Distinction of Place is a short story written for Seanan McGuire's Patreon supporters. It closely follows the events of Mean and Mighty.
| “ | ''Though mean and mighty rotting Together, have one dust, yet reverence-- |
” |
–William Shakespeare, Cymbeline | ||
Author's Summary[]
Welcome back to Tybalt's semi-medieval adventures, in which he tries to stay alive long enough to become the man we know him to be. This story picks up straight from "Mean and Mighty" and follows Tybalt out of Armorica on his quest to confirm the current location of the hope chest known as Quickbeam.
Boy needs a nap.
Plot []
Following in in medias res from Mean and Mighty, Tybalt goes to visit Privela in the Court of Scarlet Cats. Upon arriving he encounters Aristide, a newcomer to zprivela’s court from the Court of Illuminated Cats in Paris. He explains that he came due to overcrowding in Paris, because he had heard there was room in Privela’s court. Tybalt extends a general invitation, mentioning his even emptier court, and his desire to pass it on to a successor. He then proceeds to Privela’s glass housed garden, where she reveals that she had not heard any word of Quickbeam being in the region.
Tybalt this determines to visit Alban’s court himself to inquire, and he affirms that he does posses the chest, before essentially kicking Tybalt out. Tybalt also meets his wife but not coregent, Gisele, titled the Lady of Letauia, she acts somewhat hostilely, and he marks her down as a conundrum.
He then proceeds to the home of Duke Budoc, and meets Rozzen’s sisters, who both avow that the hope chest was used and worked on them. Tybalt sees them still as changelings, and grows suspicious. He enquires of the duke if there was anything unusual about the chest, and the duke mentions that he had been told his daughters would be especially susceptible to the light of dawn for a year and a day. Tybalt bets the duke that if his daughters come to see the dawn they will find that the seeming transformation is merely an illusion, and would be dispersed. He wins the bet, and confirmation of his custody of Rozzen.
Characters []
- Tybalt
- Rozenn
- Naig
- Duke Budoc
- Privela
- Aristride
- King Alban
- Gaëlle, Alban's wife
- Bleuzen
- Armelle
- Chloé
Mentioned only []
- Unnamed Cait Sidhe woman who bore her kits on the Shadow Roads
- Maeve, Titania, Oberon
- Morane
- Cailin (younger)
- Hirsent
- Murtagh
- Luidaeg
- Rozenn's mother, deceased
- Torquill family
- Dewydd
Locations[]
- Europa
- Vannes, Brittany / Amorica
- Morane's Court
- Court of Silvered Cats
- Kingdom of Letauia
- Vannes, Brittany / Amorica
Mentioned
- Kingdom of Lights (Paris)
- Court of Illuminated Cats
- Kingdom of Londinium
- Court of Fogbound Cats
- American Kingdoms
- Kingdom of the Mists
- Kingdom of Sequana, named for the eldest daughter of the Firstborn Melusine, who helped establish the fae in France
- Kingdom of Cambria
- Camelot
See also[]
| Tybalt Shorts |
|---|
| A King Without a Court |
| Remembering to Rule |
| Caring for Cailin |
| September |
| Hero's Quest |
| Court of Silver |