A collection of my favorite scenes from The Sending, Obernewtyn Chronicles, by Isobelle Carmody. It wasn't till my 2nd reread of the series that I remembered I read this as a young teen and it had really impacted me. I loved the concepts here, and seeing more Bear!Rushton in dreamtrails and mind-scapes is always a treat. Being your animal form and/or having symbolism tied to your form was just so cool to teen-and-adult-me. You can tell by how much detail I gave to Rushton that really he was the main motivation for drawing haha. I tried to draw design parallels between Elspeth's black power, showing it embedded in her as a snake (since it's often described as coiled and snake-like), and brought those same design choices to the chains made of the same power. Also I know that Elspeth looks as Rushton sees her in his mind ("Goddess Elspeth"), but I chose to have her Seeker dreamtrail appearance since it's so important for both her role and pathos.
I'll include a quote below the cut that this is based on:
"I became aware of a weight in my hands and looked down to see that I was holding a large golden bowl brimming with a brightness that was neither liquid nor solid but some combination of both. The bear Rushton rose up on his hind legs and lumbered around to me. instinctively I offered the bowl to him. He cupped the sides of it and my hands with his enormous paws, and bent his great shaggy head to lap at its contents. When he lifted his head and straightened, he towered over me, dark muzzle and sharp fangs glistening gold. "Seeker," he rasped, "I know why you have come." [...]
I would have to draw on the fearsome black power that I had evoked to kill Madam Vega when she would have slain him; the same power that, the last time I had evoked it, had exerted its own terrifying will so that I had barely been able to control it and I had sworn never again to waken it. "It is a part of you," the bear said in its rough voice. "To pretend it is not is as foolish as binding your eyes and pretending to be blind."
"An eye does not have the power to kill," I whispered.
"It does, if the mind and will of its owner are to kill." "The black power does not serve me. It would rule me," I said. "Your fear of it rules you. If you would master the black power, you must master your fear of it." [...]
I wanted to believe it, for the alternative was that I risked him for an hour of pleasure. "Pleasure?" the bear growled. "Do not give such a large and profound thing such a small name. Now do what you came to do." I bowed my head, accepting his rebuke and his command. [...]
I looked up into his green eyes and suddenly thought of a gift I could give him, but before I could speak, my thought allowed the golden link between us to become visible. The light shining from it eclipsed even the brightness of the pool. "What is it?" asked the bear, gazing at it reverently. I guided his paw to the link. As his claws passed through it, he drew a long shuddering breath.
"We wove this between us with our loving," I whispered. "I did not know it would happen but I believe it will endure even when we are far apart." I lifted my other hand and stroked the bear's cheek. To my astonishment his fur flamed briefly blue where I touched it. I drew my hand back in amazement, fearing I had hurt him, but when he leaned forward to lick my hand in tender reassurance, a little mist of shimmering light rose, formed, and dissolved. I laughed incredulously.
"It must be the link," Rushton said, and there was wonder in his rough bear's voice. [...]
I opened my eyes and found that I was holding a length of chain. The dark links were clumsily formed and heavy and I wept as I wrapped them about the bear's body. It sat passive, making no protest, and when I was done, I held the ends to the stone beneath him and watched them melt to it. To my shame and dismay, when I looked into the bear's face, I saw that part of the chain had altered and flattened to become a hateful muzzle. Only its eyes could speak now, and it broke my heart to see there was pity in them, but also serenity. [...]
The bear could not answer, but his grave green eyes held mine, and when I reached out to touch him, I heard the words he could not say. "It seems that after all there is a part I can play. I am to keep your secrets safe. I will wear these chains, my love, for are they not the price to be paid for our loving; even for this golden link that binds us? I pay it gladly and with all my heart."
If ever there was a love triangle that could've been resolved with a throuple it's Elspeth, Rushton and Damien; there's no convincing me that those three aren't down for each other
also i really want to set up an Obernewtyn blog to promote the beauty of the series and help solidify the presence of the fandom on Tumblr I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE who is with me?
