The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos, #1)

by Samantha Shannon

Pa...

“Learnèd

Must be a position?

“You see, Niclays, it was agreed after the Great Sorrow that every fifty years, a number of Seiikinese dragons would take human riders, so we might always be prepared to fight together once again. Those who were chosen for the High Sea Guard this morning have been given this chance, and will now endure the water trials to decide which of them will be dragonriders.”

Such a thing would be destroyed in Virtudom, where there was no longer any distinction between the ancient dragons of the East and the younger, fire-breathing wyrms that had once terrorized the world. Both were deemed malevolent. The door to the East had been closed for so long that misunderstanding about its customs had flourished.

Nameless One.

All Mentish children knew the story of the Nameless One from the moment they could fathom language. His own dear mother had relished scaring him to tears with her descriptions of the father and overking of all fire-breathing creatures—he who had emerged from the Dreadmount bent on chaos and destruction, only to be grievously wounded by Sir Galian Berethnet before he could subjugate humankind. A thousand years later, the specter of him still lived in all nightmares.

Chief Officer—handsome, ever-so-good-natured Chief Officer,

who refused to tell anyone in Orisima his name.

Like Ead

and the dragon may show mercy.”

Ascalon Palace,

Presence Chamber

feather fans waved everywhere, so that it seemed as if the room were full of fluttering birds.

Good imagery

Margret Beck

carcanet.

A jeweled collar?

Sabran the Ninth

Nameless One

Lady Arbella Glenn, Viscountess Suth,

Lord Oscarde, Duke of Zeedeur,

Resident Ambassador to Mentendon.

Zeedeur was heavyset, and his beard and hair were red, as was ...

So these people are celtic

the V...

Must be a place. Like the Vale. Scottish

the Downs.

Celtic

knights-errant

Perchling.

Ead closed her eyes. These people.

Theres some distinct voice here for ead

Resident Ambassador to Mentendon

Aubrecht the Second, High Prince of the Free State of Mentendon,

Theirs was a house of daughters, one daughter for each queen. Their subjects called it proof of their sainthood. It was expected of each Queen of Inys to marry and get with child as soon as possible, lest she die with no true heir. This would be dangerous in any country, since it would pitch the realm into civil war, but according to Inysh belief, the collapse of the House of Berethnet would also cause the Nameless One to rise again and lay waste to the world. Yet Sabran had so far declined every offer of marriage.

“as you know,

So why say it???

your ancestor, Queen Sabran the Seventh, was wed to my own distant relation, Haynrick Vatten, who was Steward-in-Waiting to Mentendon while it was under foreign rule. Since the House of Lievelyn ousted the Vatten, however, there has been no formal knit between our countries, except our shared religion.”

Yscalin

Not long ago, the Kingdom of Yscalin to the south had also been part of Virtudom. Before it had taken the Nameless One as its new god.

Sundance Sea.”

black pearl, big as a cherry, tinged with green. It shone like folded steel under the sun.

Meh. Ok imagery. Cherry a bit odd. Maybe lime because its green?

the Abyss.”

Like the rift?

Lady Roslain Crest, Chief Gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber,

a pair of goblets, like anyone who took the Knight of Justice as their patron, but hers was gilded, showing that she was the blood of that knight.

sanctarian

Princess Ermuna, Princess Bedona, and Princess Betriese.

Virtues Council

Sabran made her way down the steps, followed by her Ladies of the Bedchamber. The maids of honor walked in their wake.

Queen > Ladies > maids

the Red Prince.

Nickname for aubrecht

Lady Linora Payling,

Earl and Countess of

Payling...

Lady Margret Beck, however, had been her dear friend for a long time now. She had joined the Upper Household three years ago and befriended Ead as quickly as her brother, Loth, who was six years her senior. Ead had soon discovered that she and Margret had the same sense of humor, knew from a look what the other was thinking, and shared the same opinions on most people at court.

ebon

Again. Ive noted one pale skin description so far

Donmata Marosa

A woman who is now the crown princess of

a Draconic ...