Tigana - Chapter 7
Apr. 1st, 2013 01:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fajrdrakoThe scene has switched to Chiara, the island to the north of the Peninsula, where Brandin of Ygrath is based. We're into Dianora's point of view, in the palace of Brandin of Ygrath. The Grand Dukes used to throw their rings into the sea - a reference to the Venetian custom, but also a revisitation of the legendary history of Chiara and the story of Onestra. We learn that Dionora is now thirty-three - about the same age as Alessan - and remembers Tigana. Through her point of view, we meet Brandin - so it's not as the conqueror who was Valentin's enemy that we see him. It's an intimate portrait. We see her making him laugh. She is the favourite in his harem or "saishan".
We learn that Dianora was the daughter of Saevar, the sculptor we met in the Prologue who was a friend of Prince Valentin. Her father was killed in the battle when she was fourteen, her home and her father's art destroyed, and her mother lost to dewspair. Dianora lived and planned revenge by becoming close to Brandin, and geared her life to this goal, her "Twin Snakes". Then failed to accomplish her goal, because she fell in love with Brandin. Her view of him is new and unexpected: "[His] voice was knowledge and wit and grace to her, water in the dryness of her days. Whose laughter when he set it free, when she could draw it forth from him, was like the healing sun slicing the clouds." Quite a contrast to the picture we have of Alberico.
Through Dianora's mother, we get a description of Tigana as it once was, and the Palace by the Sea, and its destruction.
Named characters in this chapter:
Dionora di Tigana bren Saevar
Saevar di Tigana, her father, a sculptor who was killed at the Second Battle of the Deisa
Solores di Corte, another woman in the saishan, implied to be Brandin's pervious favourite
Scelto, a castrate, her friend and servant, aged about sixty - from Khardun (the land north of the Peninsula)
Vencel, in charge of the saishan, a teller of tall tales about himself
Hala, servant to Solores
Iassica, a new girl in the saishan
Tesios, her servant
Nesaia, Chlymoene - other women in the saishan
Chloese, a woman in the seishan, now dead
Girald, Brandin's son in Ygrath, now Regent of Ygrath
D'Eymon of Ygrath, Brandin's Chancellor
Dorotea of Ygrath, Brandin's Queen, still in Ygrath
Rhun, the Fool, a deformed shadow of Brandin, at least partly controlled by magic
Doarde, a poet
The Governor of Sevanien (formerly Avalle of the Towers)
Arduini, his chef
Osraria, a famed architect of Tigana, the first to build towers in Avalle
Neso of Ygrath, a nobleman whom Dianora doe not like
Rhamanus, Captain of a Tribute Ship for Brandin, who took Dianora to Chiara
Between scenes of Brandin's court at Chiara, we have the story of how Dianora came to be in Brandin's saishan, having pretended to be a serving-girl from Certando. Since Certando was under Alberico's rule, there had been fear that her siezure might spart a diplomatic (or military) incident with Alberico, but no one cared.
We get to see some of Brandin's magic in action as it is used as a sort of telephone service to communicate with Rhamanus. The contrast with Alberico continues, as Brandin seems to have a sense of fair rule and does not torture or execute those who displease him.
We learn that Dianora was the daughter of Saevar, the sculptor we met in the Prologue who was a friend of Prince Valentin. Her father was killed in the battle when she was fourteen, her home and her father's art destroyed, and her mother lost to dewspair. Dianora lived and planned revenge by becoming close to Brandin, and geared her life to this goal, her "Twin Snakes". Then failed to accomplish her goal, because she fell in love with Brandin. Her view of him is new and unexpected: "[His] voice was knowledge and wit and grace to her, water in the dryness of her days. Whose laughter when he set it free, when she could draw it forth from him, was like the healing sun slicing the clouds." Quite a contrast to the picture we have of Alberico.
Through Dianora's mother, we get a description of Tigana as it once was, and the Palace by the Sea, and its destruction.
Named characters in this chapter:
Dionora di Tigana bren Saevar
Saevar di Tigana, her father, a sculptor who was killed at the Second Battle of the Deisa
Solores di Corte, another woman in the saishan, implied to be Brandin's pervious favourite
Scelto, a castrate, her friend and servant, aged about sixty - from Khardun (the land north of the Peninsula)
Vencel, in charge of the saishan, a teller of tall tales about himself
Hala, servant to Solores
Iassica, a new girl in the saishan
Tesios, her servant
Nesaia, Chlymoene - other women in the saishan
Chloese, a woman in the seishan, now dead
Girald, Brandin's son in Ygrath, now Regent of Ygrath
D'Eymon of Ygrath, Brandin's Chancellor
Dorotea of Ygrath, Brandin's Queen, still in Ygrath
Rhun, the Fool, a deformed shadow of Brandin, at least partly controlled by magic
Doarde, a poet
The Governor of Sevanien (formerly Avalle of the Towers)
Arduini, his chef
Osraria, a famed architect of Tigana, the first to build towers in Avalle
Neso of Ygrath, a nobleman whom Dianora doe not like
Rhamanus, Captain of a Tribute Ship for Brandin, who took Dianora to Chiara
Between scenes of Brandin's court at Chiara, we have the story of how Dianora came to be in Brandin's saishan, having pretended to be a serving-girl from Certando. Since Certando was under Alberico's rule, there had been fear that her siezure might spart a diplomatic (or military) incident with Alberico, but no one cared.
We get to see some of Brandin's magic in action as it is used as a sort of telephone service to communicate with Rhamanus. The contrast with Alberico continues, as Brandin seems to have a sense of fair rule and does not torture or execute those who displease him.
