The Azure Rider Ch. 07

Dear Amflyer1,

So...the last chapter is nearly finished-- just not quite happy with the ending yet. (Belatedly realized that it's nearly impossible to squeeze everything in 8 chapters, and currently trying to figure out how to wrap up a particular subplot without having to resort to writing a sequel) In any case, it should be up within 10 days or so. Thanks for reading! ~Ash

You nailed Orion on this one. Agatha on the other hand could not be more confusing. If she sees herself as a healer, saving Rubenstraad from the famine should be important to her. Who other than Orion cared for her, looked after her, protected her, rescued her?

I don’t understand her reluctance to agree and stay with the elves. It has no sense that Fin allowed her to stay with Orion instead of taking her to Ost-in-Edhil.

You painted a world where human women are not respected unless they are dragon riders. Where does she want to go?

Not a single declaration of love, not a single apology.

Please, don’t rush the next chapter.

I love this story! When do we get another installment?

They have hundreds of years to work this out right? I get why he did it.

Thanks for another great chapter although please don't refer from Orion's personality too much, he is a commanding force and this shouldn't be ignored. Also, can I suggest you write more about their camp relationship, you seemed to have skipped a big part of how their connection formed!

You are so good to us. Inasmuch as it pains me to wait for the next and last chapter, please do take your time. This chapter felt a bit rushed and could have benefitted from more plot, character and dialogue development. But I'm no fool - 5/5 all the way for such a captivating piece.

Dear Anonymous commenters,

Thank you for taking the time out to comment. Orion is my first attempt at sketching a grey protagonist, and from your reactions, it seems like I clearly failed and put him somewhere in the darker end of the spectrum. :p

Thank you for your continued support, for commenting as well as sending feedbacks (I still haven't been able to figure out how to respond to those), it helps me stick to a schedule and put out chapters on time. This wouldn't have happened without your support.

Dear Anonymous commenter who noticed the line about privilege: I don't know who you are but you made my day :)

I hope there is epic grovelling. Orion is not my favourite person right now but from his POV, he's lived many lifetimes and to witness people grow and die for years while you remain the same can make anyone lose their humanity and see people as pawns than people with emotions.

I love your work and I'm sad that we'd only get 1 more chapter. I hope you continue to write stories in this world because it's pretty amazing.

So he can "justify" turning her over to be raped and abused by the king. What's his justification for HIM raping her repeatedly?

Then he's all 'please let me make myself feel better about what I did.'?

And on top of that, he's just going to wait around for her to cave because he's got time - something no other man that wants her has? What a jerk. Those other men have something he doesn't - like the ability to say they never used, raped, or manipulated her.

Sorry, he's still not good enough for her. I'm glad she refused him.

I like that his dragon is named Ice. If anyone deserves a case of perpetual blueballs, it's him.

This is so good!!!! Please don’t end it so soon please please please please please!!! This chapter is such an ingenious plot twist and so enjoyable to read. I’d thought that Orion would’ve forcibly retrieved Agatha from Vandan because he would be too lovesick or something, but I have completely underestimated Orion. And what you wrote about how even the most compassionate people cannot understand a choice not based on the same privilege, wow. I think Orion made the best out of a morally impossible situation. It may sound callously utilitarian to say this, but I think condemning hundreds of people to a lifetime of hunger when one is in the position to save them is definitely worse than sacrificing one person. Orion’s delay in delivering Agatha to Vandan makes so much sense. He’s trying to save both the one hundred and the one, when it’s just impossible to do so. And I think that’s what makes Orion a much better leader than Sir Alexander—Orion both understands the need to serve the collective even at the cost of individual sacrifice and has compassion and respect for the individual. And I think Agatha understands where Orion is coming from too, although I agree with her that Orion’s approach of keeping everyone in the dark can piss people off. I wonder what would’ve happened if, before selling her off, Orion had told Agatha about his plan to exchange her for the Disputed Corridor and to retrieve her after a while. Given Agatha’s integrity, I wonder if she would’ve agreed to it. I also feel such a complex relationship between Sir Alexander and Orion, though I’m not sure if I’m reading too much into it. It’s as if Sir Alexander both sees Orion as a mentor or even father figure and a rival at the same time, which is why Alexander can get angry enough to malign him, whether out of exasperation, disappointment, or contempt, yet he can also read Orion so well and won’t expose Orion’s ruse to hurt him (or perhaps Sir Alexander is simply trying to avoid going to war with Vandan).

Amazing long chapter! I adore Orion but Agatha does have a point about his heroic tendencies to manipulate. He did what was necessary and saved lives, but from Agatha’s point of view there’s no way to know if she can trust him now.