The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
The fae slaves
LostInTime:
I finally figured out what bothers me about the fae queen mantle wearers. At least for Sarissa and Molly, the other queens we don't know how they came to bear the mantles. Maybe they volunteered, maybe they didn't.
But Molly and Sarissa are slaves.
A slave cannot choose their own destiny. They are not free to leave at any time of their own free will. And before you get on about Butcher's past choices limiting your current choices, let's apply that to slave-held people in the past. Did their decision to draw water from a certain river lead to them being captured and sold on to slaveholding people?
They may be given power, but they're still in a gilded cage. Worse, since they're immortal, it's an eternal cage. They can't even easily escape it in death.
g33k:
--- Quote from: LostInTime on January 06, 2023, 01:43:44 AM --- ... But Molly and Sarissa are slaves ...
--- End quote ---
I think it's not exactly "slavery," for example their movement is largely unrestrained. They can travel the world wherever they want, whenever they want.
But, I take your point -- there is no "I quit" clause in the Mantle.
It's more like being part of a criminal gang (that kills you rather than letting you quit); which makes Miss Carpenter a gangster Moll... ;D
--- Quote from: LostInTime on January 06, 2023, 01:43:44 AM --- ... They can't even easily escape it in death ...
--- End quote ---
You've overlooked Hallowe'en (and other conjunctions). The Ladies -- if they seriously wanted out of their jobs, badly enough that they'd rather die than continue en-Mantled -- have a chance at least once a year; plus an unknown-to-us number of other occasions (but I presume less-common, or Samhain wouldn't be Such A Big Deal for the immortal community).
forumghost:
--- Quote from: g33k on January 09, 2023, 10:01:58 AM ---I think it's not exactly "slavery," for example their movement is largely unrestrained. They can travel the world wherever they want, whenever they want.
But, I take your point -- there is no "I quit" clause in the Mantle.
It's more like being part of a criminal gang (that kills you rather than letting you quit); which makes Miss Carpenter a gangster Moll... ;D
--- End quote ---
Personally I consider the Mantle to be worse then slavery. Even a slave can still reside safely in the sanctity of their own mind. Those with a Mantle though? Straight up mindraped into being what their masters want them to be.
Ed0517:
--- Quote from: g33k on January 09, 2023, 10:01:58 AM ---
But, I take your point -- there is no "I quit" clause in the Mantle.
--- End quote ---
Didn't Mab's predecessor walk away?
g33k:
--- Quote from: forumghost on January 09, 2023, 10:13:40 AM --- Personally I consider the Mantle to be worse then slavery. Even a slave can still reside safely in the sanctity of their own mind. Those with a Mantle though? Straight up mindraped into being what their masters want them to be.
--- End quote ---
Molly seems to be keeping her humanity intact (as does Harry), fwiw.
She still has to follow the dictates of Faerie Law (keeping bargains, not lying, etc) & Ladymantles (staying virginal (or at least not becoming a mother; specifics are a bit unclear), gifting vassals on Samhain/Christmas, etc). However: whereas Bob said "Welcome to the new Maeve, same as the old Maeve..." Kringle said "You aren't much like the last Lady, are you." Bob was wrong.
On the less-pleasant side of things -- Maeve had plenty of time to be molded into being the "ideal" Winter Lady, but she was still free-minded enough to be open to whatever temptations Nemesis had strewn in her path.
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