Mark Reads ‘Trickster’s Queen’: Chapter 2

In the second chapter of Trickster’s Queen, DOVE. DOVE. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read Trickster’s Queen.

Chapter Two: Dragons, Crows, and Doves

Lord, this is so good already.

Meetings

So many new characters! That’s something that’s instantly surprising about Trickster’s Queen, but it make sense that as the rebellion grows in scope and execution, Aly would have to meet more and more new people who would be a part of the conspiracy. The first scene in this chapter establishes the massive group that Aly has helped build, who then show Aly that they have assembled new recruits within the Balitang house as well. To say it was impressive is an understatement. The very people that Aly has trained are now out in the world, doing the same things themselves. While this is practically necessary, I adore the idea that this is about these people finding the will and talent within themselves to pass along the skillset that future spies will need. Aly doesn’t need to hover over these people or bother them; she taught them something they’ll always have at their disposal. And it’s great that Aly understands that this isn’t about her being this perfect fountain of information, either. It’s natural talent:

Aly had learned that the raka already understood the demands of being a spy. In a land governed for three hundred bloody years by strangers, they had lived like spies to survive. Aly had simply taught her pack a number of new tricks, while they taught her their old ones.

It’s refreshing that this is acknowledged because it avoids are precarious trope you often see in fantasy stories that heavily rely on white savior narratives. Aly isn’t here to teach the poor savages of the Isles to be spies. She’s just giving them new ways to do what they were already doing, and in the process, she’s learning things herself.

Nuritin

Oh my god, I don’t think I’ve ever been so gloriously conflicted about a character in Tortall before. With Nuritin Balitang, Tamora Pierce has given us a fierce, relentless, and unforgiving woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. She’s crude, insensitive, and lacks any sort of tact. She’s also brilliant. And I have no idea if I should trust. In another circumstance, I think I’d like her more right off the bat, but it’s a hard situation to navigate. She clearly doesn’t give a single fuck about the Rittevons and is quick to acknowledge that the Balitangs are in a unique position to inherit a lot of power in the very near future. So she doesn’t hesitate to dictate precisely what Sarai, Dove, and Winnamine need to do right now to get an advantage at court. Which includes:

• Stop mourning their father immediately and never wear the color black. (!!!!!)
• Take all matters of court extremely seriously.
• Begin to “build a power base” around Elsren, who is next in line for the throne.
• For Sarai, she must keep in mind the family’s best interests when men come calling.
• Actually, specifically her brother’s best interest.
• Though I do love that she advises that Sarai “flirt with those men, learn their minds, and promise them nothing.”
• bless.

Noritin, you are complicated. I like that. I still don’t know how she’s going to fit into all of this, though.

Nawat

Wow, only two chapters before Nawat shows up to be resolutely unfair and ridiculous. It’s a sign of Aly’s growth that she’s now willing to be physically affectionate towards Nawat, though unfortunately, that means that everything is complicated as hell. I like that Pierce reminds us that humanity is a very new thing for Nawat, and so his issues with what he feels for Aly seem so simple to him. He literally interprets most of what Aly says – including her request that they not kiss in “public” – and that results in the misunderstanding here. Nawat doesn’t get why Aly would want to wait before they have sex because he’s interpreting her actions as her sending mixed signals. Plus, he doesn’t understand waiting until after the raka rebellion is a success, which he distills in a haunting bit of reasoning:

“At any moment an archer may shoot you, or a hawk break your neck. A forest fire or a volcano will burn you. A Bronau will stab you. Risk will not end if the god gets his islands back.”

Aly signed. “No, but my task will be done, and then we can mate.”

“And what if you are killed?” Nawat wanted to know. “What if I am killed? What if a Bronau steals you away?”

Wow, not okay. I initially laughed at this because “A BRONAU WILL STAB YOU” just sounds so adorably funny, but he’s being serious. Unfortunately, I don’t think Aly can just change the subject in the future. She’s going to have to deal with this, and ideally, it needs to be sooner rather than later.

So what wager to the crows have Kyprioth? I have no idea. But it also explains Nawat’s desperation later in this chapter to make sure that the crows have something to do, now that they don’t serve the same purpose as they did in Tanair. (Oh, Aly, all freaked out by the thought that Nawat might leave. Too much.)

Dove

I think it is a brilliant choice for Pierce to reveal with this chapter that Dovesary KNOWS WHAT’S GOING ON. This chapter is a ridiculous display of what an incredible leader and spymaster Dove is going to turn out to be, but it also establishes the sort of role that Dove is going to play in the rebellion itself and after it succeeds.

There’s a lot going on here, too, so this is not just about Dove. Truthfully, it’s more of the character and worldbuilding we got in the first chapter. In this case, Pierce demonstrates the inner workings of this group and how information is going to spread over an entire set of islands. We’re introduced to Ysul, the mute mage that set up the spells inside the Balitang house; we learn of the watch systems present so that these people can still meet without worrying about what happens in the Balitang household while they do so; we learn that OCHOBU NEVER TOLD ANYONE ABOUT ALY HAVING THE SIGHT. Oh, what a great scene, y’all.

But there’s no greater moment of shock and surprise than when, right when Aly asks to bring Dove and Sarai in on the plot and she’s rejected, Dove waltzes into the room, demonstrating that the point is moot. She already knows. SHE ALREADY FIGURED IT OUT. And while this is undeniably funny and entertaining, I think it’s fantastic that Pierce spells out what a huge deal this scene is to the raka: 

Aly watched as the raka straightened, new life and purpose in their eyes, even Ochobu’s. One after another they explained how things stood. Dove’s arrival had given them something real to look at. She might have been only their future queen’s little sister, but she had the same blood in her veins and the same quick wits.

Given that there was always a separation between the raka and the Balitang sisters, I’d never really thought about how so much of the rebellion was still a concept to them. And then, with Dove sitting before them, demanding to know the ins-and-outs of what they have planned, it’s not theoretical anymore. Hell, I’d say that this is the key moment within this series that the rebellion becomes real for these people, and I bet this is one of the few things I’m actually prepared for. It seems like such a vital moment for these characters, you know? And I haven’t even spoken about the importance it holds to Dove! (I’ll get to that in the final section.)

I adore that they come up with a symbol to represent their attempt to take back power because it was needed. It’s not simply an act of subversion, though, by definition, that’s a lot of what this conspiracy comprises. No, I found it to be more in line with Nawat’s reasoning: They need it to act as a way to warn the luarin, not that they were coming, but that they were going to beat them. Again, I’ll bring up the psychological warfare line from the prologue. They have got to mess with the heads of the people in power in addition to fighting the physical war as well.

But this fight is going to be physical regardless, and that’s what Dove’s worried about. She pulls Aly aside after the meeting and expresses as much to her, and I admit that even I am worried about how bloody this is going to be. People in power don’t exactly give up that power very easily, and even with what these people are already planning, I fear that the luarin ruling class will lash out and do so violently. Even though Kyprioth appears to Dove (WHAT A LITTLE SHIT) to reassure her and provide answers, I don’t think she’s ready to discard how unsettled she is by the future. That doesn’t mean she’s afraid of it at all. It’s just that she, like Aly, knows that they can’t (and won’t) control the raka spread throughout their Isles. They’re relying on the raka’s love of Sarai, hoping that’ll be enough to make them obey her command not to kill every luarin they come across.

It’s here that Aly imparts on Dove’s significance:

“Sarai can command the raka, or enough of them to make a difference, but young as you are, you have influence over Sarai and Winna. They rely on your intelligence. They’ll listen to you.”

I love that Dove is so important to this, too, because I think she deserves to be a part of this rebellion, and I know she wants it.

Please note that the original text and the videos contain usage of the word “stupid.”

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

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