Canticle - Chapter Seventeen
Oct. 24th, 2024 07:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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i_read_whatSo last time, Cadderly and company continued to explore the crypts and ran afoul of some undead.
This time though, should be interesting, because we're going to be finding out what Danica is up to.
Actually, it doesn't sound fun:
She found herself in the throes of alien urges, building to overwhelming crescendos then dying away to be replaced by other strange impulses. It was Danica’s definition of Hell, the discipline and strict codes of her beloved religion swept away by waves of sheer chaos. She tried to hold back those waves, to dismiss the images of Iron Skull, the urges she had felt when Cadderly had touched her, and the many other obsessions, but she found no secure foothold in her violently shifting thoughts.
Danica touched upon something that even the chaos could not disrupt. To fight the battle of the present, the young woman sent her thoughts into the simpler past.
So there's an interesting note. I'm not sure if the "urges" she felt are meant to be just a shift to something a bit more erotic (understandable as they are lovers), or if she's saying that all of these impulses grow stronger with contact with him.
Anyway, Danica envisions her parents (and we get some nice description of both) and then of her Master Turkel. His description seems more relevant so I'll include it:
His skin was thick, leathery, from uncounted days spent sitting in the sun and meditating atop a mountain, high above the lines of shading trees. Truly he was a man of extremes, of explosive fighting abilities buried under seemingly limitless serenity. His ferocity during sparring matches often frightened Danica, made her think the man was out of control.
But Danica had learned better than to believe that; Master Turkel was never out of control. Discipline was at the core of his religion, the same discipline that Danica found herself so in need of.
She'd studied with him for six years, before her master told her that there isn't anything else he could teach her, so she came to the Library. Where she met Cadderly, with whom she had a very romcom meeting:
Cadderly! She loved him from the first moment she had ever seen him, chasing a white squirrel along the groves lining the winding road to the library’s front door. Cadderly hadn’t noticed Danica right away, not until he tumbled headlong into a bush of clinging burrs. That first look struck Danica profoundly both then and as she battled to reclaim her identity. Cadderly had been embarrassed, to be sure, but the sudden flash of light in his eyes, eyes even purer gray than Danica’s father’s, and the way his mouth dropped open just a hint then widened in a sheepish, boyish smile, had sent a curious, warm sensation through Danica’s whole body.
The courtship had been equally thrilling and unpredictable. Danica never knew what ingenious event Cadderly would spring on her next. But entrenched beside Cadderly’s unpredictability was a rock-solid foundation that Danica could depend upon. Cadderly gave her friendship, an ear for her problems and excitement alike, and most of all, respect for her and her studies, never competing against Grandmaster Penpahg D’Ahn for her time.
Aww. I wish we got to see a bit more of this and less of Cadderly playing fantasy realm Zack Morris, but I'll take it. It's miles above any of the romances we see in the Drizzt series. At least as far as I remember. Unless you count Artemis and Jarlaxle.
So at some point, she hears Cadderly urging her to fight. She looks inward and sees the manifestation of the curse within her as a permeating red mist. It's actually pretty legitimate cool. It tries to hide itself and she forces it back, then starts formulating her own thoughts and memories against it.
For example, when it tries to redirect her to the Iron Skull, she pushes the memory back at it that that fucking hurt. Fair enough.
We get some interesting scene shifts here:
The curse is summoning a pack of ghouls.
Newander is watching Danica struggle, initially starts to prepare a "sedating spell" to help calm her, but then realizes that this might be her fighting back. So he decides to give her the chance to do that, while monitoring.
Then Danica wakes up to meet Newander properly. He explains that Cadderly had him watch over her. He fills her in on the whole curse thing, which she believes, as she remembers her struggle. She recognizes that her victory is only temporary though.
Danica gets more of an update and then decides that they need to go and help Cadderly. It takes a bit to convince Newander, but eventually he's on board, especially after Danica uses some kind of kata to regain her balance.
As they pass by, they hear sounds from Histra's room. I'm not going to guess WHAT sounds. Danica wants to help but then realizes exactly what she's hearing. She giggles and follows Newander away.
I mean it's not exactly a consensual orgy, guys. Even if they'd have been on board otherwise. But it is true that stopping it would be temporary at best and they'd have better luck trying to resolve the curse outright. I wouldn't be giggling though.
They head to Cadderly's room and find Rufo trying to escape. Danica demands to know where Cadderly is, Rufo tries to backhand her, and Danica shows us why you don't go hand to hand with monks. That said, this is also the curse, so Newander helps her get control of herself. She still kicks Rufo in the head when he's down, but she meant to do that one.
Heh.
Newander's a bit anxious, having recognized that Danica's not completely in control, and to her credit, Danica admits the mist is still there. But she's able to fight it. She is curious, and a little accusatory about why Newander isn't affected.
“As for myself, I know not,” Newander replied. “Your Cadderly believes I am free because there are no hidden desires in my heart, and because I came into the library after the curse first started. I knew something was amiss here as soon as I went to my friends—perhaps that warning has allowed me to fend off the effects.”
Danica didn’t seem convinced. “I am a disciplined warrior,” she replied, “but the curse found its way into my thoughts easily enough, even just now, though I understand the dangers of it.”
Newander shrugged, having no explanation. “That was Cadderly’s theory, not my own,” he reminded her.
“What do you believe?”
Again the druid shrugged. “For Cadderly,” he said, “it was he who opened the bottle, and that alone might have saved him. Often in magical curses, the bringer of the curse does not feel its sting.”
Danica decides to accept his sincerity, even though he doesn't really answer the question in a way she can appreciate.
We get a tour of the kitchens again, and at least one priest shows their vice isn't only gluttony, by coming onto Danica. Avery though, even under a curse, is a good egg.
“Hold!” shouted Headmaster Avery. “What do you think you’re about?”
The priest eyed Avery with sincere confusion, as did Danica, standing behind him.
“Danica,” Avery explained to the man. “Danica and Cadderly! You keep away from her.”
Before the man could make any apologies, before Danica could try to calm Avery, the pudgy headmaster swung across with his other arm, holding a hefty leg of mutton, and cracked the offending priest on the side of the head. The man dropped in a heap and did not move.
“But Headmaster …” Danica began.
Avery cut her off. “No need to thank me,” he said. “I watch out for my dear friend, Cadderly. And for his friends, too, of course. No need to thank me!” He wandered off without waiting for a reply, gorging on his mutton and searching for new stores to raid.
I mean, I'd like it better if it didn't read a little like Avery saved her more for Cadderly than herself, but he still stepped in and I can appreciate that.
So they make it to the cellar, to find it barred. Newander uses magic to warp the wood, which gives Danica the opportunity to try to monk-bash it down. She fails. So they decide to look for another way.
What they find is Percival. Newander can speak to him: Percival knows of a way, though Newander isn't sure he's trustworthy. Danica vouches though, so they head to Mullivy's workshed. Where they find the bloody chains.
Percival apparently had quite a bit to say about that: Mullivy was brought here by someone else and led to "the hole". Newander is impressed by Percival's ability to recall the events. With some wrong turns, the squirrel leads them deeper.
Eventually they spot odd dragging boot prints, the narrative helpfully tells us that neither realize zombies drag their feet when they walk. And the chapter ends here.
This time though, should be interesting, because we're going to be finding out what Danica is up to.
Actually, it doesn't sound fun:
She found herself in the throes of alien urges, building to overwhelming crescendos then dying away to be replaced by other strange impulses. It was Danica’s definition of Hell, the discipline and strict codes of her beloved religion swept away by waves of sheer chaos. She tried to hold back those waves, to dismiss the images of Iron Skull, the urges she had felt when Cadderly had touched her, and the many other obsessions, but she found no secure foothold in her violently shifting thoughts.
Danica touched upon something that even the chaos could not disrupt. To fight the battle of the present, the young woman sent her thoughts into the simpler past.
So there's an interesting note. I'm not sure if the "urges" she felt are meant to be just a shift to something a bit more erotic (understandable as they are lovers), or if she's saying that all of these impulses grow stronger with contact with him.
Anyway, Danica envisions her parents (and we get some nice description of both) and then of her Master Turkel. His description seems more relevant so I'll include it:
His skin was thick, leathery, from uncounted days spent sitting in the sun and meditating atop a mountain, high above the lines of shading trees. Truly he was a man of extremes, of explosive fighting abilities buried under seemingly limitless serenity. His ferocity during sparring matches often frightened Danica, made her think the man was out of control.
But Danica had learned better than to believe that; Master Turkel was never out of control. Discipline was at the core of his religion, the same discipline that Danica found herself so in need of.
She'd studied with him for six years, before her master told her that there isn't anything else he could teach her, so she came to the Library. Where she met Cadderly, with whom she had a very romcom meeting:
Cadderly! She loved him from the first moment she had ever seen him, chasing a white squirrel along the groves lining the winding road to the library’s front door. Cadderly hadn’t noticed Danica right away, not until he tumbled headlong into a bush of clinging burrs. That first look struck Danica profoundly both then and as she battled to reclaim her identity. Cadderly had been embarrassed, to be sure, but the sudden flash of light in his eyes, eyes even purer gray than Danica’s father’s, and the way his mouth dropped open just a hint then widened in a sheepish, boyish smile, had sent a curious, warm sensation through Danica’s whole body.
The courtship had been equally thrilling and unpredictable. Danica never knew what ingenious event Cadderly would spring on her next. But entrenched beside Cadderly’s unpredictability was a rock-solid foundation that Danica could depend upon. Cadderly gave her friendship, an ear for her problems and excitement alike, and most of all, respect for her and her studies, never competing against Grandmaster Penpahg D’Ahn for her time.
Aww. I wish we got to see a bit more of this and less of Cadderly playing fantasy realm Zack Morris, but I'll take it. It's miles above any of the romances we see in the Drizzt series. At least as far as I remember. Unless you count Artemis and Jarlaxle.
So at some point, she hears Cadderly urging her to fight. She looks inward and sees the manifestation of the curse within her as a permeating red mist. It's actually pretty legitimate cool. It tries to hide itself and she forces it back, then starts formulating her own thoughts and memories against it.
For example, when it tries to redirect her to the Iron Skull, she pushes the memory back at it that that fucking hurt. Fair enough.
We get some interesting scene shifts here:
The curse is summoning a pack of ghouls.
Newander is watching Danica struggle, initially starts to prepare a "sedating spell" to help calm her, but then realizes that this might be her fighting back. So he decides to give her the chance to do that, while monitoring.
Then Danica wakes up to meet Newander properly. He explains that Cadderly had him watch over her. He fills her in on the whole curse thing, which she believes, as she remembers her struggle. She recognizes that her victory is only temporary though.
Danica gets more of an update and then decides that they need to go and help Cadderly. It takes a bit to convince Newander, but eventually he's on board, especially after Danica uses some kind of kata to regain her balance.
As they pass by, they hear sounds from Histra's room. I'm not going to guess WHAT sounds. Danica wants to help but then realizes exactly what she's hearing. She giggles and follows Newander away.
I mean it's not exactly a consensual orgy, guys. Even if they'd have been on board otherwise. But it is true that stopping it would be temporary at best and they'd have better luck trying to resolve the curse outright. I wouldn't be giggling though.
They head to Cadderly's room and find Rufo trying to escape. Danica demands to know where Cadderly is, Rufo tries to backhand her, and Danica shows us why you don't go hand to hand with monks. That said, this is also the curse, so Newander helps her get control of herself. She still kicks Rufo in the head when he's down, but she meant to do that one.
Heh.
Newander's a bit anxious, having recognized that Danica's not completely in control, and to her credit, Danica admits the mist is still there. But she's able to fight it. She is curious, and a little accusatory about why Newander isn't affected.
“As for myself, I know not,” Newander replied. “Your Cadderly believes I am free because there are no hidden desires in my heart, and because I came into the library after the curse first started. I knew something was amiss here as soon as I went to my friends—perhaps that warning has allowed me to fend off the effects.”
Danica didn’t seem convinced. “I am a disciplined warrior,” she replied, “but the curse found its way into my thoughts easily enough, even just now, though I understand the dangers of it.”
Newander shrugged, having no explanation. “That was Cadderly’s theory, not my own,” he reminded her.
“What do you believe?”
Again the druid shrugged. “For Cadderly,” he said, “it was he who opened the bottle, and that alone might have saved him. Often in magical curses, the bringer of the curse does not feel its sting.”
Danica decides to accept his sincerity, even though he doesn't really answer the question in a way she can appreciate.
We get a tour of the kitchens again, and at least one priest shows their vice isn't only gluttony, by coming onto Danica. Avery though, even under a curse, is a good egg.
“Hold!” shouted Headmaster Avery. “What do you think you’re about?”
The priest eyed Avery with sincere confusion, as did Danica, standing behind him.
“Danica,” Avery explained to the man. “Danica and Cadderly! You keep away from her.”
Before the man could make any apologies, before Danica could try to calm Avery, the pudgy headmaster swung across with his other arm, holding a hefty leg of mutton, and cracked the offending priest on the side of the head. The man dropped in a heap and did not move.
“But Headmaster …” Danica began.
Avery cut her off. “No need to thank me,” he said. “I watch out for my dear friend, Cadderly. And for his friends, too, of course. No need to thank me!” He wandered off without waiting for a reply, gorging on his mutton and searching for new stores to raid.
I mean, I'd like it better if it didn't read a little like Avery saved her more for Cadderly than herself, but he still stepped in and I can appreciate that.
So they make it to the cellar, to find it barred. Newander uses magic to warp the wood, which gives Danica the opportunity to try to monk-bash it down. She fails. So they decide to look for another way.
What they find is Percival. Newander can speak to him: Percival knows of a way, though Newander isn't sure he's trustworthy. Danica vouches though, so they head to Mullivy's workshed. Where they find the bloody chains.
Percival apparently had quite a bit to say about that: Mullivy was brought here by someone else and led to "the hole". Newander is impressed by Percival's ability to recall the events. With some wrong turns, the squirrel leads them deeper.
Eventually they spot odd dragging boot prints, the narrative helpfully tells us that neither realize zombies drag their feet when they walk. And the chapter ends here.