The Gracious Widow: Difference between revisions
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{{ | {{Major spoiler}} | ||
{{Character | {{Character | ||
|image1 = Widow.png | |image1 = <gallery> | ||
| | Widow.png|The Widow | ||
Princess.png|The Princess | |||
</gallery> | |||
|location = [[Spite]] | |location = [[Spite]] | ||
| | |related = | ||
|alias = Princess Cheren | |alias = Princess Cheren | ||
}} | |allegiance=[[The Khanate]]<br>[[Criminals]]|relationships=[[The Great Khan]] (father)}} | ||
''"The Widow: half London's contraband bears her mark. Call her the Gracious Widow. She likes that."'' | ''"The Widow: half London's contraband bears her mark. Call her the Gracious Widow. She likes that."'' | ||
The Grcious Widow, as she is commonly called, is the leader of a smuggling ring, probably taking after her true love. She has been known to smuggle jewels and [[Clay Men]] into and out of [[London]]. She is also the founder and secret owner of the Greyfields winery. | |||
Her son, or at least a friend of hers, is [[Yesterday's King]]. | |||
The Widow, as | == The Khan's Daughter == | ||
<blockquote>''"'The Princess. A Favoured Daughter, a Troubled Soul...'"<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The Khan's Daughter, ''The Silver Tree'']</ref>''</blockquote>The Gracious Widow is a survivor of the fall of [[The Fallen Cities|the Fourth City]], also known as Karakorum, the former Mongol capital. Cheren was far more than a passive royal. She was an accomplished hunter, often seen riding with her beloved sparrowhawk: Bayar.<ref>'The Royal family like to use birds of prey for hunting...', ''The Silver Tree "'The Princess is exceptionally fond of her own sparrowhawk, named Bayar. The Interpreter translated this name for me as 'joy'. This is fitting...'"''</ref> She would later feed the bird her brandy to keep him alive and healthy for centuries to come.<ref>[https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Bitter_Saker_Falcon Bitter Saker Falcon, ''Fallen London''] ''"After a while the Widow asks you to excuse them. "We are old friends," she says, as if that explains it. Servants show you to a comfortable waiting-room, and provide a bowl of oddly invigorating sherbet. When your falcon returns to you, he seems cheerier. And does he smell faintly of brandy? As a token of gratitude, the Widow gifts you with a wrapped bundle of Fourth City relics. "For your companion," she says, "as a reminder of home.""''</ref> | |||
She was the favourite daughter of [[The Great Khan|Mongke Khan]] (and if it's accurate to history, his adoptive daughter), Princess Cheren (or Shirin). The Princess was a notable beauty and many people desired a portrait of her.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ An appeal to vanity, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'The Khan's daughter was a notable beauty. I'm sure I'm not the first to ask her to sit for a sketched portrait...'"''</ref> The Khan was protective of his daughter and perhaps overconcerned for her safety,<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ 'My status made me a suitable choice for chaperone...', ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'He taught me to ride when I was a child; he knows I am a better hunter than any of his horsemen. Yet he insists on sending a foreigner to chaperone me in our own territory!'"''</ref> but showered her with gifts;<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The etiquette of gifts, ''The Silver Tree''] ''<nowiki/>'He is sure to shower her with presents this evening. Everything that the town has to offer and anything traders have brought through the gates. There is something so sad about this, isn't there? But she does love him, and she will take pity on him. At least for a while longer.'''</ref> he took pride in her beauty and often presented her to visiting traders (much to her annoyance).<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ Royal silks, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'My father likes me to look beautiful. I am a credit to him, he says. He drives a hard bargain, when he deals with the traders. But he never asks if this is what I want, to be caparisoned like a prized horse...'"''</ref> He kept a close eye on her personal life,<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The Khan's eyes, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'Khan watches Princess closely, especially when near William. [...] They forget I'm there, now. Khan saw her watching W. and his eyes narrowed. Angry with her, though, or him? Assume obvious - that there is suspicion of a love affair, or an unrequited passion on W's side? But then again Khan must be very used to his daughter being admired...'"''</ref> and deeply disapproved of her growing bond with William of Paris.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The Khan's eyes, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"[...] I remember, even now, the way the Khan's knuckles whitened as he gripped his goblet of airag and the way the Princess's cheeks dimpled as she glanced at the Sculptor. [...]"''</ref> Though his extended family posed threats of rebellion, it was the Princess's strong personality that caused him more anguish,<ref name=":2">[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ Quiet conversation with the Emperor, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"He sighed. 'My family is large and troublesome; my brothers' sons, with their armies spread all over the world, are all keen to challenge me for leadership of the Empire. And yet my daughter causes me more sleepless nights than any of them.'"''</ref> and they frequently argued over her autonomy.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ A disagreement, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"A disagreement about the best way to set traps for wolves led to the Khan striding off in a temper. 'Little does he know,' said the Princess to me. 'I have a strength that more than matches his. All the more so for being forced to stay silent so long.' She glared after him, but then her face softened. 'Sometimes, I think he does know,' she added. 'And that's the part he can't understand.'"''</ref> Though they had an affectionate relationship, neither of them truly understood each other.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The ending for the Khan and his daughter, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'Cheren is wilful, but I do love her above all else,' said the Khan. 'My father is flawed, but I do love him very dearly,' said the Princess. If their troubled relationship hadn't been endangering the city, it wouldn't matter. But it was."''</ref> | |||
She and a captive European artist named William of Paris (Guillaume Boucher) had a love affair,<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The Interpreter and the Sculptor, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"The Interpreter wasn't given to gossip, but she said a many things about William of Paris. That he was a Cathar heretic, that he'd been further east than Karakorum, that he was engaged in an affair with the Princess. [...]"''</ref> one that would have grave consequence for William were they to be found out.<ref name=":0">[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The Interpreter and the Sculptor, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"She said, 'William of Paris must learn to be more careful. If I could learn of his affair, then so could the Khan. And then he would be staked out for the wolves and the vultures.'"''</ref> As such, they kept the affair secret, unfortunately, they didn't do this well enough as everyone: servants,<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ '..but if her father found out...', ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'Observed two servants discussing the Princess' affairs. Decided to advise her to prudence...'"''</ref> interpreters,<ref name=":0" /> foreign ambassadors, Cheren's father<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The Khan's eyes, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'Khan watches Princess closely, especially when near William. Fascinating interaction tonight...'"''</ref>... all had suspicions. The couple taught each other their people's customs and languages.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ A change of interpreter, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"She had learned my language from William the sculptor. She told me that they had a pact, to exchange knowledge of each other's languages and customs; 'You never know,' she said, 'when you will find yourself in a foreign land. William's own experience proves that.' "''</ref> The Khan would never allow them to marry.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Silver_Tree|The Story of the Fountain|The Silver Tree|}}''"[...] She and the Sculptor were in love. The Khan would never allow them to marry. [...]"''</ref> It was William and Cheren's love that brought Mr Wines to Karakorum, and thus brought its fall to the Neath as the [[The Fallen Cities|Fourth City]]. | |||
Her intellect and independence extended beyond the hunt. She was a metallurgist<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ A collision of interest, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'The Princess knows a great deal about weaponry, and proved a fine help in conversing with the armourer, who only took a small token from me for the privilege...'"''</ref> and visionary, the true mind behind the famed Silver Tree<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Silver_Tree|The Story of the Fountain|The Silver Tree|}}''’’The Princess had designed the Silver Tree. [...]’’''</ref> that now stands in the Forgotten Quarter and not William.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The Princess's admirers, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'He is a fraud. We have heard of him, you know. The King of Denmark will not have him at his court ever again.'"''</ref> She stole from her father's treasury<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ A bag of pearls, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"Nobody wanted to trade. The Alan caravan master told me that the pearls were stolen. Khan's men looking for them. Wasn't the first time Pr. had done that. Buried the pearls...'"''</ref> and secretly bought<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ A bag of pearls, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'Traded the pearls on as asked. Didn't ask questions. Why does she need silver? Saw her take it to the forge. Think she was having them melted down...'"''</ref> metal from passing merchants to maintain the Silver Tree.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ Repair work, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'Easy enough transaction in the end. Turkish trader willing to keep quiet. Pr. grateful. Said her father wouldn't understand any need for adjustments to fountain...'"''</ref> She designed the Silver Tree to show her father that their empire didn't need to expand anymore and to make peace with the rest of the family, but it unfortunately had the opposite effect.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The life of a Princess, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'It is not the wine, but what it represents. My past and my future, do you see? I wanted the Silver Tree to show my father that our empire was already magnificent; that it was not worth expanding at the expense of family. I designed the serpents to represent unity, but I fear he sees them as a spur to ambition...'"''</ref> She gave credit for the Silver Tree to William to ingratiate him to the Khan in hopes that he would become ameniable to their relationship.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ I asked the Shaman's to convince the Princess to abandon her affair, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'I made it for love of William,' she told me, 'and for my father. I wanted him to love William too, and to have a wonder unlike any other - one that would glorify the Empire as he had dreamed.'"''</ref> | |||
Bound by the expectations of her station, Cheren sought freedom where she could.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The Princess's ambition, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'Do you know what it is like, being a Princess of the Golden Horde?' she asked me. 'The Princess is highly important, and utterly unvalued. She is prized for her beauty and resented for her intellect. She is free to inherit the world, and more securely imprisoned that the wretches in the Khan's dungeons. What would you do, if you were her?'"''</ref> She turned to a traditional role for noble Mongol women: alcohol brewing.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ Tending to the airag, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"I remember when I wrote this note; I didn't elaborate further in my official record, but it was the evening I met the Princess on the outskirts of town, at the huts where the airag was left to ferment. I asked why she was there. 'I only take the traditional interest expected of me, as a woman,' she said. 'There are simply a few tasks that must be done under the moon. 'She did not appear nervous. I remember that she could lie well."''</ref> But she did not brew for feasts. She brewed for time.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ Companionship, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'Have you never felt simply that there is no hope for the future?' she asked me. 'Surely this is not an unusual emotion? I am sick of my father telling me that I will be happy if I simply do as I am told. I will not be happy, even if I do as I want. What I need is time. Would you not pay any price for time, if it were offered to you?'"''</ref> She began experimenting with fruits from the East<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The four serpents, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"The Princess handed me a bowl of something clear and oily. I sipped and coughed. 'It's not rice wine, but it is from the East,' she said. 'They have fiery plums, there, and I am experimenting with them."''</ref> and peaches from Cathay<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ A favour for the Princess, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"He was cheerful, that day. 'Of course. My daughter must have anything she desires. Even if it is a cart full of Cathay peaches packed into barrels and nestling in straw.'"''</ref> smuggled by a web of smuggler-merchants.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ What's she doing?, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'Merchants more than they seem. Why in God's name does a princess of Tartary need smugglers in her employ? I had no idea. But she liked that I knew, and that I was surprised...'"''</ref> Cheren, under the tutelage of a wise shaman,<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The four serpents, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"The drink tasted like all the spices in the market - as if a camel had got loose and kicked over a few stalls. Seeing my face, the Princess grew defensive. 'I have just begun this line of enquiry,' she said. 'But it's fine. I have a teacher. He is knowledgeable. More so than anyone.'"''</ref><ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ Significance, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'The Princess has seen something hidden in plain sight,' he told us. 'The ones your people describe as idol-worshippers, though they be followers of many faiths and not at all the same [...] many of them know of the potency of intoxication. But we shamans understand that the spirit can step out of the body, and sometimes, the essence of something else can enter.' [...] Waiting for us on a thin wooden chair was an impossibly ancient man. 'This is my great-grandfather, [...] Perhaps now you see that the things the Princess is learning have consequences?'"''</ref> pursued the secrets of immortality.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The Significance of Peaches, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"He told me of the trees at the end of the world, whose fruit granted longevity to those that ate it. I asked how long one could expect to live. 'Long, very long,' was the answer. I did not ask what would happen if the fruit was distilled..."''</ref> Her orchard, imported in full from distant Cathay, was her sanctuary, guarded and secret.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The little peach orchard, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"Nobody was allowed in the Princess' little orchard. I chatted to a guard while we waited for her to emerge. He said that she'd had the trees carried from far Cathay at huge expense to her father."''</ref> The Silver Tree also funtioned as her concealed distillery.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The Silver Lions, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"I looked. There was nothing there. Just four lead-lined tunnels leading, I knew, to the chamber the airag was pumped from. 'No, no!' It was the Princess's voice, but she was not in the courtyard. It was coming from the lion's mouth!"''</ref><ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ The Hidden Chamber, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"I remembered visiting the chamber beneath the Silver Tree, and seeing the strange metal containers that were concealed there..."''</ref> Anyone that looks into her criminal connections were silenced with bribes or death.<ref>[http://silvertree.storynexus.com/ What's she doing?, ''The Silver Tree''] ''"'Looked into Pr. business dealings. Given purse of silver and told to look elsewhere. Also told next time, would be staked out for vultures...'"''</ref> | |||
== Historical and Cultural Inspirations == | == Historical and Cultural Inspirations == | ||
Revision as of 10:50, 9 April 2025
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Beyond this point lie major spoilers for Fallen London, Sunless Sea, Sunless Skies, or Mask of the Rose. This may include endgame or major Fate-locked spoilers. Proceed at your own risk. You can find out more about our spoiler policy here. |
"The Widow: half London's contraband bears her mark. Call her the Gracious Widow. She likes that."
The Grcious Widow, as she is commonly called, is the leader of a smuggling ring, probably taking after her true love. She has been known to smuggle jewels and Clay Men into and out of London. She is also the founder and secret owner of the Greyfields winery.
Her son, or at least a friend of hers, is Yesterday's King.
The Khan's Daughter
"'The Princess. A Favoured Daughter, a Troubled Soul...'"[1]
The Gracious Widow is a survivor of the fall of the Fourth City, also known as Karakorum, the former Mongol capital. Cheren was far more than a passive royal. She was an accomplished hunter, often seen riding with her beloved sparrowhawk: Bayar.[2] She would later feed the bird her brandy to keep him alive and healthy for centuries to come.[3]
She was the favourite daughter of Mongke Khan (and if it's accurate to history, his adoptive daughter), Princess Cheren (or Shirin). The Princess was a notable beauty and many people desired a portrait of her.[4] The Khan was protective of his daughter and perhaps overconcerned for her safety,[5] but showered her with gifts;[6] he took pride in her beauty and often presented her to visiting traders (much to her annoyance).[7] He kept a close eye on her personal life,[8] and deeply disapproved of her growing bond with William of Paris.[9] Though his extended family posed threats of rebellion, it was the Princess's strong personality that caused him more anguish,[10] and they frequently argued over her autonomy.[11] Though they had an affectionate relationship, neither of them truly understood each other.[12]
She and a captive European artist named William of Paris (Guillaume Boucher) had a love affair,[13] one that would have grave consequence for William were they to be found out.[14] As such, they kept the affair secret, unfortunately, they didn't do this well enough as everyone: servants,[15] interpreters,[14] foreign ambassadors, Cheren's father[16]... all had suspicions. The couple taught each other their people's customs and languages.[17] The Khan would never allow them to marry.[18] It was William and Cheren's love that brought Mr Wines to Karakorum, and thus brought its fall to the Neath as the Fourth City.
Her intellect and independence extended beyond the hunt. She was a metallurgist[19] and visionary, the true mind behind the famed Silver Tree[20] that now stands in the Forgotten Quarter and not William.[21] She stole from her father's treasury[22] and secretly bought[23] metal from passing merchants to maintain the Silver Tree.[24] She designed the Silver Tree to show her father that their empire didn't need to expand anymore and to make peace with the rest of the family, but it unfortunately had the opposite effect.[25] She gave credit for the Silver Tree to William to ingratiate him to the Khan in hopes that he would become ameniable to their relationship.[26]
Bound by the expectations of her station, Cheren sought freedom where she could.[27] She turned to a traditional role for noble Mongol women: alcohol brewing.[28] But she did not brew for feasts. She brewed for time.[29] She began experimenting with fruits from the East[30] and peaches from Cathay[31] smuggled by a web of smuggler-merchants.[32] Cheren, under the tutelage of a wise shaman,[33][34] pursued the secrets of immortality.[35] Her orchard, imported in full from distant Cathay, was her sanctuary, guarded and secret.[36] The Silver Tree also funtioned as her concealed distillery.[37][38] Anyone that looks into her criminal connections were silenced with bribes or death.[39]
Historical and Cultural Inspirations
Peaches are a Chinese symbol of longevity; birthday desserts are commonly decorated with or designed to look like peaches. In many of the folkloric and religious traditions that comprise Chinese mythology, the xian (humans who have ascended to godly status) consume Peaches of Immortality to extend their lives. The peach trees that bear this fruit are said to only do so every several thousand years (the exact number depends on the source).
References
- ↑ The Khan's Daughter, The Silver Tree
- ↑ 'The Royal family like to use birds of prey for hunting...', The Silver Tree "'The Princess is exceptionally fond of her own sparrowhawk, named Bayar. The Interpreter translated this name for me as 'joy'. This is fitting...'"
- ↑ Bitter Saker Falcon, Fallen London "After a while the Widow asks you to excuse them. "We are old friends," she says, as if that explains it. Servants show you to a comfortable waiting-room, and provide a bowl of oddly invigorating sherbet. When your falcon returns to you, he seems cheerier. And does he smell faintly of brandy? As a token of gratitude, the Widow gifts you with a wrapped bundle of Fourth City relics. "For your companion," she says, "as a reminder of home.""
- ↑ An appeal to vanity, The Silver Tree "'The Khan's daughter was a notable beauty. I'm sure I'm not the first to ask her to sit for a sketched portrait...'"
- ↑ 'My status made me a suitable choice for chaperone...', The Silver Tree "'He taught me to ride when I was a child; he knows I am a better hunter than any of his horsemen. Yet he insists on sending a foreigner to chaperone me in our own territory!'"
- ↑ The etiquette of gifts, The Silver Tree 'He is sure to shower her with presents this evening. Everything that the town has to offer and anything traders have brought through the gates. There is something so sad about this, isn't there? But she does love him, and she will take pity on him. At least for a while longer.'
- ↑ Royal silks, The Silver Tree "'My father likes me to look beautiful. I am a credit to him, he says. He drives a hard bargain, when he deals with the traders. But he never asks if this is what I want, to be caparisoned like a prized horse...'"
- ↑ The Khan's eyes, The Silver Tree "'Khan watches Princess closely, especially when near William. [...] They forget I'm there, now. Khan saw her watching W. and his eyes narrowed. Angry with her, though, or him? Assume obvious - that there is suspicion of a love affair, or an unrequited passion on W's side? But then again Khan must be very used to his daughter being admired...'"
- ↑ The Khan's eyes, The Silver Tree "[...] I remember, even now, the way the Khan's knuckles whitened as he gripped his goblet of airag and the way the Princess's cheeks dimpled as she glanced at the Sculptor. [...]"
- ↑ Quiet conversation with the Emperor, The Silver Tree "He sighed. 'My family is large and troublesome; my brothers' sons, with their armies spread all over the world, are all keen to challenge me for leadership of the Empire. And yet my daughter causes me more sleepless nights than any of them.'"
- ↑ A disagreement, The Silver Tree "A disagreement about the best way to set traps for wolves led to the Khan striding off in a temper. 'Little does he know,' said the Princess to me. 'I have a strength that more than matches his. All the more so for being forced to stay silent so long.' She glared after him, but then her face softened. 'Sometimes, I think he does know,' she added. 'And that's the part he can't understand.'"
- ↑ The ending for the Khan and his daughter, The Silver Tree "'Cheren is wilful, but I do love her above all else,' said the Khan. 'My father is flawed, but I do love him very dearly,' said the Princess. If their troubled relationship hadn't been endangering the city, it wouldn't matter. But it was."
- ↑ The Interpreter and the Sculptor, The Silver Tree "The Interpreter wasn't given to gossip, but she said a many things about William of Paris. That he was a Cathar heretic, that he'd been further east than Karakorum, that he was engaged in an affair with the Princess. [...]"
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 The Interpreter and the Sculptor, The Silver Tree "She said, 'William of Paris must learn to be more careful. If I could learn of his affair, then so could the Khan. And then he would be staked out for the wolves and the vultures.'"
- ↑ '..but if her father found out...', The Silver Tree "'Observed two servants discussing the Princess' affairs. Decided to advise her to prudence...'"
- ↑ The Khan's eyes, The Silver Tree "'Khan watches Princess closely, especially when near William. Fascinating interaction tonight...'"
- ↑ A change of interpreter, The Silver Tree "She had learned my language from William the sculptor. She told me that they had a pact, to exchange knowledge of each other's languages and customs; 'You never know,' she said, 'when you will find yourself in a foreign land. William's own experience proves that.' "
- ↑ The Story of the Fountain, The Silver Tree "[...] She and the Sculptor were in love. The Khan would never allow them to marry. [...]"
- ↑ A collision of interest, The Silver Tree "'The Princess knows a great deal about weaponry, and proved a fine help in conversing with the armourer, who only took a small token from me for the privilege...'"
- ↑ The Story of the Fountain, The Silver Tree ’’The Princess had designed the Silver Tree. [...]’’
- ↑ The Princess's admirers, The Silver Tree "'He is a fraud. We have heard of him, you know. The King of Denmark will not have him at his court ever again.'"
- ↑ A bag of pearls, The Silver Tree "Nobody wanted to trade. The Alan caravan master told me that the pearls were stolen. Khan's men looking for them. Wasn't the first time Pr. had done that. Buried the pearls...'"
- ↑ A bag of pearls, The Silver Tree "'Traded the pearls on as asked. Didn't ask questions. Why does she need silver? Saw her take it to the forge. Think she was having them melted down...'"
- ↑ Repair work, The Silver Tree "'Easy enough transaction in the end. Turkish trader willing to keep quiet. Pr. grateful. Said her father wouldn't understand any need for adjustments to fountain...'"
- ↑ The life of a Princess, The Silver Tree "'It is not the wine, but what it represents. My past and my future, do you see? I wanted the Silver Tree to show my father that our empire was already magnificent; that it was not worth expanding at the expense of family. I designed the serpents to represent unity, but I fear he sees them as a spur to ambition...'"
- ↑ I asked the Shaman's to convince the Princess to abandon her affair, The Silver Tree "'I made it for love of William,' she told me, 'and for my father. I wanted him to love William too, and to have a wonder unlike any other - one that would glorify the Empire as he had dreamed.'"
- ↑ The Princess's ambition, The Silver Tree "'Do you know what it is like, being a Princess of the Golden Horde?' she asked me. 'The Princess is highly important, and utterly unvalued. She is prized for her beauty and resented for her intellect. She is free to inherit the world, and more securely imprisoned that the wretches in the Khan's dungeons. What would you do, if you were her?'"
- ↑ Tending to the airag, The Silver Tree "I remember when I wrote this note; I didn't elaborate further in my official record, but it was the evening I met the Princess on the outskirts of town, at the huts where the airag was left to ferment. I asked why she was there. 'I only take the traditional interest expected of me, as a woman,' she said. 'There are simply a few tasks that must be done under the moon. 'She did not appear nervous. I remember that she could lie well."
- ↑ Companionship, The Silver Tree "'Have you never felt simply that there is no hope for the future?' she asked me. 'Surely this is not an unusual emotion? I am sick of my father telling me that I will be happy if I simply do as I am told. I will not be happy, even if I do as I want. What I need is time. Would you not pay any price for time, if it were offered to you?'"
- ↑ The four serpents, The Silver Tree "The Princess handed me a bowl of something clear and oily. I sipped and coughed. 'It's not rice wine, but it is from the East,' she said. 'They have fiery plums, there, and I am experimenting with them."
- ↑ A favour for the Princess, The Silver Tree "He was cheerful, that day. 'Of course. My daughter must have anything she desires. Even if it is a cart full of Cathay peaches packed into barrels and nestling in straw.'"
- ↑ What's she doing?, The Silver Tree "'Merchants more than they seem. Why in God's name does a princess of Tartary need smugglers in her employ? I had no idea. But she liked that I knew, and that I was surprised...'"
- ↑ The four serpents, The Silver Tree "The drink tasted like all the spices in the market - as if a camel had got loose and kicked over a few stalls. Seeing my face, the Princess grew defensive. 'I have just begun this line of enquiry,' she said. 'But it's fine. I have a teacher. He is knowledgeable. More so than anyone.'"
- ↑ Significance, The Silver Tree "'The Princess has seen something hidden in plain sight,' he told us. 'The ones your people describe as idol-worshippers, though they be followers of many faiths and not at all the same [...] many of them know of the potency of intoxication. But we shamans understand that the spirit can step out of the body, and sometimes, the essence of something else can enter.' [...] Waiting for us on a thin wooden chair was an impossibly ancient man. 'This is my great-grandfather, [...] Perhaps now you see that the things the Princess is learning have consequences?'"
- ↑ The Significance of Peaches, The Silver Tree "He told me of the trees at the end of the world, whose fruit granted longevity to those that ate it. I asked how long one could expect to live. 'Long, very long,' was the answer. I did not ask what would happen if the fruit was distilled..."
- ↑ The little peach orchard, The Silver Tree "Nobody was allowed in the Princess' little orchard. I chatted to a guard while we waited for her to emerge. He said that she'd had the trees carried from far Cathay at huge expense to her father."
- ↑ The Silver Lions, The Silver Tree "I looked. There was nothing there. Just four lead-lined tunnels leading, I knew, to the chamber the airag was pumped from. 'No, no!' It was the Princess's voice, but she was not in the courtyard. It was coming from the lion's mouth!"
- ↑ The Hidden Chamber, The Silver Tree "I remembered visiting the chamber beneath the Silver Tree, and seeing the strange metal containers that were concealed there..."
- ↑ What's she doing?, The Silver Tree "'Looked into Pr. business dealings. Given purse of silver and told to look elsewhere. Also told next time, would be staked out for vultures...'"
