#and he realised that for all bayaz scared him shitless he doesn't have calder's measure | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

xserpx · 7 months ago

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‘Maybe I’m the better brother,’ said Calder, ‘but you’re the elder.’ He brought his horse up close, and he pulled their father’s chain from his pocket and slipped it over Scale’s neck, arranged it carefully across his shoulders. Patted him on the back and left his hand there, wondering when he got to love this stupid bastard. When he got to love anyone besides himself.

— The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie

Bayaz had been right. You don’t get to be a king without making some sacrifices.

#the heroes #the first law #joe abercrombie #calder #scale #there's something about the way calder sacrifices the chain itself that cements him as my 3rd favourite character in the series #like on one hand it's all about family and he's soft at heart #but otoh there's an edge of calder's intelligence & self-preservation in the decision that is just so HIM #calder knows his limitations & he has a steely rebellious streak #and i think he's able to step back from his own fear and analyse bayaz's strategy #and he realised that for all bayaz scared him shitless he doesn't have calder's measure #all bayaz sees is ambition & a rivalry between brothers (because OF COURSE he does)#when the reality for calder is much more complicated #he DOES resent his brother deeply there's a lot of trauma there but he's also fiercely fucking loyal to his family #he knows it's a weakness and i think he's incapable of letting anyone - even bayaz - take advantage of that #mostly it's just really heartwarming but it's also fucking badass #idk how to describe it #it's like loki & thor turned up to eleven

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