Tag Archives: Daav yos’Phelium’s woodworking

Plan B – Chapter 19

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Liad
Jelaza Kazone

In which Anthora counts stars.

Re-reading in chronological order, it’s easy to lose track, but I think this might be the first published appearance of the Tree in person, as it were, although it’s appeared a time or two as an impressive object on the skyline. Likewise, I think this is the first published mention of Cousin Luken, whom Val Con neglected to mention to Miri a few chapters back.

(And no mention of Cousin Luken’s obligate heir, who in the entire series has only been mentioned once, and that in a story set many years before this; I suppose we must take it that in this present she no longer stands among the surviving members of the Clan.)

I’m not entirely sure of the identity of the extra person whom Anthora can’t put a name to. All things considered, I think it’s probably her uncle Daav, who is “momentarily beyond the clan”, as Val Con told Miri earlier; she’s never met him in person, since he left Liad before she was born, so she wouldn’t have a personal familiarity to match the impression to. (Supporting this conclusion is the observation that the authors found an excuse to remind us of his existence earlier in this same chapter.) But I don’t know how much we’re supposed to read into that bit about it being “at the extreme edge of her ability to read”, and sometimes that leads me into more esoteric speculations.

Mouse and Dragon – Chapter 38

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In which Daav grieves.

Daav’s grief is very effectively conveyed in this chapter, to the point where I feel obliged to remain respectfully quiet and not intrude with my chatter.

Mouse and Dragon – Chapter 25

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In which Aelliana takes decisive action in response to Mizel’s message.

I said in an earlier entry that one of the things worth noting about Scout’s Progress was the way it wasn’t a story about Aelliana being rescued, but a story about Aelliana rescuing herself. Even though she is now, for the most part, rescued, Mouse and Dragon has continued to be a story in which Aelliana makes the decisive moves in her own life. She was the originator and driving force of the idea of going for courier, and each time her personal relationship with Daav has tightened a notch, it’s been her making the move. (Which is an important thing, for a person whose life was for so long out of her control.) That continues here: the proposal that they cry lifemates comes from her, unbidden, when she’s ready and not before.

Mouse and Dragon – Chapter 17

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In which yos’Galan advises Korval, for the good of the clan.

Ah, Daav’s famous toasted cheese sandwiches.

On this readthrough, it strikes me that they’re toasted cheese sandwiches, because the word that’s been used up until now has been “handwich”. (At the risk of self-incrimination, I admit that this is a thing I’ve been actively tracking.) Perhaps it’s a translation convention, where “handwich” is the Terran word and bears some etymological connection to “hand” and “sandwich”, but the Liaden word is so completely different that one might as well translate it as “sandwich” and have done.

I like the idea that every toasted cheese sandwich is a unique work of art, and that there is therefore no wrong way to make one.

Scout’s Progress – Chapter 34

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In which Aelliana invents a solar system.

There’s a parallel going on here between the situations of Aelliana and Samiv. Neither of them is getting the care they ought to be able to expect from their own clans. Both of them have an opportunity to appeal to Daav for assistance, and impediments to grasping the opportunity. (It’s a sign probably of Samiv’s desperation as much as anything that she has actually taken that step — especially after her delm expressly forbade her to.)

I wonder… if Aelliana had also decided to turn to Daav, would she have ended up waiting in the same room as Samiv? What would they have talked about? Probably not, though; I expect when you have a house as big as Korval does, the standard routine is for the butler to leave each visitor waiting in a different room, and probably not even let them know there are other visitors unless instructed otherwise. (And anyway, if Aelliana had decided to turn to Daav, she’d have phoned instead of turning up on his doorstep, the location of which is still unknown to her.)

Scout’s Progress – Chapter 5

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In which Daav and Aelliana each get something to eat and gain some measure of comfort.

Daav’s little self-analysis session is interesting. It speaks well of him that he is able to be honest with himself about his failings and potential failings and about what may be necessary to address them.

It places him in contrast to Ran Eld Caylon, who is driven by jealousy of his power and position within the clan. Daav, as this scene shows, is also strongly beset by jealousy, but he doesn’t let it poison his relationships or steer him into dishonor.

That scene is also interesting in the light of what “Dragon Tide” says about how, back in the day, the Tree’s ancestors would each have a special branch where the dragons would sleep to commune with the tree. I wonder how much influence Tree had on Daav and Er Thom’s choice of location for their sanctuary platform?