| 1 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/image_4769.jpeg]] |
| 2 | %% |
| 3 | |
| 4 | ->'''Damen:''' Is there anyone at this court who isn't my enemy?\ |
| 5 | '''Laurent:''' Not if I can help it. |
| 6 | |
| 7 | Damen is the WarriorPrince of Akielos, beloved by his people. Unfortunately, upon his father's death, he is not granted the throne. Instead, he is presented with a bloody coup staged by his [[CainAndAbel envious half-brother]] [[BastardBastard Kastor]]. Captured and stripped of his identity, Damen tries unsuccessfully to fight, but he cannot escape his [[MadeASlave imminent fate]]--a life spent as a [[SexSlave pleasure slave]] for the prince of an enemy nation. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | Prince Laurent of Vere is [[TheChessmaster intelligent]], [[PrettyBoy beautiful]], and dangerously volatile. While serving as a slave, Damen discovers the deadly internal conflict boiling over between Laurent and the Regent of Vere, and falling into the [[DecadentCourt Veretian court's]] web of poisonous political games begins to seem increasingly inevitable. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | Forced to navigate the court in addition to his ruthless, [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative]] master, Damen realizes that escaping will not be easy. Especially when he must hide his identity--for he is under the control of the one nation that would hate him more as a prince than a slave. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | Written initially as a free online serial on Livejournal by C.S. Pacat[[note]]known previously as Freece or S.U. Pacat[[/note]], all three books of the Captive Prince trilogy are now officially published. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | ---- |
| 16 | !!''Captive Prince'' contains examples of: |
| 17 | |
| 18 | * AbusiveParents: While Guion's direct actions towards fourth son Aimeric more closely resemble ParentalNeglect, his ''indirect'' actions land him firmly in the "abusive" category. He made a deal with the Regent that was essentially "[[spoiler:give me more political power and I'll let you rape my youngest son]]." Aimeric's mother Loyse might count as well, since she [[UselessBystanderParent knew about all of this and didn't stop it]], but her characterization is ambiguous. At the very least, it seems she's [[spoiler:reached her limits by the end of the third book]], since she's [[spoiler:much more upset about Aimeric's suicide than her husband]] and [[spoiler:actively sabotages Guion by publicly revealing his shady dealings]]. |
| 19 | * AccentInterest: When Laurent speaks Akielon in the second book, Damen notices that he has a pronounced Veretian accent (despite being nearly fluent in the language itself) and finds this endearing. Damen comments on it, and Laurent gets annoyed. |
| 20 | * ADayInTheLimelight: Jord the Prince's Guard, Charls the Veretian cloth merchant, and Ancel the pet each have a short story written from their perspective, providing extra detail to their backstories and to their encounters with Damen and Laurent. |
| 21 | * AfterActionPatchUp: After a confrontation with some clansmen, Laurent uses ice to soothe Damen's bruised ribcage. This serves as a ShirtlessScene for Damen, as well as a ShipTease moment for Damen and Laurent. |
| 22 | * AgeGapRomance: [[SexSlave Erasmus]] is eighteen or nineteen years old; [[SympatheticSlaveOwner Torveld]] is in his forties. |
| 23 | * AllAmazonsWantHercules: Vask has a matriarchal warrior society. Vaskian women are typically attracted to strong men and do not understand why others would be drawn to beautiful, androgynous men like [[PrettyBoy Laurent]]. |
| 24 | * AllForNothing: In the third book, Laurent spars with Damen and comes to a bitter realization: his years of training in preparation for his [[spoiler:revenge]] would've amounted to nothing, because [[CantCatchUp he would never have caught up]] to his enemy's level. That the two of them have [[spoiler:fallen in love]] in the interim does nothing to detract from his frustration. |
| 25 | * AltarDiplomacy: Deconstructed. Laurent and Auguste's mother Queen Hennike was from a kingdom called Kempt, and her marriage to their father Aleron symbolized an alliance between Vere and Kempt that included a mutual defense pact, which kept the increasingly belligerent Akielos at bay. The very ''moment'' Hennike died, Kempt broke the alliance and abandoned Vere to war with Akielos, which led to the deaths of both Hennike's oldest son and her husband. The entire situation shows that alliances brokered through marriage are not truly binding and only have as much power as the kingdoms themselves are willing to invest in them. |
| 26 | * AmbiguousSituation: |
| 27 | ** It's unclear whether the Regent [[spoiler:raping]] Laurent was a one-time thing, or whether it was part of long-term [[spoiler:sexual abuse]]. Unfortunately, Laurent's [[TraumaButton complex behaviors regarding intimacy and control]] seem to imply the latter. This is also supported by subtler indicators: in the second book, it's stated the Regent took Laurent on special trips from the time he was thirteen until he was fourteen or fifteen. ([[spoiler:The Regent only sleeps with prepubescent boys. Laurent calls fourteen the age when "the body begins to betray itself" in the first book, and the short story "Green but for a Season" identifies fifteen as the year Laurent's voice changed.]]) |
| 28 | ** In the third book, it's revealed [[spoiler:the Regent had his brother King Aleron assassinated during the Battle of Marlas]]. This implies that he had something to do with the general direction the war went, especially since it's revealed in the same scene that [[spoiler:he deliberately gave bad counsel to Aleron to ensure his brother was in the vulnerable position he needed to be for the assassination attempt to succeed]], but to what extent is not clear. |
| 29 | ** [[spoiler:With TheReveal that the Regent arranged his older brother Aleron's death, it also opens up the possibility that he may have also had a hand in Auguste's death. While the Regent ''is'' responsible for the terrible battle strategy that helped cause his eldest nephew's demise, whether he was directly involved in what happened to Auguste remains unclear. At the very least, Auguste's death during the battle only served to benefit him further; if Auguste had survived, the Regent would've had a more difficult time accruing influence since Auguste was old enough to become king in his own right without the need of a regency]]. |
| 30 | * AmbitionIsEvil: Kastor and the Regent are both ambitious men who want positions of greater political power, but they do extremely unscrupulous things to achieve this goal. Other unethical characters, such as Guion and Jokaste, are also described as ambitious: in Guion's pursuit of political power, he basically [[spoiler:lets the Regent do whatever he wants to his son]] and ends up indirectly causing [[spoiler:[[DrivenToSuicide his son's suicide]] as a result]]. As for Jokaste...well, [[MadeASlave we all know what she did to Damen]], although it's [[ZeroApprovalGambit not as straightforward as it seems]]. |
| 31 | * ArtisticLicenseLinguistics: "Lykaios" is a female slave, but the name is masculine. No feminine Greek names end in "-os." |
| 32 | * AsceticAesthetic: Akielos tends towards stark minimalism, in contrast with intricate Veretian ornamentation. When Veretian castles are remodeled in the Akielon style, it just looks bleak, but properly designed Akielon cities are beautiful in a way that even touches Laurent. |
| 33 | * AssassinsAreAlwaysBetrayed: Paschal's brother, the archer Langren, wasn't exactly a ProfessionalKiller. However, [[spoiler:the Regent]] approached him to kill [[spoiler:King Aleron]] at Marlas and make it look like the result of a stray Akielon arrow. Langren was promised a better future for his family as a reward, but [[spoiler:the Regent]] [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness gave him nothing of the sort]]. |
| 34 | -->'''Paschal:''' My brother was the archer who killed [[spoiler:the King]], for which [[spoiler:the Regent]] promised him gold and delivered him death. |
| 35 | * AssInAmbassador: Guion is the Regent's ambassador to Akielos. While he is [[BitchInSheepsClothing outwardly polite]] towards the Akielons he interacts with, he actually [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain views them as distasteful barbarians]]. Moreover, he feels no guilt about [[spoiler:taking advantage of Akielos's unstable political climate for his/the Regent's/Vere's benefit]]. |
| 36 | * AttemptedRape: Laurent is about to get sexually assaulted by a clansman when Damen interferes by way of [[TheBerserker completely losing his shit]]. |
| 37 | * AttentionWhore: "Pet" reveals that Ancel loves attention and works very hard to make sure everyone is looking at him, whenever possible. At least somewhat [[JustifiedTrope justified]] by the fact that Ancel is an escort, so his livelihood depends on being able to attract and maintain clients. |
| 38 | * BattleCouple: Damen the WarriorPrince and Laurent the BadassBookworm. |
| 39 | * BecomingTheMask: Ancel is Lord Berenger's escort, which means it's his job to feign romantic (or at least sexual) interest. He's shocked when he discovers that his interest [[RomanticFakeRealTurn is starting to become genuine]]. |
| 40 | * BelligerentSexualTension: Damen and Laurent often can't decide if they're flirting or arguing. Even their ''physical'' fights reach this territory, on occasion. |
| 41 | * BestFriendsInLaw: Laurent theorizes that his lover Damen and his older brother Auguste would have been close friends, if only Akielos and Vere were not enemy nations. (And though it's unclear whether Laurent and Damen are [[spoiler:legally married]] by the end of the trilogy, they are at least [[spoiler:romantic life partners]] connected by some sort of [[spoiler:CommonLawMarriage]].) |
| 42 | * BetaCouple: Each book has a couple getting together in the background that serves as a foil to Damen and Laurent. |
| 43 | ** In the first book, [[spoiler:Torveld and Erasmus]] are an "ideal" master/slave pairing. |
| 44 | ** In the second book, [[spoiler:Jord and Aimeric]] are a rough soldier and a pampered, pretty noble who have an easy, affectionate relationship, which leads to [[spoiler:tragedy due to Aimeric's betrayal]]. |
| 45 | ** In the last book, Pallas and Lazar are an Akielon and Veretian who make an uncomplicated, fun couple who get together based mainly off of physical attraction. |
| 46 | * BigotWithACrush: A mutual example in the form of Prince Damianos of Akielos (who is a NobleBigot) and Prince Laurent of Vere (who is a TragicBigot). They start the trilogy with inflexible prejudices about each other's countries: Damen believes Veretians are liars and cowards, whereas Laurent believes Akielons are unethical barbarians who constantly crave violence. However, the two of them lust after each other. Throughout the story, they are forced not only to work with [[TeethClenchedTeamwork each other]], but with individuals from both of their countries--leading their lust to progress into genuine love, and eventually [[LoveRedeems causing both of them to question their prejudices]]. |
| 47 | * BittersweetEnding: The story ends with the deaths of [[spoiler:Damen and Laurent's only remaining relatives, leaving them both without family]]. But Damen and Laurent ''do'' get their personal HappilyEverAfter as [[spoiler:kings of Vere and Akielos--they decide to rule together from the center]]. |
| 48 | * BlindedByRage: |
| 49 | ** In the second book, Govart gets angry during his duel with [[spoiler:Laurent]], which only makes him more susceptible to [[spoiler:Laurent]]'s strategic maneuvers. He ends up injured, stripped of his [[TheCaptain captainship]], and kicked off the camp. |
| 50 | ** In the third book, Damen and Laurent have a sparring match that gets ''way'' out of hand because they're both BlindedByRage at the same time. Damen ends up being a lot rougher than he should with somebody he's supposedly not actually fighting, whereas Laurent starts using [[ImprovisedWeapon everything]] [[CombatPragmatist in the room]] in an uncharacteristically desperate and [[NotSoStoic emotional]] attempt to win. |
| 51 | ** Also in the third book, the Regent agrees to [[ManipulativeBastard "negotiate"]] with Damen and Laurent at the Kingsmeet, a location that forbids violence. He ends up [[spoiler:revealing his sexual abuse of Laurent]] so that Damen will fly into a rage and, later, [[DeadlyEuphemism reap the consequences]]. |
| 52 | * BookEnds: |
| 53 | ** The first book begins in the slave baths in Akielos, with Damen bound by Kastor and listening to bells announcing Kastor's newfound kingship. The third book ends there as well, with Damen bound and the bells ringing--but this time, Damen is bound by [[spoiler:Laurent (to save his life)]], and the bells are announcing [[spoiler:''Damen's'' newfound kingship]]. |
| 54 | ** The events of the plot are kicked off by Damen killing Laurent's brother at Delpha. They are ultimately concluded by [[spoiler:Laurent killing Damen's brother in Ios]]. |
| 55 | * BoundAndGagged: Happens to both Damen and Laurent when they're attacked by clansmen in the middle of the night. |
| 56 | * BrainsEvilBrawnGood: A simplified version of the way Akielos sees itself compared to Vere. Akielos prides itself on military prowess and integrity; thus, Vere's tactics of deception and strategic surrender are seen as cowardly and dishonorable. (On the other hand, Vere views Akielos through the DumbMuscle stereotype.) |
| 57 | * TheBrute: Downplayed with Govart, who works for [[BigBad the Regent]] and is a strong, large man without much intelligence. While he's certainly a capable fighter, he's no match for Laurent's tactical maneuvers. |
| 58 | * ButHeSoundsHandsome: PlayedForLaughs when Damianos is traveling undercover as "Lamen." One of his companions shares a story of King Damianos defeating a warrior in minutes, then taking him to bed for six hours, and... |
| 59 | -->'''"Lamen," frowning:''' Seven hours. |
| 60 | * ButLiquorIsQuicker: It's implied that when [[spoiler:[[CantHoldHisLiquor Laurent]]]] was younger, [[spoiler:the Regent]] may have gotten him drunk so it would be easier to [[spoiler:[[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil rape him]]]]. This adds a darker possibility to why [[spoiler:Laurent]] becomes TheTeetotaler. |
| 61 | * TheCaptain: Laurent's men cycle through quite a number of captains--Govart, Jord, Damen, and Enguerran--due to a variety of...incidents. |
| 62 | * CassandraTruth: Nikandros told Damen to be wary of both [[EvilPrince Kastor]] and [[LoveInterestTraitor Jokaste]] prior to the beginning of the series. [[GoodCannotComprehendEvil Damen]] refused to believe that his brother and the woman he loved could have anything but pure intentions. Unfortunately, Nikandros's warnings end up being extremely relevant... |
| 63 | * CasualKink: Dominance and submission in sex are a part of Akielon culture. More specifically, Akielon [[SexSlave slaves]] are trained to be extremely passive and subservient during sex, whereas "dominant" sexual behavior is considered a sign of high social status. |
| 64 | * CategoryTraitor: Laurent, a member of the Veretian royal family, is accused of being this for sympathizing with Akielos; Damen, a member of the Akielon royal family, is accused of being this for sympathizing with Vere. |
| 65 | * CaughtTheHeartOnHisSleeve: Early in the second book, Laurent has a rare moment of openly expressing appreciation/admiration for how Damen has helped him in his campaign against [[spoiler:his uncle]]. Feeling awkward from the unexpected intimacy, Damen says he should help repair some armor and tries to leave, but Laurent grabs his arm and tells him in an [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness uncharacteristically]] [[DefrostingIceKing gentle voice]] that he should rest. |
| 66 | * CentralTheme: There is nothing worth giving up the love and support of the people who care about you. Both Kastor and the Regent choose power over their families and [[spoiler:die as disgraced traitors]], while Damen and Laurent always end up choosing each other regardless of what they have to give up in return, and [[spoiler:end the story together, ready to live out their HappilyEverAfter]]. |
| 67 | * TheChainsOfCommanding: Laurent opines that all princes simultaneously lose everything and gain everything upon taking the throne. Damen eventually mentions this as well: he [[spoiler:regains his status as the king of Akielos]], but he also realizes that he will never again be able to experience the feeling of being youthful and carefree. Still, the trope is ultimately [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]], because it's not a focal point of either main character's life and they are rather happy by the end of the trilogy. |
| 68 | * ChekhovsGun: |
| 69 | ** The earring that Laurent wins from Nicaise in a petty bet comes in use again when Laurent [[spoiler:disguises himself as a prostitute]]. |
| 70 | ** In ''Kings Rising'', Damen surprises Laurent by making him [[spoiler:wear one of his gold slave cuffs]], which he had [[spoiler:removed and kept at the end of ''Prince's Gambit'']]. |
| 71 | * ChekhovsGunman: Guion's [[spoiler:wife Loyse hangs in the background]] for most of the third book, ostensibly as a hostage to his good behavior. She turns out to deliver the [[spoiler:testimony that unseats the Regent]]. |
| 72 | * ChildhoodFriends: Damen and Nikandros have been close since their youth. |
| 73 | * CoitusUninterruptus: Vere doesn't have a taboo about public sex. This gives Damen a jolt of culture shock when Laurent nonchalantly allows someone into their bedroom while they're in the middle of the act. |
| 74 | * CombatByChampion: One of the two events that helped end the Battle of Marlas six years prior to the start of the story is the duel between Crown Prince Damianos of Akielos and Crown Prince Auguste of Vere. Akielos claimed victory after Damen cut Auguste down in single combat, crushing Vere's morale. It also indirectly caused the death of Auguste's father Aleron, who in his grief took off his helm at the wrong moment and subsequently took an arrow to the throat. |
| 75 | * ColorCodedCharacters: Laurent wears blue, the Regent wears red. Laurent is definitely uptight, cold, and aloof, while his uncle the Regent presents himself as a courtly, warm, personable man. Yet under that blue, Laurent can be kind and loving (real virtues in Vere's DecadentCourt, whereas the Regent's red hides [[spoiler:a pedophile whose "pets" are prepubescent boys, who raped his then-13-year-old nephew and had his brother the King assassinated]]. |
| 76 | * ColourCodedForYourConvenience: Red for Akielons, and blue for Veretians. [[spoiler:The lines start blurring, though: red is also used to represent the Regent while blue represents Laurent, and the Regent starts making moves to take Akielos' throne for himself]]. |
| 77 | * CommonLawMarriage: Possibly. While gay sex is [[EveryoneIsBi very]] [[EverybodyHasLotsOfSex normal]] in this setting, it's unclear whether gay marriage is an established institution. At the end of the trilogy, Damen and Laurent [[spoiler:live together as a couple]], and their vacation in "The Summer Palace" is treated like a [[spoiler:honeymoon]]. However, we don't really know if they're legally married. |
| 78 | * ConfrontingYourImposter: In the third book, Charls the cloth merchant comes out to see what impostor has been using his name and reputation. Zig-zagged when he realizes it's [[spoiler:Laurent]] and abruptly starts playing along. |
| 79 | * ConspicuousConsumption: One of the greatest shows of wealth in the Veretian court is to contract a [[HighClassCallGirl high-class escort]] "pet," decked out in the most luxurious clothes and jewels the patron can afford. Their sexual services are almost secondary to their role as a status symbol. |
| 80 | * CoolDownHug: In the last book, Damen sits alone, finally processing the grief he did not allow himself to feel over his father's death. [[HatesBeingTouched Laurent]] walks straight into the room and [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness hugs him as a comforting, sympathetic gesture]]. |
| 81 | -->'''Laurent:''' I know what it's like to lose family. |
| 82 | * CovertPervert: Berenger shows absolutely no interest in sex, even when his [[HighClassCallGirl escort]] Ancel puts strenuous effort into trying to seduce him. It quickly becomes clear that Berenger became Ancel's client to meet the expectations of the Veretian court, not because he's actually interested in Ancel's services. However, when Ancel breaks down and frustratedly mentions that his [[TheTease usual tactics]] don't work on Berenger...Berenger reveals that [[spoiler:this isn't quite true]], and he [[spoiler:has indeed wanted Ancel back the whole time]]. |
| 83 | * CruelMercy: Laurent [[InvokedTrope invokes]] this to prevent Damen from being executed; he argues that "fast death doesn't hurt" so Damen will actually be given time to fight back. |
| 84 | * CruelToBeKind: ''The Training of Erasmus'' ends with Kallias [[spoiler:kissing Erasmus]], thereby [[spoiler:"tainting" him and ruining his planned future as the prized [[SexSlave bed slave]] of Prince Damianos]]. Shortly afterwards, Kastor starts his [[TheUsurper coup]], capturing Damianos and killing all of Damianos's slaves. Kallias had been [[spoiler:Kastor's slave]] for some time by this point; as such, it's heavily implied that he [[spoiler:knew the coup was going to happen beforehand]], and he [[spoiler:kissed Erasmus so that Erasmus would be sent to Vere before he could get killed]]. |
| 85 | * TheCycleOfEmpires: It's mentioned that Akielos and Vere used to be one state in the ancient past, called the Artes Empire. The empire collapsed long ago and split into the two countries as they are now, but there are still several ruins of the former empire strewn about both kingdoms. [[spoiler:In the side stories, with Damen and Laurent electing to create a new capital in Delpha/Delfeur and rule together, it's implied that they may reforge the empire with their new union]]. |
| 86 | * DeathByChildbirth: It was originally believed that Queen Egeria of Akielos could not carry a child to term. When she was finally able to give birth to Damen, she died in the process. |
| 87 | * DecadentCourt: The Veretian court has plenty of political intrigue, forbidden romance, sexual slavery, and pedophilia. In the first book, Vere is described as "voluptuous and decadent," a "country of honeyed poison." |
| 88 | * DiamondsInTheBuff: Veretian pets are often dressed very scantily, with the majority of their "clothing" consisting of jewels meant to display their masters' wealth. |
| 89 | * DidntThinkThisThrough: |
| 90 | ** When Damen was born, Theomedes immediately bumped his bastard son Kastor, who had been raised as his heir and future successor for the first nine years of his life, down the line of succession in favor of his new legitimate son. He completely failed to account for how emotionally damaging this would be to his eldest child, and it eventually leads to Kastor usurping the throne by [[spoiler:murdering Theomedes]] and enslaving Damen and sending him to Vere. |
| 91 | ** Damen notes that Kastor's coup was extremely ill-thought out, as the latter didn't think of how suspicious several members of the royal court would be when Damen conveniently ends up "dying" right after the death of their father, leaving Kastor a clear path to the throne. [[spoiler:Nor does he notice how suspicious it is that a foreign head of state, from a country that has been Akielos' enemies for ''generations'', is willing to conspire with him to help him usurp his father's throne]]. Sure enough, not only does this leave Akielos on the precipice of a CivilWar, [[spoiler:it also leaves them vulnerable to a Veretian invasion that the Regent was planning to launch as soon as Damen and Laurent were out of the way]]. |
| 92 | * DidYouJustHaveSex: Laurent's men see Damen and him sneak back to their quarters through a secret passage at night, with Damen looking blissed-out and tired, and draw the obvious conclusion. In a twist, Damen ''was'' having sex, just not with Laurent. Laurent reminds him to bathe the next morning. |
| 93 | * DirtyOldMan: Guion is in his late forties, but the first book has him privately planning to sleep with a young Akielon SexSlave, described as “a demure youth with a beautifully slender waist and heavily lashed dark eyes.” |
| 94 | * DisapprovingLook: Nikandros dons this expression whenever he thinks Damen is making an unwise decision influenced by his romantic/sexual interest in Laurent. |
| 95 | * DoubleMeaningTitle: "Captive Prince" refers most obviously to Damen, a prince [[TheUsurper usurped by his half-brother]] and [[MadeASlave forced to become a]] SexSlave in an enemy nation. However, it also refers to his master Laurent, who is a "captive" of [[spoiler:his country's DecadentCourt, his DarkAndTroubledPast, and his ManipulativeBastard uncle]]. |
| 96 | * DramaticIrony: Very appropriately, considering Akielon culture is based on UsefulNotes/AncientGreece: [[spoiler: the reader likely picks up on hints that Laurent was raped by his uncle long before Damen does]]. |
| 97 | * DrivenToSuicide: It's implied that one of the Regent's preferred outcomes was [[spoiler:Laurent sleeping with Damen, then killing himself after realizing he slept with his brother's killer]]. |
| 98 | * DuelToTheDeath: |
| 99 | ** The climax of the war between Akielos and Vere six years before the start of the story was the Battle of Marlas, where Damen and Auguste dueled on the behalf of their respective kingdoms. Damen won and killed Auguste, an act that served as the PlotTriggeringDeath for the events of the series. |
| 100 | ** Laurent admits he always expected his eventual confrontation with Damen to end in a duel to avenge Auguste, and trained relentlessly in swordsmanship for that fateful day. Ultimately, while they never have a ''real'' duel, they do have some semblance of one in the third book after a spar between them while they are both emotionally fraught and in a complicated phase of their relationship ends up getting ''way'' out of hand. [[spoiler:Much to Laurent's frustration, Damen wins, and rather handily at that]]. |
| 101 | ** The final battle in the series is a duel between [[spoiler:Laurent and Kastor, in a poignant echo to the duel between Damen and Auguste years before. Despite Damen's worst fears, Laurent wins, killing Kastor and averting CivilWar in Akielos]]. |
| 102 | * DumbMuscle: |
| 103 | ** Veretians believe this about Akielons, who are (in their minds) simple-minded barbarians with no true skills other than destruction. |
| 104 | ** Govart is strong, but he isn't smart enough to win a fight against someone who uses complex strategy against him. |
| 105 | * EarnYourHappyEnding: Damen and Laurent are forced to overcome war, betrayal, and their own prejudices throughout the course of the series. It's hell, but they ''do'' get their HappilyEverAfter. |
| 106 | * EliteManCourtesanRomance: The short story "Pet" focuses on the burgeoning relationship between [[TheStoic Lord Berenger]] and his [[HighClassCallGirl High-Class Call Boy]] Ancel. |
| 107 | * EnemyMine: At the end of the first book, Laurent and Damen still hate each other, but it's become terrifyingly clear how dangerous [[spoiler:the Regent]] is. Realizing neither of them may be able to defeat him alone, [[TeethClenchedTeamwork they force themselves to start working together]]. |
| 108 | * EroticEating: Damen mentions that [[HighClassCallGirl pets]] often allow their masters to feed them and intentionally turn the ordeal into something sensual. While disguised as a pet himself, [[spoiler:Laurent]] employs this in a rather small way, letting his lips brush against [[spoiler:Damen]]'s hand. |
| 109 | * EthicalSlut: Ancel is an ambitious [[HighClassCallGirl high-class escort]] who works very hard to entice increasingly wealthy clients. However, he refuses to expose the political dealings of his current client (Berenger) in "Pet"--even when confronted with the possibility of receiving a better contract in return. |
| 110 | * EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Guion feels no guilt about repeatedly switching sides for his personal gain, and as it is, his actions are pretty unforgivable. However, he does show a [[BeneathTheMask brief moment of genuine emotion]] when accusing Laurent of causing [[spoiler:his son's suicide]]. The example is still downplayed, because this is the ''only'' time Guion seems at all concerned by what happened, and he [[NeverMyFault conveniently ignores]] that ''he'' could be considered responsible for most of the circumstances leading up to [[spoiler:Aimeric's death]]. |
| 111 | * EverybodyHasLotsOfSex: Veretians are horrified by the idea of illegitimate birth and heterosexual sex outside of marriage, but are perfectly willing to take same-sex pets and indulge themselves in public displays of gay sex, while Akielons don't much care who you're attracted to but are shocked at the idea of doing it while someone is watching. |
| 112 | * EveryoneCanSeeIt: Laurent, who's well-known for being cold and guarded, is so much more at ease around Damen in the second book that his men assume they're sleeping together for weeks before their actual RelationshipUpgrade. |
| 113 | * EveryoneIsBi: In this trilogy's world, everyone is ''expected'' to be bisexual. Rarely, there will be a character who's exclusively straight or gay (for example, [[spoiler:Laurent]] is gay). |
| 114 | * EveryoneLovesBlondes: Laurent (a blond PrettyBoy) and Jokaste (a beautiful blonde woman) are portrayed as the most desirable characters in the series. To be fair, the trilogy is told through Damen's eyes and [[HasAType Damen has a thing for blonds]], but it's also noted that blonds are considered especially attractive in Akielos and Patras because they are rare. |
| 115 | * ExiledToTheCouch: Damen jokes about this in the second book, noticing Laurent's discomfort with their newfound [[spoiler:physical and emotional intimacy]]. |
| 116 | -->'''Damen:''' Going to banish me to sleep at the foot of your bed? I wish you wouldn’t, it’s quite far away. |
| 117 | * {{Expy}}: Laurent and Damen are very similar to Griffith and Guts from ''Manga/{{Berserk}}''. The author has confirmed that Griffith was a major inspiration in the creation of Laurent. |
| 118 | * ExtremeDoormat: Erasmus claims that he's submissive by nature, and it's simply in his temperament to crave a master. He implies this is the case even beyond his training as an Akielon [[SexSlave bed slave]]. His almost absurdly self-effacing behavior certainly supports the idea. While Damen and Torveld find Erasmus's passivity endearing, Ancel finds it infuriating (as revealed in "Pet"). |
| 119 | * FacePalm: Nikandros does this once or twice. Not surprising, considering he spends much of the last book exasperated by Damen's questionable faith in Laurent. |
| 120 | -->''Nikandros held his gaze, then let out a breath and passed his hand over his face, massaging it briefly.'' |
| 121 | * AFamilyAffair: Damen's lover Jokaste had an affair with his half-brother, [[RoyalBastard Kastor]]. |
| 122 | * FamilyEyeResemblance: The only physical features shared between the Regent and Laurent are their blue eyes. |
| 123 | * FantasticDrug: |
| 124 | ** ''Chalis'' relaxes you, but it also makes you tired and slows down your body's responses. Laurent drugs Damen with this in hopes that it will make him lose a display fight. |
| 125 | ** At the end of the first book, Laurent [[IntoxicationEnsues accidentally ingests]] an Akielon drug that was combined with his drink. While the exact effects are a little ambiguous, Damen's explanation essentially amounts to "it makes you very, very horny." Interestingly, Laurent is already familiar with the drug and has such intense self-control that he's able to resist it somewhat, which becomes dark when we find out about his [[spoiler:RapeAsBackstory]]. |
| 126 | * FantasyCounterpartCulture: Akielos is based on Ancient Greece, while Vere is based on France. |
| 127 | * FantasyWorldMap: Each book begins with a map of significant locations. The countries given the most detail are (naturally) Akielos and Vere, but some other nations are listed as well, such as Vask and Patras. |
| 128 | * FavorsForTheSexy: When Damen gives [[spoiler:Delpha]] to Laurent, Nikandros is afraid that it's for this reason. |
| 129 | * FictionalAgeOfMajority: The age of majority of Vere is twenty-one; therefore, Laurent cannot officially become the King of Vere and rule in his own right until he turns twenty-one, which he is several months away from doing so at the start of the trilogy. Initially, it seems like the Regent is trying to slander Laurent's name and ruin his reputation in order to extend the length of the regency past his twenty-first birthday and keep him off the throne so he can keep power. [[spoiler:In truth, he is trying to ensure no one pries too deeply into Laurent's death when it's time to get rid of him, because he knows Laurent will always be a threat to his power as long as he's alive]]. |
| 130 | * FieryRedhead: Ancel is bold, ambitious, and extroverted, but he's normally held back from fitting this trope entirely--he puts on a show of being charming and seductive to [[HighClassCallGirl attract new clients]]. However, when he drops the act and speaks honestly, he can complete the archetype by being rather short-tempered and blunt. |
| 131 | * FirstKiss: Damen and Laurent kiss for the first time [[spoiler:on the battlements of Ravenel]]. |
| 132 | * FlashbackEcho: The trilogy ends with [[spoiler:Laurent]] fighting [[spoiler:Damen's older brother, Kastor]]. As he watches, Damen is [[BookEnds overwhelmed by memories of fighting Laurent's older brother, Auguste]]. The parallels--initially younger prince of Akielos vs. older prince of Vere, now [[spoiler:younger prince of Vere]] vs. [[spoiler:older prince of Akielos]]--terrify him, because he does not want [[spoiler:Laurent]] to die. Luckily, [[spoiler:Laurent]] defies the possibility of mimicking [[DeathByOriginStory his brother's legacy]] and successfully defeats [[spoiler:Kastor]]. |
| 133 | * FlowersOfRomance: "The Summer Palace" features Damen and Laurent tucking flowers into each other's hair to represent the official courtship they never got to experience. |
| 134 | * FoeRomanceSubtext: Even when they still hate each other, Damen is put off by how attracted he is to Laurent. |
| 135 | * ForgivenButNotForgotten: In a more benign version of this trope, Laurent never forgets that Damen is his brother Auguste's killer. However, after getting to know the good man Damen is, and falling in love with him, [[spoiler:he's willing to let his anger go in favor of the love and happiness their relationship brings him]]. |
| 136 | * FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: It initially appears that Prince Laurent and his late brother, Prince Auguste, fit this dynamic. Laurent is spoiled, rebellious, and selfish; Auguste was a brave protector of his people. In reality, this is all a part of [[spoiler:the Regent manipulating the family's public image]]--[[SubvertedTrope Laurent is actually anything but foolish]] and has repeatedly been pushed into impossible political dilemmas. |
| 137 | * {{Foil}}: |
| 138 | ** Damen and Laurent directly contrast one another in a number of ways. Damen's physical appearance is [[TallDarkAndHandsome tall and strong, with dark hair, dark eyes, and olive skin]]; Laurent has a more [[PrettyBoy slender build with blond hair, blue eyes, and very fair skin]]. Damen strongly believes that all conflicts should be fought fairly; Laurent's main mode of winning conflicts is through [[ManipulativeBastard manipulation]]. Damen trusts too easily; Laurent doesn't trust anyone. Damen's older brother Kastor has an InferioritySuperiorityComplex because of him; Laurent has an InferioritySuperiorityComplex himself surrounding his late older brother, Auguste. Damen ReallyGetsAround; it's rumored that Laurent is frigid, and even when we find out [[spoiler:he's not, it turns out he's only slept with one person before Damen]]. And the one person [[spoiler:raped him]]. |
| 139 | ** Laurent and Kastor. Laurent is the younger, legitimate prince of Vere, while Kastor is the older, bastard prince of Akielos. Both are AlwaysSecondBest to their respective siblings, but Laurent truly didn't mind being second best to Auguste, loved and adored him long after his death, and trained for years to take revenge on his killer. Kastor, meanwhile, hates constantly being Damen's shadow, only feigned his affection for his younger brother while secretly plotting to usurp him, and would've killed Damen himself [[spoiler:if not for Jokaste]]. Laurent was originally the SpareToTheThrone only to be unwillingly thrust into the position of crown prince after the untimely deaths of his father and brother; Kastor was raised as the heir to his father for the first nine years of his life only to have the position stripped from him when his his younger brother was born just because the latter had more legitimacy. In regards to their respective relationships with Damen, Laurent starts out Damen's mortal enemy and the two legitimately hate each other, and would've continued to hate each other had circumstances not caused them to ally with each other and get to know each other. By the end of the trilogy, [[spoiler:the two have fallen in love and have become the most important people in each other's lives, and intend to live HappilyEverAfter together]]. Meanwhile, Kastor starts out as Damen's brother and arguably the person Damen loves most, but betrays him in the most horrific of ways, destroying their relationship beyond repair and making them enemies. [[spoiler:When Kastor rejects Damen's last offer of mercy and tries to kill him, forcing Laurent to kill him in turn, Damen grieves but accepts the loss as necessary]]. |
| 140 | ** Laurent and the Regent. Both are second sons of the Veretian royal family who were never expected to ascend the throne, are exceptionally intelligent [[TheChessmaster chessmasters]], and are so silver-tongued that they can talk their ways out of any situation. However, Laurent has an icy disposition and a muddied reputation that hides genuine kindness and empathy for others, while the Regent affects a warm, affable demeanor that is a guise for the depraved hedonistic monster he actually is. Laurent loves his family, is still deeply affected by the death of his older brother, and would never do anything to hurt his blood unless actively targeted first. The Regent has no scruples about murdering Laurent [[spoiler:and is the one who arranged the death of his own older brother Aleron, seemingly without regret]]. Most of all, Laurent doesn't really ''want'' the throne and is only pursuing it out of duty to Vere, knowing his uncle would be a far worse ruler than himself. His uncle, on the other hand, [[spoiler:has been plotting to to usurp the Veretian throne for ''years'' and plans to claim the Akielon throne as well]]. |
| 141 | * FriendOrIdolDecision: After their emotionally-charged spar in ''Kings Rising'', [[spoiler:Damen gives Laurent a knife and offers him the chance to finally avenge Auguste. Laurent, after a moment's thought, drops the knife, symbolically choosing to have Damen's love and companionship in his life over his long-desired revenge. The tension between them up to that point gradually dissipates in the following chapters, and it's not long before they re-consummate their relationship and becomes lovers for real]]. |
| 142 | * FriendVersusLover: Downplayed. [[OnlySaneMan Nikandros]] (the friend) and Laurent (the lover) aren't particularly possessive over Damen, but they certainly don't get along with each other, and each one fights to have a stronger ''influence'' over Damen. Also worth noting that this is somewhat justified on Nikandros's side--he's concerned by Laurent's cunning nature and the fact that he's the prince of what has long been their enemy nation. And...Laurent seems to [[TheGadfly delight in irritating Nikandros on purpose]]. |
| 143 | * FromRoommatesToRomance: In the second book, Damen and Laurent sleep in the same tent (and, in one specific instance, [[ThereIsOnlyOneBed the same bed]]). But they're not romantically or sexually involved, despite Damen's status as Laurent's SexSlave and the growing [[UnresolvedSexualTension tension]] between them. When they [[spoiler:finally [[TheirFirstTime resolve the tension]]]], the cohabitation [[spoiler:stops being innocent]]. |
| 144 | * GardenOfLove: In the Summer Palace epilogue/short story, Damen and Laurent finally have the free time to visit Damen's summer palace, an oceanside estate that's open to many gardens and outdoor baths. They have a tender tryst outside and start to come to terms with the pain they caused each other when they were enemies. |
| 145 | * HairTriggerTemper: Orlant can be provoked into a physical fight very easily, whereas Aimeric often starts verbal fights that end up escalating into physical fights. Obviously, [[spoiler:things do not go well when these two end up fighting ''each other'']]. |
| 146 | * HappinessInSlavery: |
| 147 | ** Erasmus, Type 3, who was apparently chosen to be a slave because of his submissive tendencies. He claims it's simply in his nature to long for a master. While he obviously isn't happy when he's mistreated in Vere, he becomes content again once he's under the care of [[SympatheticSlaveOwner Torveld]]. |
| 148 | ** More generally, Akielon slaves: they're described as being perfectly submissive, bringing obedience to the form of a high art, but can expect perfect treatment and care in return. |
| 149 | * HarmfulToMinors: Laurent remarks that the life of a [[HighClassCallGirl pet]] can have damning psychological consequences when experienced by a child (such as Nicaise). |
| 150 | * HateAtFirstSight: It takes Damen and Laurent ''very'' little time to start hating each other. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] on Laurent's end, because he immediately [[spoiler:recognizes Damen as the man who killed his brother]]. As for Damen, he simply examines Laurent's arrogant expression and determines that he must be a RoyalBrat (''after'' a split second of observing that [[PrettyBoy Laurent]] is [[FoeRomanceSubtext very much his type]]). |
| 151 | * HeirClubForMen: Damen brings up the possibility of Laurent marrying a "Patran princess or daughter of the Empire" for [[AltarDiplomacy political reasons]], adding that it's his duty to produce an heir. Laurent replies (in indirect language) that [[IncompatibleOrientation he has never planned to marry a woman]]. He ultimately decides to spend the rest of his life with [[spoiler:[[MarryForLove Damen]]]] at the end of the trilogy. |
| 152 | * HeIsNotMyBoyfriend: Before their RelationshipUpgrade late in the second book, Damen and Laurent spend a lot of time denying that they're lovers. |
| 153 | * HeKnowsTooMuch: The Regent gives Govart pretty much anything he wants (money, HookersAndBlow, etc.), and nobody is sure why. In the last book, it's revealed that Govart has [[spoiler:written proof that the Regent had King Aleron killed]], and the Regent's "gifts" are the price for keeping him silent. |
| 154 | * HeldGaze: Laurent and Damen stare at each other a lot. In the beginning, it's often to express spite, and so it falls into the "antagonistic" category. As their feelings for each other [[BelligerentSexualTension develop]], it slowly slips into the "romantic" type instead. |
| 155 | * HeroesPreferSwords: Main characters Damen and [[spoiler:Laurent]] are [[MasterSwordsman Master Swordsmen]]. |
| 156 | * HighClassCallGirl: In Vere, "pets" are escorts who work for individuals of considerable status. Specific examples include characters like [[GenderInvertedTrope Ancel and Nicaise]]. |
| 157 | * HookersAndBlow: The [[DecadentCourt courtiers]] of Vere indulge themselves in drugs, alcohol, and prostitutes (called "pets"). |
| 158 | * HopelessSuitor: [[spoiler:Torveld]] develops a strong interest in Laurent after spending a few hours with him, but Laurent isn't even slightly interested. Actually, pretty much ''anyone's'' attraction to Laurent is guaranteed to be hopeless, unless they're [[spoiler:Damen]]. |
| 159 | * IHaveYouNowMyPretty: When the clansmen corner Damen and Laurent, one of them approaches Laurent in a menacing manner that suggests he's about to strike. Then he gets [[NoSenseOfPersonalSpace too close to strike]], and he instead runs a hand slowly across Laurent's body. Damen realizes [[RapeAsDrama what's about to happen]] and [[BerserkButton attacks him]]. |
| 160 | * IKissYourFoot: Akielon slaves often kiss their master's foot to show that they're devoted and submissive. Damen forces himself to push past several layers of pride and do this to Laurent in the first book. |
| 161 | * InevitableMutualBetrayal: Subverted. Damen and Laurent initially think of their arrangement this way, assuming that at some point after Damen [[spoiler:retakes the Akielon throne]], their countries will end up at war. But it turns out they [[spoiler:[[SubvertedTrope fall in love and form a permanent alliance]]]] instead. |
| 162 | * InstantlyProvenWrong: Apparently, Torveld told his advisors that he was too old to get [[DistractedByTheSexy distracted]] by [[PrettyBoy beautiful young men]]. Cue Torveld instantly becoming smitten with Laurent while attending Vere's court. And when he realizes that's [[CelibateHero not going to work out for him]], he quickly shifts his attentions to (the also young and beautiful) [[SexSlave Erasmus]]. Wrong, indeed. |
| 163 | * InterruptedIntimacy: Pallas walks in on Damen and Laurent in the last book, although it's partially Laurent's fault, since [[CoitusUninterruptus Laurent outright told him to come in]]. |
| 164 | * IntimatePsychotherapy: Unbeknownst to Damen, his sexual encounters with [[spoiler:Laurent]] were this. After being [[spoiler:raped by his uncle when he was thirteen, Laurent shut himself away emotionally to survive the Regent's mind games and schemes to take the throne]]. When [[spoiler:Laurent]] had sex with Damen, it was first time anyone had shown him genuine tenderness and pleasure, helping him heal some of his past scars and learn to trust another person. |
| 165 | * {{Irony}}: |
| 166 | ** Damen and Laurent's entire romance is an exercise in irony. The first and only person to show Laurent unreserved support and affection after his brother Auguste's death is Auguste's killer, Damen. [[spoiler:Laurent is bitterly aware of it, and that's what makes it so hard for him to come to terms with his feelings for Damen for most of the trilogy]]. |
| 167 | ** In the second book, a dying Akielon soldier remarks that Damianos should have been the king of Akielos, not Kastor. His reasoning is that Damianos knew Veretians were liars and deceivers, and so he would never have "climbed into their beds" like Kastor did. In a broader sense, this is ironic because Damen ''also'' ends up allying with Vere, and in fact develops a much more personal and amiable relationship with them than Kastor ever does. (The trilogy ends with him basically [[spoiler:marrying the prince of Vere]] and deciding that they will [[spoiler:rule their kingdoms together]].) In a more specific sense, this is ironic because Damen [[spoiler:sleeps with the prince of Vere ("climbing into Vere's bed") a few chapters later]]. |
| 168 | * ItMeantSomethingToMe: After they [[spoiler:sleep together in Ravenel]], Damen and Laurent end up arguing about what it meant. Damen believes it was a product of the genuine love and lust between them; [[ManipulativeBastard Laurent insists he only went along with it to gain an emotional advantage]]. Damen doesn't buy this, remembering Laurent's apparent vulnerability and desire. Luckily, [[spoiler:he turns out to be right: after a long while of denial and mixed messages, Laurent confirms that he reciprocates Damen's feelings]]. |
| 169 | * JustFollowingOrders: Adrastus, the Akielon Keeper of the Royal Slaves, uses this as his defense when he assists with [[MadeASlave enslaving]] his own prince. (His orders are coming from [[CainAndAbel the other]] [[EvilPrince prince]].) |
| 170 | * KarmicDeath: [[spoiler:The Regent has a NearVillainVictory where he has Laurent dead to rights before a KangarooCourt. When a SurpriseWitness and a SmokingGun expose the depths of the Regent's plotting, the court turns against him and has him executed on the spot.]] |
| 171 | * KingIncognito: |
| 172 | ** Damen hides his identity when he's made a slave, since an Akielon royal would be as good as dead in a Veretian court. Unfortunately, [[spoiler:both the Regent and Laurent knew who he was from the start]]. |
| 173 | ** Damen and Laurent both go undercover to avoid the Regent's agents and Akielon soldiers, including one memorable occasion when Laurent pretends to be a prostitute. |
| 174 | ** PlayedForLaughs in "The Adventures of Charls, the Veretian Cloth Merchant" when Damen and Laurent travel incognito with Charls. Charls knows Laurent's true identity but not Damen's, so his efforts to protect Laurent's dignity usually come at Damen's expense. |
| 175 | * KinslayingIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Despite all the horrible things the Regent has done to him, Laurent is genuinely stricken when his uncle tries to have him killed, as if that is the one length he never thought his uncle would go to. [[spoiler:This is later revisited in the third book, when it's revealed during Laurent's "trial" that the Regent had his brother King Aleron, Laurent's father, assassinated. Even Laurent is visibly shocked by this revelation, and it's what finally turns the Council and Vere against the Regent]]. |
| 176 | * LastOfHisKind: |
| 177 | ** [[spoiler:With the death of the Regent at the end of the third book]], Laurent is the last living descendant of the original Veretian Royal Family, and he makes it clear that this situation will not change, [[spoiler:as he is only attracted to men]] and has no interest in begetting a biological child. |
| 178 | ** Subverted with Damen. While he's certainly the only member of the Akielon Royal Family living in Akielos by the end of the series [[spoiler:after Kastor's death]], he slept with several Vaskian women in the second book with the intent of impregnating them with daughters, so he'll probably have several children of his own very soon. [[spoiler:In addition, he still has his nephew by Jokaste]]. |
| 179 | * LapPillow: In "The Training of Erasmus," Kallias rests his head in Erasmus's lap. |
| 180 | * LawOfInverseFertility: King Theomedes and Queen Egeria try many times to produce a legitimate heir to the Akielon throne, only for each attempt to end in a miscarriage. Eventually subverted, as Egeria gives birth to Damen [[DeathByChildbirth at the cost of her own life]]. |
| 181 | * LeaningOnTheFurniture: When Laurent and Damen reunite at a fraught time in their relationship, Laurent is casually leaning against a tent pole and delivers a cold, "Hello, lover." Damen quickly notices that Laurent carefully {{invoked|Trope}} the trope to hide an injury. |
| 182 | * LegallyOustedLeader: Late in ''Kings Rising'', the truth comes out that [[spoiler:the Regent had the King of Vere killed in his plot to usurp the throne, so the Council sentences him to death for treason. It's unclear whether the Council could have removed a reigning monarch, but, as Herode reminds him, "You were never the King."]] |
| 183 | * {{Loincloth}}: This seems to be common attire for slaves, and it's explicitly mentioned that Vaskian men wear nothing else. |
| 184 | * LongGame: The Regent's plan to usurp the Veretian throne spans ''at least'' six years, [[spoiler:considering he had his brother Aleron assassinated during the Battle of Marlas to make sure he was closer to the throne]]. He then spends the next six years ruling in an underage Laurent's stead while simultaneously slandering his nephew's reputation in older to bolster his position and ensure no one will look into how suspicious Laurent's death is once he's ready to do away with him. [[spoiler:It's unclear how Auguste factored into the plan considering his death at Damen's hands in the same battle Aleron died in is the one thing the Regent ''couldn't'' have arranged, but it's likely the Regent already had something in place to get rid of him eventually, since Auguste was at that point old enough to succeed his father as king]]. |
| 185 | * LongHairedPrettyBoy: How Ancel the [[HighClassCallGirl pet]] is described--long red hair, green eyes, prettiness exacerbated by his fancy attire and his own mannerisms. |
| 186 | * LowFantasy: The books are set in a ConstructedWorld, but aside from that, there are no other fantasy elements (such as magic). The plot is centered around politics and romance. |
| 187 | * ManInAKilt: [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Akielos]] is based on Ancient Greece, and it's traditional in Akielos for men to wear skirts. |
| 188 | * MasculineFeminineGayCouple: [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]] with Damen and Laurent. ''Physically,'' they fit the mold: Damen is [[{{Hunk}} tall and muscular]], while Laurent is [[PrettyBoy slighter of build with an elegant, androgynous appearance]]. They also fit masculine/feminine stereotypes in that Damen is a WarriorPrince with enormous strength and [[ReallyGetsAround sexual]] [[SexGod prowess]], whereas Laurent is less interested in military affairs, possesses combat skills mostly related to his intelligence, and is very sexually inexperienced. However, the roles are somewhat switched when it comes to their personalities, with Laurent as the [[TheStoic stoic]], [[ControlFreak domineering]] one and Damen as the more sensitive and romantic one. |
| 189 | * MassageOfLove: Damen gives Laurent a shoulder massage. The fact that [[HatesBeingTouched Laurent]] even allows him to do this signifies the [[RelationshipUpgrade increasing trust and intimacy]] of their relationship. |
| 190 | * MasterSwordsman: It's probably easier to say who in the cast ''isn't.'' Of particular note are Damen, [[spoiler:Laurent]], Kastor, and potentially some of Laurent's men (such as [[TheCaptain Jord]]). |
| 191 | * MirrorCharacter: |
| 192 | ** Damen and Laurent serve as both this and [[{{Foil}} Foils]]. In the beginning, they're introduced with their differences accentuated. However, by the end of the series, it's apparent that they have quite a bit in common. In general, they are both extremely stubborn, resolute people. More specifically, they are rightful heirs to a throne; a family member they trusted kills their [[spoiler:father]] and [[TheUsurper usurps]] them in order to steal the throne; the aforementioned relative attempts to kill them as well by involving them with the opposing nation; by the end of the trilogy, they are both [[spoiler:orphans]] because they were forced to [[spoiler:kill their only remaining relative]] in order to survive. |
| 193 | ** Jokaste and Laurent are Damen's FirstLove and SecondLove, respectively. They are both high-class individuals in their early twenties. They are both known for their beauty, with blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin, and a markedly elegant manner. Finally, they are both relentlessly manipulative and intelligent, their appearances hiding [[SilkHidingSteel immense strength]]. They do have differences--for example, Damen points out that Jokaste gives off the impression of nonchalant tranquility, whereas Laurent is graceful but constantly on edge. However, their similarities are discussed with greater frequency throughout the series. |
| 194 | * MissingMom: For a plot line where succession, the royal family, and bloodlines are important, no one seems to have mothers. |
| 195 | ** Damen's mother died in childbirth, but there are statues of her in the palace and the gardens she designed. This allows for a heartwarming moment where [[spoiler: Laurent asks her permission to court Damen]]. |
| 196 | ** Laurent's mother died six years before the beginning of the trilogy, and her death marked the loss of Vere's alliance with Kempt. Akielos saw this as an opportunity to invade, leading eventually to the battle at Marlas, which kicks off the story. |
| 197 | * TheMissusAndTheEx: Damen's FirstLove Jokaste and SecondLove Laurent meet in the third book. Damen notes that they are [[ManipulativeBastard disturbingly]] [[TheChessmaster similar]], and since this is true, they spend most of their time making opaque remarks in an attempt to manipulate each other. |
| 198 | * TheMistress: [[RoyalBastard Kastor]]'s mother Hypermenestra was this to Theomedes. It's not considered scandalous, however, because it's openly known that Theomedes was genuinely in love with her and his marriage to Queen Egeria was purely political. |
| 199 | * MomentKiller: Damen and Laurent are in the middle of their [[spoiler:FirstKiss]] when Jord and Guymar interrupt them, saying that some of Laurent's men are about to [[AttemptedRape make sport with]] [[spoiler:[[TheMole Aimeric]]]]. |
| 200 | * MoreExperiencedChasesTheInnocent: Damen is a SexGod who ReallyGetsAround. Laurent is rumored to be a virgin, and while the rumors are [[spoiler:not true]], he has [[spoiler:only had sex one time]]. The trope is played with a bit, though, because Laurent's "innocence" isn't why Damen is attracted to him, and their demeanors don't necessarily fit the corresponding stereotypes. |
| 201 | * MovingBeyondBereavement: It gradually becomes clear throughout the trilogy that deep down, Laurent is still in deep mourning over the death of his beloved older brother Auguste. Being forced to live in a hostile political environment with no true allies has left him unable to properly grieve, with the only outlet he allows himself being training to take revenge on Prince Damianos, Auguste's killer. This inability to move on from Auguste's death serves as the biggest obstacle to Laurent and Damen's relationship, and is only finally resolved when [[spoiler:Damen offers to let Laurent take his revenge and kill him in the last book after their fateful spar. Laurent choosing not to go through with the act symbolizes him finally moving on from Auguste's death. Afterward, Laurent is able to embrace the growing love between himself and Damen, allowing them to become the OfficialCouple]]. |
| 202 | * NeverMyFault: When Aimeric [[spoiler:commits suicide]], Guion blames it on Laurent. He completely refuses to acknowledge that his political dealings traumatized his son, and that he threw his son directly into the path of a man ([[spoiler:the Regent]]) who he knew was ruthless and unethical. |
| 203 | * NobodyThinksItWillWork: Damen and Laurent have a ''complicated'' history. They're the [[StarCrossedLovers princes of enemy nations]], Damen killed Laurent's older brother when their countries were at war, Laurent kept Damen as a SexSlave...no surprise that everyone else is extremely skeptical of how being lovers could possibly work for them. Except that [[spoiler:[[RelationshipUpgrade it does]]]], and by the end of the trilogy they're essentially [[spoiler:[[WartimeWedding married]]]]. |
| 204 | * NoHeterosexualSexAllowed: In Vere, having an illegitimate child is highly stigmatized. As such, premarital homosexual relations are the norm, whereas heterosexual sex outside of marriage can be a career-ending misstep. |
| 205 | * OfficialCouple: Damen and Laurent [[spoiler:[[TheirFirstTime sleep together]] in ''Prince's Gambit'']] and finally become a stable couple in [[spoiler:''Kings Rising'']]. |
| 206 | * OlderThanTheyLook: Ancel is implied to look ''slightly'' younger than his actual age. (He's twenty. He tries to say he's sixteen in "Pet," but can't get away with it; still, Damen assumes he's eighteen in the main trilogy.) |
| 207 | * {{Omniglot}}: Downplayed. It's mentioned that Akielon slaves are schooled in various languages, although Veretian isn't one of them. |
| 208 | * OneSteveLimit: PlayedForLaughs in the third book, when Laurent is masquerading as the [[spoiler:cloth merchant Charls, and ends up running into the real Charls]]. Luckily, [[spoiler:the real Charls plays along and claims they're cousins named after their grandfather]]. |
| 209 | * TheOnlyOneITrust: You can't blame Laurent for having trust issues, considering he's surrounded by a DecadentCourt and [[spoiler:the only living member of his family keeps trying to either destroy or end his life]]. He is shocked, confused, and infuriated when Damen, the man who killed his brother, turns out to be one of the only truly trustworthy people in his life. (He's also in love with Damen because of this, but [[CannotSpitItOut it takes him quite a while to come to terms with it]].) |
| 210 | * OnlySaneMan: Downplayed, since calling every other character ''insane'' is a stretch, but Jord and Nikandros fulfill this role in their respective factions. |
| 211 | ** Jord is a standard commander whose military strategies are straightforward and avoid bloodshed as much as possible. He serves Laurent, a rather unethical and occasionally even [[SoftSpokenSadist sadistic]] prince who handles conflict through [[ManipulativeBastard mind]] [[TheChessmaster games]]. |
| 212 | ** Nikandros is Damen's rational, responsible childhood friend. He is reasonably concerned that Damen has fallen in love ''twice'' with people who are very capable of manipulating him. Especially since Damen is the [[spoiler:king of their country]]. And his current lover is the ''prince of their enemy nation.'' |
| 213 | * OppositesAttract: Damen and Laurent are complete opposites in terms of physical appearance, but they are also very different in terms of personality. Damen is open, honest, and overall a rather pleasant person. Laurent is closed-off, manipulative, and highly unapproachable. The trilogy follows them as they progress from hostility to love and trust. |
| 214 | * OutOfFocus: Jord is one of the few soldiers Damen is already familiar with by the end of the first book, and he serves as TheCaptain of Laurent's men for most of the second book. As such, he has a relatively important role for much of the trilogy. However, because Damen eventually comes to lead his own men, the third and final book barely even mentions Jord. One could argue that Nikandros, the most relevant member of Damen's faction, takes over his role in the story. |
| 215 | * ParentalFavoritism: |
| 216 | ** Downplayed in the case of Auguste and Laurent. King Aleron had no bad blood with Laurent, but of his two sons, he understood Auguste better and was more affectionate towards him. His reaction to Auguste's death also subtly implies the favoritism--see ATragedyOfImpulsiveness below. |
| 217 | ** Kastor claims that Theomedes preferred Damen over him, and while Damen states multiple times that Theomedes loved Kastor, he also doesn't deny this claim. |
| 218 | * ParentsAsPeople: King Theomedes of Akielos and King Aleron of Vere are portrayed as decent but flawed people, both accused of ParentalFavoritism (with Kastor and Laurent being [[TheUnfavorite The Unfavorites]]). |
| 219 | ** Theomedes was a stubborn, prideful man whose love for his country also translated into prejudice against Vere and an aggressive determination to expand his country's borders. He also didn't seem to recognize the [[GreenEyedMonster problem]] he would cause when he took the right to the throne away from [[RoyalBastard Kastor]] upon the birth of Damen, his legitimate son. |
| 220 | ** Not much is known about Aleron, but it's said he understood talent on the battlefield more than he understood intellectual pursuits. Because of this, he ended up [[DotingParent doting]] on his WarriorPrince older son while acting slightly [[ParentalNeglect neglectful]] towards his {{Bookworm}} younger son. |
| 221 | * ParentalNeglect: |
| 222 | ** Paschal says that Aleron did not pay a lot of attention to Laurent, especially [[ParentalFavoritism in comparison to]] his highly affectionate behavior towards Auguste. |
| 223 | ** It's implied that Aimeric's parents, especially his father, pay little attention to him because he's [[TheBabyOfTheBunch the youngest of their four sons]]. |
| 224 | * PlotHole: In the first book, Damen claims that Auguste rallied the Veretian soldiers after the death of his father. However, in the final book, Paschal says Auguste died ''before'' his father. |
| 225 | * PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Guion openly dehumanizes Akielons and calls their country "barbaric." |
| 226 | * {{Polyamory}}: The standard in Akielos, at least for those of notable social status. This is due to the existence of [[SexSlave Sex Slaves]], [[RoyalHarem Royal Harems]], and just a general expectation that the royal family in particular will have expansive sexual appetites. |
| 227 | * PornWithPlot: The trilogy is ''mostly'' plot, but all the books are quite graphic, and sex scenes are always described in great detail. The first [[ForcedOrgasm (consensual)]] sex scene is more than twenty pages. |
| 228 | * PowerfulPeopleAreSubs: Suggested with regards to Lady Vannes when Damen meets her pet, Talik. |
| 229 | -->''Damen recalled someone saying that Vannes liked pets who could sweep the ring competitions. Talik was almost as tall as Damen, her bare arms well muscled. [...] Damen had assumed that pets, like slaves, were sexually submissive to their masters, [[CasualKink as was the custom in Akielos]]. But he could only guess at the arrangements between Vannes and this woman in bed.'' |
| 230 | * PowerIsSexy: Akielon [[SexSlave bed slaves]] are trained to be submissive and crave a dominant, powerful presence in their life. In "The Training of Erasmus," the titular character is a bed slave who's highly submissive by nature and has extremely strong desires for more powerful men. |
| 231 | * PracticallyDifferentGenerations: Auguste was between eleven and twelve years older than his brother Laurent. (The exact age difference is unclear because we don't know the timing of Auguste's birthday.) |
| 232 | * PrettyBoy: Quite a few. |
| 233 | ** Everyone and their cousins appreciate Laurent's pretty boy looks, with varying degrees of vulgarity. Damen refuses to let the readers forget how blonde Laurent is, and how nice his facial and body structure is, and how fine his skin is, and so on, long before he even ''starts'' to warm up to Laurent. It is, however, not until he somewhat likes Laurent that he really acknowledges his beauty. Before that, he just describes it in a vaguely detached sort of way. |
| 234 | ** The pet [[LongHairedPrettyBoy Ancel]], the SexSlave Erasmus, and the aristocrat Aimeric are all described as pretty. |
| 235 | * PrincelingRivalry: [[BastardBastard Kastor]] is ''not'' happy that he was supposed to inherit the throne, only to lose his position as the heir when his father was finally able to have a legitimate child. As a result, he becomes an EvilPrince plotting to overthrow and/or kill his half-brother Damen. Damen himself is [[UnknownRival unaware of]] (or rather, refuses to believe in) the existence of the rivalry, [[GoodCannotComprehendEvil because he loves Kastor]]. |
| 236 | * ProudWarriorRaceGuy: |
| 237 | ** The whole culture of Akielos can be summed up into this, heavily emphasizing honorable combat. This leaves the Veretians completely confused when an Akielon leader warns an enemy army of an impending attack for reasons of honour. |
| 238 | ** A more specific example is the Akielon general Makedon. He is stubborn, strong-willed, and somewhat war-hungry. He also looks down on Veretians (especially Laurent) for being [[BrainsEvilBrawnGood cunning]], perceiving this trait as proof that Veretians are too cowardly to fight directly or fairly. |
| 239 | * RelationshipUpgrade: The second book contains [[spoiler:Damen and Laurent's FirstKiss, as well as TheirFirstTime]]. Their relationship remains in a bit of a complicated place until partway through the third book, though. |
| 240 | * TheReveal: Plenty in the third book, including many that might be somewhat obvious to the audience but not to the narrator. This correlates with Damen's inability to easily detect deception and double-meanings. |
| 241 | ** Laurent knew that [[spoiler:Damen was Damianos as soon as he was brought to him as a slave.]] |
| 242 | ** The Regent invokes this trope by casually mentioning [[spoiler:his rape of Laurent, goading Damen into attacking him]]. |
| 243 | ** The true extent of the [[spoiler:Regent's plots]] are all revealed in [[spoiler:Laurent's completely unfair trial]]. One of the biggest revelations: King Aleron was [[spoiler:thought to have been]] killed by a stray Akielon arrow during the same battle that killed Auguste, but [[spoiler:in reality, the Regent coordinated the attack with someone from their own faction]]. |
| 244 | * RiggedSpectacleFight: After Damen is first enslaved, Laurent has him dosed with recreational drugs and forced into a wrestling match with a soldier, hoping for him to suffer a [[RapeAsDrama traumatic defeat]]. Damen wins. The cruel act is much later revealed to [[spoiler:have happened because Laurent recognized Damen as the man who killed his brother in battle]]. |
| 245 | * RomanticFakeRealTurn: In the short story "Pet," Ancel is a [[HighClassCallGirl High-Class Call Boy]], and Berenger is a lord who needs a pet to bring to court, for the sake of his image. Since it's a part of his job, Ancel spends a lot of time trying to entice Berenger despite his own disinterest, but Berenger doesn't even try to hide his apathy. Things get more complicated when Ancel starts becoming genuinely attracted to Berenger. He remains in denial about it until the end of the story, when [[spoiler:Berenger reveals his feelings are returned]], and [[spoiler:they decide to stay together]]. |
| 246 | * RomanticRibbing: Damen and Laurent slowly progress from genuine hostility to BelligerentSexualTension and then to playful, affectionate banter. |
| 247 | * RomanticRideSharing: The second book includes a scene where Damen and Laurent have to share a horse, with Laurent holding Damen's midsection from behind. Damen [[JustifiedTrope justifies]] this part by explaining that [[ShipTease the closer the two riders sit to one another]], the easier it is for the horse to carry their weight. |
| 248 | * RomanticSpoonfeeding: Happens twice, though both times there's no spoon involved: |
| 249 | ** When Laurent is [[spoiler:disguised as a [[HighClassCallGirl pet]]]], Damen [[spoiler:hand-feeds him bread]]. While Laurent initially avoids the [[spoiler:sensuality pets are known for]], he eventually allows [[spoiler:[[TheTease his lips to brush against Damen's fingers]]]]. Much to Damen's own frustration, [[EroticEating he gets aroused by this]], even knowing that Laurent is acting. |
| 250 | ** After taking over [[spoiler:Ravenel]], Damen allows Laurent to hand-feed him. Laurent enjoys the rare display of obedience, and they both enjoy the small but unusual moment of intimacy. Worth noting that this happens shortly before their [[spoiler:FirstKiss]]. |
| 251 | * RoyalHarem: A bit ambiguous, but this appears to exist in some form in both Akielos and Vere. In Akielos, the royal family has specially-trained [[SexSlave pleasure slaves]] living in their household. In Vere, there are special residences in the palace designed for the royal family's [[HighClassCallGirl pets]]. |
| 252 | * RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Naturally, with Damen and Laurent as protagonists, but other characters as well, as the books' plot ties very intricately with royalty and the nobility. |
| 253 | * RulingFamilyMassacre: It is ''strongly'' implied in the third book that [[spoiler:the Regent has been plotting to wipe out his brother's family for ''years'' with the intention of claiming the throne, having assassinated Aleron during the war with Akielos to help push himself further up the line of succession, and having spent the entire trilogy trying to murder Laurent. The only death he wasn't party to was Auguste's, but it's implied that he had some kind of plan for his other nephew as well had he survived his duel with Damen]]. |
| 254 | * SexSlave: This is an established institution in Akielos. If you're an individual of any notable rank, you likely have pleasure slaves in your household. Akielon slaves are trained to be extremely submissive and behave with perfect etiquette; in return, it's expected that their masters treat them well. This is mostly shown through Erasmus in the trilogy. |
| 255 | * ShipperOnDeck: A few of Laurent's men (such as Lazar) seem to support Damen/Laurent, until they [[spoiler:find out Damen is Prince Damianos of Akielos]]. In the short story "The Adventures of Charls, the Veretian Cloth Merchant," Guilliame and Alexon entertain themselves by speculating and gossiping about [[spoiler:Prince Laurent's relationship with King Damianos]], which is now public knowledge. |
| 256 | * ShippingTorpedo: |
| 257 | ** In the second book, Jord is highly opposed to Damen's relationship with Laurent. He finds out Damen's true identity before anyone else ([[spoiler:or at least it seems that way]]), and he assumes that Damen is playing a cruel game with Laurent, cultivating his affections only to eventually break him by revealing [[YouKilledMyFather who he is]]. Even after Jord realizes that [[GoodCannotComprehendEvil this is not something Damen would do]], he still asserts that Damen is being selfish, because TheReveal will hurt Laurent anyway. |
| 258 | ** In the third book, Nikandros actively discourages Damen from pursuing Laurent. He's opposed to their relationship because he assumes that Laurent will manipulate Damen for his own means. "The Summer Palace" does imply that over time, his hostility towards Laurent lessens and he accepts their relationship. |
| 259 | * SiblingYinYang: [[TheAce Auguste]] was the pride and joy of Vere--an extremely talented and honorable WarriorPrince who inspired loyalty through his charisma. Others' descriptions frequently associate him with [[LightIsGood gold, or just "brightness" in general]]. His younger brother [[BrokenAce Laurent]] is a [[FriendlessBackground reclusive]], [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative]] BadassBookworm who inspires loyalty primarily through fear. In contrast to Auguste, Laurent is typically associated with [[DarkIsNotEvil dark blue and other dark colors]]. |
| 260 | * SignificantGreenEyedRedhead: Downplayed, as green-eyed redhead Ancel isn't actually that significant, but he ''is'' the only pet other than Nicaise to get a somewhat relevant role in the first book. |
| 261 | * SlippingAMickey: At the end of the first book, Laurent accidentally drinks from a glass of water that has been drugged. Due to the specific effects of the drug (see the second entry under FantasticDrug above), Damen determines that Laurent's attackers intended to [[spoiler:[[AttemptedRape rape]] and then kill him]]. |
| 262 | * SnarkToSnarkCombat: |
| 263 | ** Damen isn't particularly snarky with most people, but [[DeadpanSnarker Laurent]] brings it out in him. It's a part of their BelligerentSexualTension, [[RelationshipUpgrade although it becomes a lot less belligerent]] [[RomanticRibbing and a lot more affectionate]] as time goes on. |
| 264 | ** Laurent and Nicaise have similarly harsh, manipulative personalities. Though their relationship initially appears bitter and occasionally even cruel, [[WithFriendsLikeThese they secretly enjoy their interactions and care about each other]]. Laurent even has the BigBrotherInstinct towards Nicaise. |
| 265 | * SocialClimber: Laurent notes that most pets come from poor backgrounds that severely limit their options, so although they are ultimately still prostitutes, the [[HighClassCallGirl high-class]] pets of Vere's court ''did'' technically rise in rank. Their livelihood is lavishly supported by their masters' wealth. The short story "Pet" provides Ancel as a more specific example of this: he started out a poor young prostitute in a brothel, but gradually worked his way up until he was making contracts with aristocrats as an escort. |
| 266 | * SpoiledBrat: The [[HighClassCallGirl pets in Vere]] are cherished for acting teasingly bratty at court and with their masters. This is noted to be a stark contrast with [[SexSlave Akielon slaves]], who are expected to behave with perfectly polite and submissive conduct. |
| 267 | * StarCrossedLovers: Damen and Laurent are the crown princes of two kingdoms that loathe each other. Damen killed Laurent’s beloved brother, while Laurent knew of and took glee in the arranged murder of Damen's [[spoiler:father]], as well as his household. In ''Kings Rising'', the Akielons find the very notion of the two being lovers outrageous. [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]] at the climax when Damen [[spoiler:publicly defends their relationship]]. |
| 268 | * SuccessionCrisis: |
| 269 | ** Akielos' succession was in turmoil for some time, as Queen Egeria seemed unable to bring a child to term, resulting in Kastor, her husband Theomedes' bastard son, being made his heir for the first nine years of his life. When Egeria finally did give birth to a child [[DeathByChildbirth at the cost of her life]], the protagonist Damen, this caused an entirely different crisis in that it knocked Kastor down a place in the line of succession and made him resentful of his younger half-brother. This resentment ultimately serves as the main impetus of the plot, as it causes Kastor to stage a coup to usurp the throne when Damen and he are adults. |
| 270 | ** At the start of the story, Vere's succession is at a razor's edge thanks to the war with Akielos six years prior having nearly wiped out the royal family. The only two remaining members are Laurent, who is seemingly uninterested in sex, let alone marriage, and his heir presumptive and uncle, the Regent, who has no wife or children [[spoiler:and is only interested in sleeping with pre-pubescent boys]]. As Laurent is [[spoiler:only attracted to men]], he has no intentions of resolving the crisis by having a biological child, openly telling Damen at one point that he will be the last of his line. |
| 271 | * SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Damen spends a long time denying that he has feelings for Laurent and making up other explanations for his actions. For example: ''[[EvenTheGuysWantHim everyone]]'' [[LustObject wants to sleep with]] [[PrettyBoy Laurent]], so Damen's lust for Laurent is nothing more than a standard reaction of the body. And Damen ''may'' automatically spring into action whenever Laurent is in danger, but so what? What decent person would just sit and watch him get hurt? Funnily enough, Damen completely abandons his denial the moment [[LoveInterest Laurent]] openly returns his affections. |
| 272 | * SympatheticSlaveOwner: |
| 273 | ** Slavery is a respected institution in Akielos, with slaves elevating obedience to a high art and owners expected to provide perfect treatment and care. As prince, Damen exemplified that ideal and was highly thought of for his use of {{Sex Slave}}s--even by the slaves. After being MadeASlave and regaining his freedom, he comes to question the institution and takes steps towards ending it. |
| 274 | ** Erasmus the pleasure slave and Prince Torveld of Patras represent the "ideal" master-slave relationship. They fall head over heels for each other at first meeting, both are happy for Torveld to become Erasmus' owner, and they end up as the BetaCouple of the first book. |
| 275 | * TeethClenchedTeamwork: Laurent and Damen starting from [[EnemyMine the end of the first book]], when they realize they need each other to prevent [[spoiler:the Regent]] from taking over Vere [[spoiler:and Akielos]]. Their teamwork does get less teeth-clenched as they start to fall in love, but things remain pretty dicey until the second half of the third book. |
| 276 | * TheirFirstTime: In ''Prince's Gambit'', Damen and Laurent have their [[spoiler:FirstKiss]], then [[spoiler:sleep together for the first time]] later that same night. |
| 277 | * ThereIsOnlyOneBed: The second time they stay with the Vaskians, Damen and Laurent are only given one bed. This is presumably because Damen is known to be Laurent's SexSlave, and in contrast to their first stay, Damen declines to serve at the [[SexyManInstantHarem coupling]] [[AccidentalPornomancer fire]]. |
| 278 | * TragicKeepsake: After Damen is declared dead, Nikandros steals one of the royal lion pins, keeping it as a reminder of his late friend. Subverted when Damen [[spoiler:[[RightfulKingReturns returns to Akielos]]]] and Nikandros realizes he never died to begin with. |
| 279 | * TrainingFromHell: In the second book, Laurent puts his men through a merciless training regimen that completely exhausts all of them. Damen remarks that by the end of each day, they're too tired to even complain. |
| 280 | * TruceTrickery: The armies of Vere are notorious for staging surprise attacks during parley. It's {{deconstructed|Trope}}: while Veretians treat it as simple {{Combat Pragmatis|t}}m, the Akielons despise underhanded tactics and now assume that any Veretian truce is being offered in bad faith. |
| 281 | * UndercoverAsLovers: In ''Prince's Gambit'', Damen and Laurent go to Nesson disguised as a nobleman and his pet. Of course, this is before their ''actual'' RelationshipUpgrade occurs later in the book. |
| 282 | * UnequalPairing: Several couples count. |
| 283 | ** Initially, Laurent and Damen (a prince and his SexSlave). They become an equal pairing once Laurent [[spoiler:frees Damen]] and Damen [[spoiler:regains his position as the prince of Akielos]]. By the end of the story, they're both [[spoiler:kings]] intent on [[spoiler:ruling their countries together]]. |
| 284 | ** Prince Torveld of Patras and his SexSlave Erasmus are the BetaCouple of the first book. (By default, any of the [[SexSlave Sex Slaves]] and their masters would be an UnequalPairing.) |
| 285 | ** The aristocrat Berenger and his [[HighClassCallGirl escort]] Ancel are a [[spoiler:real couple]] by the end of the short story "Pet," even though this means Berenger is still paying for Ancel's livelihood/services. Berenger does [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] it a bit by saying that he can't expect Ancel to stay with him if he loses his fortune. Ancel insists he'll stay with him as long as he can, and realizes that this is the first relationship he's ever been in that was [[spoiler:genuine, and not solely for money]]. |
| 286 | * TheUnfettered: Everything Guion does is for the sake of political power, and he doesn't really care who he has to betray in order to get it. While he does show brief anger over his son's [[spoiler:suicide]], it's disturbingly understated, and [[NeverMyFault he was ultimately the one who destroyed his son's life anyway]]. |
| 287 | * UnknownRival: Kastor hates his half-brother Damen for (in his eyes) [[PrincelingRivalry stealing the throne]]. While this has always been apparent to other people like Nikandros and Jokaste, Damen himself [[GoodCannotComprehendEvil refuses to believe Nikandros's warnings out of loyalty to his brother]], and he remains unaware of Kastor's feelings [[MadeASlave until it's too late]]. |
| 288 | * UptownGuy: Berenger (an aristocrat) and Ancel (his [[HighClassCallGirl escort]]) start out faking their interest in each other, but by the end of the story, [[RomanticFakeRealTurn it's real]]. |
| 289 | * WartimeWedding: After the conclusion of the war, Damen and Laurent decide to [[spoiler:live together in a castle on the border of Vere and Akielos]], with their countries now [[spoiler:placed in an alliance]]. It's implied that this is either [[CommonLawMarriage equivalent to marriage]] or leading up to a literal marriage, especially in the epilogue story "The Summer Palace." |
| 290 | * WolfWhistle: Lazar does this when he sees the handsome young soldier Pallas walk by. |
| 291 | * WomenPreferStrongMen: |
| 292 | ** Vaskian women associate male attractiveness with strength and large stature. Thus, they are some of the few in the series who find Damen significantly more attractive than [[PrettyBoy Laurent]]. |
| 293 | ** Vannes is one of the few female characters in the trilogy who isn't from Vask. She is attracted to strong men and women. |
| 294 | * WorthyOpponent: Damen thought this about Auguste, noting his honor and extraordinary combat abilities. Damen also thinks this about [[spoiler:Laurent]] after discovering the [[HiddenBadass unexpected extent of his battle prowess]], although the two of them never truly end up as enemies. |
| 295 | * UselessBystanderParent: Aimeric's mother Loyse isn't given much characterization--her main trait is that she is at least more ethical than [[AmbitionIsEvil her]] [[AbusiveParents husband]], because unlike Guion, she cared enough about [[spoiler:Aimeric's suicide]] to turn against [[spoiler:the Regent]]. However, the fact still stands that she knew about Guion essentially [[spoiler:prostituting young Aimeric in exchange for a higher court position]], and there's no indication that she did anything to interfere. |
| 296 | * YouAreAlreadyCheckedIn: While [[KingIncognito incognito]] in an enemy country, Prince Laurent goes to an inn as "Charls, the Veretian Cloth Merchant." The innkeeper disagrees and tells him that Charls is already there. PlayedForLaughs when the real Charls comes out to [[ConfrontingYourImpostor confront him]], recognizes his Prince, and starts supporting Laurent's lie. |
| 297 | * YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: It's all but stated that [[spoiler:the Regent]] had Paschal's brother killed after he [[spoiler:[[AssassinsAreAlwaysBetrayed assassinated King Aleron at the Regent's own request]]]]. |
| 298 | * YouKilledMyFather: Damen killed Laurent's beloved older brother Auguste before the first book, for which Laurent utterly despises him at first. At the end of the third book, [[spoiler:Laurent kills Damen's brother Kastor to save Damen's life, which Damen grieves but accepts as necessary]]. |
| 299 | * YourNormalIsOurTaboo: Akielos has no nudity taboo, while semi-public sex is normal in Vere. Damen is terribly embarrassed when Laurent answers the door right after they've had sex, while Laurent is equally embarrassed to walk naked from the bath to the bedroom in front of unperturbed Akielon servants. |
| 300 | * YouSaidYouWouldLetThemGo: Laurent gives himself up to [[spoiler:his uncle]] in the third book [[ActOfTrueLove so that Damen's life will be spared]]. When Damen arrives at Laurent's [[spoiler:trial]], Laurent's response is to furiously accuse [[spoiler:the Regent]] of breaking his promise to let Damen go. Laurent does not know at this point that Damen came to the [[spoiler:trial]] of his own volition, as his own highly risky ActOfTrueLove. |
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