Perc’ahlia

So, I know it’s been a while friends, but I just rewatched the trial of the Dawnfather and I have some feelings about it.

Obviously, they all love Vex and the nature of their love for her shines through in what they chose to say and how they chose to say it, but right now, I’d like to focus on Percy.

Titles are important to Percy. He expressed his love for Vex’ahlia, that first time, in her father’s home, by bestowing upon her a title. He expressed his faith in her by giving her a title she had to earn.

Pelor, God of Whitestone, caretaker of Percival’s lineage, and (in a very real way) the deity whose absence led to Percy abandoning any semblance of faith in anything (family, self, gods), asks him what Vex’ahlia means to him

Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Kluswolski DeRolo III of Whitestone faces his god head on, and presents Vex’ahlia:

First, as one who has earned her rank: “She is Mistress of the Grey Hunt of Whitestone.”

Then, as the primaterial counterpart to Pelor’s “caretaker of Whitestone”: “Baroness of the First House of Whitestone.” (Note, that it is here that he first claims their marriage - her original title was third house. He marks the responsibility of her marital status before the care of it).

It is only after introducing her, on her own merit, that he actually answers the God’s question as it pertains to himself, and the wording here is beautiful:

“She is my heart and my judgement,” This is, in a very heartfelt introduction, the only actual emotion-driven language that he uses, and the simplicity of it encapsulates so much more than a flowery exposition would.

“and the future that I have chosen,” Here, I have to say, he is using his own title and lineage. Percy ties his self to his home in a very real way “I live as long as Whitestone lives. I fall when it falls,” anyone? He is basically saying “She is the future that I have chosen, for myself and my people. If you’re the caretaker of Whitestone then take care, because she is already under your protection.”

“and she is the one that I have betrothed to.” This, friends, is so wonderful. I have to believe he did this on purpose because he ended on a goddamned preposition to do it. He states their relationship as an active thing (verb ‘have betrothed’ not a noun ‘wife’ or ‘spouse’) without any claim to ownership (”I have betrothed to”, not “my betrothed” or “betrothed to me”).

Percival starts this introduction by presenting who Vex’ahlia is, in her own right, and he ends it by saying that he has chosen to give himself to her (and so should you.)