Difference between revisions of "Adolin Kholin"

Days later Adolin goes to find his father at the Gallery of Maps. When he asks how the meeting with Highprince [[Roion]] went Dalinar informs him that it did not go as well as they had hoped. Adolin quotes some scripture to Dalinar's surprise and Adolin reveals that he is courting [[Malasha Seveks]] now after things went rocky with Janala.{{ref|b|twok|c|18}} Adolin asks his father if he plans to approach the rest of the highprinces and Dalinar indicates that he does. Adolin then informs his father that Sadeas is asking for permission to enter their warcamp to continue the investigation and tells his father that he thinks Sadeas is going to move against them as he is in an ideal position to shift blame for the assassination attempt on House Kholin. Dalinar points out that denying Sadeas’s authority would make them look guilty but that he also trusts Sadeas because of advice the visions gave him. Adolin is not pleased to hear this and point blank accuses his father of betting the future of their house on his visions. Dalinar denies this and promises that if Sadeas did make a move he wouldn’t stand by and watch. This is not enough for Adolin.{{ref|b|twok|c|25}}

I don't know what’s wrong. Maybe it's your guilt over Gavilar's death. That book, the Codes, the visions—maybe they’re all attempts to find escape, find redemption, something. What you see is not real. Your life now is a rationalization, a way of trying to pretend that what’s happening isn’t happening. But I’ll go to Damnation itself before I’ll let you drag the entire house down without speaking my mind on it!|Adolin to Dalinar{{ref|b|twok|c|25}}}}

Dalinar and Adolin speak to one another some days later when Dalinar calls for the army to mobilize for a plateau skirmish. Adolin apologises for where and how he said his grievances to his father, though he is not sorry for voicing them. Just as they are about to set off a messenger approaches with news that Sadeas is demanding admittance to the warcamp. Dalinar allows it though Adolin is quick to suppose that Sadeas is out for their blood. When they approach him Sadeas says he can conduct his investigation as they head out, making a snide comment about their speed given that they use the slow chull carried bridges. Adolin tries to object to Sadeas coming along as it will distract the soldiers but Dalinar overrides Adolin’s suggestions. They leave Sadeas to his investigation as they head out.{{ref|b|twok|c|26}}

While doing their inspections of the army, and viewing a test of their plans for bridges modeled after Sadeas's quicker ones, Adolin spends his time worrying about Dalinar. His father is beginning to appear more fragile and distressed, though he notes he is probably the only one who notices and admits internally that this frightens him. Dalinar is strained and Adolin reflects that when his father is strained he becomes detached and cold with other people, as he is becoming now. When the bridge fails the tests they decide to at least attempt redesigning it and move on.{{ref|b|twok|c|28}}

As they move away from the staging ground Dalinar asks Adolin why there are no shardplate-like suits for workmen and why the Radiants only fashioned weapons. Adolin admits he doesn’t know but theorizes that perhaps it was because war was the most important thing around. Dalinar agrees dejectedly, marking the fact as just another condemnation of the Radiants. As they continue on their inspection Dalinar asks Adolin if he feels the Thrill. This startles Adolin as the bloodlust is not usually discussed amongst soldiers but he acknowledges that he does. Dalinar doesn't reply when Adolin wonders if everyone does and he is quick to catch the pain in his father's eyes. Adolin wishes for his father to return to his confident, if a bit deluded, self as it is better than this.{{ref|b|twok|c|28}}

As they continue on their inspections Adolin allows his mind to wander, thinking about Mashala and a new woman who has caught his interest: [[Danlan Morakotha]]. He also remarks on the good things his father has done for the camp, such as paying half the cost for the families of [[Darkeyes|darkeyed]] soldiers to come to the Shatterd Plains. Dalinar wonders what will happen to the warcamps when they leave, as they are now a [[Wikipedia:De facto|de facto]] Alethi province. Dalinar continues, wondering what will happen to the value of gemhearts if they keep capturing them at the rate they are. He tells Adolin that these will be things he will have to consider and Adolin wonders what his father means.{{ref|b|twok|c|28}}

Dalinar makes Adolin inspect of the Fifth Battalion for him. When he is finished his father tells him he has learned well though Adolin believes Dalinar is reading too much into a simple inspection. When they interview the men Sadeas investigated the other day his father makes Adolin take the lead in the questioning. The men reveal that Sadeas—who they all agree is an eel—asked them what their duties around camp were. They tell Adolin that they revealed nothing to Sadeas, or at least nothing that would get House Kholin in trouble. Adolin notes that if they acted this way around Sadeas it would seem more incriminating than if they had cut the girth themselves. The men tell them that they didn't notice any tampering with the king’s saddle but that no one was exactly looking for it either. When they leave Adolin and Dalinar agree that while the men are loyal they may have made matters more difficult for them.{{ref|b|twok|c|28}}

Adolin confronts Dalinar about how he has been pushing him into leadership position over the course of the day. Dalinar reminds Adolin of his comments earlier in the week pertaining to his mental health. He informs Adolin that he has a difficult decision to make and when Adolin asks if he can help at all Dalinar discloses that he already has. It is at that moment when they are informed that Highprince [[Thanadal]] has cancelled their impending meeting and has no intention of running a joint plateau assault with the Kholin army. Thanadal was the last of the Highprinces Dalinar was to approach, asides from Sadeas. Adolin advises that it would not be wise to approach Sadeas about a joint plateau assault. Dalinar surmises that the other Highprinces are trying to tell him that they have never liked the influence over the king and they are ready and waiting to watch him fall. They will not allow him to regain his footing. Dalinar then leaves the rest of the inspections for Adolin to complete.{{ref|b|twok|c|28}}

In the evening, when they convene to talk with [[Jasnah]] via [[spanreed]] Adolin attempts to talk to his father but Dalinar says he isn’t ready to discuss things. Adolin begrudgingly lets the topic drop and introduces Dalinar and Navani to Danlan, who he has helped get a position amongst Dalinar’s clerks. Dalinar expresses incredulity that Adolin has a new woman calling on him even though she has only been in camp for a day.{{ref|b|twok|c|28}}