There are several moments in tge where Maia is just the Most eighteen, and I would like to posit one of my favorites:
Min Vechin, who Maia is very attracted to: hey :) I've noticed you're attracted to me...want to do something about that?
Maia, experiencing the entire spectrum of human half-goblin emotion at once: NO THANK YOU. GOODNIGHT. MA'AM.
Maia: *turns on his heel and walks out, followed by his nohecharei who got to watch that entire fumble*
The problem with rereading the goblin emperor is that I’m gonna finish it at some point and then it’ll be over. Unless of course I reread it, again.
"One moment each morning in which you spoke as a person to another person, and was greeted as a person by another person: on such did the entire machinery of apotheosis stutter to a halt."
Hi, hello, I finished reading The Hands of the Emperor and started the little companion novella Petty Treasons, which is the Emperor and Cliopher's first meeting from the Emperor's point of view. It does not disappoint.
"You don't know me. I'm not the same person anymore."
"That's okay. I'll get to know you again."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MONKEY D. LUFFY!
A silly, utterly inconsequential thing that caught me in Tomb Of Dragons.
Maia wearing amethysts. Twice.
Does that matter? Means anything? Likely not. And yet, that trifling detail won’t leave me alone.
Doylist explanation: KA didn’t feel like coming up with a different outfit for someone who isn’t the main character in the novel. Completely understandable. However, since when has she balked at meticulous descriptions of different clothes?
So.
In-universe possible explanations.
1) The edocharei have settled on Edrehasivar VII’s Signature Look. Grey and purple go together so maybe amethysts look nice with Maia’s skin. And a year in they have decided they can safely branch out from Traditional Pearls/Moonstones/Opals/Diamonds/General Whiteness to embrace other colors than Drazhada Amber.
2.a) Csethiro made a favorable remark once and Maia has seized on a chance to make her happy even in a small way.
2.b) They are a gift (maybe a betrothal one? I can see formal exchanges of gifts preceding a marriage in elven culture) from Csethiro herself and Maia wants to both make her happy and make A Statement that his future wife has his imperial favor.
3) Maia simply likes them.
In my head, in the last case, the edocharei burst in the kitchen/servant hall of the Alcethmeret in tears because: “His Serenity likes amethysts!” “He ACTUALLY SAID so! ‘These look very nice’!”
General bewilderment.
“We swear we’re not joking. His Serenity, entirely unprompted, has expressed a personal preference.”
General chaos, more tears, wild cheering.
“Break out the good wine and send a page to light some candles to Cstheio in thanks, it took a year but we have a second preference beside chamomile tea!”
the range this man has. from "a beauty so captivating that he could topple a kingdom" to the most pathetic, sopping wet cat in existence.
at all times i imagine maia to look somewhat like a very sad overloaded christmas tree
Fanart for The Goblin Emperor.
I really liked this book. Such a good read.
on duty
I too want to give Maomao a kiss on the cheek
EDIT: I made a follow up comic