Captive Prince

“The food was rustic, but the slaves were impeccable: faultlessly obedient and trained to efface and anticipate, nothing like the spoiled pets at the court of Vere. The gallery was decorated by two dozen slaves on display. All were either naked or barely clad in transparent silks. Around their necks the slaves wore gold collars decorated with rubies and tanzanite, and on their wrists golden wrist-cuffs. These were purely ornamental. The slaves knelt in demonstration of their willing submissiveness.”

The Prologue offers some insight into Akielon culture, and this passage highlights the practice of slavery in Pacat’s world. The “rustic” food, nudity, and “purely ornamental” bindings imply that Akielon is a simple but wealthy country. The practice of slavery, here, relies on enslaved people being trained in obedience, rather than forced into it, which doesn’t remove the critical issue of exploitation from the practice but does provide a contrast to Damen’s situation.

“At the sound of the bells, the need to escape had overwhelmed any urge to caution or subterfuge, part of the fury and grief that came upon him in waves. The starting of the horses had given him his opportunity. But he had been unarmed and surrounded by soldiers, in a closed courtyard. The subsequent handling had not been delicate. They had thrown him into a cell deep in the bowels of the house, after which, they had drugged him. Days had bled into one another.”

In Akielos, Damen fights Kastor’s coup as much as he can, but he’s overwhelmed by Kastor’s preparations. This passage highlights Damen’s spirit as a warrior prince but also shows how he understands when and how to acquiesce to his situation. His “handling” and drugging reveal how much effort it takes to subdue him, but even Damen can’t resist without weapons and strategy.

“He must stay quiet, inconspicuous. Enough presence of mind had returned to him to know that as Prince Damianos he would be unlikely to last a night alive in Vere. Better by far to be thought a nameless slave. He allowed the handling. He had judged the exits and the quality of the guards in his escort. The quality of the guards was less significant than the quality of the chain around his neck. His arms were lashed behind his back and he was gagged, the collar chain shortened to only nine links, so that even kneeling, his head was bowed, and he could barely look up.”

Realizing that no one knows he’s Damianos, the Prince-Killer, Damen gains a new understanding of the importance of subservience in Vere, thematically developing The Dynamics of Power and Consent. In addition to avoiding beatings for insubordination, he must avoid drawing attention to himself, in case someone were to recognize him. He still measures his chances of escape, but he’s beginning to accept his role in Vere, if temporarily, to avoid worse punishment.