She sat slack against the wall as if she has decided to freeze to death rather than acknowledge the fact that the man she loved was a murderer.
'I do not want your comfort, Unbeliever. You have not been her father. It is a father's place to love his daughter, and you did not love her. Do not mistake my frail grief - I will not forget what you have done.'
TC and Lena are alone in Foul's winter after the last Ramen covert has been betrayed. Sent fleeing by Bannor, they are lost and alone, and Lena has learned that TC had a hand in Elena's death. The exchanges between the two near the beginning of the chapter are short, but heartbreaking. It is as if Lena's illusions are finally breaking up, and the cold, harsh light of reality is beginning to invade. Then, when it looks like the two are going to do nothing more productive than freeze to death, Pietten shows up....'I don't want you to forget.'...'I don't want anyone to forget.'
Pietten leads them through the winter, throwing taunts and insults the whole way, then when he finally stops, he reveals that it is he who has betrayed the Ranyhyn, although he believes he is saving them.'You would be dead five times if I had not chosen to watch over you.'
'They were murdered by Ramen!'...'You feast on Ranyhyn flesh like jackals.'
And we get to see a hint of the madness that the ur-viles inflicted on him at Soaring Woodhelven.For a moment, Pietten's eyes lost their focus. Dimly, he murmered, 'I must take it to him. He will use it to save the Ranyhyn.'
Poetten then tells TC that Foamfollower is the last of the giants, and that the Ranyhyn cannot flee because of their promise to him.
'I remember that the Ranyhyn reared to you. I remember that I strove to stop you. But you had already chosen to betray them. You bound them with promises - promises which you knew they could not break. Therefore the Ranyhyn cannot seek the safety of the mountains. They are shackled by commitments which you forced from them, you! You are the true butcher, Ringthane, I have lived my life for the chance to slay you.'
'Are they dying because you made them promise to visit me each year?'
This proves to be more than Lena can handle. She bolts, there is lots of general confusion, and eventually she falls to pietten.'That's only part - Even if they went to the mountains, they could still reach you. I - I - ' his voice ached thickly - 'I made them promise to save me - if I ever called them. I did it for myself.'
As Pietten is about to kill TC, he summons a Ranyhyn, which Pietten accidently stabs. Frozen with the horror of what he has done, Pietten doesn't even react as TC puts to death the last member of Soaring Woodhelven. He then has his final moments with Lena...With one savage blow he stabbed her in the stomach, spiked her to the frozen earth.
...and, remembering how he had just broken his promise not to kill anymore, a promise he happened to make after the battle of Soaring Woodhelven, TC fulfils his queen's dying wish.'Lena,' he panted. 'Lena.'
'I love you,' she replied in a voice wet with blood. 'I have not changed.'
'Lena.' He struggled to return her smile, but the attempt convulsed his face as if he were about to shriek.
Her hand reached towards him, touched his forehead as if to smooth away his scowl. 'Free the Ranyhyn,' she whispered.
The plea took her last strength. She died with blood streaming between her lips.
'Go on,' he insisted thickly. 'You're free. You've got to tell them. In the - in the name of Kelenbhrabanal, Father of Horses. Go.'
The first time, the Ranyhyn reared out of fear. Every other time was out of obligation. I always thought that this one last time, it might just be out of respect.For an instant, he thought he could see it silhouetted against the night, rearing. Then it was gone.
its a bit short i know, but i didnt have long & i discovered the chapter was a bit 2 emotional 2 do quickly. sorry again 4 the delay.
sum sui generis
vs