Teres

It would make some sense if the Avar women can marry men from multiple clans, but I doubt that is the intent, either, and there does not seem to be a shortage of men to explain this.

It never comes up again after this anyway.

Yes, this is another Axis chapter, wherein Axis is finally told things we have known for quite a while already and we will have more Drama.

And yet which he barely even reacts to, all things considered.

It might be that other Avar make such things, but we should be given an explanation for this.

Which we aren't, because after this book the author basically loses all interest in the Avar.

- His reaction at seeing Raum and Shra had been “sympathy, not hatred”. So we were supposed to see that as weird?

Weird is fine but it's also completely nonsensical. We don't even have the excuse of Axis just naturally being a really nice, big-hearted guy.

And how can he have Forbidden blood in him when he has “hated and feared” them all his life?

But not so much that you didn't instantly flip out over seeing two of them being mistreated, of course.

If he lets himself hope it is true, and then she turns out to be dead, he “[will] be truly damned”,

Because they're just SO IN LOVE you guys. Totally.

Hagen did not even die due to Azhure (and why would she stick a knife in his belly to kill him?)

Actual abuse victims who murder their abusers usually go with poison. They sure as hell wouldn't be likely to go for a physical confrontation.

No one had liked her, they all find

This is of course so Azhure can whine a lot later on about how nobody liked her and her childhood was so lonely etc etc. She's such a self-pitying ass about it, going on about how they didn't like her because of "her beauty, temper and independent spirit" because of course they have to hate her for having positive traits. In other words it's one of those "it sucks to be awesome" moments we get from Sues all the time.

Yes, thank you for this insight into how much the villagers of Smyrton suck, Douglass (as if we did not already knew that). Of course all of them turn on Azhure the moment it is convenient to do so, and of course no one found any fault with Hagen outside of him marrying Azhure’s mother. No one has a dissenting opinion, no one finds any nuance, since they are all a hive mind, apparently.

Yeah, this whole bit is just really high-handed, arrogant and stupid.

I also note that Douglass now had the “bad” villagers talk about how Nors women are untrustworthy.

After this we switch over to "all Nors women are sluts and whores", which even Axis fully believes and is never corrected on. It's awful.

the villagers do have a burial “to entertain themselves with”,

...how many funerals have you been to, Douglass?

“[o]ne word from Axis [is] worth an entire edict from King Priam”.

Because once again we must have it pounded into our heads that Axis is the OMG BEST COMMANDER EVER.

Well, it seems he is taking quite well to the duty Veremund imposed on him.

This likewise goes absolutely nowhere. Arne and his entire subplot could have been cut entirely and probably should have been.

Well, Ogden and Veremund do not notice him coming in.

So much for being "watchful". Do these morons WANT to get caught?

Ogden has put his hand over Belial’s face and “faint golden light” comes from his fingertips.

They never do this again, of course.

Axis leans against the door. He says that Belial is not “in any danger”, else he “would have rushed to his aid”. And how do you know that, Axis?

For someone who was raised his entire life to believe magic is EVIL, you sure wouldn't know it.

But no, he does not care for Belial’s health, apparently.

Frankly the entire trilogy never once shows that Axis actually gives a single shit about Belial.

Axis pushes off from the door and “stroll[s] lazily” across the room,

WHY THE FUCK IS HE ACTING SO CASUAL? The guy should be either angry or panicking!

He jokes that Belial’s smile must have “charmed her just enough to stop the killer blow”. Belial says that he always had a way with the women and then closes his eyes as he gets a “spasm of pain”.

Guys, this is neither the time or place for this kind of crap. Also this is not funny.

Axis then moves so quickly that Ogden barely knows what happens. All he knows is that suddenly Axis has a hand in his hair, “holding his head tilted back in a tight grip”, while he holds a “short but lethal blade” to his threat with the other.

You just know this was meant to make him look "cool". Instead it just makes him look like a violent asshole.

Belial speaks up, telling Axis not to harm them because they healed his concussion.

Um, how does he know that? Also... magic is evil? Ring any bells?

Not because harming them is utterly unnecessary and he would find it wrong, mind, only because they healed him.

Yeah, Belial isn't exactly coming off well here either.

I also note that we have had no indication of Axis thinking this before just now, and that this makes Axis look even worse for attacking Ogden on the basis of… a quite contrived conspiracy theory he just thought of. Is this the military leader Achar needs?

Yeah, no kidding. The guy just coming off as more and more mentally and emotionally unstable, and that's not going to improve either. He even screams at and abuses people during military planning meetings, for goodness' sake.

“his hands flapping impotently”

Like a goddamn cartoon character, lest we were taking this scene at all seriously up until this point.

They are awfully calm about Axis just having threatened Ogden, I note.

Nobody really seems to take that much issue with Axis' constant violent assaults on people. Nor do they seem to notice that he keeps screaming and shouting all the time even when it's utterly uncalled-for.

“going… to… go… insane”.

Too late. No sane man acts like you, shithead.

Sure, the Brothers Ogden and Veremund have died long since, but I am not happy about them continuing to impersonate them.

That is really gross and creepy now you've pointed it out. After all, if Yr can change shape from her original disguise why don't any of the others do it?

Ogden and Veremund look at each other and grasp hands, “unsure what to do”. You have had thirty-nine years to prepare for this

Worse. They've had THOUSANDS of years to prepare.

Axis shouts that they have “no cursed choice”, because if they will not tell him, he “will break free this knife again!”.

Douglass' dialogue is awful in general but this is a particularly egregious example.

and even gave the Service of the Dead when they were not Brothers!

Surely that counts as blasphemy.

Belial then laughs, and says that it is no wonder they could not remember anything of the Service of the Dead. He then wonders about them being Sentinels and looks at them with “vastly increased respect”. Hmm, I think he should feel at least some disrespect for them for pretending to be Brothers when they are not, and I am not wholly sure why he thinks being “Sentinels” is so worthy of respect, but alright.

Because this is literally Belial's only role in the story: to be a yes-man for the "good guys" and tell Axis how great he (and therefore everything associated with him) is. Therefore he has to be completely flat calm and even pleased about all this insanity.