The Priory of the Orange Tree
Thirteen
by Shannon, SamanthaThe chapter opens with Tané undergoing a rigorous trial involving knife-throwing, observed by the Sea General and members of Clan Miduchi. Despite her nervousness, she performs well, though not as flawlessly as Turosa, a skilled apprentice from the North House. Onren, another competitor, arrives late but impresses everyone by achieving a perfect score. The trial highlights the intense competition among the apprentices and the high expectations placed on them to prove their worthiness to join the elite High Sea Guard.
Later that night, the apprentices are abruptly awakened and taken to a forest lake for another challenge: retrieving eight dancing pearls hidden in the water. The Sea General explains that this test mirrors the unpredictability of real missions. Tané, though anxious, strategizes and eventually finds a pearl. Onren excels again, while Turosa mocks Tané’s humble origins, foreshadowing a potential confrontation in the final trial. The scene underscores the tension between the apprentices and the pressure Tané feels to prove herself.
Meanwhile, the narrative shifts to Niclays, a restless guest at the Governor’s mansion, who is tormented by memories of his past. He reflects on his relationship with Jannart, a nobleman whose marriage to Aleidine was arranged, leaving Niclays heartbroken. Haunted by guilt over his treatment of a musician and Jannart’s lies, Niclays struggles with insomnia and the humid heat. His introspection reveals his deep regrets and the emotional scars he carries, adding a layer of personal conflict to the story.
By morning, Niclays is granted permission to visit Triam Sulyard, a prisoner, to extract information. The storm continues, mirroring his inner turmoil. As he prepares for the meeting, the chapter juxtaposes his emotional struggles with Tané’s physical and social challenges, weaving together two distinct yet thematically linked narratives of perseverance and redemption. The chapter ends with a sense of impending confrontation for both characters.
FAQs
1. What are the three trials described in this chapter, and what do they reveal about the qualities required to join the High Sea Guard?
Answer:
The chapter describes three trials: knife-throwing, pearl retrieval, and an implied final combat trial. The knife-throwing test demonstrates precision and skill under pressure, as Tané performs well despite nervousness. The pearl retrieval in the lake at night assesses swimming ability, endurance, and strategic thinking, as Tané reasons about water currents to find a pearl. The upcoming combat trial suggests the importance of martial prowess. Together, these trials reveal that the High Sea Guard values physical skill, mental composure, strategic reasoning, and adaptability—qualities essential for protecting Seiiki, especially when separated from ships or dragons.2. Analyze the dynamic between Tané and Turosa. How does their interaction reflect broader societal tensions in Seiiki?
Answer:
Tané and Turosa’s rivalry reflects class tensions in Seiikinese society. Turosa, likely from a privileged background, belittles Tané as a “peasant” and “villager,” mocking the democratization of symbols like dancing pearls that were once exclusive to the elite. His disdain (“they might as well be dirt”) reveals resentment toward social mobility. Tané responds with measured politeness (“You swam well”), highlighting her discipline and refusal to engage in open conflict. This mirrors broader societal struggles between traditional hierarchies and merit-based advancement, particularly in institutions like Clan Miduchi, where heritage and skill collide.3. How does the author use contrasting characters like Onren and Turosa to highlight different aspects of Tané’s journey?
Answer:
Onren and Turosa serve as foils that emphasize Tané’s challenges and growth. Onren, effortlessly skilled (“swam like a dragon”) yet unconventional (arriving late with unkempt hair), represents an ideal Tané admires but struggles to emulate. Turosa, openly hostile and classist, embodies the systemic barriers Tané faces. While Onren’s excellence motivates Tané to improve (“Determined to be next”), Turosa’s cruelty forces her to develop resilience (“Get ready to fall”). Together, they underscore the dual pressures of achieving excellence and overcoming prejudice in Tané’s path to joining Clan Miduchi.4. What thematic parallels can be drawn between Niclays’s reflections on his past and Tané’s current struggles?
Answer:
Both characters grapple with societal constraints and personal regret. Niclays mourns his lost love, Jannart, and reflects on how class differences (“a penniless nobody from Rozentun”) thwarted their relationship—mirroring Tané’s struggle against Turosa’s elitism. His guilt over the musician parallels Tané’s fear of failure, as both face moral and emotional trials. The “whisper” of Jannart’s ghost symbolizes lingering consequences of the past, much like Tané’s anxiety about her heritage haunting her future. These parallels highlight themes of memory, class, and the weight of unfulfilled potential.5. Why might the author have chosen to intercut Tané’s trials with Niclays’s introspective nighttime scene?
Answer:
The juxtaposition creates thematic resonance between physical and emotional trials. Tané’s physical challenges (knives, swimming) mirror Niclays’s psychological turmoil (guilt, insomnia). Both face tests of endurance—Tané in water, Niclays in his “insufferably humid” room—emphasizing suffering as a universal human experience. The structure also contrasts youth and age: Tané fights for her future, while Niclays is trapped in regrets. This intercutting deepens the narrative by linking external and internal battles, suggesting that growth (or stagnation) occurs in both realms simultaneously.
Quotes
1. “Eight dancing pearls have been scattered in this lake. Should you retrieve one, it will encourage me to rank you higher.”
This quote captures the competitive nature of the sea guardians’ trials and the symbolic importance of the pearls, representing both heritage and meritocracy in Seiikinese society. It sets up a key challenge that reveals character dynamics between Tané and her rivals.
2. “Once these were symbols of heritage, of history. Now they adorn so many peasants, they might as well be dirt.”
Turosa’s bitter remark highlights the class tensions within Clan Miduchi and the changing social order. This quote is significant for showing the prejudice Tané faces as a commoner attempting to join the elite ranks.
3. “Ghosts were the voices the dead left behind. Echoes of a soul taken too soon.”
This poignant reflection from Niclays’ perspective introduces the theme of grief and memory that runs through his storyline. The metaphorical language beautifully captures his haunted state of mind and guilt over past actions.
4. “As if the Marquess of Zeedeur would have been allowed to wed a penniless nobody from Rozentun.”
This bitter realization underscores the class barriers that shaped Niclays’ tragic romance with Jannart. It provides crucial backstory about societal constraints and personal regrets that continue to affect him in the present narrative.