T is for Throne

It was a hideous creation, up on a black marble pedestal and carved like intertwining dragon skeletons, polished and dreadful. Bloodstained, it stank of death. (p. 332)

This is Rose Red's first impression of the Dragon's throne when she, having ventured deep into the Netherworld, glimpses it. But at that time, she doesn't pay a great deal of attention to it. Oh, it's ugly enough, to be sure. But her eye is distracted by the sight of Daylily sitting before the throne, he feet dangling over the pedestal's edge. Daylily, whom Rose Red has come to rescue. Daylily, who wants to die.

Daylily has been experiencing a horrific downward spiral throughout this novel, especially once she enters the Netherworld. But I can't help but wonder if her proximity to the Dragon's throne might have affected her. Here the Dragon's poison must be especially strong.

 "I've watched my dreams die," Daylily says. "Every one of them, burned to oblivion. I will enver marry Prince Lionheart. I will never fulfill the expectations placed upon me. I wish--I wish you would go and let me die." (p. 333)

 Surely that awful throne must be the central apex of all the Dragon's power. It is there, before his throne that the Dragon nearly overcomes even Rose Red's indomitable spirit. Indeed, if not for the timely arrival of Beana (and the Prince of Farthestshore), we could not say that Rose Red would have survived that encounter, though she had been strong to resist the Dragon's persuasions up to that point. Did he lure her down here, to this seat of Death, in order to work the full power of his poison upon her? The novel never tells us for sure, but we certainly must wonder.

We have glimpsed this throne before when Una ventured to the Dragon Village in Heartless. Her experience gives us a slightly new perspective.

Weaving his way through the shadowy figures, her guide [the yellow-eyed dragon] led her to the very center of the cavern. There sat a giant stone throne.

It was covered in blood.
"This is his throne," the yellow-eyed boy said. "This is where we worship him, our lord, our master. Here he sits and judges us. And if he deems us worthy, we live. But if we have failed him in any command, he devours us."
The dragon girl felt a shiver run through the boy's arm. "Devours you?" she whispered.
"Us, sister. Yes, such is his right, for he is our Father. Sooner or later, we all fail and give our blood to him."
(Heartless p. 275)

We are definitely going to see more of the Dragon's throne. I hate to end every post like this, but . . . watch out for it come Moonblood!