#cleon of kennan

[minuiko]

Another Tortall sketchdump!

[ace-oreos]

Dar Reads Lady Knight: Ch. 3

Finally back at it! This chapter covers a lot of ground considering it's fairly short, so I will probably have more to say than I did for the first two. As usual, commentary/favorite quotes are below the cut.

Love the Alanna and Neal moment on page 49... the whole "good question, next question" conversation. It would be super cool if we got a little short story of Neal's time as Alanna's squire. I can only imagine what that was like given their personalities.

"He said last night you're a bear for vegetables - Sir Nealan, that is" (pg. 50). Tobe's only been with Kel for a short time and Neal is already teaching him well, haha.

Cleon makes his entrance. I have to be honest, I'm happy with the decision Kel makes re: Cleon. She doesn't feel the same way she once did, and she knows it wouldn't be fair to either of them to try to continue the romance, Cleon's impending marriage aside. I was never a huge fan of Kel/Cleon, but I was glad Kel got to enjoy a healthy relationship while it lasted, considering how some of Alanna's relationships went.

"She didn't want Cleon as a lover now, of that she was sure. There was work to be done. She wanted no lovers until she had settled the Nothing Man's account" (pg 51). Not gonna lie, I really, really like these lines. There is work to be done, and devotion to duty has been the foundation of Kel's philosophy since day one.

I should note that I don't dislike Cleon as a character. He's doing the honorable thing by marrying someone in order to provide for the people he's responsible for as lord of Kennan.

I love the scene when Tobe asks Kel why she's crying, and her explanation: "It's not the war, Tobe. I've been shot at. I can bear it. I'm crying because my friend is unhappy and everything is changing." First of all, relatable. Second, I love the respect that already exists between Tobe and Kel - his first reaction isn't to make fun of her, but to sympathize.

Kel asking Duke Baird how he can still go and do his duty even after seeing the brutality of war firsthand makes me feel things. And his response that all he can do is his best. Ugh. Feels.

Baird asking Kel to keep an eye on Neal if they are assigned to the same post alsdkfj. Kel and Neal friendship 2kforever.

Owen's back! Gotta love Owen. The way he tries to be as formal as Wyldon trained him to be while still being irrepressibly Owen is so funny. What a gremlin.

Poor Kel, being worried that Wyldon doesn't trust her ability as a knight after all. If I were in her position, I'd probably feel the same about the possibility of getting a "safe" assignment. Especially since she knows that people will say she's not cut out to be a knight if she's not out on the front lines.

Kel and Wyldon's dynamic. Amazing. Wyldon has come so far since First Test, and Kel is willing to see that. I think anyone else would hold a grudge against Wyldon for the way he treated Kel if they were in her shoes, but she's willing to see past that.

Kel's going to do her duty if it kills her. This girl. I wish I could properly express what she means to me.

Mistress Fanche makes her entrance when Wyldon is showing Kel the refugees. Considering what she's been through, I don't think it would be fair to dislike her for her attitude.

"[Wyldon]'s happy, she realized, stunned. Training us - that was his duty. But he didn't like it. He's comfortable here, in the dirt and the cold, with people to defend" (pg. 70). I wonder if Kel realizes how similar she and Wyldon are when it comes to duty. She'll do whatever he orders, even if she privately disagrees or dislikes it, but at the end of the day she's happiest when there's hard work to be done.

The Kel and Owen moment at the end of the chapter. Kel's right - Owen is growing up well. They are 100% ride or die, and I am here for it. When Owen says he would do anything to help her, he means it. Kel hasn't had a lot of experience with that so far, what with several of her peers trying to sabotage her during her days as a page, so I imagine Owen's genuine loyalty must mean the world to her.

[goodgrammaritan]

"The queen said if Raoul was going to squall like an infant cheated of a sweet he could go to his room."

-Cleon of Kennan, Squire by Tamora Pierce

[raoulgoldenlake]

Garvey couldn’t say exactly how it happened. One minute they were sitting next to each other on Cleon’s bed, and then next moment, his hands were around Cleon’s waist and Cleon was kissing him.

Stop! This isn’t something boys do, not with other boys. The voice in Garvey’s head was forceful, but like so many other situations that year, Garvey couldn’t make his body do what his mind commanded. Every rational thought, the part of his brain that still remembered the Code of Chivalry demanded that he pull away, and yet. Here he was.

He couldn’t have said how long the two of them kissed each other, only that Cleon was first to break the kiss, and with a fierce blush said, “now problem 3. I still don’t understand it,” and the boys went back to math as if nothing had happened.

--

Who would’ve thought I would write a Garvey/Cleon fic? And yet, thanks to @fiefgoldenlake, here it is.

[idreamtiflew]

I made a bunch of Tortall characters on Artbreeder.com. Most are Protector of the Small Age, but certainly with a few liberties thrown in. Enjoy! (Made par moi using Artbreeder software)

Keladry of Mindelan 

Nealan of Queenscove

Domitan of Masbolle

Cleon of Kennan 

Lalasa Isran

Merric of Hollyrose

Owen of Jesslaw

Joren of Stonemountain

Tobeis Boon

Prince Roald of Conte

CONTINUED IN NEXT POST

[deanmarywinchester]

definitive ranking of Tortall love interests

oh boy. i loved the Tortall books as a kid and i am having a blast on my reread, but one thing that I almost uniformly dislike about them is their romance plots. it’s the rare Tortall love interest who isn’t creepy in some way, much older than the protagonist, or just plain boring. so to go along with my ranking, each dude will get a ranking on a Creep Scale (0-10, with 0 being a normal nice dude and 10 being a huge creep), and an Interest Index (10 being extremely charming and interesting and 0 being more boring than a rock). without further ado, the ranking:

8: liam ironarm: just, the Absolute bottom of the barrel. I can only assume he must have been extremely hot and an extremely good fighter for alanna to be even remotely interested in getting past his condescension and infantilization toward her. dude, she’s the lioness, not your “kitten.” ugh. Creep Scale: 9. Interest Index: 8 (he is the Shang Dragon)

7: numair salmalin: the duality of man: charming, intelligent, an unmatched mage, based on Jeff Goldblum, probably slept with the emperor of carthak--but also thought it was cool to date his teenage student when he was literally twice her age. gross! someone on this site once said “it wasn’t his fault, he’s a victim of tammy’s teacher kink” and i haven't stopped thinking about it since. Creep Scale: STRONG 10. Interest Index: also 10. duality of man indeed.

6: cleon of kennan: now, here’s the thing. there’s nothing WRONG with cleon. he’s nice, he’s a good knight, whatever. but from a narrative perspective, he’s just so extremely dull. on the other hand, I guess that makes him the perfect dude for kel to imprint on before she realizes romance isn't for her. Creep Scale: 0. Interest Index: 3.

5: jonathan of conte: hm. jonathan is so hard to rank because he’s a solid friend when he’s not having his WWRLaM-era breakdown, but honestly I don’t think he’s ever a good love interest. he can’t wrap his head around the fact that alanna is both alanna his girlfriend AND alan his comrade, and seems to treat her like two different people depending on whether she’s in battle or in his bed. Creep Scale: 5 for the WWRLaM-era breakdown and being a colonizer (er, excuse me, Voice). Interest Index: 9 for being a prince and a good friend

4: dale rowan: if you’re going to have a first fling, you could do a lot worse than dale. he’s funny, he’s charming, he’s upfront about the fact that this won’t be a serious relationship, but he's loyal as long as he’s with you. a solid dude and canonically good in bed. Creep Scale: 0. Interest Index: 7.

3: george cooper: a roguish thief character who’s still an almost weirdly honorable man? immediately imprints on “alan” and jon and vows to protect them? encourages alanna to be nothing less than herself? grows up to be a good dad? near perfection. 12-year-old me was smitten. Creep Scale: 3.5 for the age gap. Interest Index: 10.

2: nawat crow: pros: is literally a crow spirit. cons: is literally a crow spirit. pretty cool, pretty weird, and he definitely treats Aly right. top marks. Creep Scale: 1, but only because crows don’t know about things like human boundaries so it took him a hot sec to be normal. Interest Index: 9 (he’s a crow spirit!)

1: farmer cooper: [griffin mcelroy voice] now THERE’S a boy I can get into. himbo-passing by choice but funny, smart, and a great self-taught embroidery mage by nature, farmer cooper is hands down the best Tortall love interest. he respects beka, he braids her hair for her, he took her name when they married, he kissed her for the first time in a dungeon while they faced death--what more could you want? Creep Scale: -100. Interest Index: 9.

[ao3feed-tamorapierce]

A Formal Engagement

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2GqoXhS

by rotten_words

Words: 251, Chapters: 1/6, Language: English

Series: Part 2 of Knight of the Isles

Fandoms: Tortall - Tamora Pierce, PIERCE Tamora - Works

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/F

Characters: Keladry of Mindelan, Cleon of Kennan, Nealan of Queenscove, Haname noh Ajikuro, Yukimi noh Daiomoru

Additional Tags: I promise it will get gay again, Corus (Tortall), Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2GqoXhS

[incorrect-tortall-quotes]

Cleon: What makes this girl so great, man?

Neal: I don’t know, there’s just something about her. You know, when she bumped into me at the banquet. Or, uh, when I saw her reading that book. She eats pudding for dessert.

Seaver: Okay, now you’re just listing things that people do.

Neal: No I’m not! ... Sometimes she writes with a quill.

[goodgrammaritan]

Kel: It's the only bad thing about animals... Most don't live as long as we do.

Cleon: I know, sweet... But think how bleak life would be without them.

Squire by Tamora Pierce

Crown + Freckle

[gods-no-longer-tread-here]

The joy of our nearness cooks my love-struck heart," he explained with a soulful look. "Or you've been looking at Scanrans longer than is good for you. Spend time with actual girls," she informed him sternly. "You wouldn't call me things like 'pearl of my heart' then." "No, it's 'mirage of delight' today. 'Pearl of my heart' was when I was but a mere boy." They stood in the doorway, looking at the party. "I hate to say it, my dear, but I think our prince is a fathead. There he sits with the most gorgeous creature in shoe leather, excepting your luminous self, of course--" "Of course," Kel replied, straight-faced. "--without a word to say. Somebody should tell him the lady can converse, and sensibly, too." Cleon straightened his shoulders. "If I don't return by dawn, wear my handkerchief beside your heart forever."

Cleon is a gift to the world.

[tartsplace]

Here you go :)

[ao3feed-tamorapierce]

Cherry Blossoms ever Blooming

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2AVyxXb

by devilinthedetails

Roald's relationships with his Yamani princesses. Written by request.

Words: 4917, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Tortall - Tamora Pierce, PIERCE Tamora - Works

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Gen, F/M

Characters: Roald II of Conté, Chisakami, Shinkokami of Conté, Thayet jian Wilima, Jonathan of Conté, Cleon of Kennan, Nealan of Queenscove, Keladry of Mindelan, Gilmyn of Naxen

Relationships: Roald II of Conté/Shinkokami of Conté, Roald II of Conte/Chisakami, Jonathan of Conté/Thayet jian Wilima

Additional Tags: Arranged Marriages, Romance, Gifts, Love Letters, Poetry, Love, Grief, Death, Duty

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2AVyxXb

[dameronfinn]

me: falls in love with a minor character nobody cares about

me: oh shit