The Priory of the Orange Tree
Twenty-Seven
by Shannon, SamanthaIn this chapter of *The Priory of the Orange Tree*, Niclays Roos devises a perilous plan to secure his return to the West by creating an elixir from dragon blood, a substance forbidden by Eastern law. Despite his usual cowardice, Niclays resolves to take the risk, driven by desperation and ambition. He sends a secret letter to Lady Tané Miduchi, a dragonrider, requesting a meeting, ensuring the message is delivered discreetly. As he waits for her response, Niclays reflects on his past and the mysterious silk fragment left to him by his deceased mentor, Jannart, which holds an undeciphered secret tied to Jannart’s death.
Niclays’s encounter with Tané on a secluded beach is tense and fraught with danger. He blackmails her by threatening to expose her role in the arrest of two individuals, including her friend, unless she provides him with dragon blood and scales. Tané, initially hostile and threatening, is visibly shaken by Niclays’s revelation about her friend’s fate. The confrontation escalates as she presses a blade to his throat, outraged by his demand to defile a dragon, which she reveres as a god. Niclays remains steadfast, leveraging her fear of exposure to secure his demands.
The chapter delves into Niclays’s complex motivations, revealing his obsession with the silk fragment and his unresolved grief over Jannart’s death. The fragment, a legacy from Jannart’s widow and granddaughter, symbolizes both a personal mystery and a professional challenge. Niclays’s determination to unlock its secrets mirrors his broader quest for redemption and scientific discovery. His actions underscore his moral ambiguity, as he manipulates Tané while grappling with his own guilt and ambition.
The confrontation between Niclays and Tané highlights the clash between Western alchemical pursuits and Eastern spiritual reverence for dragons. Tané’s internal conflict—between her duty as a dragonrider and her fear of exposure—adds depth to her character. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger, with Tané’s blade at Niclays’s throat, leaving their negotiation unresolved. This moment encapsulates the high stakes of Niclays’s plan and the precarious balance of power between the two characters, setting the stage for further conflict.
FAQs
1. What is Niclays Roos’s primary motivation in this chapter, and what risky plan does he devise to achieve it?
Answer:
Niclays Roos is motivated by his desperate desire to escape Orisima and return to the West, as well as to revive his alchemical work. His risky plan involves obtaining dragon blood and scales—materials forbidden by Eastern law—to create an elixir that could buy his freedom. He specifically targets Tané Miduchi, a dragonrider, by blackmailing her with knowledge of her past crime (abandoning prisoners to protect her status). This plan is dangerous both because it violates Seiikinese law and because threatening a dragonrider could have lethal consequences, showing Niclays’s willingness to gamble everything for his goals.2. Analyze the significance of the silk fragment Niclays discovers in his book. How does this object connect to both his past and his current situation?
Answer:
The silk fragment is a deeply personal artifact tied to Niclays’s late mentor, Jannart, who died while studying it. It represents both Niclays’s unresolved grief and his intellectual curiosity—he has spent years trying to decipher its ancient Eastern script, mirroring his current pursuit of forbidden Eastern knowledge (dragon alchemy). The fragment also symbolizes his feelings of failure, as he couldn’t fulfill Truyde’s request to decode it. Its reappearance in this chapter underscores his obsession with unlocking secrets, paralleling his risky quest for dragon materials, while also highlighting his emotional vulnerabilities beneath his scheming exterior.3. How does the confrontation between Niclays and Tané reveal their respective character traits and power dynamics?
Answer:
The confrontation showcases Niclays’s cunning and desperation—he manipulates Tané by exploiting her guilt over abandoning prisoners and threatens exposure, demonstrating his strategic thinking. Tané initially appears dominant (holding a blade to his throat), but her trembling hand and reaction to learning about the “young woman” (likely the theater friend) reveal her hidden guilt and emotional conflict. The power dynamic shifts as Niclays, though physically vulnerable, gains leverage through psychological manipulation. This interaction highlights Tané’s rigid adherence to duty conflicting with her conscience, while Niclays embodies ruthless pragmatism, willing to endanger himself and others for his goals.4. What thematic role does the setting of Orisima play in this chapter, particularly in relation to Niclays’s actions?
Answer:
Orisima serves as a prison-like setting that fuels Niclays’s desperation. As a Westerner confined in the East, the trading post symbolizes his intellectual and physical confinement—he’s barred from both returning home and accessing the materials he needs for his work. This oppressive environment drives his morally ambiguous actions (blackmail, theft). The nighttime beach meeting with Tané also reflects the clandestine nature of his plans, contrasting with Seiiki’s strict order. The setting thus reinforces themes of cultural alienation and the extremes people will pursue to escape oppression, while also serving as a microcosm of East-West tensions in the narrative.5. Evaluate Niclays’s claim that he “knows” Tané well based on their limited interactions. Is this assessment accurate, and what does it reveal about his character?
Answer:
Niclays’s assertion is partially accurate but primarily manipulative. He correctly identifies Tané’s willingness to sacrifice others for her position (referencing her abandonment of prisoners), showing his perceptiveness. However, he overlooks her deeper complexities—her evident guilt and internal conflict. His “knowledge” is superficial, weaponized to control her. This reveals Niclays’s tendency to reduce people to utilitarian tools, a trait seen in how he uses everyone from servants (to deliver secret letters) to Tané. It also reflects his own projection—as someone who constantly performs cowardice versus courage, he assumes others are equally transactional in their motivations.
Quotes
1. “Niclays Roos was conniving. And it was a plan so dangerous and unflinching that he almost wondered if he really had come up with it, eternal coward that he was.”
This opening line introduces Niclays’ internal conflict and sets the tone for his risky scheme. It captures his self-awareness as both a schemer and a coward, foreshadowing the high-stakes gamble he’s about to undertake.
2. “He needed blood from a dragon, to see how gods renewed themselves.”
This concise statement reveals the core motivation driving Niclays’ actions. The phrase “how gods renewed themselves” poetically encapsulates his alchemical quest while hinting at the sacred taboo he’s willing to violate.
3. “Based on the script and material, the fragment was certainly from the ancient East, but that was all Jannart had gleaned from it at the time of his death. Years had passed, and still Niclays did not know why he had been clutching it on his deathbed.”
This passage reveals the emotional weight of Niclays’ scholarly obsession. The mysterious silk fragment represents both his connection to his lost love Jannart and his lifelong pursuit of unsolved mysteries that may cost him dearly.
4. “You left an innocent man and a young woman to die in the shit and piss of a jailhouse, all so your special ceremony would go just as you wanted…I feel as if I know you very well.”
This brutal confrontation exposes the moral complexity of both characters. Niclays’ accusation cuts to Tané’s core conflict between ambition and compassion, while revealing his own willingness to manipulate her guilt for his ends.
5. “You would have me mutilate a dragon. Defile the flesh of a god.”
Tané’s horrified response captures the profound cultural and religious stakes of Niclays’ request. This climactic moment crystallizes the central conflict between Western alchemical ambition and Eastern sacred tradition.