Fanes That Lie is a short story published by Seanan McGuire for her Patreon subscribers. It is the 20th Tybalt short and closely follows Rozenn's kidnapping in Notes of Sorrow.
“ | I cannot sing; I'll weep, and word it with thee: For notes of Sorrow out of tune are worse |
” |
–William Shakespeare, Cymbeline |
Author Summary[]
We're back to Tybalt and the Brittany timeline as we try to resolve the question of Quickbeam and what's actually going on in the kingdom next door. Fans of random trivia will love this one, as it names additional hope chests.
Plot[]
Tybalt runs through the Shadow Roads, desperate to save Rozenn. He emerges in Hirsent's garden and pleads for her help. She agrees, and they go to the court of Letauia.
They attempt to confront Alban and Gaelle, although the lady is only an illusion. Alban retreats, and Tybalt uses the Shadow Roads to follow. Alban admits that the hope chest is a fake, aided by Gaelle's illusions. Hirsent tortures and kills Alban.
She and Tybalt continue on to Duke Budoc's home, where Gaelle has Rozenn and her sisters trapped and frozen. Hirsent confronts Gaelle. Gaelle admits to disguising herself as Tylwyth Teg out of self-preservation to hide from Titania's children, when she is actually a child of Maeve and Gwragedd Annwn.
Rozenn is released from enchantment and declares her love for Naig before Hirsent. Hirsent lets Rozenn and Tybalt go, while she stays to punish Gaelle. The pair begins their walk home, but are interrupted midway by Hirsent. She wipes their memories before disappearing.
Characters[]
- Tybalt
- Hirsent
- Rozenn - claimed by Tybalt as his adoptive daughter.
- King Alban
- Gaëlle
- Duke Budoc
Mentioned[]
- Naig - Rozenn's lover, a Reynardine shapeshifter
- Enora - Naig's mother
- Ismene - Firstborn of the Gwragedd Anwwn
- Malvic
- Erda - confirmed deceased
- Elton - slayed Erda
- Murtagh
- Morane
- King in Lights - King of Leucothea, who has no heir
Places[]
Continuity[]
- The story concludes with Tybalt and Rozenn forgetting their encounter with Hirsent, perhaps explaining Tybalt's belief in the main timeline that he has not met any Firstborn nor encountered a hope chest[1]....except Tybalt does mention knowing Hirsent in The Innocent Sleep.
Trivia[]
- "Antimony" appears to be a type for "Antigone"/Luidaeg. Antimony is a character in Seanan McGuire's InCryptid series.
- Erda was beloved of the Luidaeg. Malvic was mentored by Blind Michael, and helped create the Court of Cats.
- Quickbeam's true/alternate name is Heathswail. It was entrusted to Dewydd, Firstborn of the Tywleth Teg, who threw it into the ocean for safekeeping.
- "Fane" is another name for a temple or church. Another name for this story could be "beliefs that lie," echoing both Gaelle's illusion and Tybalt's memory loss.