Taffy Percival Character Analysis

Percival could try appealing to King Arthur, but what would Percival say? That Taffy was cruel and therefore should not be permitted to care for Dee? The laws of Camelot did not care if a guardian was cruel, only if they were excessively abusive or horridly neglectful. No matter what Percival said or did, regardless of how much he begged to keep Dee, King Arthur would not be able to help, even if he wanted to

It made Percival ill, but he had to let Dee go, as much as he hated to.

“Dee?” he said. “I’m sorry, but you will have to go with your auntie.”

Dee shrieked a bloodcurdling: “NO!”

“I will make sure you and Rion write one another once per month, and at the start of each season, Rion and I will come for a visit.” Percival fixed Taffy

“Now give these children a chance to say their goodbyes.”

Taffy set down Dee on the floor, and the children held one another, saying nothing, their mournful wails pitiful enough to make Percival’s guts roil with revulsion for Taffy.

After drawing up the blanket to cover Idele’s face, Percival was forced to separate Dee and Rion. He ushered them outdoors, and with one arm, he subdued Rion, and with the other, he helped Dee onto Taffy’s horse.

“I’m sorry, Dee,” he told the hysterical little girl. “We’ll write next week and visit the first of winter.”

“Please don’t make me go, Sir Percival.” Tears streamed down Dee’s little cheeks. “Let me stay with my brother. I won’t be any trouble at all.”

Her words pained him worse than a spear to the heart. He did not want to lie to her; there was nothing he could do. “I wish you could stay with me, I truly do. But when you’re old enough, you can move straight back here. But in the meantime, you will see Rion for a visit soon.”

Dee would not be old enough to return on her own for ten years, which would seem like a lifetime for the little girl.

“I want to stay.” Dee trembled in the saddle and she took hysterical, choppy breaths. “Please, Percival, help

“Remember, you will be welcome in my home any time. Forgive me.”

Taffy mounted her horse, dug her heel into the animal’s barrel, and rode off with little Dee. Rion squirmed away from Percival and chased down the horse. The lane was long, and Percival knew Rion would tire before Taffy and Dee reached the woods, so he let him go.

Dee screamed Rion’s name over and over, twisting backwards in the saddle, holding out her hand as if he might be able to grab it and somehow save her, return her to the life she had once known.

“Dee! No! Dee…” shouted Rion, as he ran after the galloping horse as the sun dipped toward the horizon.

But Percival was wrong. Rion kept going and going, and once Rion made it to the edge of the woods, Percival tore after him. All this shouting and commotion drew stunned onlookers, but no one moved to help.

Percival caught up with Rion, and the boy, all cried out, launched himself into Percival’s arms. Slowly, amidst curious stares, Percival made his way back through the Lower Town and up the steep path to the castle.

“You’re with me now, Rion,” said Percival, carrying the child, “and it’ll be all right.”

Percival hoped to the gods it would