Blood 30

**Chapter 30**

We're back with Verna, who wastes a page thinking about how mad she is at Hypocrite. She's in the Popette's Secret Clubhouse with the IM Book, which has a message in it. Hypocrite recaps what she said to Verna last book, thus proving her identity.

Hypocrite then says she didn't actually mean all that stuff about Verna being safe because was average, which was actually a pretty interesting bit of logic. No, she knew all along that Verna was special, and since Richard was oh-so-special and important, \~/ Hypocrite sent Super Special Verna to make sure Richard got the tests and challenges he had to face. Hypocrite also says she deliberately sent Verna out twenty years early because she needed *“to teach you things you could not learn at the [Big Stone Witch House].”*

Such as . . . what, exactly? What have we seen that Verna has learned out in the Big Bad World (and *not* during the short time she was with Richard) that she couldn't possibly have learned at the Big Stone Witch House? Any ideas? Because I don't have any, and I'm not willing to take Terry Goodkind's word on it. \~/

Hypocrite angsts \~/ about how she doesn't expect Verna to ever forgive her, and this is just one more burden she'll have to bear even though she loves Verna like a daughter. She says that she told Verna *“those awful words”* to break her of her habit of blind obedience to the Big Stone Witch House. Because, after gushing over how special and awesome Verna was, she couldn't have just *told* her. She couldn't *explain.* Manipulating people without their knowledge or consent is always superior to open and honest communication. \~/

Hypocrite veers off on a tangent about Li'l Verna when she was a wee novice. It seems that every Novice is given a test by being accused of some small crime of which they are innocent (though what the point of this is, is not explained). Apparently, *only* Verna ever became angry about this.

In all the centuries of Hypocrite's rule, only *one* Novice ever became angry because she was falsely accused.

\~/

This is supposed to reinforce how special Verna is, and how she always has been. Because specialness is inborn. Remember, kids, you're either a special snowflake or you're one of the dumb, sheeplike masses, and always will be.

Also, once again we have anger held up as a virtue. Isn't anger supposed to be a deadly sin?

And then we get this interesting line: *“I chose you to be the Prelate in the illusion of my death because you are still the one Sister I trust above all the others. [. . .] if I do die, you will be the Prelate for real. That is the way I wish it.”*

So, by Hypocrite's own admission, Verna is **not** legitimately the Popette. This suggests that Hypocrite intends to return and reclaim the position if she and Nathan survive, meaning she is once again using and manipulating Verna for her own ends. It also means that, from a legal standpoint, nothing Verna does as Popette has any validity, since *she was never legally the Popette.*

Hypocrite notes that it's sad that Verna hates her, but God forgives her, so fuck everything else (I may have paraphrased that slightly). This motivates Verna to sob over *“the anguish [Hypocrite] had had to endure.”* Yeah, not feeling it; sorry.

Blah blah blah, the last Ultimate Doom wasn't the *real* Ultimate Doom, but now an even Ultimate-er Doom is at hand, Hypocrite can't tell Verna anything useful for fear of affecting Teh Profeseez. She does warn her that Jagang is a dream walker, and that he can mindslave people, especially spellcasters.

*“There is only one protection – Richard. An ancestor of his created a magic that protects them and any loyal to them, bonded in cause to them, from the power of the dream walkers. The magic is passed down to any Rahl born with the gift. Nathan, of course, has this same protective element to his gift, but he is not the one who can lead us. He is a prophet, and not a war wizard.”*

Got that? If you swear loyalty to Richard, you're protected from the dream walkers. This is shameless and disgusting authorial manipulation. Jagang is the Big Bad of the series, and now the **only** way to be safe from him is to swear loyalty to Richard. This means that, quite literally, there is no middle ground. Either characters are on the side of the Sue, or they're demonized and/or mindslaved by the Evil Overlord . . . er, the *other* Evil Overlord.

Even better, this has absolutely nothing to do with Richard's abilities, powers, knowledge, skill or moral standing. The one and only qualifier is his **heritage.** It wouldn't matter if he was a pedophile, a serial killer, or a drunken hobo (or all three); loyalty to him would *still* be the one and only way to protect oneself from the Big Bad, Jagang. This is the very definition of unearned power. It grants Richard enormous political sway for absolutely no cost or effort on his part.

\~/\~/

Hypocrite says that Verna is protected since, in choosing to deft her orders and help Richard, she effectively joined Richard's cause. Hypocrite herself is protected because *“I pledged myself to him when I first saw him.”*

So she swore loyalty to a *baby?* Not the son of a ruler or some other representative of an office, but . . . a baby. Wow, that sounds stupid. Also it's obvious that Hypocrite *only* did this in order to gain protection from Jagang, which makes this transparently self-serving.

I know, Pinkie. I know.

Hypocrite says she's *“sitting here in a room in a cozy inn”* and is ready to answer any questions Verna might have. Verna is naturally incensed at how she's been deceived, manipulated, and used by the leader of her religious order, whom she had previously trusted without question. She fires off an angry reply, demanding to know who the hell Hypocrite thinks she is, what right she has to do this, and why she thinks Verna should even . . .

Oops, sorry; my mistake. That's what I would do. Verna, however, writes this: *“My dearest Mother, I beg you forgive me the things I thought of you. I am humbled by your strength and shamed by my foolish pride.”*

\~/

Verna and Hypocrite exchange chit-chat for a bit, and Verna learns that Nathan just bought a sword and is currently fighting imaginary foes. She thinks that Nathan *“was even more deranged than she had thought.”* Because a slave who is unable to use his natural powers is “deranged” for grabbing a weapon the first chance he can get his hands on one. My sympathy is entirely with Nathan, as much as it is with anyone here.

There's about six more pages of Verna and Hypocrite talking via IM Book, which I shall summarize:

* Hypocrite tells Verna to figure out who the Bad Nuns are. She has no idea how.
* Boring details about administration.
* Verna tells Hypocrite that Warren gave his first prophecy, and what it was. Blather about the prophecies.
* Jagang is going to try to seize the Big Stone Witch House. Can't let him have Warren.
* Verna is shocked, shocked I say, at the thought that the holy order of *sorceresses* might be expected to use their powers to fight in defense of their home. Well, no one ever said she was smart.
* Richard is Our Glorious Leader and must never be opposed. Both Verna and Hypocrite spend some time verbally fellating Richard \~/ lest we forget how special and awesome and godlike he is.
* I attempt to club myself to death with my hardback copy of *Blood of the Fold,* but Pinkie won't let me.

And blessedly, we come to the end of this nonsense. For now, anyway.

Drinks: 9

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