The Display

**The Display** was a public showing of a cowed Augus Each Uisge in his waterhorse form before the Seelie Court during Augus' capitivity. Fae are able to put forth a request for the Display of a prisoner once a year. When performed, a Display generally consists of the Court's monarch collaring and chaining the prisoner and leading them around the Court, ending with forcing them to kneel next to the throne for a period of time.

## Appears in

Main canon:

*Game Theory*

## Details

During Augus's time as Gwyn ap Nudd's prisoner, fae regularly petitioned for his death. Since Gwyn refused to execute him, during an Open Court session, Crielle ferch Fnwy requested that a Display be held instead, as 'proof that if he was not to be slaughtered, he could at least be cowed', which other fae agreed with. Though Gwyn was horrified, he agreed. Within hours, Gulvi Dubna Vajat learned of the Display and asked that she and Ash Glashtyn be received into the Court to watch it, as well. Gulvi reasoned that it would be good for Ash to see that his brother was alive, and she wanted to see Augus beaten. Gwyn allowed them to attend, though he warned them not to cause trouble.

Gwyn sought out Augus to tell him about the Display, requesting that he use his waterhorse form for it. After some discussion, Augus agreed to shift, and the Display was held one week after Crielle's request. When Gulvi and Ash arrived, Gwyn was informed that Ash had been drugged so that he would not cause a scene. Gwyn was bothered by this, but let it go once Gulvi explained, as he understood it was for the best.

Augus was placed in a 'silvery collar and chain' made of enchanted bronze and designed for shapeshifters, and assumed his true-form. Though Augus put up some resistance after shifting, along with taunting Gwyn, he obeyed Gwyn's orders and went with him to the throne room. Augus presented himself as meek and subdued as Gwyn led him around the room. As Gwyn approached the throne, an unseen fae hit Augus with a rock hard enough to make him bleed, causing Augus to freeze and tense up. However, he kept following, and didn't react further. Although attacking another fae in the throne room was against fae law, Gwyn chose not to address the attacker, so as to not seem sympathetic toward Augus.

Augus then saw Ash and stopped out of shock, as Gwyn had forgotten to warn him that Ash would be there. When Ash didn't acknowledge Augus properly due to being drugged, Augus followed Gwyn the rest of the way to the throne and lay down next to it once Gwyn sat. Augus lay with his muzzle almost touching the ground, eyes closed and ears back, which Gwyn found disturbing, but was unable to comment on.

Few fae approached Gwyn during the Display, possibly finding both Gwyn's expression and Augus's presence too daunting, though Crielle approached in order to comment on how tamed Augus appeared. She informed Gwyn that there was doubt about his ability to manage Augus, and Gwyn suspected that she may have organized the attack to try and provoke Augus so that execution could be requested. As Augus did not react violently, Crielle would be unable to request execution without looking like she didn't appreciate Gwyn's methods, so she was forced to acknowledge his capability.

The Display went on for two hours, after which Gwyn took Augus away and had him return to human-form. Upon checking in with Augus, Gwyn realized that being unable to speak throughout the Display had rendered Augus catatonic. After Gwyn attempted to rouse him, Augus requested to return to his cell, and Gwyn obliged him. A celebration followed the Display, where Gwyn was congratulated on how well it had gone, but as he found the entire thing revolting and didn't like social events anyway, he left as soon as he could. After spending some time carefully talking to Augus about everything, telling him that he would try to avoid having another Display and explaining why Ash hadn't reacted to him, Gwyn managed to rouse Augus back to awareness.

## Trivia

* This was the first and only Display Gwyn ever held, as he finds them barbaric. However, he was present for some of the Oak King's displays.
* Augus performed a number of displays while he was King of the Unseelie.
* In *Game Theory*, displays are referred to as 'public displays' and 'displays', but in *The Court of Five Thrones*, Augus' Display is capitalized, so it is referred as such here.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 11 September 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/1886908. Chapter 10: Display.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 13 September 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/1894662. Chapter 11: Abandoned.