[LMB] SP: TSK: Beguilement Chapter 9

[Victoria L'Ecuyer]

Chapter 9

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Lakewalker culture chapter. The women are used to respect and 
independence. The knife is a bigger deal than I expected. We discover 
Fawn, a Farmer, surving and killing a malice is very unusual. It also 
earns her respect from the Lakewalkers she would not normally get. Dag 
displays attachment to Fawn and doesn't want her out of his sight. Aunt 
Mari shows the same concern as Petti Horseford, the farmwife, did. Mari 
is just as suspicous of his motives. This is atypical behavior for him.  

Dag's backstory: He's been a widower for twenty years and is still not 
over his wife's death. Dag is a malice magnet.

Terms:
String bound (L) is the same thing as being married (F)
Blood bound (L) is the same thing as having children (F)
(Transcription Note: Is it possible to become blood bound without first 
becoming string bound in Lakewalker culture? How are unplanned for or 
unexpected children dealt with by Lakewalkers? Reading grounds aside, 
accidents happen. Also, what about divorce and/or abandonment in either 
culture? )

Story Deduction:
Where do I begin?

First off: Really, really different cultures here. The biggest clue is 
different words for general things in common like "marriage" and 
"parenthood." From the presence of women on the patrol, Mari being in 
charge of the patrol, all the patrollers automatically respecting Fawn 
once her malice-killing credentials are established, Dag moving in with 
his dead wife's family, and the sex-and-children issues, I do believe 
Lakewalkers are very matrilinear. It also explains why Dag was surprised 
when Fawn was surprised at his taking her side when she rebelled against 
the Farmer culture. (I just can't resist: "Farmers are from Mars and 
Lakewalkers are from Venus".)  

Secondly: Lakewalkers seem as suspicious of Famers as the reverse. 
However, surving a malice attack is a big enough deal to short circuit 
distrust. Perhaps proven usefulness in a fight is essential to Lakewalkers.

Thirdly: Dag has been trying to commit suicide for the last 20 or so 
years. Death by Malice seems to be the order of the day, except where 
Fawn is concerned. His "I guess I wasn't careless enough" thought 
spawned by Petti's cousin's tale of drowning is explained. So is Mari's 
unneeded concern for him in chapter one when Fawn was eavesdropping on 
them in the apple tree. (Transcription Note: That concern in chapter one 
felt a little unnecessary, more akin to "local color" or a bit of extra 
world building. After chapter two, I wrote it off as showing how much of 
an experienced soldier/patroller Dag was. Incluing? Forshadowing?)

Victoria


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