Summary:Oathbringer/Prologue
| Prologue: To Weep | |
|---|---|
| |
| Oathbringer Summary | |
| Precedes | Chapter 1: Broken and Divided |
| Analytics | |
| Viewpoint | Eshonai |
| Word Count | 2,802 |
Plot Summary[edit]
- Six years ago
Eshonai is reflecting on her discovery of the human race and the differences between them. She first thought that they had only one form because, like the Listeners, they had forgotten how to change. This had built an instant kinship between them. She is unloading drums from the cart they have used to travel to Kholinar. About 200 Listeners have come to the city to witness the treaty between their peoples and to attend the feast, thrown for this occasion. She steps out of the wagon, humming to Excitement and contemplates the Parshmen and how the humans treat them. A group of them keeps trying to help unload their wagons. Gitgeth assumes they want to be near them and that something is wrong with their minds. Eshonai tries to send them away, but they don’t seem to understand. The Listeners find the idea of slavery strange. Klade, one of The Five, has even bought a slave, just to see if it was possible. Eshonai quickly grows restless and the others allow her to go explore the palace.
She walks unto the palace proper and takes in as much as she can. She marvels at the art and ponders whether the Listeners would be able to create art themselves, if they only had the right form. Eshonai makes her way towards the feasthall, peeking in rooms along the way. Eventually, she stumbles upon a room where the King is having a private meeting with two officers, two women and an old man in robes. She tries to sneak away, but she is noticed by one of the women and a tall officer invites her in. The others leave the room, leaving Eshonai alone with King Gavilar. Eshonai thinks about how strange the King is. He could have crushed her people with ease instead of giving them such a favourable treaty. Gavilar shows her a prototype of a fabrial that produces heat. He points out that the device works because of the captured spren in the gem. He then mentions that he knows that the Chasmfiends are not their gods and that he wants her to convey a message to The Five. He knows how to bring back their gods. Eshonai pleads that they abandoned those gods, but the King doesn’t listen. He says that they once captured an ancient, crucial spren and that its release will bring on a new storm, a new war and bring the Heralds out of hiding. Eshonai tries to object, but is distracted by the map that is lying on the table. She is overwhelmed by the size of the world and she drops back into her seat. Gavilar hands her a sphere with a dark phantom light. She plucks it off the table and runs away.
When the drums are set up, Eshonai insists on joining the drummers to ease her anxiety. She thinks back to the meeting with The Five. They agreed to try and assassinate King Gavilar, using Klade’s slave, who turned out to be an assassin. The Five would sacrifice themselves, and possibly their people, to prevent Gavilar from bringing back their gods. The assassin eventually leaves the room and Eshonai weeps as she is pulled away.
Characters[edit]
- Eshonai (Point of view)
- Venli (mentioned only)
- Gavilar Kholin
- Gitgeth
- Brianlia
- Klade (mentioned only)
- Meridas Amaram
- Szeth
Setting[edit]
Six years ago, 1167, the day of the assassination of King Gavilar.
The Royal Palace in Kholinar
Notable[edit]
- Like the prologues for The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance, To Weep shows a different perspective of the events of the night King Gavilar is assassinated. The name follows the convention of "To <blank>".
Chapter Header[edit]
- Eshonai overlooking the shattered planes
Also used for the Interlude chapters from Eshonai's viewpoint in Words of Radiance.
- Nale wedge