Thursday, April 26, 2018

Daemons Discuss - Podcast: Take 37! | Chapter Discussion about the All Souls Trilogy; Chapters 13 & 14 of Shadow of Night

NOPE! It's going in the freezer!!!

Take 37 - The One With the Freezer

Description: Endings, beginnings -- change. Boy, do we get a dose of all three throughout these two chapters! We watch Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont take their first steps as an "official" husband and wife team. We spend some quality moments with Philippe de Clermont before we bid him farewell. Then we are launched to present-day Sept-Tours in the company of Sarah Bishop, Emily Mather and Ysabeau de Clermont by an anomaly -- Philippe's note to Ysabeau. It did the reader good, because it provided us some comfort by informing Ysabeau that he had just seen Matthew and Diana safely off. Further on, the same note helps Ysabeau begin to end her period of grieving. Ysabeau rounds up today's journey by serenading us as we proceed on to London, The Blackfriars in future chapters, yet we remain forever changed by this particular trip to Sept-Tours.

SPOILER ALERT! We (The Daemons) approach this podcast with an assumption that the listener has read The All Souls Trilogy, including A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, and The Book of Life. If you haven't, and you don't mind, we certainly don't mind!  😊  Let's do this. *Note - this podcast is labeled 'explicit'

Find Daemons Discuss:  Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | iHeartRadio | Spotify | RSS | + More!

Listen:

Download .Mp3 of this episode

1. Show notes:

For newcomers to the series:- We'll start with the basics: The books in discussion are A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night and The Book of Life.  Together they make The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness.
- Our Daemon Guides to the All Souls Trilogy are available for download: ADOW, SON, TBOL

Deb's newsletter - The Blast; subscribe on her website
- If you'd like a ready-reference from the author herself, be sure to download the All Souls Real-Time Reading companion (free e-book at online booksellers via Penguin and Headline books).
- Deborah Harkness usually conducts a real-time reading on her Facebook Page (starting in September), and shares her posts across social media. Check out her website for all of her social media links, and of course all that she has to offer her readers! Be sure to sign up for her newsletter while you are there!
- To see what's available on the web as far as the All Souls universe fandom, check our links page.

In this episode:
* (00:30) - The sad chapter... we came up with this title because of one of our all time favorite shows -- Friends, and the episode (The One Where Richard and Monica are Friends), where Joey has to put the book Little Women in the freezer, because he didn't want it to end badly. We kind of want to do that with these chapters. 😢

* (02:20) - This podcast is brought to you by our Patrons! To become a patron all you need to do is visit us at Patreon.com/DaemonsDiscuss and become a member. See what level tier you'd like to join us! All tier levels will receive access to our exclusive Daemons Discuss! The Aftershow podcast.

* (02:50) - Thank you, Discussers: NE Angela, Stephen & Patricia! Full emails can be read here.

* (10:20) - This chapter discussion was brought to you by Elena Tronco - thank you, Elena!

Time to practice! Photo by Darren Glanville from Acle, Norfolk, UK
a. Chapter13
* (10:15) - "Target Practice"
  • The room above the smithy, and milord's butt! I was lying, facedown and legs sprawled, in a room used to store spare weaponry above the smithy. Matthew was on top of me, shielding me from the draft coming through the gaps in the wooden door. Though I was unsure of how much of my own body would be exposed if someone walked in, Matthew’s posterior and bare legs were certainly on view. He moved against me suggestively. 
  • Repeated "target practice." “You can’t possibly want to do that again.” I laughed happily when he repeated the movement. I wondered if this sexual stamina was a vampire thing or a Matthew thing 
  • Actual target practice: “You make that look easy.” It had looked easy when he’d twisted the cork from a bottle of champagne back in modern Oxford, too. “It is—if you’re a vampire and have had roughly a thousand years of practice.” Matthew handed me the bow with a smile. “Remember, keep your shoulders in a straight line, don’t think too long about the shot, and make the release soft and smooth.”
  • Ysabeau hitting Philippe! Our takes on this event: Jean wasn't sure at first what may have prompted Ysabeau to hit Philippe with an arrow, Angela thought maybe it was a game they were playing (Jean agrees), and Valerie thought it may have been a passive-aggressive (actually, just plain aggressive) warning action towards Philippe (Ysabeau: Whoops! Did I do that?!).
  • The ditch! We reminisce about our childhoods, and playing with toys that could impale you (lawn darts😱!). We also remember using ATV's and snowmobiles after dark, and tempting fate by walking to the middle of a thawing pond, and risking it swallowing you up in its frozen depths (good times!).
  • Diana continually misses her target. I drew an arrow out of the quiver, nocked it, looked down the line of sight provided by my left arm, and pulled the bowstring back. I hesitated. The bow was already misaligned. “Shoot,” Matthew said sharply. When I released the string, the arrow whizzed by the hay and fell flat on the ground 
  • Matthew is trying to train her in a way that will awaken her magic. “The archery was supposed to help jostle your witchfire into action,” Matthew pointed out. “Talking about Juliette may help.” “Why can’t this just be about me getting some exercise?” I asked impatiently. 
  • Jean talks about Diana tapping into different elements like her parents. My lips parted in astonishment, my mind’s eye opened, and I saw the tip of the arrow burning gold with the heat and pressure that had been beaten into it at the forge. The fire that was trapped there wanted to fly free again, but it would stay where it was unless I let go of my fear. I puffed out a soft exhalation, making room for faith. My breath passed along the arrow’s shaft, and I released the bowstring. Held aloft on my breath, the arrow flew. 
  • Diana's pal, "The breeze." A breeze, a caress of movement, pulled a few strands of hair away from my ear in response. What do you want? I asked the breeze crossly. Your trust, it whispered in reply. 
  • Diana trusts her powers when her eyes are closed, and nails the shot every time. “Sometimes it seems like the world is full of some invisible potential that is just beyond my grasp. Maybe if I were like Thetis and could shift my shape at will, I would know what to do with it all.” I reached for the bow and another arrow. So long as I kept my eyes closed, I hit the target. As soon as I peeked at my surroundings, however, my shots went wide or fell short

The model for Philippe's clock: Oronce Finé's (1494-1555) lost clepsydra or water clock
shared by Deb on her FB page

* (17:34) - Back to the château; on to the Saturnalia celebrations!
  • Shadow puppets for the kids, the kissing booth, Alain and Philippe dancing, and the clock! 
  • The clock blows up! At midnight precisely, the ship detonated with a deafening explosion. The clock shuddered to a stop in its splintered wooden case. “Skata.” Philippe looked sadly at his ruined clock. 
  • The misrule continues! Women on Top! Jean questions citing an article read in graduate school as suitable foreplay. Matthew seems to like it, so hey! More "D"... we won't complain!
  • Yule is coming! Chef butchered a hog! Friday marked the shortest day of the year and the celebration of Yule. The village was still recovering from Saturnalia and had Christmas yet before them, but Philippe was undeterred. “Chef butchered a hog,” he said. “How could I disappoint him?” 
  • Diana is in the library, Matthew is in the village helping with a roof when Philippe enters. “Diana.” Philippe was moving at great speed and was halfway into the room before he noticed me. “I thought you were with Matthew.” “I couldn’t bear to see him up there,” I confessed. He nodded in understanding. 
  • The sun represents a vampire! “[...]But why would anyone use a sun or gold to denote a vampire?” It went against every bit of popular lore. “Because we are unchanging. Our lives do not wax or wane, and, like gold, our bodies resist corruption from death or disease.” 
  • Hugh and Matthew's relationship - Angela makes a comparison between Matthew and Hugh in their overall dreaminess and love of poetry. Philippe reveals to Diana that Hugh and Matthew were very close.
  • The note hiding game! “It is a game that Ysabeau and I play. When one of us is away, we leave messages hidden in the pages of books. So much happens in a day, it is impossible to remember everything when we see each other again. This way we can come upon little memories like this one when we least expect it, and share them.” 
  • Jean says that they also hide notes in the show The Royals.
  • Messengers have arrived! Champier's pals are worried about him. “Champier took precautions before he left and told others that he had been called here. Now that he has not returned home, his friends are asking questions. A group of witches is preparing to leave the city in search of him, and they are headed in this direction,” Alain explained. 
  • Diana worries that she's not ready to go back yet, but Philippe lets Diana know that she blends better than she thinks. “You blend in better than you think. You’ve been conversing with me in perfectly good French and Latin all morning, for instance.” My mouth opened in disbelief. Philippe laughed. “It is true. I switched back and forth twice, but you didn’t notice.” His face grew serious. “Shall I go down and tell Matthew about my arrangements?” “No,” I said, my hand on his arm. “I’ll do it.” 
  • Matthew has already heard the news. They have to go back. Matthew was sitting on the ridgepole, a letter in each hand and a frown on his face. When he spotted me, he slid down the slope of an eave and landed on the ground with the grace of a cat. His happiness and lighthearted banter of this morning were nothing more than a memory. Matthew removed his doublet from a rusted torch bracket. Once he’d shrugged it over his shoulders, the carpenter was gone and the prince had returned. 
  • What did Matthew do before? “[...]What did you do when you were here . . . before?” “I let Agnes Sampson’s death pass unchallenged, a proper civil punishment for a crime that was outside the bounds of Congregation protection.” His eyes met mine. Witch and historian struggled with the impossible choice before me. “Then you have to keep silent again,” I said, the historian winning the contest. 
  • The bitter with the sweet. “I’m sorry we have to leave so soon,” I whispered. Matthew hooked me into his side. “If not for you, my last memories of my father would be of a broken shell of a man. We must take the bitter with the sweet.”

Dover entry harbor in England ... back in the day! Even in modern times this is the port of exit/entry to France/England
* (28:34) - It's time to go.
  • They pack and plan for the journey. Over the next several days, Matthew and his father went through a ritual of farewell that must have been familiar, given all the good-byes the two had exchanged. But this time was unique. It would be a different Matthew who would next come to Sept-Tours, one with no knowledge of me or of Philippe’s future.
  • Philippe's thank you to Diana. Philippe pushed his stool back and studied me. “It is I who should be thanking you, Diana. The family has been trying to mend Matthew’s spirit for more than a thousand years. If I’m remembering correctly, it took you less than forty days.” 
  • The Aurora Consurgens. “I do not recognize the verse,” Philippe said with a frown. “It’s from that alchemical book I showed you earlier—the Aurora Consurgens. The passage reminded me of Matthew, but I still don’t understand why. I will, though.” 
  • The ring again. “You are very like that ring, you know,” Philippe said, tapping his finger on the table. “It was another of Ysabeau’s clever messages.” 
  • Philippe won't be alone in this world. “You will not be alone either, Philippe de Clermont,” I whispered fiercely. “I’ll find a way to be with you in the darkness, I promise. And when you think the whole world has abandoned you, I’ll be there, holding your hand.” 
  • Goodbyes. “Khaire, Father,” Matthew said, eyes gleaming. “Khairete, Matthaios kai Diana.” Philippe replied. 
  • Glimpses of Philippe stalking them on their way back to England. I turned once, when a flash of movement caught my eye. It was Philippe, riding along a neighboring ridge, determined not to let go of his son until it was necessary. 
  • Angela reviews Matthew's planning with Philippe. “The last thing I will do before we return to our own time is to send you a message. Be ready to order me to Scotland to secure the family’s alliance with King James. From there I should go to Amsterdam. The Dutch will be opening up trade routes with the East.” “I can manage, Matthew,” Philippe said mildly. “Until then I expect regular updates from England and news of how you and Diana are faring.”
  • Jean mentions that Philippe may have been playing a bit dumb when it came to the alchemical books; he sure came up with an answer to the vampire = sun question rather quickly. Angela suggests that Diana's father behaves the same way with Ashmole 782 (later chapters!)

We're trying to picture Marthe in a frog robe! 😆
b. Chapter 14
* (33:07) - The second anomaly -- Philippe's note to Ysabeau.
  • Ysabeau is tearing up the library. The library was in a state of utter chaos. The rest of the château was neat as a pin, but this room looked as if a tornado had blown through it. Books were strewn everywhere. Someone had pulled them off the shelves and flung them onto every other available surface. 
  • Sarah is very Sarah here. “Marthe is going to have a fit when she sees this. And it’s a good thing Diana isn’t around. She’d give you a lecture on book preservation that would bore you stupid.” 
  • United Airlines! We hate having to scold United all the time, but they keep f*cking up. This came up because Jean mentioned that she was happy Tabitha was taken with them (obviously not on United! We are referring to this incident).
  • Emily is pained because she is a librarian. “It must be here. He would have known that the children were together.” Ysabeau flung the book aside and reached for another. It pained Emily to her librarian’s soul to see books mistreated like this.
  • Trier! YIKES! “I don’t understand. What are you looking for?” She picked up the discarded volume and closed it gently. “Matthew and Diana were going to 1590. I was not at home then, but in Trier. 
  • Ysabeau explains how Philippe and her hid notes. “I am not looking for a letter. We hid little notes to each other in the pages of books. I searched through every volume in the library when he died, wanting to have every last piece of him. But I must have missed something.” 
  • Sarah explains the trickiness of time. “What do you mean, Sarah?” “Time is tricky. Even if everything went according to plan and Diana took Matthew back to the first day of November in 1590, it may still be too soon to look for a message from your husband. And you wouldn’t have found a message before, because Philippe hadn’t met my niece yet.” 
  • Mint? Gallowglass? “Well, no wonder Tabitha wants to chew on it. It smells of mint and leather, just like her favorite toy.” 
  • Philippe's scent (we looked it up!): bay – also known as laurel, rosemary, figs
  • Tabitha for the win! Ysabeau was waiting for her. She picked Tabitha up by the scruff of the neck and pried the paper from the cat’s mouth. Then she kissed the surprised feline on the nose. “Clever cat. You will have fish for supper.” 
  • The folded paper falls out....! It's from Philippe. “It’s from Philippe. He saw them,” Ysabeau breathed, her eyes racing across the text. Her hand went to her mouth, relief vying with disbelief. 
  • It's all Greek to me! “That’s written in some kind of code,” said Sarah. She swung her zebrastriped reading glasses onto her nose from the cord around her neck to get a better look. “Not a code—Greek.” Ysabeau’s hands trembled as she smoothed the paper flat 
  • The timey-wimey stuff works! “They were with him for the holidays. ‘On the morning of the Christians’ holy celebration, I said farewell to your son. He is happy at last, mated to a woman who walks in the footsteps of the goddess and is worthy of his love,’” Ysabeau read aloud- The Goddess and the son they worried over.
  • "Bright One" -- we note Philippe's fixation on "light" and "bright" -- he calls Ysabeau this, as well as Lucas (he named Matthew's first born), and the correlation with the name Blanca.
  • Those as yet unborn! WHAT?! “‘Fate still has the power to surprise us, bright one. I fear there are difficult times ahead for all of us. I will do what I can, in what time remains to me, to ensure your safety and that of our children and grandchildren, those whose blessings we already enjoy and those as yet unborn.’” 
  • Ysabeau tells Sarah and Emily a story: “A long, long time ago, there were rumors about creatures who were different—immortal but powerful, too. Around the time the covenant was first signed, some claimed that a witch gave birth to a baby who wept tears of blood like a vampire. Whenever the child did so, fierce winds blew in from the sea.”
  • The covenant - were weavers the catalyst? We discuss this, and wonder if the reason for the covenant was to stamp out weavers, and while they were at it, they threw in a few more things (we compared it to Congress in the US).
  • Philippe held the child. “It was dismissed as a myth—a story created to engender fear among creatures. Few among us now would remember, and even fewer would believe it possible.” Ysabeau touched the paper in her lap. “But Philippe knew it was true. He held the child, you see, and knew if for what it was.” 
  • It gets a little heated at Sept-Tours . . . “It was not my tale to tell.” “You and your secrets,” Sarah said bitterly. “And what of your secrets, Sarah?” Ysabeau cried. “Do you really believe that the witches—creatures like Satu and Peter Knox—know nothing about this manjasang child and its mother?” 
  • Anomalies explained: “Time has to adjust—and not in the melodramatic way people think, with wars averted and presidential elections changed. It will be little things, like this note, that pop up here and there.” “Anomalies,” Ysabeau murmured. 
  • Ysabeau pledges to tell Marcus to watch for anomalies, and Sarah continues to get her digs in. “I will tell Marcus,” Ysabeau agreed with a nod. “You should have told Matthew about that mixed-species baby.” Sarah was unable to keep the note of recrimination from her voice.
  • Louisa's old room! Sarah and Emily left the library. They were staying in Louisa de Clermont’s old room, down the hall from Ysabeau. Sarah thought there were times of day when it smelled a bit like Diana. 
  • Enough of these dark matters. “But enough of these dark matters. You must keep yourself safe, too, so that you can enjoy the future with them. It has been two days since I reminded you that you hold my heart. I wish that I could do so every moment, so that you do not forget it, or the name of the man who will cherish yours forevermore. Philipos.” 
  • Ysabeau sings. Jean mentions the lamentation in a Greek funeral. 
  • We end this chapter discussion (we should've thrown it in the freezer, according to Jean!) Two women, vampire and witch, listened until the vampire’s final notes faded into silence.
* (53:00)  Housekeeping! Brought to you by Dora Flores-Ryan! Thanks goes to Stephen & Iwona. Thank you goes to Melanie for her awesome review!

* (59:20) Save It For the Show - brought to you by Teresa Morrow! Topic: The cast is the cast is the cast. Backstory: On our Facebook page someone posted "This is not my Matthew" on a post featuring Matthew Goode. We discuss how this doesn't help anything or anyone. We think of ways for disgruntled fans to avoid perceived casting problems, and in the end Facebook posting won't change the outcome. We also discuss when we may find out when the TV show will air in the US (notice we said "when," not "if").

* (1:05:14)  Promo break – scroll down, or click here to get a hold of us and/or become a Discusser -- information on joining our Facebook group also located on that page. Those of you with US numbers can text ADOW to 444999 to become a Discusser.

* (1:06:25) - Last thoughts! Angela fashions a song "Last Thoughts" to the tune of White Lines by Grandmaster Flash. Jean's last thoughts: Summer is coming! That means hot and humid times at All Souls Con 2018! Angela brings up Ben Franklin, and the theory Jean is spinning (fully immersed in the All Souls universe). Valerie brings up the "Aftershow Ask" and describes how The Aftershow is evolving. Interested? Visit Patreon.com/DaemonsDiscuss. All Souls Con 2018 is getting closer! Pick up your tickets to live stream, or actually attend.

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Take 36 - The One With the "D"
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Thursday, April 12, 2018

Daemons Discuss - Podcast: Take 36! | Chapter Discussion about the All Souls Trilogy; Chapter 12 of Shadow of Night

Yes, we did that. We named the episode this. To quote a Daemon while recording "Oh, Lord!"

Take 36 - The One With the "D"

Description: Here it is folks, the moment we've been waiting for! Finally, the chance to actually title an episode this, after some off-handed remarks in another episode! In all seriousness, this is the one with family planning, the one with the temple, the one with the feasts, the one with La Robe, the one with financial independence, the one with wedding, and the one where Matthew and Diana become one. The "D" is for Daemons, you dirty ditch-dwellers! 😜

SPOILER ALERT! We (The Daemons) approach this podcast with an assumption that the listener has read The All Souls Trilogy, including A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, and The Book of Life. If you haven't, and you don't mind, we certainly don't mind!  😊  Let's do this. *Note - this podcast is labeled 'explicit'

Find Daemons Discuss:  Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | iHeartRadio | Spotify | RSS | + More!

Listen:

Download .Mp3 of this episode

1. Show notes:

For newcomers to the series:- We'll start with the basics: The books in discussion are A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night and The Book of Life.  Together they make The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness.
- Our Daemon Guides to the All Souls Trilogy are available for download: ADOW, SON, TBOL

Deb's newsletter - The Blast; subscribe on her website
- If you'd like a ready-reference from the author herself, be sure to download the All Souls Real-Time Reading companion (free e-book at online booksellers via Penguin and Headline books).
- Deborah Harkness usually conducts a real-time reading on her Facebook Page (starting in September), and shares her posts across social media. Check out her website for all of her social media links, and of course all that she has to offer her readers! Be sure to sign up for her newsletter while you are there!
- To see what's available on the web as far as the All Souls universe fandom, check our links page.

In this episode:
* (00:47) - This podcast is brought to you by our Patrons! To become a patron all you need to do is visit us at Patreon.com/DaemonsDiscuss and become a member. See what level tier you'd like to join us! All tier levels will receive access to our exclusive Daemons Discuss! The Aftershow podcast.

* (01:15) - Discusser emails! Thank you Kit, NE Angela, Stephen & Sara!

* (06:04) - This chapter review is brought to you by Shelli Carter; Thank you, Shelli!

Chapter12

This picture is just to set the mood for you . . . you're welcome! 😏
 * (07:04) - At Sept-Tours in front of the fire in the Library
  • Leggings! Matthew hooked a girl up with some comfy clothing to lounge around in. We appreciate it! Matthew’s wedding gift: one of his shirts, which extended to my knees, and a pair of his old hose. Each leg had been ripped along the top inner seam, and then Matthew had stitched the two legs together into something vaguely approximating leggings—minus the waistband and the spandex. 
  • Nothing too pagan . . . and the word "surely" when it comes to Philippe. “Surely the priest won’t allow Philippe to do anything overtly pagan. The actual ceremony will have to be Catholic.”“The family never puts ‘surely’ and ‘Philippe’ in the same sentence. It always ends badly.” Matthew planted a kiss on my hip. 
  • Hillybilly incest sh*t? No! We are rather proud of our maturity here. Jean theorizes that Philippe wants control of the whole party! “[...] Philippe has managed to appoint himself not only the father of the groom, but the father of the bride.” 
  • Diana isn't into the fuss . . . we discuss Sarah and Emily's handfasting. Sarah and Em hadn’t had a formal ceremony. Instead an elder in the Madison coven performed a handfasting. Looking back, it reminded me of the vows Matthew and I had exchanged before we timewalked: simple, intimate, and quickly over. 
  • No such thing as an empty ritual . . . “It’s just an empty ritual.”“There’s no such thing.” Matthew frowned. “If you can’t bear it, you must say so.” Angela brings up the fact that in Catholicism, marriage is a sacrament.
  • Tonight is just a feast, modified to exclude milk, meat, or cheese. There were dozens of dishes: a soup made with chickpeas, grilled eel, a delicious puree of lentils, salt cod in garlic sauce, and an entire fish that swam through a gelatinous sea of aspic, with sprigs of lavender and rosemary impersonating water plants. Philippe explained that the menu had been the subject of heated negotiations between Chef and the village priest. After the exchange of several embassies, the two had finally agreed that tonight’s meal would strictly adhere to the Friday dietary prohibitions against meat, milk, and cheese, while tomorrow’s banquet would be a no-holds-barred extravaganza. 
  • Diana's side of the aisle would be rather sparse, if the ceremony were held in present day. She'd only invite Sarah, Em, Chris and the chair of her dept. at Yale. We still contend that this does not indicate that Chris was her BFF like we see in the next book. 😶 We're sticking to our RETCON theory. Chris in The Book of Life (in our opinion), is a victim an example of it.
  • Matthew is NOT a loner . . . “[...]I’m known for being a loner. I used to think you were a loner, too.”“Me?” Matthew laughed. “Except on television or in the movies, vampires are seldom alone. We prefer the company of others. Even witches will do, in a pinch.” He kissed me to prove it.
  • The family planning talk! We circle the wagons here waiting to see what Matthew actually wants and how he feels about actually having kids. “No matter what Marcus and Miriam said back in New York, there is no evidence whatsoever that you and I can have children. Even herbal contraceptives like these can have unsafe side effects,” Matthew said, coolly clinical.“Let’s say, for argument’s sake, one of your scientific tests revealed we could have children. Would you want me to take the tea then?”
  • The medieval contraception options: “Abstinence. Withdrawal. And there are condoms, though they’re not reliable either. Especially not the kind available to us in this day and age.” Matthew was right. Sixteenth-century condoms were made from linen, leather, or animal intestines. (Re: animal intestines? Um....EWWW!)
  • Matthew's circular logic: “If—if—we could conceive a child together, it would be a miracle, and therefore no form of contraception would be effective.” ...Wait, Matthew, wha?!
  • The Feast of Immaculate Conception - the day they are actually married.
  • Matthew wants her to put the herbs back in the stillroom. Passing on blood rage, and Matthew's hope for the future is discussed here. “If we could conceive, and if this tea were effective, I’d still want you to leave the herbs in the stillroom.” [...] “When I study patterns of extinction and see the evidence in the laboratory that we are dying out, the future seems hopeless. But if I detect a single chromosomal shift, or the discovery of an unexpected descendant when I thought a bloodline had died out, the sense of inevitable destruction lifts. I feel the same way now.” Usually I had problems when Matthew adopted a position of scientific objectivity, but not this time.
  •  Jean points out Diana's growth as far realizing her place in this world. “When I drove Philippe’s dagger into Champier, all I could think of was that he was going to take my thoughts and memories and I wouldn’t be the same person when I returned to our modern lives. But even if we were to go back right this minute, we would already be different people. All the places we’ve gone, the people I’ve met, the secrets we’ve shared—I’m no longer the same Diana Bishop, and you aren’t the same Matthew Clairmont. A baby would change us even more.”
  • Valerie thinks Matthew is proceeding with caution. Diana is thinking about fate.
  • Philippe overhears and *poof* shows up to interject his wisdom into the possibility of their conceiving. He quotes Heraclitus (or did Heraclitus quote HIM? 😎). “Never is a long time, Matthew, as I told you. As for the impossible, I have walked this earth longer than man’s memories and have seen things that later generations discounted as myth. Once there were creatures who swam like fish in the sea and others who wielded lightning bolts instead of spears. They are gone now, replaced with something new. ‘Change is the only reliable thing in the world.’”
  • Ysabeau?! At home mending her men's clothing by sewing?! HA! “Who knew the de Clermont men could thread a needle, never mind stitch a straight seam?”Philippe’s eyebrows rose. “Did you think Ysabeau mended our torn garments when we came home from battle?”The idea of Ysabeau sewing quietly while she waited for her men to return made me giggle. “Hardly.”

A white buck. Photo from Ithaca Journal
 * (23:43) - At the temple; the offering to Artemis
  • Jean felt Deb's writing was quite evocative right here. She also points out the hoof prints on the ground as they relate to characters we know . . . hmmmmmmmmm! Philippe swung down from his horse and motioned for me to do the same. Once I dismounted, he took me by the elbow and guided me through two of the strange lumps and into a smooth expanse of snow-covered ground. All that marred the pristine surface were the tracks of wildlife—the heart-shaped outline of a deer’s hoof, the five-clawed marks of bear, the combination of triangular and oval pads belonging to a wolf.
  • Philippe's explanation of the place. "A temple dedicated to Diana stood here once, overlooking the woods and valleys where the stags liked to run. Those who revered the goddess planted sacred cypress trees to grow alongside the native oak and alder.” Philippe pointed to the thin columns of green that stood guard around the area. “I wanted to bring you here because when I was a child, far away and before I became a manjasang, brides would go to a temple like this before their wedding and make a sacrifice to the goddess. We called her Artemis then.”
  • Philippe's invocation, and Jean is the hero that saves the day! She was comfortable experimenting with the Greek. “Artemis Agroterê, renowned huntress, Alcides Leontothymos beseeches you to hold this child Diana in your hand. Artemis Lykeiê, lady of the wolves, protect her in every way. Artemis Patrôia, goddess of my ancestors, bless her with children so that my lineage continues.”Philippe’s lineage. I was part of it now, by marriage as well as the giving of his blood.“Artemis Phôsphoros, bring the light of your wisdom when she is in darkness. Artemis Upis, watch over your namesake during her journey in this world.”
  • Valerie points out that in Neopagan religions different aspects of the goddess are presented, just like with the Greek and Roman Gods/Goddesses.
  • We talk about the surge: and we think this may have stamped all of the parallel timelines. A surge of power washed through the ground underneath my feet. The goddess was here. For a moment I could imagine the temple as it once was—pale, gleaming, whole. I stole a glance at Philippe. With a bear pelt draped over his shoulders, he, too, looked like the savage remainder of a lost world. And he was waiting for something.
  • The white buck! Angela is seeing white bucks everywhere! A white buck with curved antlers picked its way out of the cypress and stood, breath steaming from its nostrils. With quiet steps the buck picked his way over to me. His huge brown eyes were challenging, and he was close enough for me to see the sharp edges on his horns. The buck looked haughtily at Philippe and bellowed, one beast’s greeting to another.

Maybe the dish looked a little bit like this? Maybe it was more submerged? We don't know! 😖 Recipe HERE
* (33:07) - The banquet (Philippe loves a party!)
  • We discuss Diana's gown and wonder if it's to match with the season, or if there was a separate significance. The dark green fabric reminded me of the cypress by the temple now, rather than the holly that decorated the château for Advent. And the silver oak leaves embroidered on the bodice caught the light from the candles as the buck’s antlers had caught the rays of the setting sun.
  • You are beautiful, mon coeur! Wait a darn minute, Matthew ... you are just now noticing?! “Jesu,” he said, stunned. “You are beautiful, mon coeur.” Matthew took my hands and lifted my arms to see the full effect.
  • Diana won't be taking the damn tea (yay!👏) “I sent Catrine to the stillroom to put away Marthe’s herbs.” It was a far bigger step into the unknown than the one that I’d taken in Sarah’s hop barn to bring us here. “You’re sure?” “I’m sure,” I said, remembering Philippe’s words at the temple.
  • We discuss Diana's insecurities that we may not have paid attention to previously. Our entry into the hall was greeted with whispers and sidelong glances. The changes in my appearance had been noted, and the nods told me that at last I looked like someone who was fit to marry milord.
  • The actual feast. There were dozens of dishes: a soup made with chickpeas, grilled eel, a delicious puree of lentils, salt cod in garlic sauce, and an entire fish that swam through a gelatinous sea of aspic, with sprigs of lavender and rosemary impersonating water plants.
  • We start discussing aspic, and somehow we wound up into a convo about Jello shots. THE DITCH! We are taking a tour of it here.
  • Philippe covers Diana's ears. We talk about how fatherly this was. [...] their commentary was downright ribald and Matthew’s responses were just as barbed. Happily, most of the insults and advice were delivered in languages I didn’t fully understand, but Philippe clapped his hands over my ears occasionally anyway.
  • Diana wishes Matthew can see himself like she does. We all do. “Just look at him,” Matthew marveled, taking my hand. “How does Philippe manage to make every one of them feel that they’re the most important guest in the room?” “You tell me,” I said with a laugh. When Matthew looked confused, I shook my head. “Matthew, you are exactly the same. All you need do to take charge of a roomful of people is to enter it.
  • The kithera and Peleus, and Thetis, and Achille's. The room was mesmerized by Philippe’s otherworldly bass “There Peleus first saw Thetis, daughter of Nereus, the god of the sea who told no lies and saw the future. From her father Thetis had the gift of prophecy and could twist her shape from moving water to living fire to the very air itself. Though Thetis was beautiful, no one would take her for a wife, for an oracle foretold that her son would be more powerful than his father [...]"
  • The Bride and Groom separate for the evening.  Matthew and I rose. I smoothed down my skirts, my attention fixed resolutely on his doublet. The stitches on it were very fine, I noticed, tiny and regular. Gentle fingers lifted my chin, and I was lost instead in the play of smooth curves and sharp angles that made up Matthew’s face. All sense of performance disappeared as we contemplated each other. We stood in the midst of the hall and the wedding guests, our kiss a spell that carried us to an intimate world of our own
Deborah Harkness' inspiration for La Robe
* (44:19) - Preparing to get married, Cinderella-style; the mice Valerie was referring to
  • The precession that is led into her room to prepare her to be dressed: A procession of women with pitchers came to my chamber, chattering like magpies and filling an enormous copper tub that I suspected was normally used to make wine or cider. But the water was piping hot and the copper vessel retained the glorious warmth, so I wasn’t inclined to quibble.
  • Her possessions . . . The women left me to soak, and I noticed that my few belongings— books, the notes I’d taken on alchemy and Occitan phrases—had disappeared. So, too, had the long, low chest that stored my clothes. When I asked Catrine, she explained that everything had been moved to milord’s chambers on the other side of the château.I was no longer Philippe’s putative daughter, but Matthew’s wife. My property had been relocated accordingly.
  • Philippe's gifts! “I came to give you your wedding gifts.” Philippe held out his hand, and Alain placed a large velvet bag in his palm. “There was no time to have something made, I’m afraid. These are family pieces.”
  • Diana has had a very successful week. When I’d arrived in France, I was entirely dependent on Matthew. In little more than a week, I had learned how to conduct myself, converse, manage a household, and distill spirit of wine. I now had my own property, and Philippe de Clermont had claimed me publicly as his daughter.
  • Angela wonders what Philippe said to Walter about this day. “The women in this family manage their own finances. Ysabeau insists upon it. All of the coins in here are English or French. They do not hold their value as well as Venetian ducats, but they will raise fewer questions when you spend them. If you need more, you have only to ask Walter or another member of the brotherhood.”

Eglise de Saint Lucien (we have no actual inspirational notes, this is just a church in Saint Lucien!)
* (47:00) - The bells begin to ring.
  • The wedding. We loved this passage: I faltered as we came to the church. The entire village had assembled outside its doors, along with the priest. I searched for Matthew and found him standing at the top of the short flight of stairs. Through the transparent veil, I could feel his regard. Like sun and moon, we were unconcerned at this moment with time, distance, and difference. All that mattered was our position relative to each other.
  • The reception. What happened afterward was a blur. There were torches and a long walk up the hill surrounded by well-wishers. Chef’s feast was already laid out, and people tucked into it with enthusiasm. Matthew and I sat alone at the family table, while Philippe strolled about serving wine and making sure the children got their fair share of spit-roasted hare and cheese fritters. Occasionally he cast a proud look in our direction, as if we’d slain dragons that afternoon. 
  • Take your wife to bed. “Take your wife to bed and finish this,” Philippe murmured. “But the guests . . .” Matthew protested. “Take your wife to bed, my son,” Philippe repeated. “Steal away now, before the others decide to accompany you upstairs and make sure you do your duty. Leave everything to me.” He turned, kissing me formally on both cheeks before murmuring something in Greek and sending us to Matthew’s tower.

We've always imagined this bedroom to be Matthew's in Sept-Tours, and it turns out to be the bedroom for the chateau that is the model for Les Revenants - Château de Montbrun
* (48:21) - Doing the Deed and the D!
  • Undressing; Jean thinks this was wonderful foreplay. Valerie doesn't think she'd have the patience. AT. ALL.
  • Diana trying to rescue her gown! “There it is,” he murmured, hooking his index fingers around the edges and giving a decided yank. One sleeve, then the other, slid down each arm and onto the floor. Matthew seemed entirely unconcerned, but it was my wedding gown and not easily replaced. “My gown,” I said, squirming in his arms. 
  • Jean provides some stage direction here. A growl is required.
  • The heart vein - the foreshadowing. [...] my husband was focused on the place where my nearly transparent high-necked smock disappeared into the heavy reinforced fabric of the corset. He pressed his lips against the swell. Bowing his head in a reverential pose, he took in a jagged breath. 
  • The D and deed are done! We end the chapter with this: “Let me love you forever,” Matthew murmured against my damp forehead, his lips trailing a cold path across my brow as we lay twined together. “I will,” I promised once more, tucking my body even closer against him.
* (53:00) Housekeeping! Brought to you by Melanie Nelson! Thank you, Terry for your wonderful review. Thank you, Michelle for sharing your story and providing your insight on chapter 11. Then we got a voice mail from Camille! Thank you Camille!

* (56:16) Save It For the Show - brought to you by Dora Flores-Ryan! Topic: The handling of S.E.X. in the All Souls Trilogy. We talk about how generally this isn't talked about in the fandom. We only just realized how many people were willing to share their viewpoints after we started the podcast.

* (1:03:55)  Promo break – scroll down, or click here to get a hold of us and/or become a Discusser -- information on joining our Facebook group also located on that page. Those of you with US numbers can text ADOW to 444999 to become a Discusser.

* (1:05:00) - Last thoughts! Jean remains sad, because we are leaving France soon. Angela soothes her by mentioning that Prague is coming. Angela's last thought is that the mini tour is coming and she doesn't have a stop near her, so she'll live vicariously through Jean and Valerie. Val does an advertising dump: Visit and "like" our Facebook page, Follow us on Tumblr (Tumblr-only giveaway coming as soon as we hit 782 followers), the new text option for becoming a Discusser, and ALL SOULS CON! Also consider becoming a patron!

All Souls Con 2018

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Credits/Copyright Information 
* Intro music: "Ghost Dance" (edited down to second chorus) by Kevin Macleod, licensed for use by Creative Commons.
* News intro: by AwesomeMusicVideos21; provided for fair-use/royalty-free.
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