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Gotham Reads Bees

Chapter 76

This is a very complicated passage. Claire is coming to terms with many of the not-so-great aspects of her marriage to Frank - something she realized about him only after his death, and after she returned to Jamie.

That Frank lied to her. For years.

Not just in terms of being unfaithful to her. More importantly, in a lie of omission - omitting to tell her that Jamie had survived Culloden. For he knew immediately that if Claire knew - she'd turn heel, with Brianna in tow, and fly back to Jamie.

Which is precisely what she eventually did - except, of course, she went alone, though, of course, Brianna soon followed.

I read the final line of this passage as coming from Claire. Claire is the one who wants to burn the book. She is deliberately closing a huge chapter of her life - her marriage with Frank. Putting it firmly in the past, where it belongs. For there's just too much pain - and no longer does she want Frank to continue to inflict that pain on her and on Jamie.

“You sent me back to him,” I said, trying to keep my voice from breaking. “When you thought it would be dangerous for me and the baby to stay. He knew you weren’t dead, and didn’t tell me.” I lifted his hand and kissed it.

Outlander is all about fatherhood. It is ironic that our lead grew up as he did and is tasked with playing a role over a decade of father, clan leader, for more than just a few in his care. Fully present, protective, loyal and servant of those depending on him.

I have never thought about this angle to the story - but you're so right!

Jamie's vocation is fatherhood.

He plays a father role to so many needy children throughout the course of the Books - and his gravitas as a father-like figure to his men and tenants is why so many people trust him, and look to him for advice.

Hiya Hildy!

You’re right in that this is not in the Books at all - which makes it that much more interesting.

You may not remember that we have seen this flag before - on the wall of Reverend Wakefield’s manse in 02x01 (thanks to @bonnie-wee-swordsman for the sleuthing help!)

…as well as this gorgeous shot of the flag during a flashback (flashforward?) in 01x05:

Now, we know that the Reverend is an amateur historian - and has the best collection of Jacobite books in the Highlands.

So - what does it all mean?

Well - I did some research and turns out “Nemo me impune lacessit” was the Stuart motto.

(I’ll ignore how I don’t think this motto applies to Bonnie Prince Chuck in the slightest, or at least in the version of him portrayed in Outlander. Because he certainly harmed plenty of people…and didn’t quite get punished for it…)

But it’s also a motto for Jamie. Nobody can harm him, or those he loves, and get away with it. He exacts revenge - and enjoys himself while doing it. c.f. Claire’s rescue in ABOSAA, the duel with BJR in DiA, what he does for Claire at the end of MOBY, etc.

And of course it’s a motto for Claire. Nobody harms her and goes unpunished. Not Frank, for emotional unavailability. Not Jamie, for forcing her back through the stones and living as half a person for 20 years as a consequence. Not any of the men who make advances on her throughout the Books. Not time itself.

More than anything - it’s the motto of who Jamie and Claire are together. Scotland is such a core part of who they are as individuals, and who they are together. Moreover, they protect and defend each other. They do literally *anything* for each other: lie, cheat, steal, kill, give their bodies to others, starve, withstand unimaginable emotional anguish – all for the sake of the other person. Nothing can harm their union - their love - and all things that try to damage it undergo severe consequences.

From 07x04:

“He had risen, was standing over me. His shadow fell across my knees; surely that meant the cloud had broken; a shadow doesn’t fall without light.

“Claire,” he whispered. “Please. Let me give ye comfort.” 

“Comfort?” I said. “And how will you do that? Can you give me back my child? ”He sank to his knees before me, but I kept my head down, staring into my upturned hands, laid empty on my lap. I felt his movement as he reached to touch me, hesitated, drew back, reached again.“No,” he said, his voice scarcely audible. “No, I canna do that. But…with the grace of God…I might give ye another?”

His hand hovered over mine, close enough that I felt the warmth of his skin. I felt other things as well: the grief that he held tight under rein, the anger and the fear that choked him, and the courage that made him speak in spite of it. I gathered my own courage around me, a flimsy substitute for the thick gray shroud. Then I took his hand and lifted my head, and looked full into the face of the sun.

People in this fandom are incredibly talented and passionate. Some of their creations are admirable.

Here is another summary you'll enjoy.

Anon, this is one of my favorite (and yet too often overlooked these days, as it didn't make it into the series) things in all of the Books.

You're correct in that the miniatures have never come up again. It was a shock to me when they made an appearance in ABOSAA - and of course I instantly made the connection to Claire's dream in DiA.

I do think that Frank had them. And that he hid them from Claire. Just like he had done so much research - and written books - about Culloden, and the Scots in North Carolina. How he knew that Jamie had survived Culloden. And how he kept all of this from Claire.

He dug into the past - the same past that he told Claire to stop living in. Out of jealousy, anger, spite, any number of reasons.

There's no way that Frank knew that Brianna had painted them - though in his research he undoubtedly came across records of her (and Roger, and their kids) living on Fraser's Ridge, and perhaps even came across records of Brianna making money from her paintings.

Now, why was Claire dreaming about these miniatures (seeing Frank in the future)? Well, we do know that she has a touch of the supernatural. She uses her blue light to heal (the same blue light as Master Raymond, and which Nayawenne tells her will grow stronger as her hair grows grayer; the same blue light she uses in Bees to literally bring Jamie back to life). So, why can't she "see" through time, especially in dreams? Jamie does, after all.

Hi anon - thanks for your ask!

I *LOVE* Rachel. I love how accepting she is of Young Ian - how she loves him deeply and fiercely because of his past, because of his flaws. And she loves how Ian loves her - and how he’s loved her since almost the moment he met her.

Rachel brings joy to the Fraser/Murray/MacKenzie family. They love her for who she is - and they also love her for who Young Ian has become, now that they’re tied to each other for life. And that beautiful hummingbird scene at their wedding - I always thought that it represented a divine blessing on their marriage. Young Ian is both a Highlander and a Mohawk - and both cultures take such signs very seriously. A good omen for their union, to be sure.

Finally - I can’t help but point out the many parallels between Ian and Rachel’s relationship and Jamie and Claire’s relationship - as well as between Rachel and Claire:

- Like Claire, Rachel is an outlander - not just in terms of nationality, but also in terms of her religion and upbringing. Her being an outlander is what Ian finds so intriguing about her - similar to why Jamie loves, admires, and respects Claire so deeply

- Like Claire’s relationship with Uncle Lamb, Rachel has a strong male influence in her life (Denny). This significantly shapes how she perceives men, and interacts with men - like Claire, Rachel isn’t afraid of them

- Like Claire, Rachel is never, *ever* afraid to speak her mind - or put her man (respectfully) in his place

- Rachel is Ian’s own nighean donn - he even calls her such for the first time on their wedding night in Written In My Own Heart’s Blood - just like how Jamie first called Claire by that name on the day after their marriage (in book-verse; he does so on their wedding night in the series)

- Ian, like Jamie, fell in love with his wife pretty much the first moment he saw her

- Ian trusts Rachel above all things - in all things - and has from the very beginning of their relationship. After all, as we learn in An Echo In The Bone:

Him ...⚜️

#JAMMF

Hi anon - thanks for your ask!

I *LOVE* Rachel. I love how accepting she is of Young Ian - how she loves him deeply and fiercely because of his past, because of his flaws. And she loves how Ian loves her - and how he’s loved her since almost the moment he met her.

Rachel brings joy to the Fraser/Murray/MacKenzie family. They love her for who she is - and they also love her for who Young Ian has become, now that they’re tied to each other for life. And that beautiful hummingbird scene at their wedding - I always thought that it represented a divine blessing on their marriage. Young Ian is both a Highlander and a Mohawk - and both cultures take such signs very seriously. A good omen for their union, to be sure.

Finally - I can’t help but point out the many parallels between Ian and Rachel’s relationship and Jamie and Claire’s relationship - as well as between Rachel and Claire:

- Like Claire, Rachel is an outlander - not just in terms of nationality, but also in terms of her religion and upbringing. Her being an outlander is what Ian finds so intriguing about her - similar to why Jamie loves, admires, and respects Claire so deeply

- Like Claire’s relationship with Uncle Lamb, Rachel has a strong male influence in her life (Denny). This significantly shapes how she perceives men, and interacts with men - like Claire, Rachel isn’t afraid of them

- Like Claire, Rachel is never, *ever* afraid to speak her mind - or put her man (respectfully) in his place

- Rachel is Ian’s own nighean donn - he even calls her such for the first time on their wedding night in Written In My Own Heart’s Blood - just like how Jamie first called Claire by that name on the day after their marriage (in book-verse; he does so on their wedding night in the series)

- Ian, like Jamie, fell in love with his wife pretty much the first moment he saw her

- Ian trusts Rachel above all things - in all things - and has from the very beginning of their relationship. After all, as we learn in An Echo In The Bone:

-- Claire to Malva, 6x06 "The World Turned Upside Down"

---

What haven't Jamie and Claire endured, for each other's sake?

Neither of them could have imagined on their wedding day exactly what they would face. Had they known, would they have married anyway?

Well, Claire says it herself in the very first episode: "Even now, after all the pain and death and heartbreak, I still would make the same choice." Because to not choose each other, would be a life truly not worth living.

For posterity - here's my list of exactly what Jamie and Claire have been through. What they've endured for each other - and precisely why their love is so, so strong:

Physical harm

Sexual assault

Death of a child

Inability to raise their sole living child together

Living in exile

Prison

Giving their body to another man, to guarantee each other's safety

Marriage to another person - full of spite and regret and pain and the ghost of each other

Homelessness - multiple times

Poverty

Starvation

Loss of reputation

Murdering others - multiple times

Inflicting physical harm on others - multiple times

Marching with an army

Illness

Death of a grandchild

Picnic with cows