Mark Reads ‘Lady Knight’: Chapter 2 |

In the second chapter of Lady Knight, Tamora Pierce found a way to make this quartet EVEN BETTER. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read Lady Knight.

Chapter Two: Tobe

THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL. Tamora Pierce opens Lady Knight with the portents of war (in the Stormwings), but then takes this book in a surprising direction with the introduction of Tobe, Kel’s new servant. It’s surprising because so much of the beginning of chapter two continues what we saw in the past chapter: rumination on the complications of war. Those complications are as much mental/emotional as they are physical. It’s clear that Kel’s personal life will forever be affected by her choice to pursue her shield, much like it has affected her fellow companions. This is an issue of isolation. Despite being amongst friends, they’ve all been separated from the ones that they love. My god, Kel hasn’t seen Cleon in nearly a year. When I went on tour this past March, I was fiercely homesick after one week. So I can appreciate the sacrifice that Kel, Roald, and Neal have made. But I also enjoyed that Pierce is so frank about how she discusses Kel’s desire to have sex before marriage, which normalizes a behavior that is so often demonized in our world and in fantasy narratives. Granted, I’m biased on this one because I grew up believing it was impossible for me to refrain from having sex before marriage because I couldn’t get married. Not to get too far on a tangent, but that’s something a lot of folks are surprised to hear because it’s such a common desire of most of my straight friends. They grew up believing it was a possibility, and they’re shocked to hear that someone could grow up believing it was an impossibility.

Anyway, it’s not long before Pierce transitions to one of my favorite sequences in Tortall history. I am ALWAYS going to love this scene because it represents the series’ titular goals: Kel is the protector of those who are “small” in society. And it would be remiss of me to not put this in the context of the past. Kel treats Tobe the way she does because of her experience with Lalasa, and I think that context entirely informs her behavior here. Plus, Kel is quick to fight against oppression or mistreatment at her own personal expense, and this is a great example of that. Going up against the innkeeper in the way that she does is incredibly risky, and yet, she does it anyway. She knows his treatment of Tobe is vile and horrific. Plus, it’s only latter that she suspects that Tobe may have wild magic of some sort, so it’s not like she protects Tobe for her own gain. No, this is all about respecting and valuing Tobe as a person.

That’s an important aspect of this chapter and one that I think deserves discussion. When she tells the innkeeper that she’ll be buying Tobe’s contract, she’s aware of the dynamic at work here. She knows why Tobe doesn’t inherently trust her, and she understands that her responsibility doesn’t end once she commits a good deed. No, she follows through with it, which is precisely something Tobe fears she won’t do. It’s a respectable and noble thing to do, especially since it’s so rare, you know? She’s aware of Tobe’s frank and upfront way of speaking, and she doesn’t chide him for it either. As I aid, it’s a sign of respect, both for the boy and for the situation at hand. And all of this is part of following through with it. Freeing Tobe from Alvik is not enough. She defends the boy that most of the town has rejected due to his Scanran features (I assumed the “touch of the Scanran” line referred to that) and their own issues with people of a lower class. She gets him clothing, food, a bath, and treats him as he deserves to be treated:

Kel guessed what was on his mind. “I’ll never beat you, Tobe,” she said quietly. “Ever. I may dunk you in the tub and scrub you myself if I come back to find you only washed here and there, but you won’t bleed, you won’t bruise, and you won’t hobble out of this room. Understand?”

This is what Tobe needed to hear. Kel recognizes his frightened body language, and she comforts him, and that’s what I mean by her treating Tobe as he deserves to be treated. Even when Toby’s aghast at the idea that Kel is treating him as she is, Kel understands that this is a vital moment in his life. She knows he’s got to understand that she’s acting out of empathy as well, and I think it’s a big reason why he’s already starting to trust her.

Can we also talk about how Neal is a big softie full of feelings and good deeds and he just wants to hide it from everybody because he’s worried about ruining his reputation? Oh, Neal, just ditch the ego! It’s a silly, hypermasculine thing to conceal his behavior so that he still appears tough and heartless, and he doesn’t need to do it. He’s a knight now! This is the sort of thing that he’ll have to do often. Granted, his approach here is unorthodox, since he invents a spell that mimics what the Chamber of the Ordeal cast upon Vinson in the previous book. As someone who has been the victim of violence due to bullying and abuse, I don’t personally feel uncomfortable with what Neal does here. It’s clear that Alvik doesn’t value certain human lives, and so he uses extreme violence (ON CHILDREN, MIND YOU) in order to get what he wants. Beyond being fucked up, it’s just lazy. The emotional scars of violence live on much longer than people think they do.

Yet I also think it’s important to talk about Tobe’s reaction to all of this as well, which is something Pierce brings up multiple times. He goes on a fearful rant when Kel returns from buying him clothes, and it reveals a sad reality of his past: He is used to well-meaning or rich nobles abandoning them. Kel still has to earn his trust, especially if he expects her to leave him behind. Everyone else has, so it’s not like he has any reason to believe her right off the bat. He’s also used to people undervaluing him. Hell, at one point, he admits that Alvik didn’t even bother teaching him to read because Alvik assumed that Tobe was too “stupid” to learn anything. This is what he’s faced his whole life! It’s why he chose to follow Kel alongside her instead of staying in the wagon when they finally left town. HE IS LITERALLY USED TO BEING LEFT BEHIND. Oh my god, my heart is constantly breaking for Tobe IT’S SO UNFAIR.

So Kel lets Tobe ride under her cloak, and I adore the exchange she has with Neal:

Neal’s lips twitched. “Why do I have the feeling you did most of the understanding?”

“Why do I have the feeling that if you give me a hard time, I’ll tell all of our year-mates your family nickname is Meathead?” Kel replied in kind.

“You resort to common insult because you have no stronger arguments to offer,” retorted Neal.

Bless them. BLESS THEM.

Part 1