The Worm Ouroboros · Chapter
VII: Guests of the King in Carcë explained
After the battle, King Gorice XII holds a banquet in Carcë.
What happens
After the battle, King Gorice XII holds a banquet in Carcë. Lord Juss and Lord Brandoch Daha are captured and chained in the old banquet hall, tormented by the sight and smell of food. The King deceives Prince La Fireez about the Demons' involvement. Lady Prezmyra, Lord Gro, and Lord Corund discuss the situation, with Corund warning that La Fireez, owing a debt to Juss, must not learn the truth.
Themes in this chapter
Loyalty and Betrayal
The King's deception of La Fireez and the council's debate over the treatment of the Demons highlight tensions between loyalty to allies and political expediency.
Pride and Hubris
King Gorice XII's cruel sport with the captured Demons and Corsus's drunken boasting illustrate the pride and hubris of the Witchland court.
Revenge and Retribution
The King's humiliation of Juss and Brandoch Daha, and the discussion of killing them, reflect themes of revenge and retribution.
Characters to notice
- Gorice XII
King Gorice XII hosts the banquet, orders the capture and humiliation of Lord Juss and Lord Brandoch Daha, and commands secrecy about the Demons' presence.
- Lord Gro
Gro converses with the King and later with Lady Prezmyra, expressing regret over the treatment of the Demon lords and noting the danger of advising kings.
- Corund
Corund sleeps late, then advises the King to kill the captives cleanly and warns that La Fireez must not learn of the Demons' fate due to his debt to Juss.
- Lady Prezmyra
Prezmyra sits on the terrace, learns of the Demons' capture from Gro, and criticizes the King's cruel sport, later accompanying Corund to speak with the King.
- Corinius
Corinius laughs at Corsus's drunkenness, taunts La Fireez, and reports the army's strength to the King.
- Corsus
Corsus is drunk at the banquet, sings a song, and quarrels with the dwarf, biting his thumb.
- La Fireez
La Fireez reminds the King of the peace oath with the Demons, is angered by Corsus's drunkenness, and is expected to arrive in Carcë, unaware of the Demons' capture.
- Lord Juss
Lord Juss is captured and chained in the old banquet hall, tormented by the sight of food.
Key passages
“Lord, I am yours forever... But methinks I am little fitted to be a king. Methinks I was ever a better steward of other men’s fortunes than of mine own.”
Gro declares his loyalty to the King but admits he is better at managing others' affairs than his own.
Gro's self-deprecating remark about his suitability for kingship.
“A great king should rather be a dog that killeth clean, than a cat that patteth and sporteth with his prey.”
Prezmyra criticizes the King for torturing the Demons instead of killing them outright.
Prezmyra's moral objection to the King's cruelty.
“Whoso by speech or sign shall reveal to La Fireez that the Demons were in it, or that these enemies of mine are thus entertained by me to their discomfort in the old banquet hall, he shall lose nothing but his life.”
The King threatens death to anyone who tells La Fireez about the Demons' capture.
The King's command for secrecy regarding the Demons.
