What Draun did to Eyath does not count as "rape" under choth law. Indeed, Ythrians do not and cannot have such a concept. Her grief brought on premature ovulation, he was nearby and sex happened. At most, he might owe a gild for wounded pride but it is not a deathpride matter. No Wyvan will call Oherran. No other male has cause to challenge. Arinnian has to insult Draun and Highsky Choth so that Draun will challenge. In fact, however, Draun was not merely nearby and even then could have veered off. Instead, he deliberately sought Eyath out and this he blames on human influence. Some Ythrian males wonder what it is like to have sex all year round. It is true that the two species influence each other and this can be either positive or negative. Poul Anderson's texts seem to address every detail.
(Among human beings, some Evangelicals do not need a concept of consensual sex. According to them, a woman should never say yes before or outside of marriage and should never say no inside it so the question of her consent need not arise.)
4 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
What Draun did still looks a lot like rape to me, esp. when you recall how he abused, beat, and bit Eyath!
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I agree that it is rape as we understand it. Choths, Khruaths and Wyvans need to revise their laws. The essence of rape is not force but lack of consent although often the two go together. Forced sex is one obvious kind of non-consensual sex. Fear and fraud are two other means of rape.
Draun deliberately sought Eyath out and imposed himself against her will. He knew that he was committing rape as human beings understood but he relied on choth law to defend his action.
Paul.
it
Kaor, Paul!
I agree. Draun was manipulating choth law.
Ad astra! Sean
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