#oh Kaladin why you are so handsome

[seirei-bh]

I've been reading Stormlight Archive, I finally finished the fourth book and Kaladin Stormblessed is my favourite character! All his character and personal journey is very special to me and has helped me in difficult times. I needed to draw him and Syl in my artstyle! And I'll probably draw more about this series.

I also did two versions more of him with dark eyes and beard:

[cosmereplay]

for the kiss ask game. perhaps veil/moash #7 >:)

I will write a kiss… 7. …to shut them up.

I am so sorry I went totally off the rails of this prompt and accidentally wrote maybe the opposite??? Instead of kissing to shut up they're now fucking for information 😭 This pairing gave me the chance to write a scene from this Moash longfic I've been rotating for a long time, so thank you for that! Imagine Moash and Veil in Kholinar as part of separate groups infiltrating a lighteyes party for intel. 

Veil/Moash, rated Explicit, Oathbringer spoilers but not really because it's an AU anyway. 1000 words

Moash strode haughtily around the party, feeling vaguely disappointed. So far the best part of the night had been when Kaladin blushed when he’d seen Moash’s lighteyes-style outfit, all thin smooth fabric that complemented his light tan eyes. The party itself sucked. Being raised from bridgeman directly up to guarding at Elhokar’s parties had given him a skewed view of how other lighteyes partied. The space was cramped, full of furniture and people, and the ceilings were practically as low as in his own house downtown. The food was fine, not nearly as fancy as what Elhokar used to serve.

His chest cramped a little. He had to get that stupid man out of his head.

He was here for a reason, after all. At first he’d been a novelty to them, but once they’d realized he wasn’t in the duelling lists they’d lost interest in him before he could ask any questions. So he’d been skulking at the side of the room, keeping an ear open to catch scraps of useless conversations.

He looked over the crowd again. Moving smoothly among the clusters of lighteyes was a marvel of a woman. Beautiful, with long dark hair, partially braided with tiny emeralds, and a sleek havah that showed off what assets she had. She was not curvaceous by any means, but she was working everything she had, and he could appreciate that. Her eyes flashed a pale green as she scanned the room, listening and looking around. He touched his hair, hoping it was still looking okay in the increasingly hot and humid room, and moved towards her.

“Looking for more distinguished company, Brightness?” He smiled crookedly.

She looked him up and down for a long moment, then grinned back. “In that case, you should probably move aside.”

Moash raised his eyebrows. “I find it hard to believe you don’t like what you see.”

“I’m not here for what I can see, Brightlord,” she said, and the rude way she'd said Brightlord made him start. Was she…pretending to be lighteyed? He knew of the darkeyes drops, but was there a way the other way too?

Now he was doubly intrigued. “Are you here for information? Maybe we can do a little…exchange.” He glanced to the doorway and raised an eyebrow.

She gave him a long look, then sucked her teeth in a very un-ladylike way. Oh, he was liking her more and more. “Alright, handsome,” she said with a wink. “Let’s go somewhere more private.”

He followed her out the door and down a hallway. She opened a random door and peeked inside, then beckoned him in. “C’mon. I won’t tell if you don’t.”

He grinned and went after her, into a cramped closet stuffed from floor to ceiling with shelves of seasonal knickknacks and decorations. She pulled him up against her, then pushed him back against some shelves, setting the knickknacks rattling.

“So…” she started, walking her fingertips up his chest. “What kind of exchange are you proposing?”

“Well no offense but you’re clearly not from around here,” he smirked, the touch stoking warmth between his legs. “I wanna know what’s going on out in Alethkar. Is King Dalinar making things better? Is he sending an army to liberate Kholinar?”

Her fingers stopped moving as he spoke. “You’re right, I’m not from around here,” she admitted. “I want to know what’s going on in Kholinar. What’s with the Queen? Why is the palace not admitting visitors? I heard the Kingkiller is in the city—Kaladin Stormblessed. Can you tell me where I can find him?” She eyed him appraisingly, then pressed closer against him. “I’ll tell you if you tell me. Might even do more, if you’re extra helpful.”

A groan left his body, along with his sense. “Alright,” Moash breathed. “Kholinar’s ready to explode into a revolution. The darkeyes are starting to starve and the lighteyes are hoarding food. The rumours are that the Queen has gone insane. I might be part of a group looking to help the revolution along.”

She rubbed her body against him. “Mmm, I might be interested in joining that group,” she murmured.

He put his hands on her back, sliding up to her shoulderblades, then down to her ass, giving it a squeeze. “I might just let you,” he murmured back. “There’s more to you. I know it. Now tell me about the King.”

The woman leaned up, her lips by Moash’s ear. “The King is dead.”

“I know Elhokar is dead.”

“I mean Dalinar. He died in battle when the Everstorm came. The Assassin in White got him. Renarin Kholin is King Regent now, and nobody's coming to save the people of Kholinar. You're on your own.”

The words almost killed his boner. “You’re here to rescure Gavinor, aren’t you? Are you going to take Aesudan too?”

“There might be some dissension in the ranks about whether we’re to take her out or take her out. I could use an ally, especially if he’s connected to the Kingkiller.” She grabbed his bulge, the warmth of her hand seeping through the thin fabric as she rubbed him back to full hardness.

“Storming…” The room was getting hot and he was having trouble thinking straight. He thrust against her hand, hardly noticing there wasn’t any fabric between them anymore. “You’re wrong. Stormblessed didn’t kill Elhokar. Fuck me and I’ll tell you who did.”

Within seconds, she’d turned around and lifted her skirts, and he was thrusting inside her, hot and wet and deep. She gasped, and for a second he could’ve sworn she was glowing.

Storms, was he imagining she was Kaladin? The thought didn’t stop him from pounding into her, getting off on the secrecy, the danger of getting caught, fucking a lighteyes bareback, the intrigue of this woman, the fact that he could finally say it—

“You know who killed King Elhokar?” he grunted as he fucked her against the shelves, setting the knickknacks shaking with every thrust.

“Tell me, tell me,” she moaned. She was fingering herself under her skirts, and she came hard, squeezing his cock with her body. He could hear the splashes of her cum on the floor.

He grabbed her by the back of her neck, holding her still, and thrust a few more times, long and slow, prolonging his orgasm the way he liked. “I killed Elhokar,” he moaned, and grabbed her hips, holding her flush against him as he came hard and deep into her. “Ah Heralds, that’s good, that’s so storming good.”

Moash and the spy held there together for a moment, both savouring the pleasure they’d managed to wring out of the night. Finally she pulled off him and started using her underskirts to soak up their cum, dripping down her thighs.

“Tell me your name and I’ll lick that up for you,” Moash said on impulse.

“My name is Veil,” she said with a smile, and lifted her skirts again, showing off the wet shine of her bush and lips. “Give me a little more and I might even tell you a secret.”

He squatted down, guided by her hand on his head, and he ate the cum from her thighs and lips, then moved upwards to her clit. He flicked and sucked, and she gasped, holding his hair tight. Storms, he could stay in this closet all night. She was a great lay.

Veil gripped him harder, trying to stop herself from screaming as she came dry, and smacked against the shelves, sending knickknacks tumbling down, smashing against the floor.

“Storms, woman,” Moash complained. They’re going to hear us.”

She pushed him off her, then yanked him upwards to standing. “What?” he asked, but he could already hear it. Shouts. The sound of swords clashing. They started straightening their clothes in a hurry.

“Beware, Kingkiller,” Veil warned. “Times are changing. The Radiants are returning, and they’re dangerous.”

They shared a look. “How do you know?” he asked, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

“There are some in my party.”

“There are some in mine, too.” He started to open the door, then paused. “If you want to find me again, ask for where the silversmiths used to live. You’ll find it soon enough.”

Then he ran. If there was a fight, Kaladin was probably in the middle of it, and he would need Moash’s help.

From the I Will Write a Kiss ask game

[preservationandruin]

Oathbringer Spoilers, Part Five: Chapters 121-End

Alright, one last push to finishing the book! 

Moash is given a few tasks. Dalinar asks Navani to teach him something. Adolin has doubts for a moment and then gets lectured out of them by Shallan, and also he tells his dad something important. Kaladin runs into some old friends. Taravangian makes a bad deal. Always trust Adolin’s gut instincts about people. Alethkar gets a new monarch. And Wit makes a friend. 

For some godforsaken reason, we’ve switched to MOASH. He’s not feeling particularly great about killing Elhokar--gee, wonder why--and we get that there are only nine, not ten, orders of Fused. 

Practically speaking, I doubt they can accurately emulate the Bondsmiths. Thematically speaking, there’s that number again. 

Lady Leshwi keeps visiting Moash. She says that he has taken Moash’s pain, and will return it when he needs it. Moash just wants to forget the look of betrayal in Kaladin’s eyes. 

Good luck with that. It’s like Kaladin told Amaram. You join Odium looking for peace, but you never find it there. 

Odium has a command for him. Fuck. Hnanan--one of the higher-ups--pulls out a strange knife--bright gold metal, a sapphire in the sheath. And asks him to kill a god. 

With that ominous note, we switch to Navani. She runs out to Dalinar, basically tackling him into a hug. She sends Lopen and Kaladin off. Dalinar says he thinks he knows why the memories came back--Odium would have made him remember one way or another, but this let him prepare. He asks her to study the King’s Drop. And then he asks her something else. 

Dalinar met her eyes. “I want you to teach me how to read.” 

THIS LINE. I GOT THROUGH ALL THE REST. BUT THIS LINE MADE ME CRY. 

Shallan/Radiant/Veil is resting, or trying to. She keeps slipping between Radiant and Veil, which must make her very strange to interact with for everyone else. Jasnah and Navani both don’t make a huge difference to her state. 

Someone get Adolin, he’s good at dealing with this. Oh, good, he came. 

Adolin is the one who can tell when it’s the real one. He’s the only one who manages to pick it out. 

Adolin points out that he could carry her, but then, she’s a Radiant, and he’s tired, so maybe she could carry him. Meanwhile, Kaladin has shown up. 

Veil instantly takes over--and also, fucking hell, Kaladin has lost his boots again. 

Both Radiant and Veil like Kaladin. 

Shallan shoves both of them to the utter back of her mind, because Adolin knows her. 

Venli can now switch between old and new rhythms at will, and if she doesn’t have Stormlight, she can make her eyes red. For the moment, then, she can hide her nature. 

A Parshendi Knight Radiant. Timbre bound her because so many of their number died, and she didn’t trust the humans. 

And she walks over to the singers, and starts telling them about the listeners. 

Nale notes that “only Ishar” escaped Braize with his mind intact--but clearly,  he didn’t. Szeth swears, and the highspren--which he still doesnt’ see often--approves. 

Shallan is looking for Adolin. She also notes that Kaladin has made a habit of just perching dramatically in high places. What a dweeb. 

I mean, if I could, I’d do that. 

Oh, god, Adolin has decided to “step back” in favor of Kaladin. He says that he’s going to “let [kaladin] have you” which...that phrasing is going to go great. Also, Adolin. Adolin. 

I think Shallan can make her own call, here. Adolin points out that Kaladin can fly. 

“Oh? And is that what women are supposed to seek in a mate? Is it in the Polite Lady’s Handbook to Courtship and Family? The Bekenah edition, maybe? ‘Ladies, you can’t possibly marry a man if he can’t fly.’ Never mind if the other option is as handsome as sin, kind to everyone he meets regardless of their station, passionate about his art, and genuinely humble in the weirdest, most confident way. Never mind if he actually seems to get you, and remarkably listens to your problems, encouraging you to be you--not to hide yourself away. Never mind if being near him makes you want to rip his shirt off and push him into the nearest alleyway, then kiss him until he can’t breathe anymore. If he can’t fly, then well, you just have to call it off!”  She paused for breath, gasping.  “And...” Adolin said. “That guy is...me?”  “You are such a fool,” She grabbed his ripped coat and pulled him into a kiss, passionspren crystallizing in the air around them. 

I LOVE ADOLIN AND SHALLAN

She also notes that she thinks she’s kept it to three personas--and while Shallan’s the hardest, she can probably keep it up with some help. Adolin grins, pointing out that she said she’d kiss him until he couldn’t breathe, but he’s not even winded. 

Adolin, I wouldn’t make that bet. She doesn’t have to breathe if she has Stormlight. 

Kaladin is also happy for them. He notes that he doesn’t think he’s in love with Shallan--but being around her did make him happy. She reminds him of Tien. He’s picked up a rock, like the kind that Tien always used to give him. 

OK, SIBLING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KALADIN AND SHALLAN IS SO, SO GOOD. 

Rock is still recovering--he sees what he did, shooting Amaram, as a broken oath. 

Taravangian admits--he pushed Dalinar aside and wanted to seize control of the coalition. Dalinar realizes--Taravangian didn’t become king of Jah Keved by accident. And Taravangian...tells Dalinar what he’s doing. 

Moash is going down into the gardens in Khoilnar. His target is a madman, with an eye color nobody can see. 

Jezrien. The Herald Szeth saw in the first prologue. The one Dalinar got drunk with. Why does Odium want to kill a Herald? 

What is this death, Jezrien asks as he dies. The Fused didn’t want to murder him themselves. Why not? Why use Moash? 

SO UH THAT HAPPENED. MOASH FUCKING OFFED A HERALD. 

Anyway, Lopen has his spren! His name is Rua, and he looks like a little boy, but Lopen calls him Naco. LOPEN IS TEACHING RUA HOW TO FLIP PEOPLE OFF LOPEN IS THE WORST INFLUENCE ON SPREN AND I LOVE HIM

OH NO, DRU REALIZED THAT, SINCE KALADIN RETURNED ALONE...OH NO DREHY WAS ON THAT TRIP FUCK

BRANDON YOU BRING DREHY BACK THIS INSTANT AND STOP HIS BOYFRIEND FROM BEING SAD

Anyway, Lopen is managing to cheer up soldiers, mentioning that if one who has lost his arm needs some jokes, he has some. Rua keeps hiding from Lopen, so Lopen has to find him. 

LOPEN ACCIDENTALLY SWORE THE SECOND IDEAL FUCK AND HE PUT OUT ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE SURGEON’S TENT

I LOVE HIM SO MUCH

HE WAS SAVING IT FOR A DRAMATIC MOMENT AND THEN STORMFATHER ACCEPTED IT AND LOPEN FLIPPED HIM OFF TWICE. AND RUA DID IT WITH HIM. 

I LOVE BRIDGE FOUR SO MUCH. 

Kaladin immediately runs off, though, and Rua flips him off too. Lopen tells him not to wear it out. 

Ash is trying to take Taln to go see Ishar. And then she feels something rip inside her. Taln collapses. That’s...that’s Jezrien’s death, isn’t it. 

Oh, god, Jezrien is Ash’s father. She just felt her father die. 

She falls unconscious as the sensation stops, and I can’t blame her. 

Kaladin’s flying across the ocean, for some reason. And he finds a group of refugees from Kholinar. 

A group flying the bridge four flag. 

DREHY AND SKAR! They’re okay!!! They’re alive!!

AND THEY SMUGGLED OUT GAVINOR THEY PROTECT THOSE WHO CANNOT PROTECT THEMSELVES

Okay we don’t get that scene but DREHY BETTER HAVE HAD A GREAT REUNION WITH DRU OKAY DREHY WAS GONE FOR  A MONTH WITH NO NOTICE AND DRU THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD

Taravangian is stupid today. He reads letters from his grandchildren. He’s crying. None of his granddaughters know anything of the Diagram, and he’s determined that it will stay that way. 

He opens the window during the everstorm, and Odium speaks to him. He says he chose this time on purpose--because he doesn’t want Taravangian to ever, ever think he has power. 

Odium says that, if Taravangian serves him--he’ll spare Kharbranth, and anyone born in it, and their spouses. And he’ll be a spy, for Odium. Fuck. 

Adolin and Shallan are being adorable always. Have I mentioned how much I like the fact that Adolin loves hugs? I love it. Anyway, some of the older people are rolling their eyes at Adolin and Shallan for being stupidly sappy, which is hilarious. 

Awwwh, they’ve set the wedding date! For a week from then--they’re going fast, but hey. They road tripped shadesmar and faced down multiple unmade. She’s realizing, though, that she needs to explain some things--in particular,  the Ghostbloods thing--to Adolin. 

Apparently Veil and Adolin are, now drinking buddies. I love this so much. Watch out, Adolin, she can absolutely out-drink you. Anyway, Shallan has trouble actually paying attention to the meetings because Adolin. I love how, no matter how cutesy they’re being, nobody can really tell them to stop because one of them is a Radiant and the other is Adolin Kholin. 

“You think,” Adolin said. “Taravangian might have done it?”  “No,” Dalinar said.

I AM GETTING DECIDED FLASHBACKS TO BOOK ONE WHERE ADOLIN WAS LIKE “HEY WAS IT SADEAS” AND DALINAR WAS LIKE “NO OF COURSE NOT” 

ALWAYS. LISTEN. TO. ADOLIN’S. IMPRESSIONS. OF. PEOPLE. 

At least he notes that he doesn’t want to trust Taravangian very much. At least he’s learned a little. 

Dalinar says that Alethkar needs a king--and Adolin might be it. Adolin admits that he killed Sadeas. Adolin says he can’t be king of Alethkar. Dalinar points out that he can’t, either. 

...i think i see where this is going. 

Gavinor is too young. Adolin can’t. Renarin would be worse than Adolin. Dalinar can’t. 

Shallan blinks, thinking. They need someone diplomatic, but also not someone who can be walked over. 

It’s gonna be Jasnah, isn’t it. 

Palona is collecting gossip while Sebarial pretends to sleep. I still love them. 

OH MY GOD I WAS RIGHT: 

The doors to the room slammed open, the noise of it sending a shock through the room, complaints falling silent. Even Turi stood up to note Jasnah Kholin standing in the doorway.  She wore a small but unmistakeable crown on her head. The Kholin family, it seemed, had chosen their new monarch. 

Anyway, Moash is at work again, and I don’t give a shit about him anymore. Kill Jezrien and Elhokar? Yeah, I don’t give a shit about Moash. But Lady Leshwi offers him an honorblade, and a place with them. Not as Moash, as someone else. 

Moash takes the Honorblade, and is given a new name. Vyre. 

He Who Quiets. 

Fuck. 

And then, because this loves jerking us back and forward, we cut to Shallan’s wedding day. BRIDGE FOUR GAVE HER BOOTS AS A WEDDING GIFT. Shallan notes that Adolin is probably just getting....lots of swords. None of which will be as good as Maya. 

She pulls up Radiant and Veil to give their opinions--Radiant says it’s worthy, Veil says at least he has good taste in wine. 

She realizes--it’s alright to enjoy this. It’s alright to be happy. 

And then her door opens--and there are three young men. Balat. Wikim. Jushu. 

Her brothers. 

Mraize sent a note. He’s asking her to capture Sja-anat, or convince her to work with the Ghostbloods. Shallan notes that it is one of Sja-anat’s spren that Renarin bonded. 

We don’t get the wedding itself, but we do get Dalinar heading back happy and full from the feast. Szeth just kinda...chills outside the door. And Dalinar starts writing, carefully. When Navani comes back, he offers it to her to read, as nervous as though it were his first day with the swordmasters. 

“You said pronouns have a gender in the women’s formal script, and I realized that the one you taught me says ‘I, being female.’”  Navani hesitated, pen in her fingers. “Oh. Right. I guess...I mean...huh. I don’t think there is a masculine ‘I.’ You can use the neuter, like an ardent. Or...no, here. I’m an idiot.” she wrote a few letters. “This is what you use when writing a quote by a man in the first person.” 

I’m just pulling this out because, as a nonbinary person dealing with a language that isn’t really designed to accomodate that, i appreciate that Brandon realized this would be a problem. And English isn’t even as bad as Italian. I don’t even know how to refer to myself with some of the past-tense verbs, there. 

And we get that Oathbringer, the book, was written by Dalinar. And he’s so happy, so proud of being able to read. He can read the Way of Kings, himself. He can read Jasnah’s biography of Gavilar. He can write notes, and he can write his own life. 

Oathbringer, My Glory and My Shame

written by Dalinar Kholin. 

I like it. A good title. 

Wit is, as he tends to be, talking to himself, in a line of shuffling people. All great art, he says, is hated. He’s in the group of people being shuffled out of Kholinar, to work the farms. 

WIT STARTS DUSTING OFF HIS CLOTHING AND STOPS BECAUSE “HE’D WORKED HARD TO PLACE THAT DUST” 

I love him. He notes that if Rayse figures out he’s here, the entire city will be levelled, so he’s got to move it. He makes a small doll for a girl, and he...oh, he Breathes into the doll, giving it to the girl to protect her. He gives the girl the doll, and then gets a family whose child died to take care of her. 

Wit knows some of the old Parshmen. Vatwha is the current sentinel; they once danced together. He wonders if anyone wonders why the Fused are spending so much time clearing this section of the palace. He’s talking to the wall, as though it’s a person. 

He promises it truths. 

A small, scared Cryptic. 

Wit starts saying the First Ideal. 

Oh, no, I know where it came from. That was the section Moash was clearing--the section near where Elhokar died. That Cryptic...it wanted to bond Elhokar. But Elhokar died, in the middle of saying the Ideal, so...Wit had to be there for it. 

And with that, we end. 

[nightblink]

Blink Reads Oathbringer - Chapters 17-21

Chapter Seventeen

So that light was a spren that alerted the Parshmen. But what kind?

Parshmen children. Free ones, now.

Yesssss, identify with these people, Kaladin. They are indeed people. You understanding that is a key part of helping them.

“They may have taken your freedom, but they took our minds.” Fuuuuuuuck. And they remember all of it too, the burning helplessness of their lack of free will. Their owners were lucky the Parshmen didn't kill them in their beds.

Well, the Parshmen aren't free from Kaladin's perspective – and experience. But free from Dullform at the very least, free to act as they choose, their will their own.

A higher spren – just not an honorspren. Is it looking for someone to bond to? A human, or a Parshendi? If it wasn't bonded, wouldn't its mental state degrade while in the Physical Plane? Or is it a voidspren?

And there Syl goes, casually dropping capitalized Connection and Identity into conversation

[winces] Trying to explain to a child how your ancestors enslaved hers. Yeaaah, that's going to go really well.

!!!! You're staying! Helping them. Oh, Kaladin, I expected it from you, but my heart still soars at reading it.

Chapter Eighteen – Double Vision

So. Veil chapter. And right off the bat we have Shallan's name dropped in favor of Veil's. That is… a worrying sign considering her last chapter with Adolin and the way she changed into Brightness Radiant.

“the part at the back of her mind that was still Shallan” yeaaaaaah, I'm worried. There's a distinct level of separation between personalities going on.

Patterm likes Adolin! That's… unexpected. (Does he sense the lie Adolin cloaks himself in now?)

“Is that-” PATTERN. ...though to be fair, marrying a Radiant is basically a package deal.

Urithiru's wells don't empty, and their water levels never drop? But they're at the top of a mountain! Most of the groundwater flow should be through the shallow stress-fracture system. You are above drainage. Are the wells super-deep? Do they draw from a confined, perched aquifer where the hydrologic head somehow remains constantly level and doesn't artesian despite the city likely having wells on different levels/elevations of the city? SANDERSON, EXPLAAAAIN.

Smooth, Veil.

Ahhh, so the colours in wines are done on purpose as opposed to a byproduct of the ingredients used to make them? That makes sense, especially considering how they're ranked by alcohol content to a rainbow gradient.

So was that a shot of vodka, everclear, or moonshine? Either way, you are not fooling anyone, Veil.

“Oh, hon.” No kidding. Shallan, unless you have enough stormlight to clear it, you are going to wake up with a serious hangover tomorrow.

Oooo, the barkeep can tell. “With eyes like those...”

That fact that you're managing to maintain enough brainpower to remember your initial reason for coming out here is frankly astounding.

Aaaand there goes the drunkenness. You're lucky you don't have to suffer that hangover (and apparently it works on poison too, good to know). [cackles] That little cheek-pat was just the cherry on top.

Oh shit. Oh shit. She's not sure if she can distinguish parts of reality from her own fictions. Fuuuuuuck.

“I can't be Veil only on the surface.” YEAH THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS WORRIED ABOUT

Nope, there's the moonshine.

Well, would you look at that, a possible lead?

….are you going to start a barfight, Veil.

Holy fuck.

Even thugs don't really want to mess with Certified Crazy People, and you've just cemented yourself as one of those, soooo… you may actually be safe. For now.

So the Ghostbloods aren't secret-secret? Huh. Their organization must be larger and more prominent than I thought.

Ooooo, so- it's a mirror-murder? It's not going to be the same as Sadeas every time? But it will be the exact same down to the detail as another kill? Interesting. This… I'm thinking this doesn't seem human.

But is it a sign of the coming Desolation, or something less Odious, though just as sinister?

Chapter Nineteen – The Subtle Art of Diplomacy

I think this might be the last of the chapters that I read before the book released. Ahhh, but this was a good one.

Dalinar, people are wondering if you're contemplating arson

Trust that the Alethi know very well how to wage war on their own ground, Toh. It's what they're good at.

No Soulcasters at all in Iri or Rira? Are they hoarded by the Veden nations, or do the other kingdoms/countries not have as much need of them?

Lounging there in a takama set, heh. I need to sketch out designs for that.

Whoops, and where's the missing knife? Not like you have anything else to do but go look for it, so why not just meander out into the Highstorm

You're lucky your soldiers didn't have bows ready to loose at whatever Shardbearer was making their way in unexpectedly from the storm.

Dalinar, you are a crazy, crazy man, Just. Wandering back into the Highstorm, contemplating all the things on your mind as you casually step out of the way of flying boulders. Nothing to see here.

What is the glowy thing

Well. That's one way to make an impression, that's for sure.

Where did you live before you were twelve, if you'd never seen Kholinar before that time? 'Backwater' tells us nothing. But “their branch of the house”…. Did you overthow the main family of your own clan before going after the rest of Alethkar?

Down, boy. Don't make us get out the cold water hose.

Dalinar, rude.

“A touch vapid-” Somehow I feel that that estimation is off, or at least not indicative of the entire picture.

How many sets of Plate did Rira – and Iri – have in the first place? Not many, or they wouldn't still be so outraged over this “stolen” set decades later.

Sadeas may have deserved his stabbing many times over, but you can't deny that he and Ialai were well-matched and obviously happy together.

Not ready for a political match, Dals? It's just one more way your brother uses you as a weapon to get closer to his/your end goal!

Dalinar. Dalinar please.

Is all this conversation about Sunmaker foreshadowing, I wonder – or at least foreshadowing for the current-future, as opposed to Gavilar's own death and the fragility of the kingdom afterwards. After all, Dalinar is sort of attempting to “conquer the world” in a way, though the unification he seeks isn't political or territorial.

That is an apt description of many a war, Dalinar.

Sadeas are you trying to flirt with him-

So. How did you find out about the Codes, Gavilar, and what's driving your interest in them? Considering what we know of you in later dates, I'm not convinced that you were a proto-Bondsmith.

Dalinar's first sight of Evi, fascinated by her hair and how she stands out amongst all the Alethi, mirrors Adolin's first sight of Shallan and I am entirely here for that.

Left-handed Evi? Left-handed Evi, oh man that is- the Vorins are going to try to train her out of that and into using her right hand, that's a given.

And here I though using assassins wasn't Alethi-like. Tsk tsk.

Dalinar is nothing if not abruptly decisive in following through – like Adolin and Sadeas in the corridor, thought translating immediately to action.

Dude. You are definitely a barbarian.

Chapter Twenty – Cords to Bind

Kaladin, gemheart, gentle one, I love you more and more with each passing chapter you're in. May your legacy be that of healing hands as well as protection.

Kaladin “I will adopt everyone” Stormblessed. Though really, wouldn't this fall under “I will protect those who cannot protect themselves”? It's just a non-violent kind of protection.

[hums] You are speaking with an authority that they're used to from lighteyes, Kal. Soldiers expect it, but these are civilian people. They don't do orders like those you've been used to for the past while. And Sah makes a very good point. They're following what you say, what an Alethi says, same as it was before.

They have every right to choose their own battles, Kaladin.

Makes sense that Syl can sense the storms – or the stormlight within them, perhaps. I'll bet that all Radiants' spren can do so.

[winces] I hope that there is a middle ground, I just… I don't see how.

Chapter Twenty-One – Set Up to Fail

The vision of Shallan sleeping in a nest of piled blankets is too cute.

Oh, shit, you drank the entire jug?! That's… be glad you have stormlight, or they'd be finding you dead of alcohol poisoning.

“Her actions felt like they'd taken place in a dream.” That... does not bode well at all. I'm suspecting that you might be going beyond 'coping mechanisms' and are developing Multiple Personality Disorder as a response to your PTSD.

Shallan, I'm pretty sure he puts in a lot of effort to look that effortlessly handsome. He just wakes up earlier than you do to get it done.

“Blarg.” [snorts]

Adolin, you are being adorably attentive.

“We're very mysterious creatures.” Yes, just not as mysterious as Mistborn, right?

IT IS MOONSHINE I WAS RIGHT

Shallan, you've had how much booze before to determine what's good or not? No. Shush.

You don't have to try very hard with the axehound-puppy eyes, Shallan, I'm pretty sure he's already charmed by how morning-scruffy and adorable you look in your nest.

ADOLIN AND RUBIES, I---[sc r e am s]

….Shallan. How much were you already breathing light as a child?

And how do you have stormlight if they all should have gone dun? Sanderson's not one to overrule his own psuedo-magic rules, so there must be an actual reason for it.

You two are too goddamn cute. I do so hope you're endgame.

…..oh shit. Ialai.

Every scene with Sebarial and Palona is a gift.

For more reasons than just the two of them being an utter delight – Sebarial always manages to give us a more down-to-Roshar, common-sense(-for-a-Highprince) view of events, with a much different perspective than we see with the militaristic, not-an-ounce-of-chill-among-them Kholins.

Shallan, did you forget your own guards existed. You did. Pretty much.

It's part of being a hierarchy, Shallan. Not quite honor by association, but close. You have to give them a purpose, even if that's small. Listen to Adolin, this is stuff he knows in his bones.

….Adolin's thinking back to what he said, isn't he. “My father thinks I'm a better man than he is. Unfortunately for you, he's wrong.”

It's what happens when you do figure out that mystery that he's worried about.

Looks like the general air and disheveled nature of the Sadeas army hasn't changed, what with the lack of care that the people put into their presentation compared to the Kholin army and the way they conduct themselves around their “warcamp”/territory/assigned area of Urithiru. The overtly hostile reception doesn't make it any better, as it feels like the hair on the back of your neck rises with the sense of danger with every step they take.

Oh, fucking shIT-