven't been taking kindly to that so far, no reason to assume that Queen Fen will either.

Okay, good, we're getting to the meat of the matter. Fen has very good reason not to trust you, Dalinar, and while these visions are convincing, you need to convince her now. Time is not on your side.

“Am I? Oh, let me storming reconsider, then.” Finally, the honesty straight to his face. And that's the breaking point.

This is another point I'd like so see animated. Passion indeed – Dalinar here is all snapping fire.

Oh my god Dalinar, you are the center of all the hot gossip on the networks. Never mind that it's all blown out of proportion, you did say and do some pretty radical things. Hearing about it from an outside perspective, it really does sound like you went off the deep end – with an enthusiastic leap, at that.

At least Fen might listen now. It's a much better chance than you had before.

Chapter Thirty-Five – First Into the Sky

Bridge Fooooouuuurrrrrr

Sigzil! We're getting Sigzil POV!

The mental image of B4 scrambling up for breakfast from Rock is absurdly heartwarming and just the sort of thing we need to lift the tone around all the other coming-of-the-apocalypse chapters.

Shhhh, you'd look good with an afro, Sigzil.

I keep snickering every time they refer to breathing stormlight as 'eating' the sphere. But oh, that'sa nice detail – the B4 tattos remain, but underneath them the slave brands are healed. Bridge Four is a part of him, but he doesn't consider the slave brands as part of himself, or he's somehow overcome them.

LOPEN PLZ

Lopen is forever a gift to this world.

Awww, poor Sig, annoyed at his height amongst all these 'what-is-under-six-feet' Alethi.

“the other thing”? What other thing. Sigzil. What's up with Teft.

Everyone's dream: to walk in on Kaladin doing morning push-ups, probably with his sleeves rolled up to the elbow

You just need more staff to help handle things, Sigzil, you're just getting pushed to the limits of what you can do with what you have.

Bridge Four getting families yesssss. These people deserve all the happiness they can find.

[snorts] Of course Sigzil's reaction to learning Drehy is gay is “b-but the paperwork!” And Sig, it's not that there aren't forms for that in Alethkar, it's that the Alethi just don't do things the same way as the Azish.

Sigzil trying to emulate Hoid and tell a story! That's actually a really great way to get through to Kaladin. That “Hush” though, hah. The drawback is that you're… not quite as good at this as Hoid is. Then again. Hoid.

What has Teft gotten into.

Oooo, shit, Kaladin, that was harsh.

That's a good point about recruitment, and if some of them actually start becoming full Windrunners like Kaladin as well. I can't imagine they'd want to split off, but remaining integrated with the rest of the bridge crew would be its own set of challenges.

Oh. Oh, Kal, that's not…. That's the same mistake Shallan made, I think.

LET HER(?) FIGHT

Thank you for that echo, Sigzil.

Sigzil does seem the type to want a “proper” hierarchy in place, with clearly set positions. It makes sense to him and gives him a sense of security. Kaladin being referred to as a lighteyes by one of his own bridgemen, though, ooof.

Everstorm Count: 3

Thank the Almighty we have you around to ask these questions, Sigzil. They don't know yet that Dalinar plans to split from Alethkar, but all of those questions still need to be considered, and on a larger scale than just Alethkar.

First into the air, oh, Sigzil

….the royal emerald reserve. The royal emerald reserve. Hooooooly shitto da. Kaladin, you're lucky that Elhokar's got a massive crush on you. Dalinar probably just had to say “for Bridge Four's practice” and Elhokar was already chucking the bags at him.

Chapter Thirty-Six – Hero

YESSSS, FLASHBACK CHAPTER

Wait, twenty-four years? Wasn't the last one something like twenty-eight or twenty-nine? Are… are we not getting Dalinar's early years with Evi? The courtship, even a tiny scene of the marriage? Nothing. Goddamn it, Sanderson, this is a crime. I'm disappointed in you.

Evi liked needlework! Ahh, that's good to know~

Once again she proves herself a snuggler, I love it. And instead of shying away from it like last time, Dalinar's fine with it-

She's pregnant with Adolin she's pregnant with Adolin-! And she calls Dalinar 'beloved'! Asdajfdhjgdhadhjd Sanderson why did you deprive us of their relationship developmeeeeent

So he's still continually itching for a fight, he's just not as bloodthirstily lusting for it anymore. Or he's repressing it. That's… hmmm. I don't think as much of the fight's gone out of him as we're seeing.

'He'd never had a high opinion of dueling.' Oh shit, so how did that colour your early opinion of your elder son's Calling…?

...okay so one, now we know where Adolin gets his perceptiveness from; two, that's a disturbing train of thought. Only alive when he's tasting death on the air. That also explains why he's so relatively subdued at the moment. The fact that she says “like a blackness from the old stories” actually makes me wonder if he is under the influence of something more at this point – perhaps even one of the Unmade.

!!! okay so Rirans have blond hair but still possibly canonically the metallic golden skin tint. I'm still clutching to the subtle!metallics but we'll see how far this takes us

He still doesn't feel any actual love for her at this point. Uuugh, Dalinar, you don't deserve Evi.

Ooo, I can see why Navani dismissed Evi so easily back in TWoK. That sort of attitude on curiosity and discovery is something she'd automatically recoil from.

And Gavilar paid no attention to Navani while she spoke of her passions. That's not a positive indication of the kind of husband he was.

They share enough tenets that the friction between the two religions can pop up almost out of nowhere – they think the other is following their train of thought, and then nope.

Now Gavilar comes in with news of the Rift – they did go there a second time. But why-

You didn't kill the kid. You didn't kill the kid.

Gavilar's not happy, but it's at least giving him a chance to solve things via politics. Which is not going to happen in the end, not if something so terrible happened at the rift that it caused one of Dalinar's own elites to turn to the ardentia.

But in this moment, Dalinar's heart flared for Evi.

Chapter Thirty-Seven – The Last Time We March

….that dragon does not seem at all concerned enough about Odium, and he's just brushing Devotion and Dominion's loss aside as if it were an inevitability, and not even a regrettable one. But how did they “violate [the] pact”, and what did that agreement entail?

MORE BRIDGE FOOOUUUURR

I'll admit that I spent a good few minutes staring at the page and sounding out Rock's name until I got it right.

They're back on the Shattered Plains for a night? I wonder why...

I like the softer feel of contemplation we're getting here. There's less momentum to the writing, but it needed this slow-down. Like the stew, it's a comfort.

Oh ho, this is where they've come to practice! YESSSS. The wind across the plains, whipping through the chasms, the open sky and the high drop of the sheer sides – this is where they practiced before, it's just a new kind now.

Five women! Yesssssss, thank you Kaladin for shoving aside Alethi cultural boundaries on fighting being restricted to men.

Lopen, you are a gem

Rock – Lunamor – should absolutely take credit for that. A good breakfast can set the tone for the entire morning.

“Peet, don't think I haven't seen you glowing.” PFFFFFFT

….Teft is still absent. That's not encouraging.

“their true shapes beyond the streamers” Wait, what? A larger body to the spren? Can Rock see a shadow or echo of the spren as they are in the Cognitive Realm?

[cackles] Introducing Rock to new flavor combinations will save your skin. Messing with his dishes otherwise? You've earned that death sentence.

Lopen oh my god you are the brightest ray of sunshine on the Plains, you crazy, amazing, reckless idiot

Ohhhh, Hobber

Kaladin is a bundle of emotion held together by love and promises and Syl and covered in a stone shell. A thin one.

R o c k you are also a gift unto this world. First you make Kaladin happy then you give us 'airsick lowlander, second class'.

Lopen. I. I don't even. How.

Kaladin, you're going to lose people. I know you refuse to accept it, to save them all, to grieve with acute pain at every loss, but… Rock's right. You being you, though, you'll never accept that. And that's as it should be.

Please take your giant dysfunctional, crazy-ass family to visit the Peaks, Rock. By the point when you actually get the time to do so, they and you will all probably be able to fly up there anyway.

Elhokar! And here I thought you'd have a golden circlet rather than a silver one in order to match your glyphpair.

A few weeks as a timeline before they send in their Strike Team to Kholinar. Mmmm. On one hand, I don't like them leaving the city and its Oathgate under riot and/or occupation for that long, but on the other, they have a much better chance of retaking it if they have a Radiant or few more, or at least a few more squires practiced in their power.

!!! Their old bridge! The actual bridge of Bridge Four! Tough wood indeed.

Of course they brought the cauldrons along. There's more to Bridge Four than just the fighting. There's more to their heart than just courage in battle. Bridge Four was forged around Rock's cooking fire, and that remains part of the core of them.

“a beat he could almost, barely, just faintly hear.” That's as good as confirmed that the Listener blood can run strong enough in some lines that they can sense the Rhythms. Rock, we still need clarification on what those “particular heritage and blessings” are.

Renarin! Speaking of more members of Bridge Four~ Your place isn't with your cousin right now, 'Rin; it's with your Bridge.

Oh my god. Please. We've already had Elhokar psuedo-adoped by a Herdazian matriarch, so can we please get a scene of Rock absconding with Dalinar to have him help make bread.

Why is Glys still hiding? And where? I assume he's in the fidget-box, but that's just an assumption.

Thank the Heralds for Rock knowing how to treat and talk with Renarin. He needs friends who aren't his brother. And Rock… Rock's honest and knows how to state things in a way that Renarin can absorb well.

Ohhh, 'Rin you're thinking that you're not… No. Fix that perception, Rock. He's Bridge Four, he'll always be Bridge Four.

Almost not bitter. But being bitter is an inescapable part of Renarin Kholin. Burning bitterness, biting his tongue, pride, and a wish to be himself but not knowing what that means.

[hums] You want to fight because your father wants it, true, but it's what you yourself want as well, isn't it. And the other things… you eschew them because you don't want to be an ardent, and others assumed, forced those assumptions on you and expected you to follow them, then were confused when you didn't – but did it pain you to abandon things you were naturally good at and maybe even liked?

(You are a light in your own right, Renarin, who you are and who you want to be. Some people already see it. Rock. Adolin. Other people can come to see it too.)

Can we get some Renarin+Rlain interaction now, BrandoSando. Please. What do I have to pay you for it.

Does anyone else think Rock would make a great fellow Truthwatcher? He already sees things that others do not, and has a tendency to see straight to the heart of a matter. Not that those are prerequisites or anything, but. Just saying.

Lunamor please do share that story about your great-great-great grandfather later though please, because some of us want very much to hear it.

Ahhhhh! Are there actual honorspren watching the squires? Perhaps debating making a bond? Yessssssss, come on, do the thing-! (Or at least consider!)

How much interaction do the Unkalaki have with spren, I wonder, with Rock's way of showing reverence so different from almost all the other cultures we've encountered on Roshar?

Not so much animated, but I'd like to see a picture of this scene, Rock heading out with his offerings and bowing deep before the gathered Honorspren, the greatest of them acknowleging him with an outstretched hand and receiving his offering. Lovely.

Oh, oh, is Hobber going to-

HE DID IT

aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh Bridge Four

...smoke on the Plains? Trouble?

This bridge run though – resplendent with stormlight, singing their marching beat – what once was a source of terror and despair is a vision of glory now.

Shit, it was an attack by fliers. Without the Alethi armies that once assaulted them, they'll take every chance to pick off what stragglers they can.

Alert, alert – someone on Roshar called a bird something other than a chicken

Yes! Yes! FINALLY WE MEET ROCK'S FAMILY

A wife and six lovely children – six! - but the youngest is too young to even truly remember him, oh my heart breaks for him… And even he thinks of the cracks in his soul that have changed him further from the man they knew than a simple year's passage could.

Oh no, something is wrong on the Peaks, but… isn't that where it's theorized that the Shardpool is located?

The last run of the bridge. It's sad… but a good kind of melancholy.

Chapter Thirty-Eight – Broken People

Time for the next vision-conversation! And this is a vision segment that we haven't seen before, excellent, though so fair it's just a straight-up battle.

“Dalinar smiled to hear a fragment of God cursing.” We all are, Dalinar. It's immensely satisfying to see you surprise this millenia-old Sliver.

Oh, shit, humans fighting for the Voidbringers as well? That's kind of important information, Dal!

Wait. There was no Everstorm in Desolations past? Wh a t

Okay, okay, so amber shardplate belongs to Stonewards (not Bondsmiths, that must be a more golden-ish colour) and that stone-ripple Surge was Tension. Huh. Huh. We need more information on how Tension works, because that was not at all what I was expecting.

“Welcome to my madness, ladies.” DALINAR PL E A S E

'Devices' that provide healing – way back when they somehow managed to create healing fabrials, and that's what the lady Stoneward of his 'midnight essence vision' used the first time he experienced it. That's definitely a piece of equipment that Navani needs to start working on as soon as possible.

Your uncle has a point, Jasnah. He out-stubborned the Stormfather.

Speaking of stubbornness, of course Navani managed to gently bully her way into getting a look at the fabrial

Interesting. I'd expected a conversation about religion considering how they started, but this… this is something that Dalinar would indeed have far more trouble dealing with. He knows his own faith, but all these external lies and accusations keep building up and no one is taking his own word. Of all people, Jasnah understands this the most.

Renarin just got much the same speech from Lunamor, in an entirely different manner.

They've been viewing the old fabrials wrong. Huh. But in what way?

Aharietiam.

Will they see the Heralds here? Or the circle of Honorblades struck into the stone? Could Dalinar have missed the true point of the vision in his first time through, so long ago?

Honor was yet unShattered when the Heralds broke their vow

But. The Stormfather was still a Bondsmith!spren back during the previous Desolations. He's noted as “one of three spren who can bond with humans to create a Bondsmith” in The Pocket Companion to The Stormlight Archive. So. He wasn't a true Splinter back during those days. He's become more powerful since that time.

Oh shit I was right. The circle of Honorblades. They now have enough information to recognise what it means. The Heralds lied.

Navani's world suddenly turned upside down. It's one thing to hear Dalinar claim that 'God is dead', but to see these blades and hear the Heralds lied confirmed by the Stormfather himself? It's earth-shattering.

That's what the Voidspren with Venli meant when it said that their ancestors led them – yet were not alive. They're stuck in a cycle of never-ending torturous rebirth. Fuck.

Each time, the Heralds could withstand less torture. The time between Desolations started to decrease exponentially. Hundreds of years, to tens, and finally less than a year between Desolations? No wonder society could never rebuild itself! No wonder they decided to break the Oathpact!

Looks like even the Stormfather can change, if even a little. As the Nahel bond alters the ones like honorspren and cryptics, even one as great as the Stormfather can feel its effect.

Taln never broke before. All those Desolations, and it was never him. It took him by himself, bearing the entire horror of Damnation for four and a half thousand years to break him.

Damn.

And now because the Oathpact is so weak, Odium was able to create the Everstorm. And the spren of the dead do not return to Damnation.

“Were you to know it, you would abandon your oaths as the ancient Radiants did.” W h a t

What secret was even more terrible than this one. What secret was so damning that the Radiants would kill their spren and leave their own souls split open and unraveling.

#oathbringer spoilers #blink reads oathbringer #and with the morning comes renewed wifi #so I figured I'd post this before I ran off to work

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preservationandruin · 7 years

Text

Words of Radiance Part Four Part Two

Alright, let’s keep this moving!

Kaladin Is Still In Prison, Adolin Was Also In Prison, Kaladin gets out of prison and makes a bad decision, I yell at Amaram a lot, Wit also yells at Amaram, Dalinar’s visions are leaked to the public, Shallan and Kaladin go on a Chasms Road Trip, Shallan remembers a fateful day, I yell at Amaram more, and Dalinar is ready for his big trip.

WARNING: Shallan’s flashback includes physical and emotional abuse, as well as attempted and successful murder.

Kaladin is still in prison. He’s noting that his thoughts are starting to distort the truth--again, That Mentally Ill Feel. He knows Dalinar will get him out, he believes Dalinar will get him out--but his mind twists it until he starts thinking Dalinar might have lied. He also starts beating himself up for being a bad guard, despite having gone toe-to-toe with the Assassin in White and lived, driving him off.

He thinks bridge four is happy to be rid of him oh my god that is the most painful sentence I have ever read.

Fortunately, he’s being let out. He promises that nobody will ever do this to him again, regardless of station. Aaaaaaand he runs into Adolin. Who is also in a cell. Because of course. And not only did Adolin lock himself up, he ordered that Bridge Four be there when Kaladin was released.

Adolin Kholin is a good man.

“Didn’t seem right, you in here,” Adolin said, eyes forward. “I ruined your chance to duel Sadeas.” “I’d be crippled or dead without you,” Adolin said. “So I wouldn’t have had the chance to fight Sadeas anyway.” The prince stopped in the hallway and looked at Kaladin. “Besides. You saved Renarin.” “It’s my job,” Kaladin said. “Then we need to pay you more, bridgeboy. Because I don’t know if I’ve ever met another man who would jump, unarmored, into a fight among six Shardbearers.”

And then they start bonding over Kaladin being incredulous about Adolin’s cologne and Adolin being mock-offended and even making fun of himself, and Adolin apologizing for ruining the plan, and Adolin pointing out that technically, Elhokar ruined it.

Adolin also wholeheartedly believes Kaladin about Amaram--points out that you never hear about Amaram doing anything wrong, whereas even Dalinar--the best man Adolin knows--makes mistakes, loses his temper, and has a checkered history. Amaram doesn’t, which is pretty fucking suspicious.

Yet again, Adolin’s intuition is scarily sharp. Right about Sadeas, right about Kaladin, right about Amaram. If he actually puts some more work into it, he could get really good at reading people.

I love Adolin Kholin so much as a character like yeah, he can be a fuckup, but he is a genuinely good person.

Also Bridge Four in unison salutes the moment that they see Kaladin and then just start cheering. Renarin is there in uniform, stimming but cheerfully talking with Adolin; Rock makes fun of Kaladin’s new beard.

BRIDGE FOUR IS BACK TOGETHER.

Also Adolin now apparently owns two shardblades and three sets of plate, the Kholin family owns a quarter of the Shards in all of Alethkar (actually more if Shallan marries into the family and I also know they’re not counting Jasnah, even though Ivory can become a Shardblade) and also Adolin is dueling champion now, as well he should be.

And Adolin offers the plate to Kaladin...who gives them to Moash. Kaladin is purposely testing Adolin and actually flinches as Adolin grabs his shoulder--to ask if he’s sure.

Because Adolin, unlike Amaram, is ACTUALLY A DECENT FUCKING HUMAN BEING. Kaladin also makes the cryptic comment that he’d be more useful against the Assassin in White without Shards.

Moash’s new shard has a heliodor in the pommel, as a note. I wonder if that’s why his eyes go tan--is it just a lightening of the original color of the person’s eyes, or is it correspondant to the color of the stone powering the Blade? Kaladin’s eyes going blue near the end there imply it’s the power of the Blade making the eyes turn, so it probably corresponds to color? Although that doesn’t answer for why Lighteyes’ eyes don’t change.

Rambling aside, Rock decides this shardplate shit is taking way too long and that they should be having a party. GREAT CAPTAIN KALADIN, STORMBLESSED AND DWELLER IN PRISONS, YOU WILL EAT MY STEW NOW.

God I love Bridge Four.

Also they were debating whether or not to break Kaladin out I fucking love them so much. my BOYS. Also they’re all willing to kick the shit out of Amaram. Same. Absolute Same.

Aaaand Kaladin says that Moash’s friends are right about Elhokar. KAL NO.

Over to Dalinar. Dalinar also basically says Kaladin reminds him of him when he was younger--although I have to note that Kaladin had a more level head. Also Navani is being an Engineer and Dalinar is trying to follow along. Mixed success. Also, Navani has figured out that the gemstones in Shards are not what originally powered them.

Navani is still mourning Jasnah. “What happened to my little girl, so full of questions?” Ouch.

Navani Deserves Better.

Also we get another implication that Navani didn’t really care for Gavilar. Something was up with their marriage.

Anyway, Dalinar’s trying to convince people to join his attempt to do a massive attack against the Parshendi. He’s noted that the Parshendi have stopped trying to go after gemhearts--which would be because their tactics have drastically shifted in a way that the Alethi cannot possibly be prepared for.

Also, Wit’s back. And Sadeas is purposely undermining Dalinar because he’s a shithead. I fucking hate Sadeas.

“You always assume it’s me,” Sadeas said. “That’s because any time I think it isn’t you, I’m wrong.”

Yeah, Sadeas, Dalinar isn’t going to be that easy to fool this time. Easy to stymie, though, because for all Dalinar’s skills he is shit at political intrigue.

AND SPEAKING OF PEOPLE I FUCKING HATE, AMARAM IS HERE!

“Why, Brightlord Amaram!” Wit cried. “I was hoping I’d be able to see you tonight. I’ve spent my life learning to make others feel miserable, and so it’s a true joy to meet someone so innately talented in that very skill as you are.” [...] “Do I know you?” Amaram asked. “No,” Wit said lightly, “but fortunately, you can add it to the list of many, many things of which you are ignorant.” “But now I’ve met you,” Amaram said, holding out a hand. “So the list is one smaller.” “Please,” Wit said, refusing the hand. “I wouldn’t want it to rub off on me.” “It?” “Whatever you’ve been using to make your hands look clean, Brightlord Amaram. It must be powerful stuff indeed.” Dalinar hurried over.

THIS EXCHANGE ADDS FIVE YEARS TO MY LIFESPAN, CLEARS MY SKIN, CURES MY ANXIETY, AND REPLENISHES MY BANK ACCOUNT WIT DRAGGING AMARAM IS EVERYTHING I LOVE IN THIS WORLD.

Also how he fucking precision-hits things that Amaram would be insecure about--his knowledge, where we know he thinks he knows fucking everything and has an inflated sense of his own importance, and his image, where Wit is basically like bitch I see you and I know you’re fake as hell.

And then Dalinar runs over to do damage control because he can’t have Amaram getting too suspicious yet, I imagine. Throughout the whole conversation, Wit keeps dissing Amaram and I remain the most alive I have been in months.

“I mean, I wouldn’t want to call Amaram an imbecile...because then I’d have to explain to him what the word means, and I’m not certain any of us have the requisite time.”

I know it’s petty but I’m petty and thus I take great joy in all of this.

“Lord Amaram,” Wit called, standing to bow, his voice growing solemn. “I salute you. You are what lesser cretins like Sadeas can only aspire to be.”

That one still gets me because it’s not even a jibe or a joke. It’s just a statement of fact and you can tell that Wit is dead-serious with that. Amaram also is like “lmao Dalinar I understand your visions better than you! The Almighty isn’t actually dead!!111!! he’s talking in metaphors u dingus!!11!!!!!!”

Shut the fuck up Amaram, you know jack shit about Honor, don’t talk like you know Honor better than Dalinar. That’s just fucking laughable.

He also refers to Kaladin only as “the slave.” And says he’d like to hear an apology from Kaladin. “Not for my own ego” Bull. Shit.

Fucking asshole.

Also Navani bitchslaps Wit with a handful of papers, and is furious that they edited the papers to make it seem like Navani is ridiculing Dalinar. She’s also ready to eviscerate whoever did this. RIP whoever the fuck leaked this.

“As I fear not a child with a weapon he cannot lift, I will never fear the mind of a man who does not think.”

Yeah it’s from the Way of Kings but in context it’s a sick-ass burn.

So Dalinar just stands on a fucking table and is like “yeah these are the visions I’ve been having, come at me, you already made me a spectacle so honestly fuck you guys for thinking i’d actually be upset by this bullshit.”

“If you must laugh, do it while looking me in the eyes.”

Fuck yeah you tell ‘em dad.

Also, Dalinar notes that Adolin seems very fond of Shallan, and Dalinar wants to encourage that--as long as he can get actual answers out of Jah Keved about her family. Which he won’t be able to because Jah Keved is a fucking mess.

Dalinar asks if Wit is a Herald--he’s amused, but says no, and also denies being a Radiant. And we get Wit’s chilling line-- “If I have to watch this world crumble and burn to get what I need, I will do so. With tears, yes, but I would let it happen.”

Also Wit basically says that he has to stop Odium from finding him in order to not die, basically. I still wonder about that WOB that says that Hoid and Rayse were once friends. That seems...quite interesting.

Over to Kaladin. He’s still having problems inhaling Stormlight--he’s killing Syl, and with her the Nahel bond that gives him his powers. Kaladin you dingus. Syl is acting like a windspren again.

“You want too much of me,” he snapped at her as he reached the other side of the chasm. “I’m not some glorious knight of ancient days. I’m a broken man. Do you hear me, Syl? I’m broken.” She zipped up to him and whispered, “That’s what they all were, silly.”

Bridge Four is still bringing their bridge on this scouting expedition, because Kaladin is a paranoid fuck (for good reason). Rock says that it’s gotten lighter because they defeated Sadeas. Nobody else understands him.

Also, Renarin is starting to fit in with Bridge Four and joke around with them--and also that he hasn’t summoned his shardblade since the fight.

For good reason, although neither Kaladin nor Dalinar knows that. Also, this:

“Sir,” Kaladin said. “If I may say so, your son seems like kind of a misfit. Out of place. Awkward, alone.” Dalinar nodded. “Then, I can say with confidence that Bridge Four is probably the best place he could find himself.”

I LOVE KALADIN’S RAGTAG BAND OF WEIRD MISFITS AND THAT THEY’RE ACCEPTING RENARIN AS ONE OF THEM.

Also Adolin is now just occasionally making casual conversation with Kaladin. Kaladin also realizes that he’s made two conflicting oaths, and that’s why his powers are going away and Syl is losing sentience. She tells him to find the words, and soon.

Shallan is geeking out over the bridge. Kaladin notices that he recognizes one of the carpenters, and is confused by it. Moash has stopped coming over for stew nights as often.

Ouch.

Kaladin points out that the plains are the worst place for Szeth to attack them, because they have three hundred archers with them and he just sorta. Flies. in the air.

Adolin asks Kaladin for girl advice. Kaladin is like. my dude. you are asking the wrong person. Too busy trying not to die to date really. Kaladin is just like dude just tell her you really want this relationship to work also why the fuck are you asking me this.

Also Adolin trying to be nonchalant about getting information about Kaladin.

“You won’t have a Shardblade, but won’t need one, because of...you know.” “I know?” Kaladin felt a spike of alarm. “Yeah...you know.” Adolin glanced away and shrugged, as if trying to act nonchalant. “That thing.” “What thing?” “That thing...with the...um, stuff?”

Kaladin actually manages to smile at how shitty Adolin is at this and just says “I don’t think you have any idea what you’re talking about” which is completely true.

Also the conversation about how Adolin would pay to see Kaladin happy. That conversation is still lowkey gay and nobody can convince me otherwise.

Neither of them get why Shallan is so excited about stuff like moss. And bugs. Adolin is trying to make jokes. Badly.

“You’re good at military thinking, for a bridgeboy,” Adolin said. “Coincidentally,” Kaladin said, “you’re good at not being unobnoxious, for a prince.” “Thanks,” Adolin said. “That was an insult, dear,” Shallan said.

God I love all of these losers.

Anyway, Shallan and Kaladin aren’t getting along well at all. High time for a bonding friendship trip into the caverns!!!! Kaladin notices, just at the right moment, that the man he recognized with the carpenters was one of Sadeas’ lumbermen. Of course, everything happens at once, and the bridge collapses--and down go Kaladin and Shallan.

And Syl uses the last of their bond to save Kaladin. And the Stormfather fucking yells at him for killing Syl. Both Shallan and Kaladin assume they subconsciously saved the other.

And so they try to survive. And also not kill each other. Kaladin points out that Shallan is complicit in the class inequality--which she really is, I mean, look at the boots scene--and Shallan responds with something like “oh wow big surprise people with power are abusive” which makes sense given her background but also is not the right response.

He also does directly use the boots scene as proof she is complicit, which she admits. He also does say she’s better than most of the others.

Aaaand then their shouting match attracts a chasmfiend and they have to bolt. BRILLIANT, GUYS.

Also Kaladin notices that Shallan is incredibly unwinded from all this running--wow, I wonder if she’s infusing stormlight on instinct (the answer is yes). Shallan also uses her abilities to hide them and goes to try to see the chasmfiend. Kaladin notes that they look “wrong” and “almost intelligent;” Shallan notes that the spren that follow them also follow skyeels.

I just had a bad thought. If Parshendi change when the everstorm comes, could the chasmfiends change too? If so, what the FUCK do they turn into?

I hope I’m wrong.

Shallan also calls Kaladin “Kaladin Longlegs.” Also she tries to throw some chull jerky at him when he’s not looking and he just catches it.

Listen, when these two become friends, they will be the Best Sassfriends.

And yeah, they have a sass contest, which actually amuses both of them. They’re good at it.

God, I hope they end up as friends instead of part of some unholy twisted love triangle scenario. I fucking hate love triangles and i feel like it would only serve to drive everyone involved apart--which is awful, because I like having two male leads (Adolin and Kaladin) who actually get along half of the fucking time, and robbing me of that is just not fair, Brandon.

Another powerfully sad moment of miscommunication:

“All right,” Kaladin said. “Here it is. I can imagine how the world must appear to someone like you. Growing up pampered, with everything you want. To someone like you, life is wonderful and sunny and worth laughing over. That’s not your fault, and I shouldn’t blame you. You haven’t had to deal with pain or death like I have. Sorrow is not your companion.” Silence. Shallan didn’t reply. How could she reply to that? “What?” Kaladin finally asked. “I’m trying to decide how to react,” Shallan said. “You see, you just said something very, very funny.” “Then why aren’t you laughing?” “Well, it isn’t that kind of funny.”

They both understand so little about each other. They are seeing what they expect to see and not what’s underneath--which is two deeply broken people trying to move forward with their lives as best they can.

Bridge Four is trying to figure out how Kaladin could have survived--Sigzil is grilling Teft about what he knows about the Radiants. Dalinar is trying to convince them not to keep watch for Kaladin, but good fucking luck with that. They’re Bridge Four. They know their captain. Dalinar is just like. You guys make sure you’re actually eating, right?

He’s such a Dad.

Anyway, Shallan is making a map, and Kaladin realizes how incredible her skill with drawing and memory is. Also, Shallan is talking to Pattern--and Kaladin realizes it’s like him talking to Syl.

And Kaladin says that in a dream, he saw that the chasms were symmetrical--and Shallan realizes she can figure out where the parshendi are, and where the oathgate is.

Shallan tries to point out that Kaladin can’t blame himself about everything. Kaladin immediately proves her wrong. And there’s another heartbreaking moment, this time of connection.

“Oh, all people understand pain,” Kaladin said. “That’s not what I’m talking about. It’s...” “The sorrow,” Shallan said softly, “of watching a life crumble? Of struggling to grab it and hold on, but feeling hope become stringy sinew and blood beneath your fingers as everything collapses?” “Yes.” “The sensation--it’s not sorrow, but something deeper--of being broken. Of being crushed so often, and so hatefully, that emotion becomes something you can only wish for. If only you could cry, because then you’d feel something. Instead, you feel nothing. Just...haze and smoke inside. Like you’re already dead.” He stopped in the chasm. She turned and looked to him. “The crushing guilt,” She said, “of being powerless. Of wishing they’d hurt you instead of those around you. Of screaming and scrambling and hating as those you love are ruined, popped like a boil. And you have to watch their joy seeping away while you can’t do anything. They break the ones you love, and not you. And you plead. Can’t you just beat me instead?” “Yes, he whispered. Shallan nodded, holding his eyes. “Yes. It would be nice if nobody knew of those things, Kaladin Stormblessed. I agree. With everything I have.”

God, that section rips my heart out. Shallan represses it, Kaladin has PTSD (well, they both probably do) and they both just wish they could have helped other people.

These are good kids.

And immediately they just start joking with each other. Aaand then the puns happen. And then a chasmfiend happens, and they get chased into a fissure. Kaladin wants to go chase it off so that they both can live, and Shallan panics at the thought of being left alone. And so she gives him her shardblade.

Kaladin is like what the fuck.

Also, the blade--which is Pattern--actually glows a garnet color. That’s because it’s alive. Also, it doesn’t scream--which Kaladin attributes to him having lost his bond with Syl, but that’s not right. And Kaladin also assumes two things in one sentence:

“At least this told him one thing--Shallan wasn’t likely to be a Surgebinder. Otherwise, he suspected she’d hate this Blade as much as he did.”

First, she is a Surgebinder.

Second, she does hate that Blade.

Anyway, working together--with Pattern, Shallan’s illusions,and Kaladin’s fighting prowess--they kill a Chasmfiend. Also Kaladin’s leg gets Fucked Up.

Kaladin ends up half in a chasmfiend’s mouth and the first thing he says is fucking ow.

Anyway, they use the Blade to cut out a cubbyhole to weather the storm in. Shallan is having to train her mind not to blank at the mention or thought of the Shardblade--and she also can make it shrink.

That’s not normal.

Anyway, as Kaladin climbs into the cubbyhole and the stormwall hits, we get a Shallan flashback. She’s wearing her father’s necklace and a nice Vorin-style dress, and reporting that nobody has been able to find Helaran.

For some reason, their father summoned Eylita to their house. This has got to be it--this is when Shallan kills her father to save Balat. Shallan finds Malise’s dead body--Father found out about the plan, sent for Eylita, and then murdered his own wife as a punishment.

Shallan pours wine as her brother and father fight each other. This says a lot about how utterly Shallan had managed to subsume herself in other personas--she is outwardly calm even with this, with having seen a dead body of her own stepmother, with her brother and father trying to kill each other.

And she pours wine and gives it to him. He drinks it, and then reaches for the poker--and severely injures Balat by slamming against his leg as Shalan screams.��

And as the rain pounds outside, her father starts to lose control of his fine motor skills. Shallan is cold--it’s her when she’s at rock-bottom. When she lost her mother, now, when she kills Tyn--when Shallan is at rock-bottom she is a stone-cold killer.

Which is good, because it keeps her brothers and herself alive.

But the poison only paralyzed him, and so--Shallan asks her brothers to finish the job, but none of them can. Jushu and Wikim back up. Balat isn’t conscious. So Shallan strangles him with the necklace he gave her, while singing the lullaby that he sung to her.

Fuck, this scene is chilling and horrible. Shallan had to do it--her father would have murdered them all, one day, and probably only avoided her because he knew that she had a Shardblade and was scared--but god, that’s so brutal.

Back to Kaladin. He gets in the cavern as Shallan uses her sphere to pull him up; they both see what looks like a screaming face in the storm. Kaladin sees something that looks like a giant, inhuman form glowing in the storm, completely alien, striding in it.

Cool.

Anyway, Kaladin tells her his story--everything, including Amaram. Why not? They were about to die anyway. And she tells him that she killed her father, and about her own breaking; Kaladin realizes how lucky he was that his family loved him.

Shallan was not that lucky.

And Kaladin also realizes that he must have killed Helaran, which hurts. Anyway, Kaladin has a vision of the Stormfather in the storm and gets chewed the fuck out for killing Syl.

Back to Dalinar. Amaram is trying to get him to make an agreement with Sadeas of some sort. Bull fucking shit. Shut the fuck up, Amaram. And then they get the message that Kaladin came out of the chasms.

Dalinar runs the entire way there.

He’s such a good dad.

Aaaand he finds it hard to get through because so much of Bridge Four is already there. They know their Captain. And Kaladin fucking brought back the gemheart as well, of course.

“Yeah, we took care of that for you, sir.” fuckin hell Kaladin.

Shallan lies and says it was already dead, Kaladin agrees, Dalinar notes that Kaladin is a shit liar.

And Navani has warmed up to Shallan enough to run over to her and mother hen her hardcore. I don’t think she wanted to lose another young scholar.

Anyway, Dalinar asks if Kaladin was what he was looking for, and Kaladin denies it--he says he might have been, but not now. Dalinar also notes that Kaladin is a hero again.

Also wow, looks like Amaram just vanished, what a surprise, looks like he can’t stand the sight of a certain slave being a hero, huge surprise there, i’m shocked

Also Pattern eavesdropped on Dalinar and Navani and offers to reproduce the sound of them kissing and Shallan is like. You know what. no. no thanks pattern. maybe not.

Also Adolin shows up and just hugs Shallan a lot, and then she kisses him. Nice. He also said that he would protect her and not let anything bad happen to her--which causes her to freeze up.

Last person who did that was her father. Don’t try to hide her away, Adolin, she murdered the last man who did that.

And Shallan also convinces them not to take the parshment with them, which was A Good Call because the parshendi are calling down the everstorm and all those parshmen would go stormform.

Aaaand that ends Part Four!

#stormlight archive liveblog #FUCK YEAH BRIDGE FOUR #dalinar voice: unite them #i loathe meridas amaram #so does wit fortunately #highprince dadlinar #chasm road trip

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nightblink · 7 years

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Blink Reads Oathbringer - Chapters 13-16

Chapter Thirteen – Chaperone

I’d be tempted by a balcony too, Shallan, especially one bound to have a great view.

It’d be good for Shallan to be able to Lightweave herself into Veil without needing sketches beforehand. It’s a good limitation to have on her powers, especially at first, but she’s going to need more flexibility.

Thank the Heralds that Sebarial and Palona are looking out for you to make sure that you do things like eat. You’re the type that gets submerged in your art or whatever you’re doing and somehow ignores the body’s pleas for sustenance.

…that’s not Palona.

He’s so distracted upon seeing her that he stumbles – what happened to your coordination, Kholin? [cackles] But he “didn’t even have the decency to blush” – yeah, he was probably too busy appreciating-

You did invite him in.

Oh hello little tidbits – “born under the sign of the nine”? Wait, isn’t nine the bad number in Vorin theology? That… does not assuage my worries for you in the slightest. At least having a birthmark is benign, and dear lord, is that an attempt to invite her into your rooms while you’re half-dressed? Adolin. Propriety, young man!

Dopey grin is canon.

‘Ash’s eyes’ – is that a new swearing-by-the-Heralds, or one we’ve heard before?

‘She’d traveled to the ancient city of the Knights Radiant, but compared to Adolin’s affection, all the sights of Urithiru were dun spheres.’ Be still my shipper heart

Plopping right down onto the floor with all their food, it’s such a comfortable atmosphere!

Shallan, I know you have new detail to add to your fap material, but later, okay?

Oh now he starts blushing and worrying about propriety. Now that his brain’s caught up with the rest of him, the Alethi Sensibilities are coming out.

SHALLAN. wOW girl, you are thirsty. (I don’t think he’d mind)

‘Fake it ‘til you make it’ really does help, Shallan, at least it did/does so for me. Glad to see you’re reaping the benefits – enough to have it recognized by others!

Oh no, oh nooo, she’s spiraling again…

I don’t think he entirely believed that answer.

“A Shallanspren.” Pretty much, yeah. omg Adolin don’t poke poor Pattern. Das rude. I’m imagining his fractals going all spiky in annoyance.

“Inappropriate? Such as… dividing by zero?” Pattern you are amazing

I’m so happy that she can find happiness, be happy, content, able to revel in this sort of little moment that can never be captured. Shallan needs little moments like this in her life, spots of brightness to hold onto when the dark feels like it’s overwhelming

Come on, Shallan, come on, try the men’s food, you know you want to-!

Well. Adolin likes spicy-as-fuck dishes, confirmed.

PATTERN OH MY G O D

“accidentally” pATTERN that’s not how it works and fucking hell, I’m laughing too hard to be at my desk for this

“NO MATING.” Dead, I’m just dead, Send me off to the Farplane now

(he probably saw what you were imagining in your head earlier, Shallan. It’s your own fault, really)

!!! He noticed how she felt in the meeting and thought he’d help try to rectify that! Goddamn it you two have such a great dynamic

Thank you Brandosando for confirming again that Adolin is highly educated despite being illiterate - a future HIghprince has to know how to run their princedom, after all. Those ardents must have had fits trying to get him to sit down and pay attention, though (I’m still of the mind that he’s ADHD and nothing has popped up to contradict this so far)

Aaand there’s the pacing.

yOU TWO. Both wanting this to work but almost unsure of your own worth to each other, cradling that warmth of hope and spark of affection that’s maybe even growing to love

“You only ruined the wrong ones, you see.” that’s not the greatest appeal to his logic but damn if it doesn’t work. AND HE GOES IN FOR THE KISS-

“No mating!”

Pattern you are a gem

Chapter Fourteen - Squires Can’t Capture

‘They were playing cards.’ Yeaaaaaah, they must have escaped Odium’s influence somehow. But how?

‘What in Damnation’s depths?’ another good swear to remember!

Workform, then.

I flip the page and FUCKING HELL I thought I was tossed into a Cthulu or White Wolf Black Spiral Dancers sourcebook for a moment before the details resolved themselves out of the greater picture.

‘Shallan’s Sketchbook - Corridor’? ....dude. That. Shallan. Shallan. That is not at all like the style we saw you use in previous books. That is a Coping Sketch.

We were definitely wrong about how the Everstorm would hit the parshmen, at least for right now. These aren’t Voidbringers - or at least they’re not mindless, probably not controlled either? What is going on

Wait- was that a spren?

Best option, Kaladin. Good choice.

(I think.)

Chapter Fifteen - Brightness Radiant

So the second body was found in the same area as well as being the same manner of murder? I can’t remember if that area ‘belonged’ to one of the Highprinces or not

The fidgeting with the ball only enhances/reinforces my ADHD headcanon for him

I know they’re (supposedly) looking at all the options, but that’s not terribly convincing, Adolin. [winces] And while he’s right, Shallan, he just has information you don’t. Damning information.

Oooo, Shallan’s going to investigate, isn’t she. Veil time? Veil time?

Oh no Adolin what are you going to say, are- are you actually working yourself up to tell her?

...maybe. Toeing the cultural boundaries is certainly something to be unsure of especially for Vorins, but... perhaps.

(Blame him, Shallan. You’re going to be tasting spice for days.)

Ohhhh no no no, this is bringing up things she’s been trying to repress even though she can’t, Adolin come on, use that uncanny insight of yours-!

The snark would be funny if it were actually playful instead of a deflecting tactic.

[winces] Shallan, I know you’re fighting your PTSD right now, but that thought was really classist.

[buries face in hands] Adolin this is not a good time, I know you’re excited, you want to share this with her and your mind is set, but Shallan is not up for this right now. This could trigger a full on panic attack.

That is... a way to cope. Fake it til you make it. And it’s another personality inside her, she’s just strengthening it, bringing it to the forefront. But she’s once again avoiding facing the issue - because if she faces it she’ll shatter.

(They’re opposites in that way - Adolin facing the problem directly, Shallan deflecting. Very firebender vs waterbender mentality.)

Oh, Pattern.

This is going to bottle up inside until she breaks. Again.

...can he tell the difference, I wonder? She’s still Shallan, but... a different aspect of Shallan.

HAH, that little shove! Oh, I’m flashing back to kung fu practice years ago...

[SNORTS] Zahel, they know you too well. (If you’d ever tried that with Vivenna, she would not be having it.)

He’s been doing this since he was six, Shallan, cut him a little slack. He’s internalized the ‘mysticism’ and it makes sense on a deep level to him, at least.

He’s right about the unlearning, Shallan. Just trust him.

But don’t cut him any slack for the chicken.

part of it might be from being a duelist but I swear that part of it is more

“She knew that passion - she’d felt what it was to be alive with interest, to be consumed by something so fully that you lost yourself to the wonder of it. For her it was art, but watching him, she thought that the two of them weren’t so different.” - @heliokrantor LOOK LOOK WE WROTE ALMOST THIS E X A C T THING IN ‘BEFORE THE DUEL’ . Just. an entire fic of it. [highfives] Fuckyeah.

And at the end, she finds peace.

Chapter Sixteen - Wrapped Three Times

So. Does that make the Honorblades Splinters of Honor?

TELL US ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PLATE, STORMFATHER. At least what Oathlevel a Radiant can get/materialize/whatever it at!

Frightened? The Stormfather can feel fear? On the sort of level that a human/Parshendi/mortal can feel emotion?

At least Navani is staying occupied by rolling up her sleeves and taking on civil engineering projects. (They’ll certainly need it.) I’d thought she was a conceptual mechanical engineer, but apparently her interests are broader than just that!

Dalinar is being v e r y careful about the amount of unbridled power he allows himself, and after seeing the flashbacks I can only think thank god.

Did Stormfather just confirm that he was a Cognitive Shadow, or was that pure metaphor?

Is... is this guard giving Dalinar shit for not obeying his own directives? Dude, you have steel-plated balls.

....are you one of Lopen’s ‘cousins’.

A watch! How common are those? Probably not at all, but how did Nanavi get it? Was she the one who managed to engineer a clock down to watch-size?

Oooof, that heresy is hitting you in unexpected ways. Even your own swordmaster ardents don’t want much to do with you anymore.

And then, of course, there’s Zahel. Hi Vasheeeeer. You gonna reveal yourself anytime during this series?

Please continue confusing the Rosharans with your Nalthian turns of phrase. It’s vastly entertaining.

wrESTLING? I. Well. Okay then. Barechested, tight-pantsed wrestling it is, then. ‘Vehah match’, note to remember what that’s called.

I wonder, if you hadn’t stopped reaching for the Thrill, would you have been able to grasp it? Or does the Nahel bond prevent it from taking hold?

OH OH STORMLIGHT. YES. DO THE THING DALINAR DO THE THING BREATHE THE LIGHT

Or not. Fair fight, that’s respectable.

You were enjoying the sight Navani, don’t try to say otherwise.

‘GEMHEART’ AS AN ENDEARMENT. AAAAAAAHHHHH. It's like telling one "not only are you the greatest and most beautiful of gems, one who holds the light of my life, but also I would fight armies and chasmfiends for you". I love it. Give me more of this.

Three monarchs for the Iri - two kings and a queen. Are they joint rulers? Poly? Or do they all rule over separate parts of Iri? I’m inclined to think the latter since apparently it’s only the queen that has influence over foreign policy.

Ooo, are you going to try to bully your ardents into speaking with you, Dal?

“I was merely one in a long line of idiots given the ability to kill people too easily. Well at least you can recognise and admit that.

Navani, you should know by now that it’s easier for the men of your family to think when they’re in motion. All of them, including Dalinar.

“Alethkar has not been relevant in the world since the Sunmaker’s fall.” Yeaaaah, you’ve all been warring amongst yourselves in your divided princedoms - you’ve not even been a real kingdom and therefore a power on the world scale up until the unification, and then after Gavilar dies you took all your Highprinces over to fight another, rather pointless war. It’s no wonder the rest of the world won’t leap when you call.

Oooo, shit, all of Iri-Rira is still salty over the Alethi getting Adolin’s Plate? Damn.

hello reference for how to wear takama. I’m keeping you too.

“You sound like your niece!” “I’ll take that as a compliment.” 10/10 here for Dalinar questioning his faith while still keeping faith

!!!! Conscious surgebinding! There’s Adhesion, but we still need to know what on Roshar Tension does. I’m still drawing a blank on that one. Sanderson please don’t keep us in the dark for too long on this one.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

he heard he wife’s name

Evi

(your brother’s death wasn’t what broke you. it was hers. and now, with your spren filling the cracks in your soul, you’re starting to remember)

#blink reads oathbringer #oathbringer spoilers #[SC R EA M S]

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nightblink · 7 years

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Blink Reads Oathbringer - Chapters 17-21

Chapter Seventeen

So that light was a spren that alerted the Parshmen. But what kind?

Parshmen children. Free ones, now.

Yesssss, identify with these people, Kaladin. They are indeed people. You understanding that is a key part of helping them.

“They may have taken your freedom, but they took our minds.” Fuuuuuuuck. And they remember all of it too, the burning helplessness of their lack of free will. Their owners were lucky the Parshmen didn't kill them in their beds.

Well, the Parshmen aren't free from Kaladin's perspective – and experience. But free from Dullform at the very least, free to act as they choose, their will their own.

A higher spren – just not an honorspren. Is it looking for someone to bond to? A human, or a Parshendi? If it wasn't bonded, wouldn't its mental state degrade while in the Physical Plane? Or is it a voidspren?

And there Syl goes, casually dropping capitalized Connection and Identity into conversation

[winces] Trying to explain to a child how your ancestors enslaved hers. Yeaaah, that's going to go really well.

!!!! You're staying! Helping them. Oh, Kaladin, I expected it from you, but my heart still soars at reading it.

Chapter Eighteen – Double Vision

So. Veil chapter. And right off the bat we have Shallan's name dropped in favor of Veil's. That is… a worrying sign considering her last chapter with Adolin and the way she changed into Brightness Radiant.

“the part at the back of her mind that was still Shallan” yeaaaaaah, I'm worried. There's a distinct level of separation between personalities going on.

Patterm likes Adolin! That's… unexpected. (Does he sense the lie Adolin cloaks himself in now?)

“Is that-” PATTERN. ...though to be fair, marrying a Radiant is basically a package deal.

Urithiru's wells don't empty, and their water levels never drop? But they're at the top of a mountain! Most of the groundwater flow should be through the shallow stress-fracture system. You are above drainage. Are the wells super-deep? Do they draw from a confined, perched aquifer where the hydrologic head somehow remains constantly level and doesn't artesian despite the city likely having wells on different levels/elevations of the city? SANDERSON, EXPLAAAAIN.

Smooth, Veil.

Ahhh, so the colours in wines are done on purpose as opposed to a byproduct of the ingredients used to make them? That makes sense, especially considering how they're ranked by alcohol content to a rainbow gradient.

So was that a shot of vodka, everclear, or moonshine? Either way, you are not fooling anyone, Veil.

“Oh, hon.” No kidding. Shallan, unless you have enough stormlight to clear it, you are going to wake up with a serious hangover tomorrow.

Oooo, the barkeep can tell. “With eyes like those...”

That fact that you're managing to maintain enough brainpower to remember your initial reason for coming out here is frankly astounding.

Aaaand there goes the drunkenness. You're lucky you don't have to suffer that hangover (and apparently it works on poison too, good to know). [cackles] That little cheek-pat was just the cherry on top.

Oh shit. Oh shit. She's not sure if she can distinguish parts of reality from her own fictions. Fuuuuuuck.

“I can't be Veil only on the surface.” YEAH THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS WORRIED ABOUT

Nope, there's the moonshine.

Well, would you look at that, a possible lead?

….are you going to start a barfight, Veil.

Holy fuck.

Even thugs don't really want to mess with Certified Crazy People, and you've just cemented yourself as one of those, soooo… you may actually be safe. For now.

So the Ghostbloods aren't secret-secret? Huh. Their organization must be larger and more prominent than I thought.

Ooooo, so- it's a mirror-murder? It's not going to be the same as Sadeas every time? But it will be the exact same down to the detail as another kill? Interesting. This… I'm thinking this doesn't seem human.

But is it a sign of the coming Desolation, or something less Odious, though just as sinister?

Chapter Nineteen – The Subtle Art of Diplomacy

I think this might be the last of the chapters that I read before the book released. Ahhh, but this was a good one.

Dalinar, people are wondering if you're contemplating arson

Trust that the Alethi know very well how to wage war on their own ground, Toh. It's what they're good at.

No Soulcasters at all in Iri or Rira? Are they hoarded by the Veden nations, or do the other kingdoms/countries not have as much need of them?

Lounging there in a takama set, heh. I need to sketch out designs for that.

Whoops, and where's the missing knife? Not like you have anything else to do but go look for it, so why not just meander out into the Highstorm

You're lucky your soldiers didn't have bows ready to loose at whatever Shardbearer was making their way in unexpectedly from the storm.

Dalinar, you are a crazy, crazy man, Just. Wandering back into the Highstorm, contemplating all the things on your mind as you casually step out of the way of flying boulders. Nothing to see here.

What is the glowy thing

Well. That's one way to make an impression, that's for sure.

Where did you live before you were twelve, if you'd never seen Kholinar before that time? 'Backwater' tells us nothing. But “their branch of the house”…. Did you overthow the main family of your own clan before going after the rest of Alethkar?

Down, boy. Don't make us get out the cold water hose.

Dalinar, rude.

“A touch vapid-” Somehow I feel that that estimation is off, or at least not indicative of the entire picture.

How many sets of Plate did Rira – and Iri – have in the first place? Not many, or they wouldn't still be so outraged over this “stolen” set decades later.

Sadeas may have deserved his stabbing many times over, but you can't deny that he and Ialai were well-matched and obviously happy together.

Not ready for a political match, Dals? It's just one more way your brother uses you as a weapon to get closer to his/your end goal!

Dalinar. Dalinar please.

Is all this conversation about Sunmaker foreshadowing, I wonder – or at least foreshadowing for the current-future, as opposed to Gavilar's own death and the fragility of the kingdom afterwards. After all, Dalinar is sort of attempting to “conquer the world” in a way, though the unification he seeks isn't political or territorial.

That is an apt description of many a war, Dalinar.

Sadeas are you trying to flirt with him-

So. How did you find out about the Codes, Gavilar, and what's driving your interest in them? Considering what we know of you in later dates, I'm not convinced that you were a proto-Bondsmith.

Dalinar's first sight of Evi, fascinated by her hair and how she stands out amongst all the Alethi, mirrors Adolin's first sight of Shallan and I am entirely here for that.

Left-handed Evi? Left-handed Evi, oh man that is- the Vorins are going to try to train her out of that and into using her right hand, that's a given.

And here I though using assassins wasn't Alethi-like. Tsk tsk.

Dalinar is nothing if not abruptly decisive in following through – like Adolin and Sadeas in the corridor, thought translating immediately to action.

Dude. You are definitely a barbarian.

Chapter Twenty – Cords to Bind

Kaladin, gemheart, gentle one, I love you more and more with each passing chapter you're in. May your legacy be that of healing hands as well as protection.

Kaladin “I will adopt everyone” Stormblessed. Though really, wouldn't this fall under “I will protect those who cannot protect themselves”? It's just a non-violent kind of protection.

[hums] You are speaking with an authority that they're used to from lighteyes, Kal. Soldiers expect it, but these are civilian people. They don't do orders like those you've been used to for the past while. And Sah makes a very good point. They're following what you say, what an Alethi says, same as it was before.

They have every right to choose their own battles, Kaladin.

Makes sense that Syl can sense the storms – or the stormlight within them, perhaps. I'll bet that all Radiants' spren can do so.

[winces] I hope that there is a middle ground, I just… I don't see how.

Chapter Twenty-One – Set Up to Fail

The vision of Shallan sleeping in a nest of piled blankets is too cute.

Oh, shit, you drank the entire jug?! That's… be glad you have stormlight, or they'd be finding you dead of alcohol poisoning.

“Her actions felt like they'd taken place in a dream.” That... does not bode well at all. I'm suspecting that you might be going beyond 'coping mechanisms' and are developing Multiple Personality Disorder as a response to your PTSD.

Shallan, I'm pretty sure he puts in a lot of effort to look that effortlessly handsome. He just wakes up earlier than you do to get it done.

“Blarg.” [snorts]

Adolin, you are being adorably attentive.

“We're very mysterious creatures.” Yes, just not as mysterious as Mistborn, right?

IT IS MOONSHINE I WAS RIGHT

Shallan, you've had how much booze before to determine what's good or not? No. Shush.

You don't have to try very hard with the axehound-puppy eyes, Shallan, I'm pretty sure he's already charmed by how morning-scruffy and adorable you look in your nest.

ADOLIN AND RUBIES, I---[sc r e am s]

….Shallan. How much were you already breathing light as a child?

And how do you have stormlight if they all should have gone dun? Sanderson's not one to overrule his own psuedo-magic rules, so there must be an actual reason for it.

You two are too goddamn cute. I do so hope you're endgame.

…..oh shit. Ialai.

Every scene with Sebarial and Palona is a gift.

For more reasons than just the two of them being an utter delight – Sebarial always manages to give us a more down-to-Roshar, common-sense(-for-a-Highprince) view of events, with a much different perspective than we see with the militaristic, not-an-ounce-of-chill-among-them Kholins.

Shallan, did you forget your own guards existed. You did. Pretty much.

It's part of being a hierarchy, Shallan. Not quite honor by association, but close. You have to give them a purpose, even if that's small. Listen to Adolin, this is stuff he knows in his bones.

….Adolin's thinking back to what he said, isn't he. “My father thinks I'm a better man than he is. Unfortunately for you, he's wrong.”

It's what happens when you do figure out that mystery that he's worried about.

Looks like the general air and disheveled nature of the Sadeas army hasn't changed, what with the lack of care that the people put into their presentation compared to the Kholin army and the way they conduct themselves around their “warcamp”/territory/assigned area of Urithiru. The overtly hostile reception doesn't make it any better, as it feels like the hair on the back of your neck rises with the sense of danger with every step they take.

Oh, fucking shIT-

#blink reads oathbringer #oathbringer spoilers #cuteness and heartwarming? but also #fuck fuck fuuuuuuuck #I am concern

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preservationandruin · 7 years

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Part Four: Storm’s Illumination

Update! I downloaded the nook app, killed my phone’s storage, and have accepted that reading too much on this will fry my already-bad eyes.

But, on the plus side, I can read more WoK.

Point of views back out to be Dalinar, Kaladin, Adolin, and Navani for this section. Featuring Dalinar deciding not to do a stupid thing but to keep trusting Sadeas, the fact that Dalinar isn’t hallucinating, Kaladin learning about his powers, and Dalinar and Navani finally smooching. Also, this is really fucking long, my apologies.

We start seeing the epigraphs be death rattles again. Meanwhile, Adolin has realized that trying to get his father to see that he’s going mad has resulted in Dalinar deciding to abdicate in favor of Adolin--which is not what Adolin wanted at all. You done fucked up, Adolin.

Dalinar has another vision, where he sees the Recreance--the Shardbearers giving up their swords. Interestingly, he also feels the hurt and betrayal of the spren: “A terrible feeling struck him. A sense of immense tragedy, of pain and betrayal. [...] What was happening? What was that dreadful feeling, that screaming he swore he could almost hear?” Also, the blades were glowing, but they dimmed and dimmed over time--the spren dying. Yikes.

So there’s a big hint as to what the Shards actually are. And one of the Radiants--probably Tanavast taking their shape, although it’s hard to tell and it could be a former Bondsmith or something--tells Dalinar that the Night of Sorrows, True Desolation, and Everstorm are coming, and to read the book and “unite them.”

Ren’s also having either a panic attack or an epileptic moment--all Dalinar classes it as is “an episode of weakness” but he’s pale, his legs are shaking, and he immediately sits down and rests his head in his hands.

...I wonder when Renarin started awakening his powers, as a note. Also Renarin accepts the Old Magic as existing easily, while Adolin claims it’s a myth (Dalinar shuts that down).

Adolin and Dalinar start fighting about whether or not Dalinar should step down and Renarin interrupts with “uh...guys...we could, like test to see if the visions are legitimate or not??” and both of them are like “?????”

So they decide to have Navani write down the visions as Dalinar sees them, because they know they can trust her and their first choice--Jasnah--isn’t there.

“The visions had told him to trust Sadeas” DALINAR NO

Navani is going out of her way to help Adolin with his flirting attempts she’s such a good aunt I love her. Also it gets him out of the room so Navani and Dalinar can talk privately.

Navani tries yet again to convince Dalinar they can be together but Dalinar is a bit too tired and confused and uncertain to be able to do this right now, which she recognizes and does leave.

Back to Bridge Four!!! They’re on another bridge run, and Dunny dies--hit by two arrows and trampled by horses. Moash has to pin Kaladin down to stop him from running out after the kid which, thank god Kaladin has some people who are willing to act as his self-preservation. And so instead of helping Dunny, he goes around and tries to heal Bridgemen from other crews.

Kaladin is too good and pure. He’s just furious that nobody cares about the dead Bridgemen.

Kaladin runs off of righteous anger and like, coffee, probably.

Anyway he fucking tears the Bridge Four gang a new one when they refuse to help someone from another bridge because people from other bridges were mean to them--and in the process states that his father was the only man with honor that he ever knew.

Listen, this is why Kaladin is dangerous--he cares about everyone, that makes them surprised and grateful, especially on the bridge teams where nobody gives a shit about anybody, and then they become slightly more loyal to him. And then suddenly he has like, an army of loyal people.

He’s such a hufflepuff.

Also Teft is dropping the world’s least subtle clues here like “wooow its so weird we keep not getting hit....funny that that happens when you run point...just keep carrying lit spheres with you......they’re good luck....oh they went dun again wow that’s so strange kaladin”

Meanwhile, Kaladin’s own grazed arrow wound is completely gone, and he’s getting a little freaked out.

Another death rattle: “the burdens of nine become mine. Why must I carry the madness of them all? Oh, Almighty, release me.” This is absolutely Taln (or, uh, whichever of them is the one who was left behind).

Dalinar’s at a feast again, and Wit isn’t there--Dalinar notes it’s probably because he doesn’t want to become predictable. Also Dalinar notes that noblewomen competing to draw the same person has the same social function as duels between noblemen, although they don’t use the same word. Wit does show up, just casually sitting next to Dalinar--and Dalinar notes that Adolin’s judgement of Wit was more accurate than his was.

I gotta say, Adolin is hella perceptive. I’ve said it before, I know, but he’s a smart kid.

Wit quietly--and accurately--depicts the relation between Dalinar and Sadeas: “The foolishness of men who care, Dalinar, and the brilliance of those who do not. The second depend on the first--but also exploit the first--while the first misunderstand the second, hoping that the second are more like the first.”

Also Wit ponders if you can pull a person apart and put him back together into something else “Like a Dysian Aimian” (but also, unsaid, like a Radiant.) This whole conversation is Wit trying to gauge exactly how much Dalinar knows--possibly because Wit doesn’t know exactly what Tanavast is telling Dalinar. Interesting.

Sadeas is going to pull Some Bullshit (as always) and Elhokar is getting more and more paranoid, so all of that is interesting.

Dalinar voice: Sadeas is going to cause Bullshit re: the investigation so I’m just going to go up and ask him about it.

I’m not sure if this is a good or a bad idea but regardless it’s going to possibly throw Sadeas off. Unfortunately, Sadeas’ plan is to lull Dalinar into a false sense of security--claiming the most likely suspect is someone who dislikes Dalinar.

Adolin cannot fucking believe that Sadeas is exonerating Dalinar (which, again, Adolin should stick to his intuition that Sadeas is a sneaky bastard). So Dalinar and Sadeas start plans to ally, which of course GOES HORRIBLY WRONG DALINAR DON’T TRUST SADEAS.

Skar, about Amaram: Were you with him when he won his shards? Kaladin, quietly, but with great internal salt: No. Nobody was.

BECAUSE AMARAM DIDN’T FUCKING WIN ANY SHARDS HE STOLE THEM LIKE A FUCKING ASSHOLE I HATE AMARAM SO MUCH

Rock: You can’t fucking swallow a broam Moash: I bet I can Kaladin: Don’t do that, because if you do that, you will die

Kaladin as Bridge Four’s tired Team Mom is very real

Also Moash is still showing signs of wanting to go too far--a la “we could just take everything” until Kaladin shuts that down for being stupid and likely to get them caught. Moash isn’t a tactical thinker.

Also Kal baits Rock into revealing that he can use a bow and arrow.

Rock: that shot is nearly impossible

Rock: effortlessly makes the shot

Dalinar is trying to figure out Parshendi gender. “The clean-shaven ones didn’t have much in the way of breasts” weLL IM PRETTY SURE THEYRE NOT MAMMALS so THANK GOD. But Dalinar has noticed that the fighting pairs are usually a man and a woman, and also wonders why in six years of fighting nobody thought to investigate what gender their opponents were.

I mean, honestly, given how much we depersonalize our enemies, I can believe that.

And Dalinar’s having problems with the Thrill again. Notably, it doesn’t make him a less effective fighter--it just cuts off the bloodlust and glee.

Dalinar literally saves Sadeas’ fucking life and later in the book Sadeas repays him by leaving him and Adolin to die.

To quote a D&D show I watch, SOME PEOPLE HAVE NO SENSE OF FUCKING HONOR.

Descriptions of the thrill remain disturbingly...sexual, almost. At least in the sense that the vocabulary we have to describe a visceral glee and desire tends to be reminiscent of sexual language. (”He nearly choked on it, the joy, the pleasure, the desire. The danger.”)

Sadeas: tonight, all of my soldiers will feast as if they were lighteyes Me, full of salt: BET THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE THE BRIDGEMEN YOU COLOSSAL ASSHOLE

Another bridgeman has died and Kaladin is not taking it well. Gaz didn’t come to the bridge run--he might have deserted by this point. Kaladin also notices that the Parshendi revere their dead. Kal also still doesn’t believe that Dalinar is as good as people say he is.

And Teft just got Kaladin to inhale stormlight and use it instinctively, leading to him glowing. Kaladin is lowkey freaking out about having the powers of the Radiants.

Kaladin and Hoid are interacting for the first time and it’s great. We also get the story of a group of people who would kill any who did something wrong because the emperor wouldn’t tolerate it, and then discovered the emperor was dead all along and had to live with the guilt of knowing that those murders were on their hands, not the emperor’s.

...which could be a metaphor for all of Vorinism learning that Honor is dead. Or not. As with most things with Hoid, it’s very ambiguous. Also, Syl doesn’t like Hoid, which is understandable. I can see an Honorspren thinking he was strange and wrong.

Kaladin, thinking, also realizes that his “Emperor” is the apathy--the belief that he can’t change anything. He holds onto that instead of looking for other reasons things could be happening, or acknowledging that he can change things.

And so he decides to actually start working with and using his powers.

Honestly from the point of anyone else this story is lowkey ridiculous like “yeah a slave turned out to be a new radiant and so his team of bridgerunners helped him train in the chasms and literally nobody noticed, really” in-universe it makes sense because nobody pays attention to the bridgemen but still you have someone who CAN FLY

A death rattle mentions “Re-Shephir, the Midnight Mother, giving birth to abominations with her essence, so dark, so terrible, so consuming.” Another of the unmade? Hard to tell.

Adolin is talking to Jakamav, who I unfortunately can only ever see as a fratbro. On the other hand, that’s not an inaccurate interpretation. Adolin is also casually Judging other people’s fashion choices someone let this boy dress in the pretty clothes he wants to dress in instead of his uniform

Also Adolin is grumbling about how other people always want dark hair, which he thinks is stupid. He also claims he forgot that Humility existed, which is probably true.

Also Jakamav’s girlfriend insulted Dalinar and Adolin is just. ready to FIGHT.

“Adolin liked to be familiar with a large number of people, but not terribly close with any of them.” That’s just interesting. He’s only really close with his family, especially Renarin, at this point.

Also, Adolin starts to see the purpose behind the Codes--he starts to see that it’s not just about pure practicality, but also about treating war and the death that comes with it with a measure of seriousness, and also giving people commanders they can trust. It’s about the importance of symbols.

Dalinar is reciting the Way of Kings to Sadeas and Elhokar, who don’t really get it. We also get “all save the Heralds themselves must dine with the Nightwatcher,” implying that she’s seen as some sort of death entity.

Also, Dalinar is me: “And you have this entire passage memorized?” “I likely got a few of the words wrong” “Knowing you, that means you might have forgotten a singled “an’ or ‘the.” Also Sadeas does give Dalinar the honest advice that literally nobody else naturally talks like him, so other people assume he’s putting it on as a self-righteous act (...again, Dalinar, I feel you on that one.)

Dalinar is staring at Navani again. And Sadeas is judging people’s fashion sense now.

Time for Adolin to crush it in the duelling ring. Also the line “And so Adolin--in a moderately subtle move” is killing me like. Welp. It was moderately subtle which is the best we can expect from him. Anyway, Adolin obviously just annihilates his opponent, because Adolin is incredible.

“They’re trying to kill me,” Elhokar said softly, huddling down in his armor. “They’ll see me dead, like my father.” Highprinces: Look we made a strong king Me: Look at what you did to him! he has anxiety!!!

I retain a soft spot for Elhokar. And he mentions seeing “Symbols, twisted, inhuman” in mirrors--sounds a lot like Cryptics. I almost wrote Cryptids. Wonderful. And Elhokar and Sadeas bully Dalinar into using Sadeas’ fast and costly bridges--which Kaladin later takes as a sign of Dalinar not having as much honor as people say, if I remember right.

Also, Dalinar’s opinion on fights: “When you won, it was always better to win quickly and with extreme advantage.” Amen to that.

Kal’s trying to intentionally inhale stormlight now. And we get Teft’s explanation of the Words, which i like, although one of them is pretty much word-for-word “Dying is easy, young man, living is harder” from Hamilton.

And now, Bridge Four is being put on Bridge duty every single day, which is just the brightlords flat-up wanting them killed. “Consider it an...honor” they say, and Kaladin has to stop himself from swearing. He also learns that he has to inhale the Stormlight in, he can’t just...will it inside of him.

And Kaladin forms the “parshendi carapace” idea to protect them. We also get some examination of Kaladin’s agnosticism.

Also he tried to walk on a wall and fell on his ass, nice going Kaladin.

But he’s getting the hang of having a lot of power and exploiting that to smuggle things out of the chasms. Including surviving a 40-foot fall.

Back to Dalinar and Adolin, Dalinar has decided not to abdicate. Navani is also the one most aware of Elhokar’s weakness, while Dalinar still denies it. Also, Renarin is fascinated by Navani’s fabrials. So am I--fabrials are really cool.

And Dalinar is talking with Nohadon in his vision. Also, Navani realizes he’s speaking, instead of gibberish, an ancient dialect of the Dawnchant. Which Dalinar doesn’t know, and thus can’t have hallucinated--the visions are genuine.

Navani is realizing she might have just figured out how to translate the Dawnchant, which is also incredible.

Navani and Dalinar are, yet again, alone, and Dalinar is even like “Navani you’re doing it again” and Navani is just like. yep. you caught me. Also she explains that being the old queen basically means she’s placeless in the world and everyone only sees her as the wife of a dead man, and she’s furious seeing it from Dalinar as well, who knew her even before Gavilar did.

And so Dalinar kisses her because of course he does. There are even passionspren. And then she starts talking business and important things but Dal is also like, distracted because holy shit she’s so pretty aaaaa which, is, relateable, i too cannot function around pretty people.

Also, multiple notes that the marriage between Gavilar and Navani might not have been the best--Navani notes she had reason to be unfaithful even though she wasn’t, and starts saying something that Dalinar cuts off.

Also Navani is very smug about the fact that Dalinar kissed her first. Dalinar tries to claim that he was seduced. “What? Seduced?” She glanced back at him. “ Dalinar, I’ve never been more open and honest in my life.” “I know,” Dalinar said, smiling. “That was the seductive part.”

This is such a Good Ship

Anyway back with the bridgemen Moash just wants to flat-up attack Sadeas’ army and Kaladin is like. Nope. No. If we do that we will die.

Yep, Dal is using the bridges again. I can’t remember if this is the time with the Tower or not. I’m on around the 900th page, so maybe?

“a one-armed herdazian is still twice as useful as a nobrained Alethi. Plus, so long as I’ve got one hand, I can still do this” and then Lopen just flips off the army i love him.

Also a soldier tries to take their water and Kal is ready to fight them. The soldier is like I don’t want to wait for our water crews and Kaladins like wow that’s too bad for you, and the soldier looks like he’s going to hit him and the entire fucking Bridge 4 gang forms up like buddy, if you punch Kaladin we’re going to have a Problem.

The soldiers who aren’t assholes are even like, nice.

Kaladin voice: oh god i hope they don’t notice that was a spear fighting formation WHOOPS And its time for operation Parshendi Armor.

So everyone targets Kaladin, who can fucking dodge shit and surgebind, and not the bridges. Booyeah. All of bridge four is now yelling at him because of course they are. Matal, who is in charge of the bridges, threatens to have Kaladin strung up and Kaladin’s like yeah bc that worked so well for you guys last time.

And Dalinar noticed that Parshendi archers were targeting Kaladin’s group and went in to save them. Dalinar is Good. And he even raised his Blade to salute Kaladin. So this time wasn’t the Tower, but that’s got to be the next full Bridge run we get. We’re close, now.

Although Shen took this badly. Of course--these are the bodies of his people. But at the same time, Kaladin literally needs to do this to keep them all alive. All the choices here are bad, but this was the least bad. Kaladin also is trying to work out the logistics of leaving, realizing that staying is untenable, but leaving is impossible. Somehow they discount the possibility “Dalinar Kholin recruits you as a personal guard after you save his life.”

Anyway Dalinar and Navani are now a thing. Their guards and clerks are starting to get a bit confused at how much time they spend together. And more discussion of Shshsh, who I hope we get the story of next book. God, I hope she’s not just one more fridged woman for male pain.

Dalinar: how will we explain this to Elhokar??? Dalinar at the end of the book: yes i am fucking your mother goodbye

...I still blame/thank Jazz for making me incapable of taking that scene seriously.

Oh man, horns just sounded for a chasmfiend on the Tower HERE IT IS. Kaladin, Dalinar, and Adolin are all getting ready for it, and the rate of my habitual leg-jiggle stim has like, doubled. Wonderful.

And we also see Sadeas planning--trying to get Dalinar to commit most of his forces and leave behind his bridge crews. That sneaky bastard. Also Sadeas claims credit for the armored bridgemen idea. That dick.

I’m gonna cut it here. I have a feeling I’ll scream a hell of a lot about the Tower.

#stormlight archive liveblog #roshar #dalinar voice: unite them #FUCK YEAH BRIDGE FOUR #cultivation is that you #holy foreshadowing batman #dalinavani is a Good Ship

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