The Priory of the Orange Tree
Fifty-Four
by Shannon, SamanthaThe chapter opens with Niclays Roos aboard the *Pursuit*, sailing through the Sundance Sea after weeks docked in the ruined city of Kawontay. The ship is heavily armed, and the crew has stocked provisions for their journey. Despite initial plans to sell the dragon Nayimathun, the Golden Empress retains it as leverage against the High Sea Guard. Niclays carries a vial of the dragon’s blood and a scale, haunted by the memory of carving it from the creature. The ship, flying plague sails to avoid detection, is pursued by Seiiki’s forces, but the Empress threatens Nayimathun’s life if they interfere.
Niclays reflects on his role as Master of Recipes, a title granted by the Golden Empress, while Laya Yidagé joins him on deck. She reveals her concerns about Nayimathun’s deteriorating health, as the dragon’s scales dry out without proper immersion. Their conversation shifts to the precariousness of their mission: if the mythical mulberry tree they seek doesn’t yield the elixir of life, the Empress will likely execute Niclays. Laya proposes an escape plan, suggesting they flee to the City of the Thousand Flowers and then to Kawontay, where Ersyri smugglers could help them cross the Abyss.
Niclays grapples with the concept of “home,” realizing he has no true place to return to. His thoughts drift to his deceased lover, Jannart, whose belief in the mulberry tree’s legend drives Niclays forward. Laya reassures him that Jannart’s memory will guide him, but Niclays remains skeptical about their survival. The chapter highlights his internal conflict between his desire for redemption and his fear of failure, as well as his lingering guilt over his past actions.
As the *Pursuit* sails deeper into the sea, Niclays and Laya watch the stars, contemplating their uncertain future. Niclays resolves to see the mission through, hoping to honor Jannart’s legacy and perhaps find a new home in Brygstad or Hróth. The chapter ends on a somber note, with Niclays acknowledging that this journey will determine whether he finds peace or meets his end. The themes of sacrifice, loyalty, and the search for belonging underscore the narrative.
FAQs
1. What strategic purpose does the Golden Empress have for keeping Nayimathun captive, and what evidence does she provide to enforce her threat?
Answer:
The Golden Empress keeps Nayimathun as leverage against the High Sea Guard of Seiiki to ensure safe passage through the Sundance Sea. By holding the dragon hostage, she prevents retaliation—threatening to kill Nayimathun if her ship is harmed or followed. As proof of possession, she sends one of the dragon’s teeth to the High Sea Guard. This brutal tactic forces the pursuers to maintain distance, as they cannot risk the dragon’s life (page 571). The act underscores the Empress’s ruthless pragmatism and the value of dragons as political pawns.2. Analyze Niclays Roos’s internal conflict about “home” and how it reflects his character development in this chapter.
Answer:
Niclays grapples with the concept of home, which has been elusive since his exile. He reflects on his fractured ties to Rozentun, his alienation from Mentish court life after Edvart’s death, and his disastrous time in Inys. His only true sense of belonging was with Jannart, whose death drives his quest for the mulberry tree. Laya’s question about returning home forces him to confront his rootlessness, yet he clings to purpose—honoring Jannart’s legacy. His tentative hope for redemption (reuniting with Truyde, settling in Brygstad) reveals his lingering humanity amid moral compromises (pages 572–573).3. How does the deteriorating condition of Nayimathun symbolize broader themes in the chapter?
Answer:
Nayimathun’s physical decline—drying scales, inadequate seawater immersion—mirrors Niclays’s moral and emotional decay. Just as the dragon suffers from unnatural captivity, Niclays is trapped by his choices (carving the scale, allying with the Empress). The crew’s superficial attempts to help (throwing buckets of water) parallel Laya’s half-hearted reassurance that Jannart “watches over” Niclays—both are insufficient to heal deeper damage. The dragon’s plight also reflects the exploitation of power; like Nayimathun, Niclays is a tool for others’ ambitions (page 571).4. Evaluate Laya and Niclays’s escape plan. What practical and ethical challenges does it present?
Answer:
Their plan hinges on finding the mulberry tree, extracting the elixir, and fleeing during the Empress’s negotiations with the House of Lakseng. Practical hurdles include navigating the City of the Thousand Flowers undetected and surviving the overland journey to Kawontay. Ethically, Niclays must reconcile using the elixir for personal gain (selling it to rulers) with his professed desire to honor Jannart. Laya’s offer of Ersyri smugglers highlights their unequal positions—she has familial safety nets, while Niclays faces existential precarity (page 573). The plan’s fragility underscores their desperation.5. Why does the chapter emphasize the “crimson sails of a plague ship,” and how does this detail contribute to the tone?
Answer:
The crimson sails, meant to disguise the Pursuit as a plague ship, evoke danger and deception. Historically, plague ships were quarantined vessels carrying disease; here, the imagery foreshadows the moral contagion aboard (Niclays’s complicity, the Empress’s cruelty). The sails also symbolize false identities—Niclays’s title of “Master of Recipes” masks his self-loathing, just as the ship’s disguise masks its true purpose. The detail heightens tension, suggesting that despite their precautions, violence and betrayal loom (page 570).
Quotes
1. “The Golden Empress had decided to keep her as leverage against the High Sea Guard.”
This quote reveals the strategic cruelty of the Golden Empress, showing how she uses Nayimathun the dragon as a political pawn. It establishes the tense power dynamics between the Eastern factions.
2. “Every night, he had taken out the scale to examine it, but all he could remember, when his fingers traced its surface, was the way the dragon had looked at him as he cleaved its armor from its flesh.”
This poignant moment captures Niclays’ growing moral conflict about his actions. The dragon’s scale becomes both a scientific obsession and a symbol of his guilt, showing his complex character development.
3. “In the end, home had always been Jannart.”
This simple yet powerful statement reveals the emotional core of Niclays’ journey. His concept of home is tied to his lost love Jannart, showing how personal relationships define one’s sense of belonging more than physical places.
4. “If they find nothing, then take to the sea, Niclays. It will be kinder than her rage.”
Laya’s warning underscores the deadly stakes of their quest. The contrast between the mercy of drowning and the Golden Empress’s wrath highlights the extreme danger they’re in, raising tension about their mission’s outcome.
5. “Whatever awaited them, one thing was certain. He or his ghost would be laid to rest.”
This closing line powerfully conveys Niclays’ resignation and determination. It suggests he’s reached a point of no return, willing to either succeed in his quest or die trying, completing his character arc in this chapter.