Lindhall Reed:

RULES: Post the last sentence you wrote (fanfic / original / anything)

I'm going to piggie back off @mihrsuri's tag and drop in a piece of my Tortall fic I'm working on of Arram's early days in Tortall and how he came to be known as Numair Salmalin.

I know I just posted another WIP but I'm very fond of this one and want to share.

“Stop that Arram.” Varice whispered. “Don’t tease. Not now. I can’t stand the thought of you trapped down here.” She—finally—withdrew her hands and crossed her arms, not in a display of anger, but rather the self comforting act of drawing oneself inward, the unconscious instinct to guard the vital organs from an attack. “Will you please reconsider? Not just for your sake, but for Ozorne and all those he may hurt in his rampage. For me.” How easy would it be to just give in? To let go of his mug and reach a hand, still hot and damp from the heat of the tea, to her face and say “Yes, I accept.” To finally be released from this smothering prison and allowed to walk again under the sky, able to truly bask in his Gift again like a flower turning its face to the sun. He kept a hold of his mug. Too hard, was the answer. True, the oppressive weight of this magical prison pulled an unending ache straight through his core and sent it rattling around his bones, but that pain was nothing compared to the agonies of the gilded cage Ozorne held open and waiting for him.  If he were to acquiesce to the Emperor’s whims, sooner or later—probably sooner—the gold would flake away and reveal the harsh barbed iron underneath. Those bars, like vines armed with cruel thorns, would slowly but inexorably wind their way around his entire being, sinking their hooks into his flesh and binding his limbs until he had no choice but to be maneuvered like a puppet on a string. Ozorne’s puppet. Varice couldn’t stand the thought of him being kept down here. Arram couldn’t stand the thought of what being released might entail for his soul.

Today we move into Tamora Pierce’s Emperor Mage from the Immortals series! Lots of fun things coming up in this book!

“Everyone bowed or curtsied deeply to the golden man on the golden throne. He waved a hand, talk and movement picked up where they’d left off. A slave knelt beside the throne, offering a bowl of fruit. The emperor selected a fig, and nibbled it.”

...

“Lindhall beckoned to a slave with a tray of fruit. ‘Your small friend will like grapes,’ he told Daine, pointing to Zek. ‘You may also.’ He put a bowl of grapes and plums beside her. Zek devoured the grapes, while Kitten selected a plum.”

Multiple Sufficient Causes

When independent sufficient conditions operate to prevent each other from functioning as a but-for cause of an injury, each is deemed an actual cause.

Fire accidentally started by George in an effort to defeat Roger reached the palace at the same time an earthquake caused by Jon using the Dominion jewel, earthquake and fire reduce the palace to rubble. Both George and Jon are liable.

However, if a condition that would have been sufficient to produce the injury operates after the injury occurs it will not be deemed a cause.

Fire started by George reaches the palace only after an earthquake caused by Dominion Jewel already razed it. George is not liable.

An actor's negligent conduct is a legal cause of harm to another if his conduct is a substantial factor in bringing about the harm.

All the dinosaurs Daine accidentally brought back to life destroyed the Carthaki palace. Daine is liable.

The actor's negligent conduct is not a substantial factor in bringing about harm to another if the harm would have been sustained even if the actor had not been negligent.

The palace was going to be destroyed by catapults from Tortall’s ships before Daine’s dinosaurs even got there. Daine is not liable.

If two forces are actively operating, one because of the actor's negligence, the other not because of any misconduct on his part, and each of itself is sufficient to bring about harm to another, the actor's negligence may be found to be a substantial factor in bringing it about.

Daine accidentally brought a bunch of dinosaurs back to life, and there was a rebellion in the palace that also caused destruction. Daine is still liable.

Necessary Elements of a Sufficient Set

Three or more defendants. None are enough to cause the problem on their own. But two out of the three are sufficient to cause the problem. Just cannot determine which two would have been the cause of the problem. All are liable.

Need two earthquakes to damage Carthaki palace. What if it was Earthquake 1 (caused by Jon) + Earthquake 2 (caused by Numair) + Earthquake 3 (caused by Daine’s dinosaurs) all hit at the same time?