Short Fiction · Chapter
The Keeper explained
Raud the Keeper, an old man living alone with his dogs in a remote house, hunts deer and reflects on the ancient world before the Ice-Father.
What happens
Raud the Keeper, an old man living alone with his dogs in a remote house, hunts deer and reflects on the ancient world before the Ice-Father. He returns home to find his dog Bold killed and the Crown stolen by four men, including a Northman and three Southrons. He tracks them across the ice, kills one, and recovers the Crown, but is then confronted by a group of Southrons in an airboat who demand the Crown. After a tense standoff, he is taken aboard and learns that the Crown is a device of immense power, and that the Southrons are from a starship seeking to reclaim it.
Themes in this chapter
Survival and Resilience
Raud's daily struggle for survival in a harsh, frozen world, hunting for food and protecting the Crown, exemplifies resilience in the face of adversity.
Power and Corruption
The Crown represents immense power that corrupts those who seek it, as seen in the thieves' willingness to kill for it and the Southrons' desire to control it.
Alienation and Otherness
Raud feels alienated from the Southrons, who are from a different world and culture, and he is treated as an outsider by them.
Characters to notice
- Raud the Keeper
The protagonist, an old man who lives alone with his dogs and guards the Crown. He hunts deer, tracks the thieves who stole the Crown, and ultimately recovers it before being captured by Southrons.
- Vahr Farg
Son of Vahr Farg, a Northman who leads the thieves who steal the Crown. He is killed by Raud during the chase.
- Stephen Silk
A Southron who leads the group that captures Raud after he recovers the Crown. He is polite but firm, and explains the Crown's significance.
- Andrew Jackson Hickock
A Southron who accompanies Silk and is present during the capture of Raud. He is described as a large man with a red face and a loud voice.
- Verkan Vall
A Southron who appears in the airboat and speaks with Raud. He is calm and analytical, and seems to be in charge of the operation.
Key passages
“Never pity yourself, Raud; be proud. That was what his father had always taught him: 'Be proud, for you are the Keeper's son, and when I am gone, you will be the Keeper after me. But in your pride, be humble, for what you will keep is the Crown.'”
Raud recalls his father's lesson that he must be proud of his role as Keeper, but also humble because he is guarding the Crown.
This quote establishes Raud's sense of duty and the importance of the Crown.
“The thieves had known exactly where the Crown was kept and how it was guarded; after killing Bold, they had gone straight to it, taken it and gone away—three men in plastic-soled Southron boots and one man in soft sealskin boots.”
The thieves knew precisely where the Crown was hidden and how it was protected, indicating inside knowledge.
This reveals that the theft was planned and that someone with knowledge of Keeper's House was involved.
“He cuddled the butt of the rifle against his cheek. As the man who carried the Crown walked under the blade of the front sight, he squeezed the trigger. The rifle belched pink flame and roared and pounded his shoulder.”
Raud takes careful aim and shoots the man carrying the Crown, killing him instantly.
This shows Raud's skill and determination to recover the Crown.