Emperor Kauvauc Ueneuvin

The Emperor at the time of Even the Wingless

The current Chatcaavan Emperor.

Known Shapes by the middle of the Princes' Game series

Appearance and Personality

The Emperor is tall for a Chatcaavan; he is described as being nearly as tall as Lisinthir, who is 6'3" (guesses are about 5'9" without the horns). He is completely ebony black, as is his mane, and his skin is matte rather than glossy. He has an immense crown of horns that sweep back; it's possible that he has never had a horn broken. His eyes are a fluorescent yellow. Like all Chatcaava, his fingers are tipped with long talons. He moves with a predatory grace and is very fast. "Short, certainly--the dragons were--and lithe, more serpent than hulking worm. Black, as reported, but not glossy, so that it was difficult to differentiate horns from mane from body. A paper cut-out, she thought, but moving; it made the fluorescent yellow eyes all the more startling, and she couldn't doubt that the black robe and pants had been chosen to give the eye no purchase elsewhere. He exuded a palpable self assurance and moved with a sinuous grace that suggested his lethality, but she liked his eyes. They were... complex. Patient. They were assessing her, giving her time to assess him."

He now wears four black rings glued to his horn, which persist into different shapes (usually attached to the scalp). He doesn't know why they remain stuck to him when other forms of jewelry and clothing don't, and doesn't understand the reasoning of where they end up, and suggests to Laniis Baker that it might be a subconscious decision.

Known Alien Shapes

• Eldritch - similar in appearance to Lisinthir, with a fringe framing his face and eyes "a little too fluorescent a yellow [for an Eldritch], a little too large, and with pupils markedly slit." Obtained from Lisinthir Nase Galare. The Emperor felt like he was going to fall over in this tail-less and wingless form.
• Human - light beige skin, somewhat-larger-than-normal and slightly-too-vibrant eyes, scarred, very delicate frame; voice is higher pitched than as a Chatcaavan, "issuing from a narrower throat." Learned from Andrea Tran on the Worldlord's hunting estate. In this form he had a name of Dainty.
• Harat-Shar - black and silver ragged rosettes on a white and desaturated taupe background. Learned from Dominika during the aftermath of the Battle at Apex-East.
• Seersa - petite and snowflake white with pitch points. Learned from Laniis Baker.
• Faulfenzair - all black, with yellow eyes. Learned from Qora.

Biography

Family

His sire was in the Chatcaavan Navy, but died without earning a title.

His children include: Gale, Whisper, Cloud, Maazi, Vu, Kaavi, and Hope (among others).

Early History

Prior to Even the Wingless.

• While in the Navy, he was once based at Apex-East.
• When he became Emperor, Second-Who-Was was already at the palace, The Emperor specifically requested that he stay and perform assessments of risks against himself and against the Empire.
• Rarely came to the Queen without agitation in his heart, and was generally not content with minor obeisances like making her a living statue.
• Unlike prior Emperors, was largely uninterested in killing his possessions, and did not kill without cause.
• Humiliated Pelted slaves by shaving their fur
• Was curious about aliens; tested them in many ways: sending them for medical experiments, shaving them, pulling out their claws, as well as the more standard-for-slaves raping and beating
• Second-Who-Was was his poison taster, and was "the only male [he] ever trusted in all [his] life," who deserved to be answered on the dueling field, even though the Emperor was not obligated to do so.
• "A male who wanted his place, an ambitious male he actually respected, he would kill. But I have watched him many revolutions, and rape is a thing he indulges only with those who hover between useful and respected. He does not humiliate them publicly, but instead in private. I am not certain if he has resorted to this because you have no horns to break... but I cannot suspect so. There are other ways to humiliate a male in public. [...] For if he cannot break you easily, then he will resort to other methods. No matter how much the Emperor enjoys your private tests, eventually you must rise to the level of a respect-worthy rival—and be killed—or you must fall to a level more fitting of public humiliation. And how courtiers love to bear witness to the twin tests of power and suffering!"
• Treated the Alliance "like a female" prior to Lisinthir's arrival: stealing when it suited him, occasionally slapping or using it, but ignoring it as beneath his interest most of the time.

Recent History

Even the Wingless

• Never used the Touch and the Change until Lisinthir Nase Galare goaded him by suggesting that the Emperor was afraid to do it. The Emperor then used the Touch to take an Eldritch pattern from him.
• Admitted to the Queen that Lisinthir had him "enthralled."
• Ultimately, Lisinthir Nase Galare came to trust the Emperor, because "You have always kept your word."
• Came to call Lisinthir "Perfection" and "Beauty," meaning the ideals, not the more mundane sense of the word.
• Called the Queen "pet" until he began to see her as a person instead of simply a posession; "pet" had connotations of being one step above "slave" and one step sideways from "female." When he did begin to recognize her personhood, he switched to "Treasure," again using the word for the ideal.
• Had his wings torn by Second during their challenge duel, and then healed by the Surgeon without anaesthetic.

Trivia

• Likes tonic water
• Swears by Dying Air
• Had an "almost scientific interest in the workings of aliens"
• As a male Outside, the Surgeon is one of the very few at the Throneworld Court who can speak to the Emperor without deference and even contradict him.
• Unlike the Eldritch, who shunned physical touch to avoid feeling another's emotions, the Emperor found it exhilarating, voyeuristic, and a shameful pleasure; the shamefulness only gave it an exotic savor.
• Stopped using the rack to immobilize Lisinthir when he realized that it would drive Lisinthir mad over time; he preferred Lisinthir sane.
• Has several names:
  • The Emperor
  • Greatness (as in the ideal)
  • Kauvauc Ueneuvin
  • The Survivor
  • Dainty

Quotes

• "I will say this, Ambassador . . . I do not share your views. We are strong, and the strong are entitled to the weak. The universe is not served by weakness. Such weakness is culled by nature... and we must all serve our natures."
• "You are under the impression that I am only aroused by lack of consent. [...] When in fact, I am aroused by exerting my dominance over others. Whether they accept it and are glad to accept it or whether they fight me to their dying is immaterial."
• "I AM EMPEROR HERE!" the male cried. "DEFY ME AND DIE!"

• "We make our own standards, Perfection. Out of your sense of honor and mine, we make them."
• "One never rests, but one never grows bored."
• "Who would go backwards, who could go forth?"
• "I came from obscurity."
• "Perhaps it was my inability to surrender that required so much suffering as a teacher."
• "A cornered animal is dangerous, but it's still only an animal."

Story Appearances

• Even the Wingless
• Some Things Transcend
• Amulet Rampant
• Only the Open
• In Extremis
• From Ruins