THREE HUNDRED SIXTEEN: What Grows Unseen VI

“You treat me lightly,” "As if I can’t make choices without you" "So very lightly that you don’t expect me to have reasons worth knowing." "What is the point of talking to you about anything more significant." the pain is dulled by time but this actually hurt to read. which just goes to show you that wounds from 20 years ago still sting all this time later.

'Sometimes, he missed things he shouldn’t about his younger self. The sight of a relative and a schoolmate meeting for the first time would once have made him excited. How fortunate to have two of his life’s threads entwining into something new! How could such a meeting be anything but positive?' :) 'They sounded strange, like he was accusing Jozz of making Eeaner unwell. Like a person sitting in this place, in this company, might feel endangered instead of honored.' >:) '“Of course,” said Eeaner, lips curving up into a smile of his own. It wasn’t like the ones Stu had seen almost daily since they began living together.' Hmmmm 'He was almost certain Eeaner did feel overwhelmed now. That expression wasn’t good.' Hmm 'Stu looked at the glass Jozz was drinking out of. The color of the liquid inside matched the famous local wine, and that shouldn’t have been enough to make him act so obnoxiously unless he’d drunk a lake of it.' HAHAHAHA '“Since you brought Eeaner-ket here for me, you should let me talk to him without trying to oversee us,” said Stu. “Are you trying to oversee us? It seems like you are, which is very odd.”' >:) 'To start with, an explanation of the thought process that had led to this terrible decision, delivered slowly so that Stu could correct every single one of what must be the many misunderstandings that afflicted his brother.' Yes. '“No. Of course not. You are my guest even if you’re a surprise one.” He wants to be taken seriously. And he must be protected from Jozz’s wrong mind.' HAH '“I will show you the best place on this whole station. You’ll be safe. And fed! And in delightful company. I’ll make up for my brother’s foolishness. A moment…”' >:) '“That box was full of klerms all this time?” Ryada asked.' heh 'He was nearing the bottom of the stairs again when he heard Eeaner ask, “Did you say Alden?” :D "They stopped talking at his appearance, but he caught the tone of their conversation well enough before they did to know they weren’t upset. They’d been saying something about the und’h family. They’d sounded casual. "' :) 'Something wasn’t right this time.' Hmm 'The conference room became quiet.  Stu was aware it was his turn to talk. He’d had so much anger in him that he couldn’t speak properly to Jozz a little while ago. Now, he had a hollowness where something else had once been. It made answering them seem pointless. What’s gone from me? It’s something important.' Hmm '“You treat me lightly,” he said. “As if I might have spilled Alden’s blood on sacred ground like a child at play. As if I can’t make choices without you, or even pick a friend for myself correctly. So very lightly that you don’t expect me to have reasons worth knowing. What is the point of talking to you about anything more significant than a party?”' Yooooo Thank you for the chapter >:D

In the midst of an otherwise serious scene I outright witch cackled when Aymeg offhandly mentioned how he couldn't get in touch with the wizard who helped Stu make the welcoming center for the house of healing. Oh yes, I'm sure Leeter-zis being unavailable is a complete coincidence and not at all evidence that he knew full well that there was something sketchy about that whole project, decided to help anyway, and has decided that the name of the game is "conveniently unavailable for further questions" and "plausible deniability." He is a very busy guy and if that happens to keep him out of the range of the likely fall out, so it goes. Smart man.

The part that really tickled me was the comments on how expensive the lenses are, and how they were basically just incidental training equipment that no one cared enough about to ask for back. Just a minor incidental next to everything else for Alden but a big deal for the Anisidorans.

punk rock, stu!

Forgot about this little gem. “I was trying to find a way to speak in front of people who might not approve of an Avowed shouting that a wizard should feel shame,” said Alden. “That’s all.” Stuart made a displeased noise. “I’ll contemplate it.” “That’s the first time you’ve ever said you’ll contemplate something and somehow made it sound like a threat.”

I just realized that Stu's parents are treating him exactly how Azeeda was Zakithee. She assumed he was doing some sort of childish rebellion without ever considering he had a legitimate reason for his seeming misbehavior. Because Zakithee was actually trying to properly honor the debt their family owes Alden for saving Zeridee. A debt of which the rest of the family seems either unaware, or unwilling to acknowledge. Just like how Stu's parents assume he's rebelling a little before doing what he's told, not realizing that he's the only one in the family treating Alden properly

I've been having a wonderful time imaging what uses Master Leeter-zis will find for his sudden wealth of art'h wood cut by the Primary himself. Will he use it to build more houses? Will he divide the wood up one log at a time to use as ingredients for his ritual of home-making? Jeneth-art'h built such a loving home with his womb-siblings and their beloved Murmur that his youngest child's sense of home was a whole heartfire burning, and Stu-art'h immediately chose to share his homesense generously with his own alien friend. I could see Leeter-zis using Stu's gift of his father's wood to share that loving passion on to help kindle a thousand thousand new homes, better homes more full of love and healthier connections than where they started.

Jozz is still not great but in a way this visit has a good side for Eaner : If he wants to be friend with Stu, he needs to realise it will include a lot of knights and that he needs to be able to relax next to one Stu save him from one to put him in the middle of three

Alden need to send Emban a copy of the emperor's new groove, assuming it exists in this version of earth. Just to see if she like the use of the word.in that movie. ;)

pretending i don’t care about soup so soup comes faster

I figured out how to read the next chapter sooner. I will just sleep faster.

Oh dear, I just have a disturbing thought: is the authority using „wishing well“ power that Alden received unknowingly from Gorgon not pretty much the same power body drainer had, but mis-used it by draining peoples authority fully and sort of drinking it in, using it to boost his own authority? How will this affect our favorite rabbit?

Deserved, tbh.

I'm in between meetings this morning. Is 'Sleyca' pronounced like 'Zletsa'? Or 'Slay-ka'?

Random observations to fill these unexpected hours of absent soup: Knighthood is the path of highest onus. Wizardry is the path of higher onus. An onus is a burden. Alden is the Bearer of All Burdens.

The Soup Madness descends. Have some crack theories that I don’t actually believe in, but are possible, and would be interesting if true. - Artonas I, II, and III share a name not merely for literary convenience, but for magical reasons. It is easier to cast spells connecting them all when they are generally acknowledged to be merely different parts of one extended homeland. - Jozz’ fixation on getting Stu an “appropriate” friend extends from personal trauma. Jozz once tried to befriend an Avowed; it went sour over power dynamics despite his sincere (albeit inept) efforts. Hence his desperation to give Stu *any* other anchor point. - Aymeg grew up in much less privileged circumstances than most of the art’h spouses. It’s why he’s so protective of family resources; he once had to count every penny just to meet the material requirements of his education. (… This one’s kind of plausible, actually.)

While we wait, I have a question. What do you think Lind-otta was embroidering two chapters ago? Stichwork has a high level of importance to the artonans, so I doubt she was just making a home-sweet-home doily. What was she making?

I really want to flesh something in the upcoming chapter out more before sharing it, and I've hit the sleep wall for tonight. Chapter 317 will be out tomorrow! Hang in there. See you soon!

This just in: traumatized teenager from military family with ongoing psychosis wants to join special forces unit that includes permanent existential pain, family objects! Also just in: teenager doesn't respond well to increasingly heavy handed input from family that doesn't take him seriously!

I may allow myself to be moved by the camaraderie of celebrants... that's a great sentence by itself but when applied to Stu it becomes sublime

Last second theorizing. Veln and Aymeg believe Stu brought Alden to Rapport III. We know from Joe that a wizard is held responsible for things an avowed does on their instruction (rather than the avowed being legally responsible for crimes, etc.) They almost certainly think he's doing some cockeyed attempt at therapy at the expense of Vatha Squad and making the art'hs look like fools. (That was Azeeda's best guess at why Alden was in the exercise, after all, and they were just talking to her and presumably explaining to her that it wasn't the art'h family, just Stu, who was clearly at fault.) They say to Stu that Alden isn't being punished. They are telling the truth. STU is the one they are trying to punish, by making him fix the problem 'he caused' to Vatha Squad and the art'h reputation by bringing Alden to Rapport III. And by making Stu actively enforce the same lines 'bringing Alden to Rapport III' blurred. (AKA, making him act as an authority figure who tells Alden to attend know-your-place training, something highly likely to drive a wedge between two young people, one of a ruling class, the other an indentured servant servant bound by law to obey.) But while they are setting up that trap for Stu, he isn't actually picking up on their subtle attempts to show him the error of his ways. Because, well... he literally isn't responsible for Alden being in Rapport III or in the exercise. It was a swing and a miss. And the miss went astray straight into the hornets nest of "Alden is Esh and Lind's Guest."

Thank you Sleyca for one of the best written stories I've had the pleasure to enjoy. Not to mention the comment a couple chapters ago to help us see the update post SSS+ tier author.

it was so suspenseful i barely ate any of my food i have when i read this. im sat here with nearly untouched food. now i have to find something else to watch so i can eat it while watching something but im not sure i can focus right now. good chapter ;o;.

What an unattractive picture of privilege Jozz personifies this chapter. He is inclined to meddle in Stu's affairs, and he has the status to casually summon young wizard Eeaner away from his second meal like a Ryeh-b't with the unwanted honor of an hn'tyon's "invitation" to one of the highly exclusive Rapports to observe their war games and risk majorly embarrassing himself and his family by association.

Next chapter predictions in limerick, or otherwise? There once was a valiant young knight Who each injustice found would fight To win Lind he slowed And picked when to hold Now EshLind together make right

I could see Esh telling trouble-und'h that Jeneth has already claimed Alden and Alden agreed based on the conversation in An Art a few chapters back.

Azidee (and the Und’hs in general, by the sound of it) considers Alden’s commendation means that he is one of Alis’s favourites. This trivialises the commendation itself. Instead of a powerful general recognising a truly heroic deed the commendation becomes a reward for one of the general’s favourites. It says a lot about the powerful Und’hs, I think.

Joyous approximate day to those in the Soup line. Patiently we await the approximate hour in harmony.

My controversial chapter prediction is that we jump to Alden finding the magic mouse, some krethkan hijinx and then leave on a cliff hanger regarding the review

I'm so excited (approximately)!

"You still have the klerms I got you" it hasn't been all that long since he gave them to Stu, who was on his way here. What was Eaner expecting? That Stu would eat them?! (Krethkan filling?)

I’m so obsessed these days that I dreamt Eaner telling Alden that he likes Stu… in a romantic way 🤣 Chapter predictions: Und’hcle makes wind with his mouth and Ryada turns him to water Esh splits the water and Alden preserves both halves to use as shields against the septenary Stu affixes on the spot to stop the argument Eaner (traumatized ) quits wizardry and joins Zeridee on anesidora

Given how thirsty the roots were for Alden’s blood, I’m just waiting for Stu to load up on fruit and carry off Alden to fulfill the art’h legacy of “take away the bindlefruit and those most loved by the vines”

Happy approximate day people!

One of the Septenary’s sons was known to have a bad temper and resentment toward Avowed. Azeeda-und’h believed that son, her uncle, would be irritated with Emban’s squad for their Avowed management. She was afraid that he’d try to correct them and that his involvement would tear apart their growing bonds as a team. Azeeda-und’h had therefore taken it upon herself to invite Alden to learn proper behavior from the und’h votaries, who instructed many Avowed in how not to inconvenience or embarrass the und’h knights they might encounter. Turns out that one of the Primary's sons takes extreme exception to this. I'm not overly concerned about the outcome because... “Having an Avowed friend might be complicated, but he’ll be a great one. You will, too. And art’h is a good name to have if you’re dealing with problems.” She waved at the little root that was still reaching for Stu. “It’s been a while since we’ve fed anyone unwilling to the trees,” he said.

I get the feeling Eeaner and Boe would hit it off (mostly commisserating about Stu and Alden)

I haven't seen anyone mention this, but it occurred to me that Stu's parents are also in effect telling Stu to arrange for the *single* thing that Alden said wouldn't be ok in their relationship. It's very clear that it doesn't even enter their minds that Alden's agreement would be a needed part of the arrangement. Chapter 160: >He swallowed. “I’m just going to say this even though it may not need to be said, because it will be heavy for me if I don’t.” >Stuart paused halfway through pulling a piece of meatpetal off his own skewer. >“It would upset me if you ever summoned me without my permission,” Alden said. “A lot.”

In the near future, when Stu's family is tutting about things spiralling so suddenly, I hope someone counsels them with Veln-arth's own words from several chapters ago: "Use the word ‘unexpectedly’ first whenever something goes wrong, to remind yourself that there might have been signs you missed...what follows are questions about what should have been expected. And by whom? Is what happens ... unforeseeable, or was it unforeseen? So much of what we regret is the second. Many things grow where our eyes never point.”

I know several commentators have previously raised the question in other chapters of whether anyone other than Stu and Kibby (and Boe) already know/are likely to discover that Alden is a wizard. I think Esh, Lind and Evul have been the main candidates. Ladies and gentlemen - I think we now have a brand new front runner - Kofa seems way more sensitive to magic than any other wizard we have met! “We weren’t going to bring this up yet,” Veln said, exasperated. “He could drain every vein in Alden’s body several thousand times over in that spot before anyone but Kofa noticed a difference." So if we ever meet him I think he'll pickup on Alden's unusual abilities. However, on the plus side it's also likely that he won't tell anyone as he seems to spend most of his time in a cave talking to the trees :-)

Emban choosing Definer of Grooves as her skill seems to me like an insane commitment. She is at the beginning of a Groove very dependent on her fellow knights or votaries, and still needs time to build a Groove or even choose the right one. Without a Groove she likely wouldn't even be able to contribute much in supportive ways since she maybe won't acquire the specialized knowledge of a votary or have the free Authority to cast it. Her chosen build makes her extremely dependent on the people around her, maybe even more than Alden since he needs only one other person. Wonder what that says about her.

So, many of us agree Stu reached the stopped fighting point. now my question is, will his family notice before he binds? And if they do will they try to interfere, for example try to prevent him leaving when he comes to choose his clothes for eaners Party. Maybe we get to see an Eaner/Alden/Esh/Lind rescue team, I wouldn't be surprised to see a pissed Off authority greeting from Alden to save Stu

I find it worth mentioning that Alden did just reup My Body Becomes My Assistant so he'll be in control of himself for the super awkward interaction that's about to happen.

Someone’s probably already pointed this out, but I found this way back in chapter 247, soon after the Here-to-There: “A suggestion that they welcome a knight from the second Rapport had left Emban looking lost when she heard it” Crazy that this was being set up so far back.

“Maker of Narrow Ways can be used for ‘severing’ but it’s not for severing. The cutting is something that forms a connection, instead of something that breaks one.” I’ll double down on my comment from last chapter that Stu did choose his skill very well. He’s severing many useless relationships on his way to connecting with Alden.

Interesting paragraph from ch. 183 “The Sdyelis Branch,” Stuart answered. “An oasis ship. It’s being built completely of materials native to the Mother. The designing of a ship that uses as little < traveler's knowledge > as possible has been the < devotion > of the life of a wizard from Rapport III. She and her children are in charge of the project.” It's a cool project, but it's also kinda isolationist. Seems like a theme with Rapport III...

Let's guess uncle und'hs' name. I will start. C und'h

"To experience the world as it is without the trap is beautiful in a truer way." What is the 'trap' here? I don't think I'm quite understanding what Stu means

The Und’hs seem to think of Avowed more like soldiers than other Knights. And not modern, western soldiers, either. More like medieval european conscripts, where officers were members of the aristocracy and soldiers were just armed peasants. I’m starting to see why the Earth contract translates Knights as Generals. They’re people you can’t disobey who might send you to your death.

Wait, does “mur” mean “grampa” in Artonan? Does Murmur’s name literally mean grampa-grampa?

MICRO FANFICTION INCOMING ----- During his first period, Kon received a message from Mehdi. [Hey Kon. Could you take a look at this before I send it out?] [Kon: Sure. I'll take a look at it after class.] Kon received a notification of an incoming file. He minimized it on his interface. After his class, Kon stopped in the faux European Town Square. The day was sunny with a breeze. Globies might think that the temperature was too cold for sitting outdoors, but Kon was used to it. He sat on a bench and as he was eating the hot waffle he'd purchased, he opened the document Mehdi had sent. As he ate, he scanned it. [Kon: You're making a contest about Avowed milestones for our class.] [Mehdi: Yes! What do you think?] [Kon: Well, some of these things are good. Prizes for next person summoned. I'm sad I can't win that one, but you're probably right to exclude people who have already been summoned. And once Alden gets off his summoning break, he would easily win the summoning sweepstakes, I guess. [Kon: The other milestones you suggest. Well. They're the kinds of things that we might be able to award at our ten-year anniversary of graduation from CNU. I mean: first person to get ten million followers on Trime. /Big Snake/ only broke ten million after he'd been working in Texas for a couple of years, and he's a super popular super. Who's popular.] [Mehdi: When will that saying die? It's like that 'seven-eight' thing when we were kids.] [Kon: Yeah, I know. [Kon: You have one of the categories as "best cosplay" at a top-line convention in the rest of the world.] [Mehdi: Teah, that could be pretty funny. [Mehdi: Yeah, not Teah] [Kon: That's another one where we're probably going to wait until our ten-year anniversary. Unless you want to count 'people cosplaying as students while wearing gym suits'. Theres already some people who did that. [Kon: You remember that vid that recreated the gokoratch song? And the remixes too.] Mehdi remained silent. Kon took a bite out of his waffle while he waited. Finally, he continued: [The last point. Where you made an entry for 'Best appearance in fanfiction!' You're really going there?] [Mehdi: Lots of people appear in fanfiction. Even before they graduate from high school.] [Kon: I'm aware of that. You know that me and Vandy are already in fanfiction, right? Everly too. [Kon: Everly is apparently seeing some dude at Li-Jean. Vandy is crushing on me. And I'm suffering from an unding stream of humiliating defeats in and out of gym class. Did you know that I'm the most useless S-rank?] [Mehdi: Nobody thinks you are, man!] [Kon: Uh-huh. And that's just our class. You know that fiction that was on RegalRoad when I was thirteen? The one that had the Artonan party all the students in CNU participated in? Drugs, drinking, and sex. Lots and lots of sex. [Kon: I'm just saying that I wouldn’t be happy to have fanfic as one of the things we're going to be judged on.] [Mehdi: Hey come on.] [Kon: I can't stop you from putting that into your contest. If you do, you can include me out. [Kon: At any rate, if you start the contest for 'next to be summoned', I'll be happy to brainstorm prizes with the rest of the class. You can cue up some of the other stuff, but I'll bet we don't get any winners for years. And some of the stuff I'm not going to touch with a bargepole. And I'd like you not to go there yourself.] [Mehdi: Sigh. Okay. I'll think about this.] Kon got up. His next class would be starting soon.

So I’ve been reading other comments, and I see people praising Evul, but really I don’t see her as inherently different from the rest. Her only real difference seems to be that she believes Stu will bind. She doesn’t want it anymore than the rest, she’s just already moved onto the next battle. Which is why she’s already making plans for what to do with Alden.

Very cute of Stu to give Eeaner the place he thought to be close to perfection

“You still have the klerms I got you. What are you doing with them all?” he asked the wall. “I’m just freeing them. Their deaths inside the plants are slow and painful.” “…obviously you should take me seriously.” I wonder if Eeaner feels stuck where he is and wants to be freed. Because maybe where he is now feels like slow and painful death.

The arths trying to get their own off the hook and throw Alden under the bus. Emban's squad *should* be reprimanded for their irresponsible use of Avowed. If they breakup because of that, so what? they will just join different squad, like tge future Stu-Alden one.

If Stu is feeling his votary parents and the siblinghold are no longer as safe and welcoming for him and Alden as he thought, I expect he's going to return with an agenda larger than picking up a few party clothes the next time he goes. Stu will likely be emphatic about getting one of Alden's Thorns added to the stream along with his patient creatures, and he's likely going to prioritize visiting the Cottage of Oaths with Alden so Alden can start preparing even if Stu ends up taking an extended break from living with his parents and is no longer frequently around to facilitate Alden's access there.

I just checked the calendar. Again. Why is it still 3+ days to the next chapter? This seems wrong to me.

Stu is doing an Alden speech here to Veln and Aymeg and he is burdering them. It's both very polite and socially devastating.

Esh to Jeneth: "I believe you'll appreciate that Stu has remarkably good support, but you may not be pleased that so little of it is from his family."

I’ve been sick and I just remembered there was soup waiting for me. Feeling loved.

Has Alden already seen an image of a raintail (as in the masterwork spell, 'Burrow of the Raintail') back when Stu was checking on Emban after her affixation? "Evul pulled one of her rings off and poked it toward the wreath. It joined the collection, floating upwards beside a soap carving of an animal that looked like a long-tailed bear" (182).

In this chapter's aftermath, Bithe, Ryada and Emban all start Contract-Googling "PH regulators" for... reasons. They eventually all come to Earth and meet Natalie who disappoints them, "Yeah, Alden's not into that. Like, at all."

I wonder if Alden will figure out and suggest that likely the best/safest place to call for an extraction would be where the "treat" is since it's helping to slow/stabilize the "Chaos." Actually succeeding in their mission despite all the setbacks would likely help quiet a lot of potential criticism. Nothing succeed like success...

“I guess you won’t be Baby Stu for much longer,” said Jozz (previous chapter ) SLEYCA YOU DEVIL YOU!!!! Amazing writing.

What's the highwater mark for Sleyca's post comment counts?

The interaction of Evul with Jozz at the end of ch 247 is priceless. After the loving lies, Evul warns Jozz that Stu and Alden are thirsty for blood. I guess he didn't listen.

I know Alden has been busy, but I'm becoming suspicious that he's afraid of Boe's secret. He just isn't prioritizing learning contract magic.

Stu just told two young excitable extroverts to snuggle up under a blanket together while watching fun videos, and then walked away. This is how Netflix and chill starts.

The klerms and some of the way Eaener has been acting makes me think he was actually a smidge serious about seeking a higher service. Not as a knight, but maybe as a votary. He’s just young and still figuring out what he actually wants in life.

With all of this stuff being done to accommodate the Uhnd uncle, I find myself wondering why he wouldn't just be asked to leave/be quiet when his comments become unhelpful.

"*I can’t believe I wanted to be spiteful to this person,* Alden thought, watching him with an emotion he wasn’t sure he’d ever experienced before. Something fairly cold. Detached. Disappointed not in Olget-ovekondo but in…society maybe. "*What’s the point?* "He decided he would sit up and tell Olget to go away, plainly and politely. Firmly if politely didn’t work. This man wasn’t worth his anger, and he certainly wasn’t worth Stu-art’h’s time" (226).

I'm having such a sudden, strong vision of Lind soon giving into the inevitable and helping Esh establish a new EshLind House of Healing/Adventure for Class-Hopping Oddballs. They could take in Stu! and get a bonus Alden to boot. Offer Zeridee a House that accepted her choices even if they disagreed her self-assessment driving those choices. Reach out to Kibv-ee and sponsor her for joining the Rapports. And someday, they would be at ground zero for Alden's paradign-shifting reveal that not only had he sworn to the hn'tyon path with Stu but he'd jumped class twice from Avowed to wizard to hn'tyon in the process. Maybe Worli Ro-den would end up lurking somewhere in the vicinity like a disreputable uncle with his own research cottage, helping armor the children of the house with coats far more potent that than the bomb lab one Alden originally purchased.

Random wild power theory: Similar to how Alden cleans things by preserving just the original object without any of the dirt/crumbs/stains/etc, when he reaches his final form, will he be able to preserve a being or object that has been transformed by chaos, but preserve only the original being/object without the chaos?

Yeaaaaaa feccking gettem stu!!!!

Zeridee is such an interesting person. She’s part of the powerful Und’h family many of whom sound speciesist, entitled and frankly weird. They treat avowed as beasts of burden (from Joe’s four definitions 28). Smart, disposable creatures who must be punished if they do something wrong. The knights refuse to interact with avowed at all, leaving their votaries to do that. (198, 199) They also seem to have this weird concern about upsetting Art’hs. Zeridee worrying about Alden’s potential demise upsetting Stu and Evul, Azeeda wanting Alden safe so Alis doesn’t worry. We, the reader, understand there’s no basis for this, so it has to come from inside the family. Is this a reflection on how their own knights expect to be coddled? Contrast this with Azeeda (plus Veln/Aymeg) also deciding the avowed is the one to be ‘punished’ for the squad’s initial mishandling (in the Und’h’s opinion at least) of the said avowed. Esh doesn’t like them. In short, they’re a strange family and it’s no wonder that Zeridee walked away. Zeridee is “Very talented … such a sweet girl,” but has sworn off doing magic because she “… couldn’t bring herself to choose the highest path and couldn’t trust herself to live as a votary.” (300). I can guess the type of work votaries would have to do to force their ‘cattle’ to behave, and into situations that intelligent people might balk at. Wizards don’t have to be votaries, but for Zeridee there seemed to be only three choices. Wizard, votary or no magic at all. Was it just a sheltered environment and inexperience that made her choose the no-magic option? Or is it some family oath that ties her only to these options?

He was nearing the bottom of the stairs again when he heard Eeaner ask, “Did you say Alden?” Classic Sleyca moment for a cut scene.

Knight uniforms are lovely clothing. I hope he is patient enough to be truly poignant for everyone.

We all know how scary Stu is when he takes action. I wonder if we will find out how scary Alden is when he does

Oh new observation, I kinda wonder if Azeeda was gonna be in the meeting with Stu but him getting delayed by Eaner and Jozz led her to go to other stuff. Since she was there recently enough to have a noticeable hand print

Stu bringing eaner to Ryada esh and Lind Esh “well that was quick” Stu “unfortunately not, just got sidetracked stopping an annoying family plot” *Stu ten minutes later* Esh - that still felt quite swift Stu - “another mortifying family Scheme. I’m growing quite adept at fixing them recently”

“If even Jozz can’t be trusted, then how much understanding should I expect from Eeaner-ket?” I think Stu is going to realize that sometimes strangers can be more trusted than family. I think even though Jozz’s intentions were terrible this will end up being a major positive for Stu & Eeaner.

I can't help thinking that Mother has been nurturing a solution that all of Stu's parents (except his father) have been working towards by harassing Stu. I believe that, in Alden, Stu has the greatest chance of living well while affixing regularly and fighting chaos. I believe Mother saw Alden's potential as a Knight and true friend to Stu. Then she saw his wizardy charm and said, "YES!" I have a theory that Alden's very expensive present "with strings" was paid for somewhat through the Primary’s "account." It was only provided if Alden showed himself in the house - even if he didn't visit Stu. Stu would have eventually heard about it and potentially reached out, if somewhat later than what came to pass. I don't know what Mother thinks of all of Stu's family's involvement. Is it creating havoc or letting Stu feel his own strength? I know life is better with a family that is loving and supportive, but sometimes adversity helps sharpen edges that we need in life. I just hope that this adversity is a wet stone and not a poison for Stu.

Does anyone know about another deep, introspective series like this? I'm pretty depressed, and this is one of my few bright points, but I could really use something more like this.

Talking to them is just pointless. They feel evil to me. Just overall sadness for what could have been.

I can't wait for Eeaner to encounter Noh-en on this visit. They will either hate each instantly or bond over shared Stu exasperations.

These “Unseen” chapters have left me with two thoughts: 1. Does Big Snake know someone at the training center who would possibly send him a video copy of the event and tell him, “look what one of your students just did.” It’s been said that he has a lot of Artonan friends. 2. Is it possible that Lind already knows that Alden is a wizard? After the flood she felt his authority Pat he sent out on Anisedora. Possible that once she met him she recognized his authority and realized he sent out the anonymous Pat. It would be like Lind and Esh not to say something and just wait for Alden to tell them.

I did some nitpicking on the conversation with the parents: -Stu mentioned meeting a problem on the way and they didn’t even ask -They asked him about school he mentioned the casting fan and they didn’t even follow up on that instead they just talked about themselves when they used casting fans -He offered to explain his intentions and reasons concerning the old house and he was ignored and just reprimanded instead -Even Veln trying to be nice used “draining Alden’s vein a thousand times over” as a soothing example ??? Who would wanna hear about draining his dearest friend -Then veln goes ahead, again trying to be good dad, and tells stu A GOOD VOTARY should know what gifts to give -then they just dismissed the whole thing and moved on without waiting for stu s response !!! I just noticed that the whole time they were talking and answering eachother without Stu s input!!! And then “anyway, back to emban “

Stu doing a speedrun of finding his votary parents to be just as disappointing as Alden has grown to consider Worli Ro-dento be - not what I was expecting from the 'What Grows Unseen' arc, but now that it's happened it feels weirdly inevitable.

I'm getting such a strong sense of what kind of hn'tyon Stu will grow into: the kind of man who will put himself in the careening, reckless path of misbehaving wizards and bring them to a crashing halt, whether for the sake of his Avowed friend or some 'pestilent', annoying, *inconvenient* klerm.

Esh will be, like, "Ah, that's a big crack Stu has suffered".

I don’t actually want Eeaner as a votary, I would prefer to see him simply as Stuart’s friend. Eeaner has his own place in the Ket tribe, and being a votary is a selfless task. Eeaner has said in the past that he thinks the rapports need to change, need more outside influences. He’d be well-positioned to work from the outside of this, while people like Alden and Stu force change from within.

Is Emban in trouble (some bumps to smooth) because they assume she’s the one who got Alden into the squad? We saw that both Jozz and the parents assumed Stu forced Emban to take Alden. Or is it something else about the run itself (what she said about Ryada, or Bithe’s sacrifice ….)

From chapter 247: A Pounce |||Stu embraced his brother’s existence. Jozz nodded and returned it. They weren’t very good together in this way. They hadn’t been since Sina had died. Stu didn’t want to know why. He did want to be as comfortable with this brother’s authority as he once had been. He thought Jozz felt the same because he never pulled away first.||| Stu wants to be closer to Jozz and vice versa but "they weren't very good together in this way" because Jozz isn't very good at recognising non-physical existences beyond his own. Jozz is failing to recognise Stu properly.

Alden approved for mother to share any of his experiences with struggling knights, if it would help them. Because mother is able to read his memories, she could extract a summary of his struggles at Thegund saving Kibby. She could show it to Rhyda and Emban for example and also Stu at some point. Maybe she can show it to the Primary anyhow should he ask for a character check. I assume it would be a good example during the ceremony which has to be passed in order to become a declared.

One outcome I'm hoping for from all this is Alden revealing his secrets to Esh and Lind sooner. It's become abundantly clear now that most of Stu's family doesn't really respect him as an adult, and they don't seem to respect Alden as a *person*, which makes them terrible recipients for Alden's secrets even if they weren't as big as "Alden is humanity's first ever wizard, seeking the path of highest onus". Even being as capable of helping Stu and Alden with everything as they are, that fundamental lack of respect makes them entirely untrustworthy. But Esh, and therefore Lind, have shown that they definitely DO respect Alden as a person, both before but particularly now on this Rapport III trip. However they end up feeling about the reveal, they won't be starting from a position of "As an Avowed, Alden's basically just a slightly more intelligent pet". They don't consider Alden lesser for being an Avowed, which should lead them to treating the situation with the gravity it deserves without disregarding what Alden himself actually wants. Just look at the difference between how Stu's parents are handling the (quite frankly out of line) und'hcle and how Esh has handled the Matadero contract tattoo: Without bothering to ask for Alden's opinions or preferences, they're planning on forcing him into an Avowed Manners class because it's more convenient than a squad of knights getting harangued by a racist asshole. Conversely, Esh puts off the (very much mandatory) Matadero Secrecy Tattoo for months simply because it's not been a good time for Alden up till now, and when they finally get around to it, Esh makes sure Alden understands what is going on, what he should expect, the sort of treatment he should not just expect but outright *demand* from future wizards trying to make contracts with him, and then, on top of everything else, once they've actually gone through with everything and made the (again, VERY mandatory) contract, Esh immediately offers to get rid of it if Alden has any regrets so they can try again. I'm glad Stu's gotten to learn about all of this, really. It sucks that it had to happen in the first place, but it gives him the opportunity to realize that his family members, while convenient, were never going to be the right people to reveal Alden's secrets to. But he's also gotten to see Alden be treated like he *should* be treated, with the care and respect he deserves.

A

“Don’t tell Aymeg, but I think it’s the perfect gesture toward the healers who’ve cared for you for so long. Giving the right gifts to the right people is something a votary needs to be good at, too.” So much for honoring (or even pretending to honor) Stu’s choosing season. Veln just casually shoves Stu right into the votary role.

>"If they don’t fix this, I will." Stu vowing to fix things is quite the threat.

Random thoughts: Avowed seem to be pretty matter-of-factly seen as subservient in the fight against chaos Therefore it is likely that sway like effects or some other binding magic is applied to Avowed who disobey orders, in potentially lethal situations The obvious heart wrenching foreshadowed event is Hannah dying due to that sort of scenario, I am placing my bet on that!

lowkey aymeg and veln could have saved all this if they had tried getting to know Alden even slightly. Because I’m sure the knowledge that Alden had saved an undh family member (Zeridee) would have nipped this entire thing in the bud, and would have delayed Stu’s loss of trust in his family. Undh uncle (as important as he may be) can only do so much against the Avowed a member of his family literally owes their life to. (And if he’s so belligerent that he would go on a racist tirade regardless, then he should never be catered to and the fact anyone even tries would make me lose so much respect for them.) But for Aymeg and Veln to know that much about Alden, they would have needed to consider Stu’s friendship with Alden seriously, so in a way this confrontation was kinda inevitable.

Und'hcool to Vatha Squad: "You failed to chastise your human after he disobeyed a direct order, and you permit him far too much familiarity. You must remind him of his place, lest he cause you to lose perspective and undermine your ability to dispassionately summon your Avowed to their certain deaths." Alden: "Oh, I'm not here as an Avowed. I'm on leave. *Touches his commendation with two fingers.* I volunteered as a squad mate and behaved accordingly. I believe I acquitted myself well. If being a proper Avowed should have caused me to behave differently and allow Bithe to perish, then perhaps you should reconsider how you expect proper Avowed to behave.

Its kind of funny to read this chapter but this reminds me of how Ms.Morello from Everybody Hates Chris. She would constantly talk down and demean Chris, but she felt like she had the best intentions and most of his family does that to Stu, they don't see him, they see an idea of him.

Watch Emban get attacked while being out front by herself (ignoring the mouse) and Alden has to haul her sharp-tongued self all the way out.

Everyone: control your rabid alien guest! Stu, eyes afire and heart ablaze: and why do you think he's my guest, huh? he's a wonderful, well-rounded person who touches hearts wherever he goes when those hearts have not surrendered to depravity! Many call him friend! Everyone: fucksake, act normal about this. tell him to act normal, too! Stu: [fuck you for calling Stu-art'h. I can't be bothered with your bullshit right now, so your call is being forwarded to the honorable hosts of my dearest friend, the highly commended Alden, about whom you are no doubt calling, because you are shitty] Everyone: wh- Esh: hi, there, I'm sure I must have misunderstood, because I heard you have a problem with my child, the alien honors student? ◉⁠‿⁠◉ Lind: ( ‿*⁠) Everyone: oh, f-

Reread the chapter where Alden tells Stu about being a wizard and one of Stu's first plans is to enlist his parents to help. Stings in retrospect!

It's such a great thing, to read these chapters and then read everyone's comments, then read the chapter again, then come back and read the newer comments and back again. Understanding more and enjoying all the while.

Imagine if once Stu is back in the viewing room Alden to look at Stu right through the recording they are making and says "Stu, it's going to be okay." then just keeps being a bad ass. I don't think it'll happen, but it would be freaky as hell for Stu's family

My shower thoughts after reading this chapter: 1. I feel like most people have not fully dug into why Alden got the commendation. It's the difference between "he saved a girl from chaos" and "he single handedly keep this girl alive for six months then carried across a world while actively dying". Everyone seems to assume it was just to spite Joe. 2. Stu and Alden are two sides of a coin. Both deeply affected by chaos, but where Stu was kept from feeling pain/discomfort Alden has known very little but discomfort/pain 3. Esh and Lind are role models for Alden and Stu. One is weaker and one far more powerful. Yet the weaker one was able to catch up and become equal. Thank you for listening to my random stream of consciousness.

Good time for Stu to let his hair grow back.

“ Emban found that part of me the spoon was scraping against and dug into it really good. That was so nice of her.”

The art'h family actions show how the "I love you so I know what is best for you" fallacy is repulsive. They have one of the best mind healer in the world, Yenu Pezth, who had to scream at the strongest family in their worlds so that they stop being absolute morons toward Stu, and a few years later, they are back on square one. "Let's dismiss the expert opinion, I know my son better than anyone, I he would just obey and be a good puppet we would do what is best for him. His choices are irrelevant"

I can't wait for goodchild Zakithee to explain to his big sis that Hn’tyon Esh told him how his human avowed had saved one of their cousins and a debt was owed! "Esh's avowed? Esh's HUMAN avowed? Oh no."

So we've got Stu and Esh and Lind who are about to be VERY offended over the presumptuousness of Veln and Aymeg and the 'undh family.

Incredible chapter. I’m so blown away by the emotional impact that you keep getting. Thanks so much for writing this.

And so the art'h family drama finally comes to a head. I think what it boils down to is infantilization. Stu's family still sees him as the broken child he was when he was first brought to them. They have remained willfully blind to all the growth he has made. They don't trust him to be able to make decisions for himself and his own life. We'll tackle Jozz first. He sees Alden as a dangerous friend for Stu to have because he is willing to give Stu his support without a full understanding of what it means for a wizard to affix. Of course we know that's not true, but from his perspective it makes sense. We also know he was originally against Stu's move to LeafSong because he didn't approve of the party-wizard types that go there, but he obviously sees them as an improvement over Alden because at least they won't blindly support Stu's decision to affix. And now he learns that there is one party-wizard who is perhaps a bit more serious than Stu first thought and that he could potentially see weaving a friendship with. He walks all over Stu's feelings without a care in the world because Stu's feeling do not matter to him. Not because he doesn't love Stu, but because he does not trust him as an adult. His actions are justified in his mind because he knows what is best for Stu, and Stu is incapable of making decisions like this for himself. "If even Jozz can’t be trusted, then how much understanding should I expect from Eeaner-ket?" I think Stu is going to be pleasantly surprised to find that many people outside his family don't see his friendship with a human avowed as terribly strange. I hope Eeaner invites Alden to the party, and I hope Stu gets to see that most of the people there are totally cool with a human hanging out with them. So much of his life has been spent in the insular rapport with his family, he desperately needs more outside perspective. Now for the dads. This feels a bit like death by a thousand paper cuts, but they mostly all boil down to the same thing. His dads have no interest in anything Stu has to say. Even when they're casually calling him on some things he may have overstepped on, they don't ask him to explain himself. They don't even have any interest when Stu volunteers to do so. Instead they interrupt and hand wave it away as inconsequential. No, the only point they care to emphasize is that Stu should not make decisions on his own. He should instead come to them with anything of import so that they can decide for him. Because, again, Stu cannot be trusted to make such decisions for himself. Then we add in the constant digs at being a votary as if Stu never declared himself in the first place - and Jozz acting as if Stu is still in his choosing season. And then there's the Alden of it all. "Some sort of etiquette training is something he may have wanted anyway, and he will need it, if he’s to be your lifelong friend.” I think that sums up their feelings about Alden most succinctly. I cannot imagine any world where a parent should tell their child that their friend will require etiquette lessons if they plan to stick around. They do it only because they still view Alden as a servant. He is lesser. It's unnatural of him to socialize with his betters, but they're willing to indulge Stu in this flight of fancy if it makes him happy. So long as the human avowed learns his place. And with that, the rose-tinted glasses have fully come off. Stu is no longer going to be giving his family the benefit of the doubt. Sounds like he's going to more or less cut them off emotionally. He'll simply maintain an amicable but superficial relationship with them - it will be interesting to see how things shake out with the rest of the family. I think we could see Stu moving away - either to his own cottage on Rapport I or somewhere else entirely. I still hope for a Stu-on-Earth arc - fingers crossed - but that will only be a short-term solution. Either way, I think some distance and perspective will be helpful for both parties.

Damn you, Sleyca! The story has been going on for so long, and it's been written so well as to be emotionally invested in, that you make me tear up every chapter nowadays. Think about the tissue prices these days! *Honk!*

... Also, are they really going to give a lecture to an avowed who is commended for going above and beyond his duty, *about strictly doing his duty?!*

Well it's about time for the yell that's been in my throat for months now... directed towards most everyone in the Art'h household. You are a blinded idiot who can't see past your own memory. You see only the child you first met, and competely miss the person in front of you. Stu is highly capable, not impulsive, and dedicated to high ideals to a degree damn few can honestly claim to match. And out of everybody in the world, do you honestly think that Stu Art'h is unprepared for binding? He is perhaps the only person to ever genuinely *be* prepared! Or do you claim that there is another who better understands what it is like to face deep and continuous pain unprecedented in your life. To face a raw and harsh world after being unsheltered from things you could not truly understand? Stu has already bravely stepped forward into a world of adversity and pain once before, and stands strong in it. That he wants to do so again, borne of his own conviction and will, despite your incessant and manipulative meddling, it's enough evidence for me to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he will succeed. If you could open your eyes and do what is best to support Stu's now inevitable path instead of throwing rocks, everybody would be better for it. Stu, you, and yes even the Primary. Do you think he *enjoys* the stress and tension of his own family trying to tear into and break down his son? Do you think your unending manipulations and the stress you place upon Stu are *reassuring*? Don't answer that, you've been so delusional it might actually be true. Open your eyes and help, or finally butt out. You've been most unhelpful and turned into a problem to be managed.

So there is this secluded community which from childhood onwards is raised to become a fighter against chaos or someone dedicated to serve those fighters. The community is rather closed, letting in few outsiders, does not mingle much in society nor play much in politics. They are treated with respect and negative influences are kept away. While the world outside the rapports moves on, they remain in old customs. It is not really a wonder that Stu‘s parents are clueless towards his development. Esh and Lind appear to be the more modern type of knight, but I am not sure how they will prevent a desaster if Alden is revealed as wizard/ to be sworn knight. I can imagine Stu packing his things, taking Alden2 from the siblinghood and moving out, either to rapport 3 or the old house. If he does, I want Murmur to go with him. He has done it before, he will do so again. The parents have not even found out about Stu‘s ceremonial treatment of Ro, nor about the demon hide. I am certain this will be a big deal. I hope Stu can explain it to his father before it is found out. Once Stu manages the affixation, he has to be treated as an adult, I assume. Can’t wait for the story to develop further.

Okay so I loved this chapter so much I'm going to geek out about it."To experience the world as it is without the trap is beautiful in a truer way. He did think there had been something of worth, though, in that fearless trust." He knows the trap was bad and spent years recovering, but he misses the support he felt from it so bad, and wishes he could get it without trap. "And because I frustrated Stu a little the last time he wanted to talk to me about weaving friendship with someone." I think I'd rephrase that to "Deeply insulted and hurt him, so badly he screamed about how shitty my behaviour was to my face" "broadening your social circle to include wizards of a different background could help you with your own choosing season" "I like that you go to leafsong cause it's the votary school amd I think it'll distract you to the next shiney thing, like that's all knighthood is" 'Tying us together like little children in a get-along game.' Stu's first proper realisation fhat they treat him like a little kid still. Also wow Jozz is being so heavy handed that Eeaner-ket is a "friend" when for Alden even the accepting one's don't use that lightly, and they're still "soon-friends" How much emotion does an Artonan need to not have a sound to show it? The species renowned for making every sound imaginable. "Because he disapproves of my friend! My dearest friend who I hope will be…" Wait. Wait a second. Did Stu get son angry he almost said he wants to be Aiyethesvul with Alden? Cause that's what I'm reading this as! "If even Jozz can’t be trusted, then how much understanding should I expect from Eeaner-ket?" Eeaner-ket is building into a future friend, but right now Stu is rising towards Boe levels of prickly. Keep people away to protect myself. Alden is going to do a lot of Stu healing methinks. "I’m sure you’re here tonight to watch Alden and Emban. We’ll let you go back to that soon.” I think this is the only time this paragraph the dad's mention Alden in a nice way. "whichever ritual you used to make the old house accept alien blood" Explains the house's significant thirst for Alien blood, beyond what Stu expected. And he put even more effort into the contract breaking than we even knew. "Giving the right gifts to the right people is something a votary needs to be good at, too.” Once again, they treat him like a votary is what he will be. Also Stu is incredibly off balance in this conversation. He went into it without time to contemplate his Jozz interaction, or even deciding to contemplate it later. They're being dismissive of him like he's a child, and when they told him about the house of healing gift and asked if he's ready to move on he said yes when he wasn't, which no matter if they're being good or bad, a balanced Stu would never move on without being ready. "That was their plan. For Alden’s first official summoning when he was available again to be this pitiful, offensive nonsense. " Beyond it being insulting to Alden/Stu, especially because he's getting the etiquette instead of the knights that mishandled him like he didn't handle falling out of a plane perfectly, I think Stu is now planning on doing Alden's first official summon (post accident) and making it a grand affair. I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH GIVE ME MOAR

I missed this on my first read, but the last thing Stuart says now stands out to me: “ Maybe I’ll see you before the party. I should stop by the siblinghold and find something lovely to wear.” As in, he isn’t planning on going to stay at home anymore, except to return for some things he may have there. Could definitely be reading too much into it, plus maybe he simply does have school until the party.

I’ve seen a good amount of discourse on why Stu’s family acts the way they do. Mostly In that they don’t want Stu to affix. And likely suffer immensely before succumbing and eventually dying. With the added tragedy it would probably be a major blow to Jeneth. I don’t think that is inherently the problem. They are welcome to try and argue their points to Stu. Try and lead him to a different parallel path. The real problem is they do not do this with ANYONE else we have seen. They legitimately have tried to rob Stu of his autonomy to make a choice. Something they have not done with any other member of the family. Honestly they have gone so far as to do the opposite. With being encouraging and supportive of all the other cousins. The unbalance there is wild. Every other family Member is given free rein over their destiny. But not Stuart. Because he came to them a bit strange and unwell, he was invited into a family that did not know him. And they still don’t

I can't wait for the day when Alden's wizardry is fully revealed and Stu's anomalous respect for this one human becomes far less mysterious to the Artonans.

.......oooookay I fully expect our pint sized King Kazma to boop in summoned, find out he is testing etiquette lessons for avowed, tear thru them with earnest mindfulness and questions legitimately trying to make the lessons better for humans, then boop out leaving everyone else involved feeling like they just received an etiquette lesson.

my "not a punishment for the avowed" t-shirt is leading to a lot of questions already answered by the shirt. seriously though, beyond the ignorance of Alden's desires/needs, this strikes me as woefully naive regarding the Knights this is ostensibly supposed to help. they really think this will make the squad feel better? that they won't immediately see through to "an avowed is being made to take the fall for us"?

Oh man...Stu's family just keeps screwing up more and more... and keeps digging themselves a bigger hole. They don't see don't even see it. To them, he's just acting like a child. The rift keeps getting bigger and bigger. 🤦

We're only making plans for Nigel.

"One of the Septenary’s sons was known to have a bad temper and resentment toward Avowed. Azeeda-und’h believed that son, her uncle, would be irritated with Emban’s squad for their Avowed management. She was afraid that he’d try to correct them and that his involvement would tear apart their growing bonds as a team. Azeeda-und’h had therefore taken it upon herself to invite Alden to learn proper behavior from the und’h votaries, who instructed many Avowed in how not to inconvenience or embarrass the und’h knights they might encounter. Azeeda-und’h thought her uncle would not try to step into a matter she’d already dealt with in this fashion. “It concerns me that the und’h family has so many problems,” Stu said when they had finally stopped explaining. “Are they going to be all right?” Clearly the correct answer is that someone needs to tell the Und'h uncle to feel shame for his behavior. I'm getting more and more curious about the back story here though. Being bad-tempered in general is one thing, but the resentment and compulsion to lash out over "avowed management" issues seems specific. Did some avowed fail to follow orders and cause the death of someone he loved? Is that why they're fixated on forcing all avowed to be quiet little robots with convenient skills?

Hey declared, when ya family wanna get buck wild Just go back and hit 'em up style Get your hands on their supply library and Spend it to the last dime for all the hard times Oh, when you go, then everything goes From the old house to the ride and the clothes So you better let 'em know that If they mess up, you gotta hit 'em up—

Thanks for the chapter. This one works so well. Like one of Natalie’s creations, extremely satisfying, but this time with more melancholia than joyful moments. Though, I did laugh when Stu said he wouldn’t lose his foot this time. Something terrible must have happened to Azeeda’s aunt with regard to Avowed. People have reasons for acting as they do. That behavior paired with the und’hs unwillingness to burden the “betters” makes it hard to feel sympathy for them. If Alden needs to be educated by an und’h, let it be the one who he saved, who seems to be the only sane one, besides perhaps Azeeda. I’m hoping Esh and Lind burder them gently

It's so sad when Eeaner could identify when Stu was going to take him lightly and reject that but Stu's own parents cant see it too.

So this is how Zeridee re-enters the story. In spite of Stu's frustrations, the plan presented is a good one. However, EshLind will be the key piece to tie it together into something solid and acceptable for everyone. Alden doesn't need to meet with an und'h wizard, just Zeridee who can help him learn, who can be proper but perhaps has more nuanced opinions that will not be withheld. Zeridee, who the und'hs don't want to estrange further, another youngling lost on her path. Zeridee, who came to Anesidora because she didn't like the way her family treated Avowed. She didn't want to be a knight for the usual reasons, but couldn't be a votary because she disagreed with the way they handled Avowed, enough to go serve Avowed as directly as she can. Perhaps she will one day serve an "Avowed" as his votary.

Here's an interesting thought: what if Eeaner-ket decides that it might be nice to give Stu the kind of party that Stu wants to have. A party where people get to discuss serious things and try out spells. It might be nice for Eeaner-ket to get out of his own comfort zone!

I hope Alden's reaction to the -und'hs raising the idea of "etiquette/obedience" lessons (assuming it even gets that far) is "Oh. So this weird preoccupation with the -art'hs isn't Zeridee's idiosyncrasy? It's an actual family thing. Good to know."

I like how Stu is drawing the line with his family here. They don't take his thoughts seriously, so he is no longer sharing those thoughts with them. It is such a simple, logical solution that they should be hard pressed to argue with it; they probably will argue against it. But even if they react in a complicated way, Stu can continue to meet them with this kind of simplicity. Well done, Stu. They will be ashamed when they realize how much you have grown unseen.

I'm guessing that the reason Zeridee und'h is avoiding magic and is on Anesidora are related to this uncle and whatever incident caused his hatred.

It's not that Stu's other parents do not care about his reasons, they are just too insignificant compared to his fathers (primary's) everything. They are bad parents for prioritizing the strongest being (after the mother) in their society instead of person they claim to be parents of but they are good citizens for trying to secure the future for everything non chaotic (in their limited way). In the end Stu's just another kid whose fathers job is more important than they themselves.

Another rank filled in the 40,000! Septenary is 7th, kind of a Big Deal, as they say. Evul (Evil?) -art'h started out as Bis-millesimal Septi-centesimal sexagesim-tertiary when she first placed the call for Stu to Bis-millesimal septi-centesimal sexagesim-primus when she talked to Alden outside of Eban's doorway (in chapter 182). Been making progress she has!

"I'm just freeing them. Their deaths inside the plants are slow and painful.” And Ryada is now interested in why Stu had the Klerms. I think between that, Alden and the knight training, there are enough good conversation starters here for Eaner and the knights to have a good time.

So this chapter marks the beginning of stu's choice to separate family. On one side their are those who deny the reality of his own autonomy, and those who dont. The only family that haven't been pushed across the boundary are: bio father, Aunt Alis, Evul, and maybe Emban. Any others that i missed? Maybe the mom who gave Alden The earing? Evul and Emban I hope arent pushed over that line at least. I know that Emban sides with the family for Stuart's future as a votary, but beyond that hiccup, she is the only one to actually contend and accept Stuart as he is. Im still annoyed with Alden, because he is annoyed with Evul, for treating him as an actual functional friend of Stuart. Informing him of something no one else would ever tell him, for the sake of their friendship.

I think this might be one of the best chapters of the entire work. We just had wizard reveal and it doesn't hold a candle to the emotion layered in this chapter.

Setting the solution aside, why would this grouchy guy coming in and complaining about their Avowed management make Emban's team fracture instead of being something else to unite against?

The easiest way to smooth things over is not always the right thing to do.

I wish Stu had clap back with a comment on how they are treating him is not different on what his mom did, she was just better at not making him feel hurt in the process.

I love all the clear thought that goes into the arc/chapter titles of this story. In this case, "What Grows Unseen" is both in reference to Alden growing into his own unbeknownst to most Artonans, and the resentment that has been steadily growing unseen within Stu towards his family. Alden's growth is unseen because he's done his best to keep his development secret. In contrast, Stu has also been developing, and he hasn't tried to keep that hidden, but his development has alsp grown unseen because of his family's willful blindness. So excited to continue reading about these two as they continue to grow.

I am very interested to see what happens with Eeaner, I wonder if he might actually be a future Stu Votary. As others have pointed out he is almost certain to recognize Alden's rings as well and I am curious how he will react to that. Anyone remember what chapter Stu got them from him, I would like to carefully reread that conversation.

PURE UNADULTERATED CATHARSIS IN MY BLOOOOD!!! This chapter this whole arc man this move me so much🥹.

I can envision either Esh or Alden politely telling the raging und'cle that if Alden politely listened to knights and wizards his niece (daughter?) would be dead in the ocean. Although, I could also see angry und'cle disagreeing so hard with Zeridee he doesn't care.

The assumption that Emban is the one who invited Alden just seems to be everywhere. How surprised will everyone be when they discover her protests were overridden by her team. The adults all seem to be trying to protect Emban from the criticism, but what will happen when they find out the truth? Will they come down much harder on the team and Alden? Will Esh be able to save it still?

I'm looking forward to when we get to meet Kofa-art'h

Someone on the discord asked how many pineapples Alden will bring to Eeaner's party. Great question, I think 4 for every ring Stu scammed off Eeaner would be appropriate. We should ask Esh, he seems to be good at esoteric repayment schemes.

Question: “How would I react if I knew the Villains of Earth figured out how to cast real magic spells?” Rewind: i was thinking about the Und’h pov and the avowed secondclass vibe in general and its “bias” when i had a sudden violent reckoning in my brain so simple and so forgotten that it startled me. It was this, “Heros are not the only avowed summoned.” The rules and viewpoint make more common sense when you understand that fundamentally, on every level that matters to the artonans, Alden is an outlier. Hes facing hurdle and viewpoints put in place to protect the artonans, and the worlds of the avowed I imagine, against the idiocracy effect but with magic at best and the rise of a magical tyrant demon lord incarnate at worst. Watching an avowed step into knight hood is going to trigger every fear that is even tangentially related to those worst possible outcomes.

I forget, do we know Esh and Linds ranks as knights?

I wonder if Esh is regretting his quasi-adpotion of this troublesome Avowed child. Every single time Esh takes his eye off him, he does something politically consequential. Lind is living her best life watching him try to keep his cool uncle image intact.

Sleyca, how on earth does your brain work? Because you can *feel* the momentum of this story sequence ramping up and it's so delightfully, meticulously crafted. It feels like being in a plane before take-off, with narrative momentum pushing us back into the seats as we're about to climb some serious altitude. Cannot wait to see where this is headed, turbulence and all

So they want Alden to learn manners from an Undh. I nominate Zeridee!

Alden needs etiquette lessons not because he disobeyed an order to stay put - he could rightly argue that circumstances changed and using his initiative was the correct call. He needs etiquette lessons because of (1) Avowed don't refer to knights as krethkan and (2) acting as if he was the knights' social equal during their mission, rather than deferring to them.

The "hollowness" that Stu is now feeling reminds me of this Evul quote from chapter 247. "Our brother seems to be slowly wearing out. And maybe everyone else sees that as an opportunity, but I’ve realized that I don’t know what happens when Stu gets tired of fighting." I think Stu is officially tired, and we're about to find out what happens.

Ouch

“Lute, you don’t hate your grandmother.” He considered that. “I think it’s really close to hate,” he said. “What’s hate, but with less passion? Hate but in a way that’s less, ‘I want you to die,’ and more, ‘I want to never see or think about you again’? Because that’s the feeling.” —Ch. 114 Sound familiar? Stu is not at the gate of hate with [some of] his family, but at the gate of indifference. What these people want is utterly irrelevant.

I hope with all my heart that the little mouse is the treat Jozz was supposed to look for tomorrow and that Alden and the team find it. And then that Jozz and his team get some ridiculously awful mission since their earlier mission has already been resolved, which ends with them covered in mud with a full party wipe. I would find that so satisfying. Do people post fanfiction for Soup anywhere? I'm so far behind on my own story that I really shouldn't even be thinking about this, but...

I'm hooting and hollering

“It was like it remembered how to be a house and wanted to again.” Alden thought about the old house. I’d like the idea of Alden and Stu claiming that house I’m sure the primary and Alis won’t mind. But I prefer the other idea someone mentioned about “housing for new knights” that was mentioned by Esh a few chapters ago

The word “scrape” comes to mind.

Ooooh! Stu being upset by “light treatment” a nice way to tie Eeaner-ket’s story and similar frustrations back to the main story. It gives more weight and clarity to both.

You can push your hand down on a tree to keep it a shrub forever, but eventually it will just grow around it. And then all that's left is a tree with a gap where your hand was.

"Did you say Alden?" "Stu's Alden, the Ry'bet?" "Why on earth would it be summoned? He's only a Ry'bet??" "Surprise me? Yes ... Of course Knights .."

In a reply below, Tarry Higgins made the point: 'Leeter-zis is the best. He was introduced as frivolous, but became significant and serious.' What a parallel between Leeter-zis and Stu there is, when you think about it! Leeter-zis upon first look: An unserious guy wandering around /partying/ all the damn time. His motivations for studying the kind of magic that can be so done are dismissed as frivolous. Then you see that he is indeed a master of his chosen discipline. Which turns out to be pretty damn useful in the right circumstances. So his choice of study turns out to be pretty smart. Also, even after brief acquaintance with Stu he knows that Stu's parents should be left on read. Stu-art'h on first look: a deeply damaged, socially awkward kid. Sure, he's sensitive and is someone whose voice the universe finds persuasive. However, these good qualities are irrelevant. He'll never succeed as a knight. His friend choice is absurd. He has to be put right - for his own good.

A perfect storm. Jozz on his own wouldn’t have broken Stu. Veln/Aymeg on their own likely wouldn’t either. But both of them, one after the other … Yep, that’s the break Evul warned about.

I'm getting stuck on the bit about the etiquette lessons being framed as an opportunity. From Stu's reaction we can all tell it would be condescending and controlling, but if I picture Alden's reaction I can imagine him immediately pulling up his agenda to lock it in. He probably *would* see it as an opportunity. In an inverse way it would show him what Avowed summoned by knights would expect, so he can have a smoother interaction with them when he's the one doing the summoning.

This chapter caused some deeply buried rage to resurface, as an autistic man who's dealt with exactly this sort of coddling and disregard for my maturity and decisions.

You remember the housing for new knights that Esh pointed out to Alden in Rapport III? I’m thinking that was a Checkov’s gun now. Stu is going to move out of the siblinghold soon.

The heartbreak is real.

I'm looking forward to Eeaner-ket seeing Alden as more than a costumed Avowed.

Stu is so hurt and frustrated by his family! He has given up on them! But he is empowered by Alden! He is standing up for Alden's right to be equal! He doesnt need lessons on how to be subservient to wizards and Knights. I cant believe Azeeda recommended that! She seemed more progressive than her Uncle but she is just a servant to his prejudices. Go Stu!!! I am literally shaking my fist at the sky and yelling Stu!!! He continues to be so bada**. I wish I was that cool.

I was thinking about how Stu has many signs of autism, as many others have noticed. But the weird thing is that neither he nor others ever mention him having a diagnosed condition with a name. So either they didn't recognize it (very unlikely, he is from such a prominent family and went to a mind healer), or it isn't a thing among Artonans, which is an interesting thought. I can think of two possible reasons why that would be. One - they have magic, so classifying conditions and treatments are not a thing. Two - autism is usually not possible in Artonans and Stu is an exception. The second possibility is more likely imo and I am wondering how the thing Stu's mom did could've changed his brain to be similar to that of an autistic human.

I wonder if Eeaner-ket might end up being good at advising Stu on how to handle political situations. Of course, that presumes Eeaner is on board the StuDen train after this.

"What Grows Unseen" I think it refers to Alden's mental growth, as well as Stu's resentment against his overbearing family. I think that we will witness Stu first steps as a knight at the end of this arc.

I wonder what this will look like to Esh. Will he see the cracks having shattered and grown into canyons?

Thanks for the chapter!

I feel like if Stu had had true friends earlier, he might have noticed this earlier. They kept him so wrapped up in bubble wrap, he wasn't able to start growing into himself.

Vein: "Alden seems to be doing work for us, let's make sure he gets the alien new hire training and is onboarded correctly." *Stuart's anguished wailing* Meanwhile, Stuart lives on a classified military base with top secret info lying around and generals walking the halls.

On my re-read. Stu has stopped fighting.

Good on Stu for standing up for himself, a well-earned crashout. These people are not truly seeing him.

Azeeda thinks that und’hcle will give the squad a hard time because they did not ASK their votary why he didn’t obey them? How does this become ‘Alden needs correction’ and not the squad?

“This weekend I’m going to a party.” That door is shut, locked, and bolted. They’ll get a postcard from Stu and Alden’s esvulgivnas in a couple of years, maybe.

I can't wait for Quaternary Loh Alis-art'h to return and make it clear her commendation of Alden wasn't merely political, but also: these are absolutely her politics, just to be utterly crystal clear.

Oh, he's mad now

Stu's finally got someone who hears him, trusts what he says about himself, and doesn't put him down, so now Stu can't help but hear the contrast with the people he's always known.

Eeaner’s necklace strikes again. Could it be a confidence booster?

I wonder if this will lead to Alden and Stu telling Esh and Lind the truth. Right now Stu needs an adult he can trust and rely on. I think Alden will see that and he already trusts Esh. I'm just curious if that will lead him to telling them about himself sooner so that Stu can speak to them and have them understand

Stu was having such a good day before all this. I hope it ends on a positive note. With EshLind standing between Alden and the Und’hs and Art’hs (assumption) it could be a good time for Stu to reconsider trusting them with Alden’s secrets pre his own affixation.

I hope Hn'tyon Azeeda-und’h feels shame when she realizes her own efforts here are only slightly more sophisticated than her little brother's attempts to reward Alden with Zeridee's weight in manyadeeth so he is never bothered by Alden's existence again.

Stu's family must be starting to feel that talking to him is like playing minesweeper. I can't remember the last time he talked to an art'h without watching them put their foot in their mouth.

What a chapter, tying this series of chapters and themes together - thank!

The parents have accepted that Alden and Stu will be friends. That's the purpose of the blood spilling at the old house to their minds, and it's enough to convince them. Jozz hasn't accepted the Alden-Stu friendship and is still trying to steer him away. The two have very different causes, just happening at the same time and both focused on Alden, in different ways. The danger here is Stu's frustration level and he might just blurt something out to the wrong person.

I bet Esh will offer to remove the remnants of Worli Ro-den's tattoo for Eeaner and replace it with a better tattoo. If Eeaner's mother has concerns, she is welcome to call Esh and Lind to talk with them about it.

Stu gets good at burdering people too. Good progress in his recent education 🙂

Oh wow. Art'h parents you've done it now. Our Stuart is coming into his own and can finally see what you are doing. ...And he's lost faith and trust in you.

I wonder what the Allhunter's partner will feel when he hears of her impression of events and her tidy solution? I got the idea that he was pretty not-und'h-ish.

Love this chapter! And this series of chapters! Centered around things that are unexpected (or that grow unseen) to the Rapports. In general, these chapters are as Stu says: “something great during its first unfurling.” They have action, growth, payoff, and tension in both combat and character. Sleyca nails it again.

“Did you say Alden?” 😂 “I know that guy! I once summoned him because a creature ate Stu’s foot!” The coming conversation is going to be hilarious, and Stu doesn’t even get to hear it and turn purple. “What’s gone from me? It’s something important.” - It’s called esteem. He’s lost it for most of his family.

TFTC!

Another fun thing Stu and Alden have in common, forcing unsuspecting housemates to interact with Esh.

Good for Stu! I would like it if Stu gives a speech with all of his parents, cousins, and siblings in attendance where he says that he is disappointed that Alden has been more supportive, caring, and understanding of who he is as a person than his whole family other than Alia, his father, and somewhat Emban. It's not just that they belittle his friendship with Alden, that is just a symptom. They all treat him like a cracked glass doll because of his childhood, instead of seeing and supporting him for who he has become. He is getting close to his boiling point. I think this was just the steam starting to show, not his full kettle boiling whistle where he lays into all of them. It also seems that Eeaner wants to get to know who he really is as well. He noticed something Stu cared about and tried to be thoughtful. Hopefully Stu grows a circle of people that care about him for him and not superficially.

We are rapidly barreling towards Stu's affixation, I think.

The art’h’s are pretty much universally being stupid and awful, but there are different degrees to it. Some, like Emban or Olorn? (I forget her name, the one who gave Alden the earring), mostly have their heart in the right place, but have ingrained misconceptions about Stu and Alden that can probably be overcome and leave everyone in a better place. Veln and Aymeg obviously love and care for Stu, but they are fundamentally mistaken about what kind of person Stu is now, and correcting that could go either way, though their disregard for Alden makes me think the answer will probably be ‘poorly’. And then there’s Jozz. Knights fundamentally cannot be selfish, but I’m pretty sure they can still be self centred and arrogant. I knew the most likely reason for his inviting Eeaner, but it’s still kind of crazy that I was right. That was just… so incredibly un-cool. Family is rough, and it has been a big theme in super supportive. Stu’s is worse than most, and what they really need is a visit to earth so they can meet Jeremy’s parents. Those two did a bang up job, and the entire siblinghold could learn a thing or two.

Eaner got what the Germans call "a subtle hint with the fence pole" about Stu's friendship in this chapter 🙂

love re reading and really feeling that “f off” Stu ended that convo on. I know this is a complicated family relationship but they really deserved him deciding to just bluntly stop doing what they say. “I have heard your suggestions and will not for the life of me be bothered to follow them”

My prediction: 1) Eeaner and Alden hit it off immediately, and Eeaner sees how Stu acts with someone he's comfortable with, which leads to them actually connecting. 2) Eeaner invites Alden to the stripes out 3) Either directly after, or maybe just before, Stu affixes with EshLind, Alden, Eeaner and Rayda watching his last spell and helping him through the binding. 4) EshLind and maybe Rayda are fully brought into the circle of trust for how they handle this issue, and it's perfect. Not sure about the exact sequence, but I imagine the end of the "Grows Unseen" arc ends with something like "Bloom"

Heh, Eaner-ket is nervous around Knights, so let's just leave him in the care of some very important ones... It's a good way for Eaner to meet Alden, though. The Party might actually turn out OK, because if Stu is the main focus, it makes sense for Eaner to hire a Rabbit with Tailor Environment - who will take one look at Stu and throw away half the party supplies. I wonder if Leeter-zis is available as a party group-spell consultant...

Power dynamics between parents and children can change so quickly. When the child is young the parents hold all the levers of control. But if they abuse that power, one day the child will become independent and the relationship gets switched around in an instant. Suddenly the child holds all the cards, because the parent needs them (there are exceptions, of course). I don't think those kind of parents ever see it coming.

Thanks for the chapter.

I'd be shaking with rage, holy crap my poor dude

How horrible. Stu's rejection of his family's dismissal of Alden seems to stem from his internalized feelings of their dismissal toward who he himself is. His anger towards them steering Alden into "pitiful offensive nonsense" feels so much like what they're trying to do to him by steering him away from knighthood. All of this compounded by the assumption that it's 'just what's best' and that he'll naturally go along with it. It was easier when he could ignore it, but being around Alden just reinforces the parts of his family that hurt him the most. It's so terrible for both of them and I hope that at least someone in his family will come around, maybe Emban. Stu's just such a lonely boy and I want better for him. He needs another hug.

I feel like, this whole portion of the arc is a turning point for Stu. I think there's going to be a huge change in the dynamic with him and his family from this. Im not sure if its going to be as much as "Stu pins down when he will Bind" since we have the party and maybe even Alden & Boe story arcs to work through before potential Stu binding arc. But its a huge nail in the thought of everything Stu *actually* worried about the stuff he did to help Alden... not only be misconstrued, but babying/treating Stu as a child to an insulting degree My hope that Veln would see Alden popping off and come around to team-Stu has been left in shambles

Interesting how all the supernatural entities on the planet are so acceptable of Alden, but the inhabitants are not. Thinking specifically about Mother, the trees and how the old house actually wanted his blood

The way the und’h, family treats avowed is probably absolutely bonkers. Wild to say for a sane person to say "Hey, the most likely very racist grown man whose parent is VERY important saw how you treated your under aged second class citizen hired help you are trying to be friends with, and he was not happy. Would you like to see him trained by people who have accommodated him his entire life in fear of how his VERY important parent would react". I bet roman uppercrust citizens had similar conversations. Great chapter Edit: Not even second class citizen, foreign worker who is bound but probably not all that protected by law.

Artonan culture really is all about protecting your wizard. And family. And community. It seems so wholesome and I love the way the resulting dysfunction leaks out all over the place in this story. Alis would be sad if the human was sad? Wrap him in bubble wrap! The Primary’s last remaining tangible memory of his favorite spouse is Stu? Baby him forever! The village Wizard’s son is a spoiled idiot? Make him feel special! The Septenary’s son is a cranky, specieist, get-off-my lawn guy? Let’s make sure they all get off his lawn!

This chapter is SUCH a bummer. It’s incredible.

Stu's family is always trying to make plans for him without trying to understand him first. They assume they already understand him, as if he couldn't possibly have developed new thoughts on his own any time recently.

Two chapters in a row really hammer home how much Stu is coddled. Stu's older brother doesn't like the Alien friend. He probably thinks that Alden is just telling Stu what he wants to hear. If it were anyone but Alden it would make sense. The primary is both rich and influential and Stu is essentially a vulnerability it Joz's eyes. On top of that he was very close to Stu because he "believed in" Stu's goal until he became a knight himself. Essentially crushing the built relationship between them Then we get to the parents who because of political pressure want to take Alden's win and turn it into a glorified manners training. They try to help stu by taking everything that is Alden and essentially pay him to be a friend in a certain way. The future vottary comment causally added into the conversation like even tho stu has made his choice very adamantly it didn't even register that his choice even mattered. The roadblocks everywhere. My heart hurts for Stu man

Oooofff that stung, I knew that the family would have some problems with their friendship but I was not expecting them to go full Downton Abby, Ivy league, Southern aristocrat, Middle-aged WASP Douchebag about it. Stu gonna need to take a breather before talking to anyone else or he's gonna explode.

Wow, I did not expect the Arth family to start catching up to the Velras for the title of "Most condescending family"

TFTC!

OMG. When I saw the bot tell me there's a new chapter then raced here only to find 33 comments I was going to wait to read to a better time. I AM so glad I didn't. The DrAAAaama! The boiling pot tipping. Slyca, you have always been a source of inspiration, an unending thirst but NOW you could measure do many grains of rice without a gap of air around the world and I world STILL starve before next post. Whew

another point about how badly the parents & jozz understand stu: they think stu summoned alden when he was unable to spend time with alden and sent him to help emban. im absolutely sure the burdering btwn alden and emban (scrape) has made the rounds on rapport gossip, so the parents should know, and jozz mentioned it. at no point in their judgement of alden or stu's respect for him did they think it'd be weird and rude for stu to force alden to spend time with someone he had an argument with in a complex training environment. they really think stu is someone who would treat alden like a toy, summoning him here and there. they think stu is treating alden the way jozz is treating stu and eeaner. "come here, go spend time together, now get along children"

It’s hilarious that Master Leeter-zis, party wizard, has decided to be indisposed when art’h votaries call him. He’s probably trying to use up the wood Stu paid him in before anyone tells him Stu didn’t have a right to give it.

A clean cut for Stu.

Could the empty house that Esh noted while sharing Rapport III with Alden be a Chekhov's house? Is it to be used in Act VIV by Stu as a breaking with his family and a place to live where he is accepted?

The more we learn about the und'h family, the more I want to know why Zeridee took off for Earth. I suspect the bread crumbs are there but I can't follow the trail yet. The uncle with a pronounced dislike of Avowed in a house where Avowed are not well-regarded, Zeridee refusing to identify as a wizard, a family of some importance since it includes the Septenary, Esh-erdi knowing why but thinking Zeridee over-reacted and then the utter scorn in Stu's words when he says "...from some und’h wizard."

It's painful to see such a serious and thoughtful person to be always treated like he is flighty and takes no time or effort to consider things. He thinks more than anyone else about every little step me makes! Yet everyone acts like his wish to consider things further is silly and he should just become best friends with Eanor immediately. Strange house he built and blood he spilled? Do people think that is unimportant? It would be disrespectful even to a child to assume it is just play and not something very serious (to that child). He is a teenager, but everyone tries to soothe his emotions and never talk about anything heavy, like he is a grenade about to go off. This means nothing important must ever be discussed with him and only little toys tossed at him till he forgets everything but their glamour. Stuart is not even a good liar. He is always ready to explain himself, but no one is ready to listen.

So many thoughts rushing around in my head.. What will Alis’s opinion of this be when she gets back to find that Stu no longer feels safe in the family (hot button for the her and the Primary?) Now that Alden has a few extra points in the dex of his hands, I’m sure Kibby will love having her hair braided by him again!! Can’t wait for their reunion. Closer in time, how will Evul react when she finds out Jozz went and did this after she Specifically Told Him that she was worried Stu was at his breaking point!? What are the three telling Eeaner** while the last of Stu’s faith in his family crumbles, and is it too much to hope that Eeaner** might actually decide to become Stu’s Votary? Someone who takes offence at being called meek would be a good pick for the team of odd-balls that seem to be slowly coming together around Stu and Alden. Please, please Pleeeeeease! Let Boe be on that team! Let Stu meet Boe, and may Boe exasperatedly take on Stu as another friend who he has to keep a close eye on, to prevent overly dramatic hero activity! The amount of terror Alden felt when he realised what being a knight actually meant, and how much he immediately dreaded Kibby’s future keeps coming back to me. Thing is, Alden knows exactly what Stu’s family is going through right now, and I wish I thought him verbalising that would help, but I fear they wouldn’t take him seriously. How is Lute? He talked to Esh right? I can’t remember if he decided to have his tattoo done away with, but I feel like we need a follow up. Edit** wrong name

Aymeg and Veln have not the slightest idea of the gravity of what Stuart said here. They will see it as another tantrum instead of long-term ramifications for how much Stuart will involve them in the future. Anyway, the conversation between Jozz and Stuart was so hilariously passive aggressive. Jozz: I am so rarely at the siblinghold! I need to meet Stuart's friends in the short time I am here. Stuart: Liar. You will be here for the next six months. Jozz: Details! Anyway, such a fascinating wizard friend you have and you have never mentioned he has political connections! Very useful. Stuart: Bitch, it's because I avoid talking to you at all cost. Jozz: Don't worry, I'll engineer more opportunities for us to talk. Anyway, I wasn't a fan at first of your party college, but then you dragged in that Rabbit and I realized that even party wizards are an upgrade over that bullshit. Stuart: *Silent eruption of anger that will surely not poison this relationship for the next decade.*

I love how many unseen things are growing and blooming - Alden, Stu, Ryada.

“Eeaner, this is Hn’tyon Lind-otta, rich in years, and her aiyethesvul, Hn’tyon Esh-erdi.” Heh. That one just doesn’t land well if you’re a human from most cultures on Earth. I assume it’s proper to underscore how venerable the one partner is in a relationship that has by definition re-balanced itself in power in order to form correctly. Esh has affixed a horrifying number of times to catch up, and Lind has to some extent sacrificed a great deal of authority to him to let it happen. All that is implied in the one statement. And power imbalances are present in the artonas, but not based on gender. Still. “This is Mr and Mrs Smith; she’s really old.”

Cross contamination is about to happen!

Oh Stu. That moment of seeing a parent who has been warm and encouraging to you and who speaks to sweeten harsh criticism but not actually refute it, and realizing they don't really see you as you are right now either-! That's a hard moment to be with in private, let alone with someone of another family whose politics around Avowed like your friend are so misaligned with what you (and LindEsh) thought your family politics were.

Apart from all the drama with the parents and Jozz… how do we feel about Kofa the Snitch?

What day of the artonan week is it, there's a few days left before the party. Is the lovely thing he intends to wear his Hn'tyon uniform?

"Our brother seems to be slowly wearing out. And maybe everyone else sees that as an opportunity, but I’ve realized that I don’t know what happens when Stu gets tired of fighting. We’ve never been here before, and I don’t think I like it." Evul-art'h, ch. 247 Guess the moment is coming, wonder how it'll turn out, so far he seems more towards the apathetic route, but who knows if he'll blow up at someone sometime. Hope it brings Stu peace and a few more bricks.

Look at Ro-den's aversion in chap 283/284 to being subject to the art'h votaries. They'd totally mess Alden up, and Azeeda-und’h was just so willing to not even consider him in her solution. After all, he's a Beast of Burden.

Okay, wild prediction time here: Eaner-ket is the next person to find out about Alden. He invites him to the party and, on a drug-induced whim, gives him an authority poke and gets a reaction. Why? Because Stu just came very close to spilling the beans here, and Eaner-ket is surprisingly observant. He wonders what Stu might've been about to say. Wonders why Alden has that ten ring set. Wonders if maybe Stu was desperate enough to be accepted by a knight, any knight, that he'd make one himself. It probably won't be exactly that, but I'm pretty confident something will come of Stu's mistake here. Sleyca just slipped a gun into the scene, I'll be disappointed if no one gets shot

Edit Suggestions: One of the Septenary’s sons was known to have a bad temper and resentment toward Avowed. ->One of the Septenary’s sons was known to have a bad temper and resentment toward Avowed. (double space)

No one in this family treats Stu as if he understands his own choices, or that his actions can ever be as reasonable as theirs. The naivety of his youth will forever haunt him just as his mother's mind trap does. It's clear they haven't discovered the missing demon hide yet, or else their talk of "generous donations" would be taking a very different tone. With how much they think of him as a child, it's going to be very hard for him to justify any decision, even if Alden's knighthood is revealed. I think Alden would accept the decision to witness etiquette training. He is not Artonan, part of him will always be seen as avowed. Learning first hand just how some of the people he has to work with treat avowed is valuable for his view of himself and for how avowed will expect him to treat them later.

I really hope this is a Stu is fed up with taking ‘diseased fertilizer’ from his family and better understands his own worth going forward, and not the family has broken Stu in a way that will be an obstacle to him and his plans for affixation. Although the latter would be understandable after being treated like this by his family, repeatedly.

Honestly thought Jozz was smarter than this. I mean, we all knew he was gonna deepthroat his foot, but I thought he'd at least realize he should use an ET when he saw Stu's expression. Last time someone made Stu this mad, he revived ancient fay rules to trap someone into breaking someone else's vow of silence. The time before that, he hauled a man before the nearest person with a ring of execution for property destruction. I genuinely thought his survival instincts would be better, at least for immediate danger. Maybe it's that Stu serves his revenge cold, and Jozz has been away long enough that he's forgotten that Stu can and will keep a death grip on a grudge?

Is it bad that I am just trying to channel that PETTY 👑 ENERGY Stu was serving into my next clap back at work? "What is the point of talking to you about anything more significant than a party?” #iconic

Wow! It's like watching multiple people say I can fix it while a reactor core is in perfect order. Press random buttons and getting a t-minus 5 seconds to destruction! Fascinating!

Good news, it does grow back. Bad news, your family will still suck when it does

Much to contemplate in this chapter. Sleyca went on an overdrive to make sure every single paragraph had at least one sentence that stabs Stu in his metaphorical gut. "I wasn’t very supportive at first, but I might have been if I’d thought about how broadening your social circle to include wizards of a different background could help you with your own choosing season. The observation station during one of these events is such a good place for you to introduce Eeaner-ket to everything. And you won’t have to go to any trouble to have him as a guest, since I’ve invited him for you!" Very smooth Jozz. Nothing like directly telling Stu that you just don't acknowledge his already made choice AT ALL (At least the parents acknowledge he DID choose and seek to convince him to change his mind) and then telling him he needs supervised socialization time with a peer. Also, involving Eeaner in family matters like this, where did proper discretion go? "This one is really a bright and proper companion for you, Stu. Be sure to show him everything important." Just wow.} "I guess that was a wrathful stare you were doing at the end of your talk with him instead of one of your other stares." I very much think the idea that Stu has facial expressions so out of norm that people can't be quite sure what he's feeling despite such a intense emotion is funny (almost like he's some sort of alien huh...) "If even Jozz can’t be trusted, then how much understanding should I expect from Eeaner-ket?" This makes me further realize how the family pretty much did the same to him as his mom did. Despite Jozz misbehaving for quite the while now, Stu still has the notion that even a bad family member should be in some way more reliable than a good "outsider". He was reliant on the family for way too long and hopefully that will be able to change, ideally without him having to break off from them as a whole. “There are some small bumps to be smoothed over for Emban,” Veln said. “And an opportunity for Alden. So we agreed you should be the one to take on the tasks.” Etiquette bootcamp for Avowed being considered such an 'opportunity' makes me realize how much they discreetly look down on the other species “It’s not anything dreadful, and it doesn’t require a single grain of the effort you must have applied to whichever ritual you used to make the old house accept alien blood.” This part felt kinda threatening? Like "we know you were misbehaving with your friend in the old house. Cooperate or else you'll be grounded." subtle vibe? Right after they also try to tell him to give up his autonomy and go get permission any time he wants to make a choice too. "Veln explained the situation clearly, with occasional comments from Aymeg. Stu listened. It could be summarized in a few sentences, though they used many." Ah yes, overexplaining, the thing you do when you specifically want to treat someone as incompetent or immature. Wonder why Stu didn't like it. Also, they are driving the good cop bad cop tactic HARD “I saw him,” Veln said slowly. “He has reason to be proud.” Somehow, I feel like Veln is bluffing? He has been playing the good cop role the whole night, and Stu is way too clearly frustrated for him to say no even if he actually hasn't. Veln has been doing some detailed comments all the time, but when it's about Alden's performance and Stu is clearly treating the topic very importantly, he just shrugs it off like that? I don't think he has that little tact, even when it comes to Stu. And then. The entirety of the ending scene. Stu is just changing topics very non-subtly and without even realizing at first. Probably not the first time he reacts like that. Probably the first he realized he reacts like that. Most of the time people are being so "mindful" of him that they just let the topic slide and he never really had to engage in the uncomfortable discussion like that to have his thoughts voiced, at least until the ending of his choosing season when it became unavoidable, and after that his discussions with family probably grew shallower bc of their lack of acceptance. Loved the whole chapter, am not ready to suffer for another week waiting for the next.

Wow. Painful. I thought Jozz would be the low point. He doesn’t even listen to Stu’s superficial reasons but then the parental conversation was painful. They clearly love Stu. They clearly want to look after him. They are already feeling like they’re obliging Stu but they can’t move Stu or Alden into different frameworks in their head. And Stu is facing that early adult problem of being his Parent’s child, the painful transition of someone deciding for you to deciding for yourself. I think the text is explicit. They are acknowledging what they presume to be Stu’s dissatisfaction but they do not ask him what it is directly. They say, right it must be the choice of teacher. They still don’t see Alden’s value to Stu, even though on the face they must feel they are supporting this ‘friendship’ (without changing their view of its unevenness). Stu hasn’t thought it here, but it’s the house and staff and bribe to Joe. They already knew. Stu expected they would understand the magnitude and because of that magnitude it would be a BIG DEAL. He might be in BIG trouble. But their view of Alden is so small that even this they have brushed away as precocious. Something to talk about when Stu has gotten a little beyond this phase. And I think he’s realised that. That other knights can see what he says but his family can’t (and he is a child to them). He’s also, finally, given up on coming to a synthesis with them, in an adult manner. This is their problem and they will have to deal with it themselves. I don’t know if this is in line or in opposition to the making of ways. I could see either. Certainly Esh will see a lot in a moment. I think his Dads still won’t do a lot with this change in his behaviour with them. I think they’ll keep carrying on with their behaviours for a while longer because it is emergent from a belief that they don’t have a conscious reason yet to challenge. They are blind to the Alden in front of them because of their bias. If he does something wizardly that will only annoy Stu because it won’t be them overcoming this flaw in themselves but just recategorising Alden. This is painfully real in emotion and heart for something about space wizards and magic rabbits. Lastly, Mr Ket is emblematic of maybe what Stu was expecting to need and encounter and contemplate in his family. A dangerous balance of up and down with the hope of reconciliation. I haven’t quite figured out his symbolism but he’s clearly the foil to Stu’s relationship with his people’s culture and family beyond the main cast. Edit to add: on rereading the section with his dads this bit stands out. “It’s strangely framed but not that complicated.” They see the healing house gift as something for Stu’s gratitude. They see the ritual as pique to make the house accept Alden. Stu straightens and begins to prepare to defend his magic and blackmail, but they just assume they already know a simple reason. They assume they know Stu’s decisions. They don’t ask. Here, they talk about Alden learning how not to embarrass the Und’h and obviously that’s objectionable with what we know. But they trivialise this even, as even the Und’hs are overthinking it. They clearly want to make this a simple ‘favour’ to Alden, to please Stu, and have this Avowed learn his place and be a better ‘friend’ who won’t be unaware of the difference between Stu and Alden. But Alden is the first human Knight. It is very complicated. I think this is the moment that all these feelings and the hollowness of that loss of certainty in the ability to reconcile their two views of what is happening becomes clear to Stu. Furthermore, the whole house of healing part and the arranging of the teaching prior to formal evaluations praises and encourages him to be a Votary. Still they don’t see his own desire to be a Knight. They’re willing to dismiss his most justice seeking and Knightly actions with his Knight Companion because they see it as good votary behaviour and him moving away from the path of highest onus. Stu’s place is to figure things out with the Avowed and Und’h votaries so that the Knights can present it after a rest, the next day. Their hollowness is the futility of speaking to someone who will not listen to you. [he will need it, if he’s to be your lifelong friend.” “The kind of etiquette training an und’h votary will give?”] Also, on a third rereading, I like how Stu frames the Und’h’s family problems twice. Once softly, to suggest that for the teacher to be doing this for her uncle rather than a family resolving thing themselves over an avowed is a mirror of this very conversation between the Art’hs. Then, when he says essentially, that as the guest of Lind and Esh, he will advise them of the criticism about to come against the squad due to the Uncle Und’h’s political motivation, and they shall fix it (not in this diplomatic, simple, Alden-injureing way as his Dads would want to). Stu-the-votary that they see isn’t careless. He wouldn’t do that. He’ll calm down. But Stu isn’t a votary. So this will be a stink, I look forward to reading it.

Oh he is so totally going to affix after the party.

I wish Stu could just get his "stick" and beat some sense into Jozz, Veln and Aymeg. Go Stu Go, your opinion matters way more than theirs

Prediction: this is what leads Stu and Alden to found Rapport VIV in a Tennessee parking lot

Oh, Esh is going to looooove telling the und’hcle a story about when he pulled a frog saving a princess from the waves…

Any minute now that rapport is going to radicalize Stu, and he’s going to realize that fighting chaos is pointless because the only war that matters is class war.

I'm so glad Eeaner-ket has been safely stored with Esh-erdi and Lind-otta who will express a reasonable perspective on Alden, rather than anyone else who doesn't know what they're talking about ...

Oh well - at least he's still speaking to his parents. I was half expecting Stu to tell them they were no longer his parents, or that he was refusing to speak with them - this is better? (I think?)

Sometimes people’s visions of who you are get stuck at a point in time when your state made them feel great emotions. *looks suspiciously at the two dads* I must admit I couldn’t get myself to read through the jazz stu conversation and just read the result. Was too charged.

It really is quietly devastating how little faith Stu’s family has in him. He is an adult in college, slated by choice to become one of the protectors against chaos. Smart, driven, and very talented with magic. Successfully ran a here to there, which included properly punishing a criminal wizard. Built an exceptional gift house of welcome For the healers. The only main thing working against him largely is social awkwardness. And not a single member of his family fully and completely trusts him to do anything. They cannot comprehend that Stu is capable of doing things without some form of supervision. And I think it’s really starting to click for Stu. Oof

Damn that was good. Unfortunately, that just makes the wait for the next chapter that much worse.

Up until now, I feel like Stu has still maintained a certain amount of respect for the opinions of his elders, but this feels like enough to push him over the edge. He started treating Veln and Aymeg the same way he treats his classmates at Leafsong, only talking about shallow concrete subjects like school and parties. They have no idea how to deal with Stu like this, which is why Veln talks like he is lashing out in anger. I imaging his tone at the end of this chapter is very monotone, and they have no idea how to respond. I hope this gives him more confidence in his own opinions, as it seems to do in the final bit of dialogue.

so, not to harp on a point, but ...he heard Eeaner ask, “Did you say Alden?” party invitation incoming!!!! (Alden will need something lovely to wear as well.)

Oh, okay, so Stu will now be living at school during the week and at his therapist's on the weekends, gotcha. (do you know how bad things have to go to transition into silent rage and from there into numb acceptance of the futility of rage in one afternoon? because it's not great)

Such an awesome chapter. Poor Stu. For reference, what und'h wizards do we know?

Fantastic chapter. Thank you.

Tomorrow: Aymeg: Well, Stu certainly went “no contact” with us suddenly Veln: Er…unexpectedly

What was Evul's foreshadowing line from before? "I wonder what happens when Stu gives up?" Something like that.

I think Stu should join Evul for some training on loving lies... He also seems to need it

The feeling of losing hope for better in a relationship is so brutal because it often doesn't even hurt. Like a burn bad enough to destroy the nerve endings. I wonder if they even realized that Stu clearly stated that 'the siblinghold' isn't home any more.

Poor Stu. His parents interpreting his actions without even thinking to ask him for his reasons. Way to push the son you raised away even farther, Aymeg and Velm. Your bubble if half information needs to be popped. Open your narrow minds or lose Stu entirely. I'm sad for Stu. Is his father really the only person in his family that can see him as an independent individual, almost an adult?

Poor Stu. His family sucks. They don't see him at all. It is sad. Glad he is starting to stand up against it. Alden is a good influence.

"Showtime" Esh in the next chapter probably

Thank you for the soup!

Alden is totally getting an invite to Eeaner-ket's party.

My heart is pounding like a drum. I guess we know what happens when Stu stops fighting. 🥶

Whoa, Stu. Holy...

Oof, they broke Stu

They seem to see Stu as some willful child just inviting his pet human to places he shouldn't and using his influence as an art'h to get his way... The misunderstanding of the situation combined with how Stu is treated like a gullible child in need of gentle correction by his family is infuriating to read. By which I mean I empathize with Stu so much. These meddling adult art'hs and und'hs taking precious Alden observation time 😤

On SNAP 🫰🏼 🫰🏼 🫰🏼 Get ‘em - and yes please set Esh and Lind upon them all

Wow. That last line is absolutely brutal in context. I love it.

Go Stuart!

this is so enraging, my heart hurts for stu </3 kudos sleyca on writing emotional drama so well

christ i feel so bad for stu, like this was genuinely heartbreaking to read. It’s one thing to have your family dismiss your dreams out of concern for you, and another to find out they don’t see you as someone whose dreams even bear thinking about. The arths are so sure they’re right, they don’t even realize how dehumanizing this is.

Whelp, it happened. Stu finally gave up on fighting. Good job people! And I say that with the finest of sarcasm I can provide! Good luck fixing this. It's gonna take a looooong time.

Uncle -und'h running into the collective titanium wall that is Esh and Lind is going to be kind of hilarious.

Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu Stu's family has finally entered the 'find out' stage. Proud of Stu

I do love Stu dropping the fact that Alden was Esh and Lind's guest on his parents like it was a nuclear bomb.

Damn, I expect Stu will affix right after the party if things keep going like this

Thanks for the chapter!

Poor stu, I wish you had a family that treated you as you are and not as you were. An maturing adult and not a dependent kid.

September 30 and/or October 1 can't come soon enough.

Kablooooooooiiieeeeee

Man this was a tough one for Stu. I've expected this to come for a while - and it hits just as hard anyways. Nobody sees who he is and Alden only makes that blindness even more obvious to Stu. I think there is going to be quite a rift here and I think it will get worse before it gets better.

|||“When he’s being what?” |||“His behavior stinks of shit!” Stu made sure to say the important word in Artonan this time. “Diseased shit not even valuable as fertilizer!”||| Stu's comprehension of the nuances of informal English is coming along nicely, isn't it?

stu's family firing all cylinders at him but they're the absolute wrong cylinders to be firing. They might as well be stuffing him into a torpedo tube and shooting him into Esh-erdi's house until his father comes home.

Sick, and here is soup to sustain me.

Do the Artonans have a magic ritual that's the equivalent of blocking someone on all your social media? Like, you sever your fate with them, by snapping a twig that symbolizes your connection, and then the world contrives to just never have you two be in the same location, and hide you from each-other if you are. Because that seems like a possible next step for Stu to be contemplating...

YOU TELL EM STU That was. Stone. Cold.

Thanks for this timely delicious meal. TFTC💕

It's 3:56, I have class 7:30, I never stopped believing

Soup!! Thank you!

YAY SOUP

second! Holy hell what a chapter! Can't wait to see how Stu and Alden will navigate this! Seems like pressure is growing, hopefully ancient blood rites won't have to be used this time..

WHAO NOT APPROXIMATE

Tyftc sleyca!

I salute you