Second Son Read Along: Chapter 11
Chellayn: a city of beautyI originally pulled the inspiration for the look and feel of this city from my experience visiting Chartres, France when I was in high school. Except that Chartres is not a harbor-city, so it doesn't have exactly the same look and feel as what I picture Chellayn being.
(image found in a google search for "Chartres cathedral")
I also really like THIS IMAGE , but Chellayn is less blocky and the buildings would have more curves and stained glass and fountains.
An unexpected appearance
If you have not read King's Warrior, the appearance of Kiernan Kane here will not necessarily mean anything to you. But for those who have read KW, I hope this moment was surprising and intriguing. Especially when you remember that at this point in the timeline we are approximately 50 years away from the moment where King's Warrior opens, and our dear minstrel's age suddenly doesn't appear to match up to the years he's lived.
Honestly, Kiernan's appearance here startled me as much as it may you. Just goes to show, that you can write the story... but it's the characters who make all the important decisions!
The minstrel's tale tugs at Rhoyan's heart, causing a restlessness (and a selfishness) to awaken with him as he begins to realize that he is not yet ready to return home. He is not ready to settle into a life of duty and responsibility. For the first time since Sheyardin's death, he sees his current circumstances as freedom — up until now, it's been more of a struggle to stay alive and dreams of returning home — but now that the return home seems within his grasp, he is suddenly reluctant to give up that freedom. He wants one more adventure before he settles down in his role supporting his older brother as king, and the tale of Lewstor rouses his curiosity.
Seamas leaves the King's Helm
Back in Llycaelon, Seamas is shouldering more and more responsibility during his father's illness. Reluctantly, he finds himself forced to step down from his leadership role in the King's Helm.
This section has a few foreshadowy bits in it - referencing a "missing stanza" in the prophecy as well as Llewana's outburst that the rulers of Llycaelon are arrogant beyond reason for believing such a prophecy is only about them. Llewana was a fun character to write, and even though she's more of a secondary character overall, I always enjoyed writing her interacting with Seamas. In this particular scene, you should begin to see a hint that their relationship has grown into something more than friendship.
Emnolae
"A ring of cool flames"
Did you figure out the reference to a dormant volcano before Rhoyan did?
On the outskirts of the forest, we meet a young family: mother, son, and daughter. Though they may seem fairly normal at first, we soon discover that the mother is a type of guardian. How she came to such a position is a mystery for a different story, but she has in her possession the information Rhoyan needs to finish his self-appointed quest... and later in this chapter we will also find out that she is the keeper of the key necessary for completing the journey.
Her daughter, Ina, also appears to possess some sort of prophetic or visionary skills... a rare gift for a human.
The path through the woods and the crumbling palace
Whenever I see a forest or get to go hiking in the woods, I always at some point pretend I'm in Mirkwood. What can I say? The Hobbit made a lasting impression on me at an early age. With this forest, I wanted to capture a little bit of that feeling of mystery and danger... but I also wanted to make it my own, and give Rhoyan a way to see through the deception the Wylder Wood weaves. Rhoyan does a little growing up here, as well... the others instinctively look to him to be their leader, to bring them safely through this quest, and like it or not, he has to bear the weight of responsibility for these companions who are trusting him to keep them safe.
When they see the palace, Rhoyan catches a glimpse of what it means to be a good leader. I love this moment as the ghosts of High Kings whisper straight to his heart about power under control and taking responsibility and using their strength to serve and protect.
At the end of the chapter, our companions find a door that they believe will lead them straight to the heart of the volcano. Let's leave them there for now, shall we?
Discussion Questions:
1. A lot of different places are described in this chapter. Which of these locations would you most like to visit based on the descriptions? 2. What did you think of the appearance of a certain story-telling character? If you've read King's Warrior, did that surprise you? 3. Lots of foreshadowing and storytelling and prophecy stuff in this chapter... is it starting to come together for you, or are you still feeling a little lost? Any of it make you concerned for the fates of any of our characters we've been hanging out with? 4. Any predictions about what happens next?As always, if you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comments or over in the discussion group and I'll answer them in the next post!