Dundale and Uskglass

[pretty_plant]

I always love the ideas that Dundale and Uskglass grew up together because think about it, if Dundale and Uskglass were taken to the same brugh, that meant that they started being in Faerie at roughly the same time. When Uskglass invaded England, he was less than 15 years old. Dundale was taken to Faerie fourteen years ago. That meant that whether Dundale or Uskglass was taken to the brugh earlier, they still had to be taken at roughly the same time. This meant that Dundale knew Uskglass when he was a kid and knew about all his embarrassing childhood stories. There was nothing that made a person seem less wondrous and powerful than seeing him peeing himself in his sleep. But at that time, Dundale was also pretty young so he was hardly mature, either. It might be intentional that Clarke chose their age and years of captivity that way.

But also, at the same time, I wonder whether Dundale and Uskglass did not grow up in the same brugh at all. It is possible. I don't think that there are any footnotes that explicitly state they were in the same brugh together. It just said that Dundale was Uskglass's first human servant and that he was taken away into Faerie for 14 years. In The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories, Jane Tobias told the children about "Thomas of Dundale's captivity in the Other Lands and how he became the first human servant of the Raven King." (Jane Tobias probably told history instead of fairy tales like Cassandra). It is just that whenever I see this sentence, I cannot imagine that the story will be as simple as the Raven King asked Dundale, whom he met all the time in the brugh because they grew up together, about whether he would like to be his servant and invade England with him. "Became" seems to mean more than that to me. So this sentence just made me wonder whether Uskglass and Dundale did not grow up together. Maybe they grew up in separate courts. When Uskglass became the king, they met and for some reasons, Thomas became Uskglass's first human servant. It would be an interesting story to hear.

Yeah, I am totally analyzing a small, possibly insignificant word because that is how obsessive I am. Despite all of these, I headcanon both because why should you headcanon one when you can headcanon two contrasting theories?

Comments

[ohveda]

Interesting, I think I'd always imagined that they were in the same brugh together. But, like you say, they could easily have met later.

For me, regardless of when they met, I like to imagine that Dundale's becoming Uskglass' servant was more emotional than Uskglass merely offering a position and Dundale taking it for the purpose of politics and self-gain. I can see Uskglass, especially young, passionate Uskglass, being a captivating and magnetic character, especially for a fellow-human like Dundale. Dundale would have been drawn to Uskglass and would have felt that mix of loyalty, love and reverence that meant he would have followed Uskglass to the ends of the earth, whether Uskglass asked him to or no.

It's all headcanon on my part, but I like the thought of Uskglass really inspiring the people around him.

Despite all of these, I headcanon both because why should you headcanon one when you can headcanon two contrasting theories?
That's an excellent way of looking at things!

[pretty_plant]

By the time Uskglass left, Dundale had served Uskglass for three centuries. And instead of living in other places in England and taking care of his properties (he probably would be given them due to his contributions), he stayed with Uskglass the entire time. And they were definitely close if that story about the poor charcoal burner could be considered reliable. Even when he chose to go with Uskglass out of cold calculations in the beginning, it is hard for me to imagine that Dundale was not so devoted to Uskglass out of love and loyalty and respect.

I always like to imagine that Dundale had a much more practical view toward Uskglass than people who do not know him or do not know him well enough, though. He probably did not feel the same way about Uskglass like the magicians or Uskglass's subjects.

Moments like this make me want nothing more than that the other undisclosed book (besides Piranensi) written by Clarke is somehow related or extend upon the world of JSMN. I can still hope!

[ohveda]

Oh no! Now I'm beginning to ship it even more than I used to. I can't decide if I prefer it as a romantic ship or found family or both!

I always like to imagine that Dundale had a much more practical view toward Uskglass than people who do not know him
Yes. I love that. To most of his subjects Uskglass is this almost-mythical, almost-godlike figure. Dundale on the other hand is like: "He's an idiot. I mean, he's great and all. But he's also an idiot."

[pretty_plant]

Do it like I always do! If in doubt, just headcanon everything: who says you cannot ship them in a romantic sense, consider them family or both? (I don't understand why romance has to exclude family, though. Because the bond of two people who spend so much time together, even when influenced by all the complications of romance, is very tight.)

I always imagine that Lanchester had even more of that view. Imagine Catherine of Winchester being like, "Uskglas stands between Faerie and the human world" and Lanchester was like, "Yeah, but he hasn't looked into this extremely important case that needs to be resolved as quickly as possible."