Side Quest: Feyre as Bride and Side Characters

This week Cat and Rev talk about Feyre as bride -- and what that means for the different courts -- and some of the side characters introduced in the recent chapter chunks.  

What are you thoughts on Feyre as Tamlin's bride?  And any side characters you want us to deep dive into???

All characters discussed in this podcast are owned by Sarah J Maas and Bloomsbury Publishing.  The music used in this podcast, Enchanted Fantasy - Long Singer by Sonican, is part of pixabay royalty free music.

https://pixabay.com/music/main-title-enchanted-fantasy-long-stinger-377726/ 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hey guys, welcome to another side quest episode of the Massive Encyclopedia, where we talk about a couple of things that we couldn't fit into this week's episode or last week's episode. This side quest is going to focus on something from two episodes ago. It's about Phayra and this notion of the bride and the law of whether or not she was stolen, as well as some of the side characters that we meet in both last chapter chunk and this most recent one. So, Rev, do you want to get us started talking about Phayra as the bride and the laws that go around that?

SPEAKER_01 0:38

Do I? I have been wanting to talk about this for a grip. I am slightly infuriated slash confused. Cressida's like, oh, what a relief to know we're not harboring a stolen bride and we won't have to return you. Um, we'll have to return you to your master. And she's like, first of all, I left of my own free will. Second of all, no one is my master. And she, Cressida, says back to Faira, think that all you want, sister, but the law is the law. We would have to return you. And here is my beef with this. Reese clearly interrupted the wedding before they were married. It's page 41 of Accordamus and Fury. She's 10 steps from the Deis, and she starts to slow down. And then she completely stops. Uh, she's like, if I turn around and walk away, everyone's gonna be talking about this. What do I do? I can't, I can't, I can't. And then she's just like, I don't, I just need to get out. I need to be saved, save me. And Ianthe is like, come on, Ferah, come on, be joined with your true love. Fera, come on. And Ferah's like, No, no, I don't, I don't want to do that. And then bam, she does not complete the ceremony because Reese arrives. Now come back to the chapter chunk when we are in the summer court, and he's like, Any of you that want to return Farah, your life will be forfeit. She actually volunteers herself and she's like, if I were to return to Spring Court, and it could prevent more war and prevent more people from dying, we already know Fera's mindset about the two Faye that she had to kill when she was in um Under the Mountain and like how much it weighs on her. And so we understand that she would be like, I would absolutely do whatever I have to do to make sure that there's no more deaths on my head. But she was not stolen, they were not married, she is not a bride, she walked away of her own accord, but it's only because she was asking for it every single time. She asked for someone to come stop this wedding. Just tell me what your thoughts are on this because I hate this.

SPEAKER_00 3:02

So I have a couple of thoughts on this, and this is more broad picture than line-by-line analysis. I think what we are seeing here, and I think what Sarah J. Mass is doing in this series is she is playing with misogyny in big ways. And because when you think about it, remember back in A Court of Thorns and Roses when Fayra is talking about, well, why aren't there any high ladies? And Tamlin's like, uh, because girls can't be high ladies. There is no such thing. And she's like, Well, I could be. And he goes, nah, that's cute. You can't be. And Reese is the one who's like, there are no high ladies yet. There could be, if there wanted to be one. I think that Cressida and even Tarquin to an extent are living under this pre-under the mountain world where they're like, No, you belong to him. You are his, you were to be his bride, you agreed to be his bride, now you have to finish that contract. And I think this also plays a little bit into the fantasy arc of romanticy. And I think romantic is just historical romance meets fantasy, right? Like you've got the hierarchy, you've got the high lords, you've got this, you've got that. I think that this is tapping back to those origin notes of he is the Lord, and you are to be his wife. You agreed, but also he's chosen you. You don't really get a say-so in this. How many times have we read a romantic book or a historical where the villain or the king will say, I marry this one?

SPEAKER_01 5:07

And she doesn't like the whole entire Tudor dynasty, right?

SPEAKER_00 5:11

Exactly. But also where it's I am, you know, I am supposed to marry the king of the unsealy. I don't want to marry him, I want to marry my guardsman. Well, you don't get the choice. Of course, you marry the guardsman because happily ever afters, right? But I think that that is what's happening here. I think we're getting two worlds kind of crashing together. And in addition to Fayra saying, that's not me, she is literally able to say, That does not count to me because I am unmade and made. I am not of your rules, I'm not of your laws. And she has someone who's very powerful behind her saying, she is made and unmade, she does not follow our rules, she does what she wants. It reminds me of my favorite scene. You mentioned it in this week's episode, but the winter court, where the lady of the winter court is like, she's a high lady? Why can't I be a high lady? I think his name's Calius is like, no, I mean, you could be one if you want. She's like, I do, I do want to be one. He's like, fine. Yeah, like I love you, I'll do whatever you want. You can be a high lady. I don't think that would happen, a pre Under the Mountain. I don't think that would happen without Fayra and Reese. In order for these changes to happen, we have to see what they're changing from. So we have to see someone outside of Tamlin's court saying, no, you don't get the choice. If Tamlin says you are his lady, you are his lady. We will go to war for that because that's what our people do. How many wars have been started over a woman? Helen of Troy. Like that is this is literally Helen of Troy, right? Like she goes to someone else. How different is that?

SPEAKER_01 7:07

I think that like the part that I identify with so much is how many times the words have come out of your mouth. Farah is taking her agency back. And we cannot, as women, continue to support tropes that put women without their agency. And so I do love this like independence and like free women. And I'm saying it like flippantly, like, oh, there's all these tropes, but there are. And so, like, I do see what you're saying. I don't think we can have the change made if we can't point out what we're changing from. We have to establish what the baseline was so that we can see the change. We can see her become a high lady and not have to be the bride of someone else. But I guess like until you point it out, you can't say this is what we're changing from because you haven't established the baseline.

SPEAKER_00 8:06

You have to choose what changes are going to happen, right? When you have a catastrophic event happen and now the rules are changed. Let's take COVID, for instance. COVID has changed the world in immeasurable ways. But we have to or had to actively say, now we're gonna wear masks, now we're gonna do this. It didn't suddenly happen overnight. There were people who were fighting against it. The only way, but the only way that these changes are coming about are by the small individual changes that then become big. So I think that this is actually more powerful because Tarquin is the one who says, unless Tamlin specifically asks, and this is part of that Faye language, right? Where you have to speak a very specific language. Unless he speaks the very specific words, I will not betray you.

SPEAKER_01 9:14

Kind of like how uh the Faye make deals with people, right? Or they make riddles, and it's like you have to read between the lines and realize where the fine print is that no one said, like figure it out.

SPEAKER_00 9:26

Arguably, this goes back to Amarantha, where she and Fayra make the deal, and Fayra clarifies more specifically, and Amarantha's like, oh, you are very smart, you understand our language. I think that is what Tarquin, and the only way that that conversation and that alliance could have happened is by this scene happening. The only way we get to see Tarquin say, I will not rat you out, is because Cressida is the one who says, you know, we could rat you out, and we would be in the right to do so. We would gain favor with the Supreme Court if we did so.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

When Fayra says, I left of my own accord because he locked me up. Now, granted, that clearly does fall into the lines of what you were saying about like historically when a king wants what he wants or royalty or high lord or whatever, they get what they want, and you did agree to it, so we would have to return you as his would-be bride. And then she says, if that's what it would take to prevent more people dying, I I would go back. It's it's it's so like fighting for me, all of these things.

SPEAKER_00 10:46

I think there's also perhaps this slight mentality of well, if you're already willing to go back, it's the permission, right? Yeah. You're you're already saying, yes, you will go back. Why do we have to go to war for you? But I think the important thing here is when Fayra says, No, I chose, that's where we get into her agency. That's where we get into her saying, I chose to marry him, and I chose not to marry him. Or I got a choice both times. One does not negate the other. They have to somehow contend with the way that she left.

SPEAKER_01 11:34

Reese's on the receiving end to come save her. So they now would potentially have to defend supporting someone that it looks like came in and stole his potential bride. The bad guy that everyone knows is the worst guy in Prithian, just came in and stole your woman. With the tattoo that he forced on her.

SPEAKER_00 11:58

So, like, it's so bad looking, you know. But I think this also goes back to those laws we were talking about in the first and second chapters or episodes where it's by law, I cannot go in and take her. When Reese says to Moore, by law, I cannot be the one to do this. It's the same that is an act of war. For a king to go into another kingdom and steal the queen is an act of war in any world, in any country. That is essentially. And and now we also have the who's telling the truth is Tamlin going around saying the night court stole her. If you see my wife, he took her before I could make her my wife. She wants like, right? There's so many different ways to look at this, but I think the most important part of this uh interaction happens on 334 when Tarquin says, I will not mention that you were here. This is him taking a side, this is him ignoring Perithian law, and this could be treason, possibly.

SPEAKER_01 13:19

But also And he's a newer high lord, right?

SPEAKER_00 13:22

So like he still has so much to prove. But also we are gonna have to pay attention, even though they are not they are the summer court's most wanted. Does Tarquin ever reveal to Tamlin that she was there or that she's in the night court? I mean, I know he knows she's in the night court, but does Tarquin ever reveal that that's where she was?

SPEAKER_01 13:54

It's more about like not where actually is Fayra. It's more about which side does Tarquin take. That's kind of what you're saying.

SPEAKER_00 14:04

Yeah, where he has said, You are now my biggest enemy. You are Summer Court's number one target. If that were me, I would go to the Spring Court and say, Your wife was here, team up with me. Now we have two courts that can go against the night court. Cressida's right. High Lords have gone to war for less, you know. Doing it over such an unusual female would be nothing unexpected. If Tarquin wanted, and if he wanted to be that kind of High Lord, he could start a war that he would be in the right to do per Perithian law.

SPEAKER_01 14:46

God, we have talked about this for two episodes now. What a good guy Tarquin is. He sends them the blood rubies and he's like enemy number one, two, and three. Also, though, I'm not gonna tell Tamlin you were here.

SPEAKER_00 15:00

But also, this is something I didn't mention in our episode. We know that Tarquin and Varian are very close friends. They were guards together. Are we meant to believe that Varian did not tell Tarquin that he sent Amr uh he sent Amran a peace offering?

SPEAKER_01 15:22

How could he have even got it without Tarquin's permission? I mean, Tarquin's in charge of the trove, right? So he had to have gotten it with Tarquin's, if not permission, at least knowledge.

SPEAKER_00 15:34

Or if he didn't know, he'll find out. Because I'm sure they're gonna do a catalogue of anything else that was stolen. So Because they already stole the Book of Breathings. What else did they steal? Is this a case of you know, it's it's like the spy games where it's like, I'm going to say, How dare you do this? But like on the down low, I get why you did this, and the secret tunnel to get out of here is through there. I as we're talking about that, I I wonder how much Tarquin knew. I I it just reiterates that he is such a good character. I'm a gentleman. I want a little novella of him finding love because gosh darn it, he deserves it. He deserves it.

SPEAKER_01 16:26

I want him to find love. I do. He's such a good guy. He's so good. He sends them blood rubies yet does not go to Tamlin and be like, your girl was here. He doesn't do he like I don't know how to reconcile all this, but he's maybe he does good.

SPEAKER_00 16:44

I mean, maybe he does. Maybe we don't know. I'm gonna have to pay attention later on.

SPEAKER_01 16:47

But I just don't do it. Don't ruin Tarquin for us. Don't do it.

SPEAKER_00 16:54

He never said a word and leave it that way. I do think that that's the importance of this scene. The importance of this scene is establishing the law and establishing the tradition so that Fayra and Resand can flip it on its head, and we see that flip become the norm or a protocol because we also see it in the winter court. Let's talk about female side characters that happen in these chapter chunks because we see so much.

SPEAKER_01 17:24

Yeah, which one do you want to start with?

SPEAKER_00 17:27

I am gonna actually start with the restaurant owner from last episode, episode six, and it's in chapter 29 on page 283. So, what's happening here is the inner circle have gone out to eat, and the restaurant owner I always have felt like she is a representation of the Valerian people, but also Reese's leadership. In what world does someone go up to a high lord and say the traders were saying the prices might rise, especially if high burn is true? If anyone were to say that to Tamlin or Barron, they would lose an eye, to say the least, right? Lucian did lose anything. Reese's he did lose an eye. Tamlin's response is I'm gonna make sure that those prices don't go up. He does not get angry, he does not get affronted, and even down the table I felt others' attention slide to us as they kept talking. Other people are listening to this conversation, and Reese isn't mad. She feels comfortable enough to talk about this and she tries to give them a free meal. She gives Amran blood. She literally slaughters a lamb or a goat, saying, I was gonna cook it tomorrow, it doesn't matter. Who are you that you are that good of a high lord that your people uh fawn over you, not because they have to, but because they want to, and uh everyone knows her, like Reese greets her.

SPEAKER_01 19:17

She on page 284 is like, I'll bring you guys a special dessert. Like she's she she's not trying to get to the point where she's like simpering, she's uh to the point where we see her expressing gratitude.

SPEAKER_00 19:36

When we see interactions with Tamlin, everyone is fearful bowing. Yes, I'm bowing, I don't look him in the eyes, you must have a tithe, oh God bless him if they don't have it. With Reese, people see him walk through the city. The restaurant owners can go up to him and be like, hey, we just got spices back. Are you really gonna take this away from us? Oh my god, the prices. Also, I'm gonna give you the best meal of the night. No, I don't want any money. Oh, yeah, I'm gonna go slaughter the the cow so that your friend can have something to eat. I'm not even gonna use this meat tonight. Like this character who we never see again, we never hear her name, seems to represent so much of that.

SPEAKER_01 20:25

That's what I was gonna say. She represents the people of Valeris who are just like, I'm I'm not trying to gain favor. I'm just so grateful for the person that you are. Like, I'm so grateful. And I just, what else can I do? Because that's how much we think you are an amazing leader, and like how much what you've done for us, what can I ever even amount to do? What kind of meal could I ever make to pay you back for what you did for us?

SPEAKER_00 20:56

This is why I wanted to talk about the side characters that we meet in this chapter chunk in the last one, is they seem to represent more than just the words on the page. This character represents more than just a restaurant owner. Similarly, the wraiths in chapter eight and in the last episode represent more than just another fae creature. They represent kindness and reciprocosity, I think is how you pronounce it. Reciprocity. Yep, that word. They represent gratitude. Yes. You know, we're told that they are greedy, that they want nothing but meat and jewels and all of this. Hold on.

SPEAKER_01 21:48

Amran literally says it, page 357. Only an immortal with a mortal heart would have given those horrible beasts the money. Like that's how they're seen.

SPEAKER_00 21:58

Alice says it's on page. 97. Too many fairies have tasted hunger these past 50 years. Don't think this won't spread. And before that, she will never forget it. As long as she lives, no matter what you said, she is in your debt. But Fayra didn't do this because of debt. Fayra did this as compassion, as a testament to her character. Tamlin would never. I do not think Reese would uh punish someone because they did not have the means to get some sort of payment to him. He might peacock around and make a grand gesture, this and that, but I don't think he would punish the way that the members of the Supreme Court are being punished.

SPEAKER_01 22:53

I I don't I don't even think he would peacock around. There's no way he would be so disrespectful to Cassian and Azreel that he would even peacock around it. I don't think he would. I think he would just automatically be like, hands down, what this this is unnecessary, and just drop it and let it be and never speak about it again.

SPEAKER_00 23:13

I think in the Court of Nightmares he would.

SPEAKER_01 23:17

Right, yeah, that's true. Yeah. But the Court of Nightmares are also a-holes and they deserve it.

SPEAKER_00 23:23

Agree. Yes, but that is his the persona he has to put on. But I think it's one of those cases where it's it reminds me of Claire Badour. Reese does these actions where he's punishing people but still being kind. Tamlin would never. And I think that the wraiths are these creatures that are supposedly greedy and ugly and no one and they're they're monstrous, but someone showed them kindness and they have honor that to the point where one water wraith or three of them in the spring court, how do they get word to the summer court to their other water wraiths?

SPEAKER_01 24:07

How do they know? How do they know? But like there is this appreciation and commitment that these water wraiths of summer court are aware of who Fayra is and what she has done, and like save her. Appreciation and truth. That that is truth. This this is true commitment to honoring. We realize the good person that you are, even though no one else would do that for us, and we have got your back. You don't even know. We've talked to all the water wraiths and all the court. And if you ever need our help, we're there. Like, like, how else does that work, right?

SPEAKER_00 25:05

Right. Like, but I think but I think now that that debt is settled, now they're done. They don't have now the word can go out.

SPEAKER_01 25:12

Just because if Fayra hadn't done them another solid, that they wouldn't do her another solid. I feel like they would reach a handout to her, even if she they didn't owe her anything, that I think they would. I don't say I'm not saying I hope we see that, but if we do, I'll be like, not surprised. I called it why because like everyone thinks they're trash and maybe they're not trash. Yeah, maybe they're just different.

SPEAKER_00 25:38

Okay, who do you want to move on to next?

SPEAKER_01 25:41

I want to move on to, I'm just going order of how I have them written down. Can we talk about Miriam next? I would love it if we did. My thoughts starting out, we keep hearing about Miriam. She is unmade and made, right? Like she died and then was brought back to life. The only thing that's like kind of comparable to Ferah, except for Amran and all the others we've already mentioned. But she was with the human Jurian, then she fell for Dracon. So I would like to talk about this made and unmade or unmade and made with Miriam, how that compares to Jurian because she was with Jurion, then went to Dracon. But now Jurian is also gonna turn into an unmade and a made person. There's the comparison with Amron, there's the comparison with the Book of Breathings because it's kind of sentient. Together, Miriam and Dracon guard this mysterious object. Apparently, it's also the object that was brought forth from the cauldron that gave her her life back, and they're guarding that, and that's maybe the fifth part of the trove, but also isn't the horn the fifth part of the trove? So, like, well, uh, I don't know. Tell me some of your thoughts on this.

SPEAKER_00 27:00

I I think they are given the cauldron at the end because they have been living in secret for the past 500 years, and no one knows where they are. I could be wrong about that, but we'll have to pay attention.

SPEAKER_01 27:19

What about her previously leaving Jurian and going with Dracon? But now Jurian is gonna be just like her. He's gonna be an unmade and a made person. He's gonna be the third. Miriam, then Ferah, now Jurian. So fourth. And fourth, because there's also Amran.

SPEAKER_00 27:39

I think it will be interesting to look at because I I wanted I want to pay attention more to Miriam when we get to her. Is Jurian gonna be considered made and unmade? Because if you make I mean, okay, this is gonna be a weird comparison, but go with me. When you cut a tail off of a lizard, the lizard is not unmade, it just grows a new tail, right? We're not pulling anything different. Jurian is just it's his whole body.

SPEAKER_01 28:12

He's been stuck in a ring, he hasn't been unmade, he hasn't died.

SPEAKER_00 28:15

He ha right. He has been conscious and aware of everything that has been happening while with Amarantha. Faera was made and unmade. She was killed, and her body was changed from one species to another. Jurian remains human. I think that's all I've got on Miriam. Um I got on Miriam. What do you want to move on to next? Crescida. Let's do it. I want to pay attention. Do we ever find out if Cresida is under the mountain? I don't think she is. I think I get the sense that she was ruling in the High Lord's uh stead.

SPEAKER_01 29:03

Because Is she like a Moore situation where she was like in control and like was ruling while they were under the mountain? Is that what you're saying? That is what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_00 29:12

I'll buy it. Because when we first meet Crescida and um Tarquin and that whole lot, at the end of that chapter, it's when Reese says don't don't threaten her. Do not take her caution personally. What sacrifices has she made?

SPEAKER_01 29:47

Well, I don't think we ever hear very much more about Cressida other than when we're in summer court. We don't hear more of it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:54

And I also wanted to note in this most recent chapter episode on 340, Varian was studying Amran as if he was trying to solve a riddle she'd posed to him, and she paid him no heed whatsoever as she debated with Cressida about the variation or various translations of some ancient text. So what does Cressida know that we don't know that she knows? What does she know that we don't know?

SPEAKER_01 30:24

And what is she translating? So this ties into something that is the thing that I've been waiting to tell you for so long. Laid on me. SJM admitted publicly that she quote accidentally reused the name Cresida in Throne of Glass. She didn't realize that she had already used it in Avatar, so she reused it in Throne of Glass. But did she actually reuse it? Or is this where Cressida ties into talking to Amran about text that she knows because who is she in the case? I know Cresida is not the name Cressida is used in Throne of Glass.

SPEAKER_00 31:14

Who where is she in Throne of Glass? Oh she is the matron of the Blue Blood Witch Clan.

SPEAKER_01 31:27

Yep. The blue blood matron coven. The high witch. Oh so did SJM reuse that name? Was it truly by accident and she didn't realize it? Or is she holding out on us? And Cressida knows something reinvigorated because she's a cousin, she's not a sister. So who knows actually how long she's been alive? And I mean, he's been under the mountain for 50 plus years. So, like, maybe she has been around a lot longer than anyone knows. Because how else would she have knowledge to talk about translating ancient languages with Amber?

SPEAKER_00 32:16

Right. And also, what kind of cousin is she? Moore and Reese are cousins. Barely.

SPEAKER_01 32:24

And we don't know how close they are. Are they first cousins? Are they 18th cousins? No one knows. Because we all know it has been established. SJN does not reuse names. She claims to the people. I accidentally did that. And then in five years, is she gonna be like, ha ha! Drop a bomb on y'all. Guess what? I didn't accidentally reuse it. It was on purpose. Also, if it is on accident. I don't want to say this, but I'm gonna say it. What does this mean for our dear sweet briar? I want her to live on. Don't let it be an accident. Let it be on purpose.

SPEAKER_00 33:04

Nope, it's on purpose.

SPEAKER_01 33:05

We'll get there. It's on purpose. I thank you for solidifying my confidence and making me feel better about that.

SPEAKER_00 33:14

I'm shooketh, as they say. Because like she's a witch of the blue bloods. And Cresida.

SPEAKER_01 33:25

And I feel like her race was white in Throne of Glass, right? Aren't the blue bloods more white complexed?

SPEAKER_00 33:34

I think so. But the blue bloods, like the color blue, which is also similar to the summer court blue. I feel like this could be a uh rabbit hole you just fall down. That's a good one.

SPEAKER_01 33:49

It's a really good one. Fall down it. Also, side note, real quick, we can just talk about it and laugh about it. The amount of jealousy that Farah has for Cressida when she's like, I just hope they go to her room because I can't even hear that his room is too close to mine. I can't even tolerate that. She's so jealous. It's so good.

SPEAKER_00 34:09

It's so well, and this goes to their relationship, right? Like she is showing jealousy because she actually wants him. She hasn't admitted it yet. But if she didn't care if Reese, if she didn't care about Reese, she would not care if he was hooking up with someone.

SPEAKER_01 34:26

Okay. And who would not be in the Tarquin? Like I already said last two episodes ago, Tarquin is hot AF, and I would be like hot on the trail of Tarquin. He's perfect.

SPEAKER_00 34:38

We've already said he's literally the nicest High Lord out there.

SPEAKER_01 34:42

He's so he gives her stuff knowing that she's gonna go back with another man. Potentially two other men. She's promised to one man going back with another man, and he's like, I'll just give you a necklace. Like, he's so good. Oh He's so good.

SPEAKER_00 34:55

Okay. Uh last one is Six Human Queens. Yeah. I feel like the six human queens are going to be a theme throughout the next throughout the rest of the series. Because they are so conniving. They are evil, and they are very secretive. The fact that they can winnow is huge.

SPEAKER_01 35:30

They've already like Fayra feels guilty about stolen powers. They are not even Faye. What are they doing with this book of breathings that they can winnow? And what else can they do? Right. There's six human queens that stole how much power, or I guess have been smart enough to utilize it. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 35:52

But what so I I don't think they stole it. I think in the next chapter chunk they say it was gifted to us. But oh, they do say that in the next chapter chunk. But I think the big thing with the six queens is their purpose is not for the humans. They want to become immortal. They want what Phayra has.

SPEAKER_01 36:18

We see that in book three, don't we?

SPEAKER_00 36:21

We see that at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_01 36:22

Where one of them jumps into a cauldron.

SPEAKER_00 36:24

No. That's how book two ends. Spoiler. Okay. They throw Nesta and Elaine in to see if it works, and it does for them. And then one of them jumps in and she becomes an old lady. I also think it's interesting. I don't remember where the one queen is. Because don't only five show up? Five. Only five. And two guards. Where's two guards per queen?

SPEAKER_01 36:50

Two guards per queen? They say she's yeah. Uh it says um five show up. Five show up with two guards per queen.

SPEAKER_00 37:00

Oh, you're right. Two guards apiece. I'm interested in the next chapter chunk. I've not read ahead. I think the queens are going to be. They're big players for the rest of the book, even though we only see them a handful of times, because they drop off because that one one queen gives them the book of breathings. And the other queens kill them.

SPEAKER_01 37:25

The like nice one. Right. The other queens kill her. Leave her in hilarious. Two points that connect together and interact. First of all, one, why is Azreel unable to penetrate their defenses? Number two. Who set up those wards? Who's doing that and who's protecting? Who's powerful enough to keep Azreel out? But two, I just have to connect it. Why did they demand no weapons? Because it's already Illyrians are weapons in and of themselves. Illyrians do not need weapons to be weapons. So they obviously have magic. They obviously can keep Azrael out. Why did they demand no weapons? I feel like this was a ploy to make everyone else think that we feel vulnerable because we have no magic or very little magic. And so we're gonna ask everyone else to not have weapons. It was a sign that they were sending to everyone else. We're actually vulnerable, so you don't have to be scared of us. I think they did that, and they are not scared of weapons whatsoever.

SPEAKER_00 38:40

I think that at this point. So what? Chapter 39 of Accord of Mist and Fury, they have already aligned themselves with Hi Burn. He has made them some sort of promise to protect them, not the humans, and that is why they are turned into the but they want to be turned into Faye, and that's what Hibern offers them at the end, and proves that it can be done through Nesta and Elaine. I want to know how that connection, how that relationship was established and what they did. Like what how did this relationship happen?

SPEAKER_01 39:33

I think this next book, I think there's a reason she's coming out with two books so fast, right? Like, there is so much we have to catch up on over the past several years, but we needed to spend so much time on Nesta because Nesta is such a big character and she's so important, and we had to devote so much time to her. I think these next two books are her being like, Everybody, let's roll out. We're gonna go catch up on the story. Everything else that you guys have had questions about, we're gonna go figure out. I just think Nesta needed so much time.

SPEAKER_00 40:08

But I think the six queens, their storyline ends at the end of this book. They're gone. They're dead.

SPEAKER_01 40:20

But it doesn't mean we can't find out history, right? Because like, how many times do we get later on and find out history about like what was planned, what went right, what went wrong. Right, right, right, right.

SPEAKER_00 40:31

I just want to pay so much more attention to highburn because I feel like she's almost replicating Amarantha and Hiburn. Like, Amarantha is this big bad person in book one. She's only in for a few chapters. Hi Burn is the big bad, and he's in for a book and a half, but he dies pretty quickly.

SPEAKER_01 40:59

And it's not like he's a main character in most of our chapters. He's not correct. He's he's kind of like that shadow threat, but it's kind of like a video game. Like we're encountering these bosses, and the books that we're reading are giving us the skills to get to like the next boss. But I I see what you're saying, like so little importance is uh given on their story and their arcs and their background and how everything will be played out. And we have a lot of assumptions that we have to make to cross these bridges to get from one story to the next.

SPEAKER_00 41:36

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I think the six queens, it will be very interesting to pay attention, especially in the next chapter chunk, to the language that they use, to what their intentions are and what they do versus how they what they really want.

SPEAKER_01 41:58

And luckily, we have the benefit of knowing that because we've read all of these books before. We have read them.

SPEAKER_00 42:06

Uh, is there anything else you want to add in? I got nothing else. What else do we have? That's all I have. Don't forget, next week we are reading chapters 40 through 44 of A Court of Mist and Fury. And I guess we'll see you guys next week. With bells on. Okay. I will talk to you guys later. I will talk to you probably later.

unknown 42:31

All right.

SPEAKER_00 42:32

I will definitely talk to you later. Bye.