Chapter 3: Bargaining with Fate- Part 2
In which Orlion finally finishes dissecting the chapter, to the rejoice and satisfaction of all.
So now Linden is getting geared up to bargain with the Harrow (her fate, as I will expound upon later), but first, it’s been a while since the first part, so I’m going to point out a few things from the previous dissection that will play what I consider to be key roles in the following events.
1) Everyone, though different, is the same (or conversely, everyone, though the same, is different)
2) Acting out, even in desperation, can bring about desirable results and/or hope, since it is possible some outside force (one that is presently unobserved) may assist the act.
Linden is desperate, there should be little doubt of that. Her goal of rescuing her son seems just as far as before and now seems to have a time limit now that the Worm has set off to devour the life of the world. Right now, if she is to even embrace her son one last time before the world ends, it seems her only option is to bargain away the Staff and the Ring to the Harrow in exchange for being taken to Jeremiah.
The Masters attempt to intervene, however. Through Galt, they make their objection known to Covenant, accusing Linden of “rank madness” and surrendering all hope for postponing the apocalypse in exchange for her mere son. It is also apparent that the Masters do not trust the Harrow, believing that he and all Insequent, save the Mahdoubt, “serve only themselves” and are “cruel as the Elohim”.
In response, Covenant tells the Masters that Linden’s desire to ‘bargain’ with the Harrow “makes more sense than you think.” He informs that Masters that the party assembled isn’t “strong enough. I’m not all here. Kevin’s Dirt limits what she can do with her Staff. And she doesn’t really know how to use that ring. I wanted her to have it, but still- She isn’t the rightful wielder. As matter stand, we don’t have enough power. Or the right kind of power. We can’t stop the Worm. While we’re trying to figure out how to save the Earth- if that’s even possible- we might as well do something useful.”
Her, we see the two extreme views on Linden’s insistence to rescue Jeremiah, even after the Worm had been awoken. The Master’s believe such an action is too insignificant and irresponsible, that they should be fighting against their fate, against the Worm. No doubt they believe that hurling punches and kicks at the Worm would be more worthwhile (and more noble) than rescuing Jeremiah.
Covenant doesn’t share this view. He no doubt cares about the Land, but if fighting against the Worm is pointless, no matter how romantically noble it may be, to him it is pointless and doesn’t matter. What does matter is doing something that is within their ability. In that sense, if they succeed, they would still have a small triumphant in the face of total destruction, instead of just throwing away their lives.
Covenant than leads the Masters away with a promise to expound on the Theomach (he never does). Mahrtiir sends the Cords off to join them and the Giants send a representative so they don’t miss out on the fun that doesn’t happen.
At this point, Linden goes up to the Harrow, who smugly reminds her that he is the only one that can take her to her son. Linden realizes the cost of the Harrow’s help, and somewhat reluctant to enter into a bargain with the Harrow, though she is fated to do so if she wants to find her son. The Harrow knows this, as he gloats that he is the only being that knows where her son is and can take her there. “Lady, you have no path except to accept my aid in exchange for those instruments of power which I covet.”
Linden counters that she could refuse the Harrow’s help, this is an empty course though, as Linden is clearly committed to aiding Jeremiah as soon as possible. However, she tries to justify this possibility by calling into question the Harrow’s integrity. The Harrow, still sure in his position, responses “And must I therefore trust you? Must I convey you to your son in the fond hope that only then will you honor your own word? Lady, no. I have witnessed the extent of your folly. I will not assume that you are honorable merely because you wish me to do so.”
This argument strikes Linden in its veracity. After all, they (Linden and the Harrow) are both the same though different. They both have an all-consuming desire that they need the other to fulfill and they both are no more deserving of trust than the other. Linden wants to end this ‘impasse’, for she wants to find Jeremiah and will only give up the Staff and ring if she is certain that the Harrow will hold up his end of the bargain.
To this, the Harrow, in the name of all the Insequent, pledges that he is “certain of your son’s covert, and that I am able to convey you to him. In exchange for your instruments of power, I will further avow that when I have effected your reunion with your child, I will return you wheresoever you desire. To reassure you, I once again adjure all of the Insequent to heed me. If I do not abide by this... oath, I pray that the vengeance of my people upon me will be both cruel and prolonged.”
Linden is about to surrender the ring and Staff when Liand interrupts, voicing a concern that once Linden relinquishes the Staff and ring, there will be no one else that can wield the power she could, lessening the chances of the Land’s survival. The Manethrall rebukes Liand for trying to interfere in the proceedings, and cites the absence of the Ranyhyn as proof of their faith in Linden’s choices. “She has followed her heart to our present straits, if she does not continue to do so, all that she has hazarded and lost will come to naught.”
Liand, rebuked, stops trying to influence Linden, and Linden is about to yield her insturments of power when a stranger on a “mangey, shovel-headed horse” arrives to interrupt the proceedings. Linden, in her desperation, made an attempt to bargain with the Harrow, hopeless as such a course seemed. And yet, this time, a wonder was wrought, for the Ardent had arrived.
The Ardent is a fat Insequent, clothed in various colored ribbons that seem to move of their accord, that seemed to be powerful enough to pester the Harrow himself. I’d like to note, however, that these ribbons do not seem to be the result of the Ardent’s own powers. Rather, the Ardent, given the authority of all the other Insequent, was sent to ensure that Linden determine what was encompassed by the Harrow’s recent oath and what wasn’t. Further, he is there to ensure that the oath isn’t fullfilled until Linden declared herself content. Based on this, one could view each ribband on the Ardent’s attire as representing an Insequent, all of which were desirous that this oath take place, as certain seers among them saw that the future hinged on the Harrow’s plans.
Linden would still have to give up her ring and staff, but she would be able to know exactly what the Harrow had hid from her in his initial arguments. The Harrow wished to trap the Worm, but would need to make use of Jeremiah’s power with consturcts to do so. Claiming secret knowledge, the Harrow asserts that he’s the only one that can do this... well... not quite. Turns out the Harrow would also be enlisting the health of the croyel that was feeding off of Jeremiah to accomplish this feat. In fact, possessing the Staff and ring was also meant as insurance that Linden would not be able to interfere in this plan.
Linden decides that the Harrow cannot have Jeremiah, that this wouldn’t be part of the bargain she’d make. Angered, the Harrow replies that he will abide by her interpretation, but that hers would be “ an empty triumph. When we have retrieved your son, the only powers which offer hope to the Earth will remain in my possession. You will strive as you may to free your son from the croyel. In that endeavor, I did not vow my aid. And when you have failed, as you must- when you stand powerless before the world’s doom- I will inquire if by chance you have reconsidered the terms of your ‘contentment’.”
Understanding this, Linden decides for a third time to relinquish the Staff and the ring to seal the agreement as she understood it. As it turns out, giving the Harrow the Staff was tougher on her than giving up the ring. This seems to have a bearing on what she is essentailly, and that what she was does not consist as much of Covenant as she or any reader might think.
The Harrow’s glee as he grasped the Staff and held it high, brandishing it and Covenant’s ring like trophies, was too savage to be borne.
“Behold, my people!” he shouted at the stars. “Witness and tremble! Soon I will show myself the greatest of all Insequent, the greatest who has ever lived!”
And the Harrow’s relief and celebration echoed and event from thousands of years before when
Covenant lift the ring once more as if his last fears were gone. With her own ears, she heard the savage relief of Lord Foul’s laughter as he claimed his triumph. Heat and despair seemed to close over her like the lid of a coffin.
[Foul] raised one hand like a smear across her sight. In his grasp, the band began to blaze. His shout gathered force until she feared it would shatter the mountain.
“Here at last I hold possession of all life and Time forever! Let my Enemy look to his survival and be daunted! Freed of my gaol and torment, I will rule the cosmos!”