#worlds behind

[sisterdragonwithfeathers]

shoutout to platonic relationships so good they can make you recontextualize romantic songs

[incomingalbatross]

I don't think we've talked enough about Knife Uncle scene yet actually.

Athelas' brain really just TURNS OFF ENTIRELY the second he hears "Knife uncle!" Physical and situational awareness canceled, there is Only Harrow.

[hold-fast-to-hope]

Behind the Curtain ch 1-4!

Ch 1 — Ex-husband is an important clarification. (We see he is not accepting the status, however.)

“Or any other Camellia owns”?? Oh no

I thought maybe the house master could be the Glass Elder, but it seems he is thoroughly human, so that’s out the window.

Interesting that YeoWoo thinks Athelas is needed for Harrow.

Peregrin is promising to help… will this end up helping, though?

So. The house master arrived three weeks ago (when what was going on? unsure). He was met by a man in a black suit and mask — this, I think, has to be the glass elder.

Ch 2 — Zero trying to warn Harrow away from Athelas and Harrow picking up right away that he’s talking about himself, actually! Ahhh the angst!!

Harrow and Athelas bonding over contract trauma and also sweet desserts :) I love Athelas and his reluctant love for Asian sweets, haha, this feels like a boba callback to CB

I see how Harrow found out about Camellia going Between in the house, but how did he find out about the vow? Was that part of the necessary information to share (eep)?

Ooh that guy is so manipulative >:( and he’s straight up said he’s like Athelas! Athelas has some things to confront!

Ch 3 — love how they have all stayed to keep an eye on the housemaster!

I’m not sure YeoWoo’s idea for getting the housemaster temporarily out is going to be all that successful. But I suppose it’s good to give Camellia some agency in this process, anyway, and it might be a temporary solution?

A soulstealer, eh?

So. Camellia has to have someone carry “baggage” and YeoWoo objects to that term. It’s got to be her soul, right? Which is in the teapot, I’d presume…

Marazul and I are both suspicious of Peregrin. Also it seems Marazul doesn’t know who the glass elder is, he just has the title. Which means it could very well be Peregrin.

Okay, wait — the housemaster has agreed that soulstealers don’t fall in love with their stock and they don’t sample their own stock. But… he’s done both those things, right? At least, he says obliquely that he shouldn’t have fallen in love with Camellia, etc, and then everyone seems to take it as read that this is what he meant. I think the only other possibility would be that he got her from a different dealer? But maybe he was simply saying he knew he broke the rules.

Ooh every day the housemaster gets worse! Stop laughing at Harrow!

Ch 4 — Athelas saying the souls in the library are for research rather than use would not have consoled me the way it does Harrow.

Athelas’s lack of knowledge about what is child-appropriate is mournfully hilarious.

I was so nervous Harrow would be in trouble!

So I’m thinking the teapot definitely has her soul, and she was able to steal it but couldn’t bring herself to burn it? (Surely it’s hard to burn ceramic, too.)

No one else can destroy it for her… hmm…

Re: Athelas’s lack of knowledge mentioned earlier, he is constantly covering children’s eyes or making sure they don’t see the slaughter, however. He tries!

So the glass elder sent subpar assassins to send a message. I’m back to thinking it might be Peregrin. Though Athelas is implying it’s the housemaster while privately thinking it’s the glass elder…? Odd.

[onaslansside]

Trying to understand Athelas turns your brain inside out, but is great for your critical reading skills!

[brisingirl]

Dots connecting. "God said: You think that you are going to be abandoned, idiot? No. No, it shall not come to pass like that." from Les Miserables is an Athelas-coded line.

[twist-in-the-narrative]

If I may submit an Athelas/Camellia song for the council’s consideration:

Tea AND sunlight imagery!!!

(Just maybe in the wrong order :,) can’t have it all alas)

[cannot-all-throw-inkpots]

Ok I kinda want to reread the entire City Behind series and Worlds Behind so that I can see things with the benefit of hindsight, but consider: that means reentering the Tragedies too and I don't want to.