Wonderful! Did you have the Director's name worked out before this? I love that even in this snippet we see that their relationship has evolved over time, however long between meetings. And some insight on the further changes in the Director, whose worldview was so shaken by the attempt on his children and Edmund's reaction.
Susan combines a desire for respect and approval of those *she* respects with an ongoing search for guides in new areas (the Director in finance, Rabadash perhaps in the Calormene culture? And non-romantically as well, with "Sallowpad" in TQSIT) And now I *really* want to see how Susan develops with Asim and Tebbitt. Asim in very many ways fits her developing "type" here, but there's no hint of a romance there that I've seen- neither in the foreshadowing from the cards nor in Asim's character in general.
On the other hand, Tebbitt is a significant departure (younger, and initially *not* someone she respects although she comes to respect him as he comes to respect her during TQSIT). Somehow Tebbitt feels a bit like Susan cutting loose after relationships that were either very casual (Dryads) or with serious, intellectual humans.
I wonder if any of the four think to look at their second round of teenage years as an opportunity to have a bit of adolescent fun they could not as Monarchs, while still not being so adolescently stupid about it :-)
Still thinking on Edmund and Morgan's reactions. Ed finds out through Rats and Crows? Is somewhat disconcerted but stuffs it away. Comments to Morgan, who reveals that she had already placed bets on it with the Crows and simply didn't think it worth mentioning (unless, perhaps, the bet turned out to be an exceptionally good financial maneuver- but who would have tipped her off? Perhaps Jina. Jalur still does not understand why any of this is worth conversation, as he does not expect to have to eat any member of the house of Linch).
Re: All aboard the Susan/Director ship
Susan combines a desire for respect and approval of those *she* respects with an ongoing search for guides in new areas (the Director in finance, Rabadash perhaps in the Calormene culture? And non-romantically as well, with "Sallowpad" in TQSIT) And now I *really* want to see how Susan develops with Asim and Tebbitt. Asim in very many ways fits her developing "type" here, but there's no hint of a romance there that I've seen- neither in the foreshadowing from the cards nor in Asim's character in general.
On the other hand, Tebbitt is a significant departure (younger, and initially *not* someone she respects although she comes to respect him as he comes to respect her during TQSIT). Somehow Tebbitt feels a bit like Susan cutting loose after relationships that were either very casual (Dryads) or with serious, intellectual humans.
I wonder if any of the four think to look at their second round of teenage years as an opportunity to have a bit of adolescent fun they could not as Monarchs, while still not being so adolescently stupid about it :-)
Still thinking on Edmund and Morgan's reactions. Ed finds out through Rats and Crows? Is somewhat disconcerted but stuffs it away. Comments to Morgan, who reveals that she had already placed bets on it with the Crows and simply didn't think it worth mentioning (unless, perhaps, the bet turned out to be an exceptionally good financial maneuver- but who would have tipped her off? Perhaps Jina. Jalur still does not understand why any of this is worth conversation, as he does not expect to have to eat any member of the house of Linch).
-H