#bc like. She's coming into being the student/ward with ulterior motives

[daisywords]

I do tend to like the trope of "one or both characters faking or being disingenuous about their role in a relationship but ending up being shaped by it anyway"—and yes "fake dating" and all its variants are included in that! but! that is not the end-all-be-all; the possibilities here are endless. for example:

fake mentor/mentee

fake siblings

fake bodyguard/person they are protecting

fake parent/child

fake prisoner/guard

fake royalty/servant

fake rivals

fake divorced

even just. fake friends please I love fake friends

#tropes #fr though the situation with Shallan and Jasnah in The Way of Kings was so compelling to me #I cannot understand why some people said those sections were boring I was waiting for them specifically #the only thing getting me through Kaladin's long depressing bits sorry #bc like. She's coming into being the student/ward with ulterior motives #and intent to betray and steal from her mentor? #but she still respects her and wants to learn from her #and does learn from her #even as she's plotting behind her back #and you can see them connecting intellectually and personally and learning and developing as people because of their relationship #but we know that it can't last bc the trust is going to be broken #and that scene in the bath where Shallan almost steals the soulcaster had me absolutely on the edge of my seat #!!!!!!! #anyway #as an example