Before Gratillonius fights the current King of Ys in the sacred Wood, one of the Queens, Vindilis, asks him to avenge and free them:
"It came to him, like a chill from the wind that soughed among the oaks, that his coming had been awaited. Yet how could she have known?" (p. 112)
When Gratillonius has killed the King and has found that the golden chain around the slain man's neck bears an elaborate key, he:
"...felt the unknown touch him, cold as the wind." (p. 116)
Consulting the dictionary, we remind ourselves that "...like a chill..." and "...cold as..." are similes, not metaphors.
In these passages, the wind itself does not intervene or comment but Gratillonius' intuitions are compared to the wind.
(The attached cover image, for Volume II, clearly shows both a challenge in the Wood and the towers of Ys.)
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I completely forgot those details, about the chain and key. IIRC the key was used for locking/unlocking the gate in the sea walls protecting Ys, for allowing ships to come and go.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
A lot more than just a symbol.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And I'm assuming the King did not have to personally lock/unlock the sea gates every time that was necessary. Routine use of the Key could be delegated to a subordinate official, returning the Key to the King afterwards.
Ad astra! Sean
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