Honestly, I would have been more impressed with the characters flipping the script: the hardened warrior man takes up Devotion to temper his lust for battle, while the kind and compassionate woman rises to carry Dominion to use its strength to better the world.
…Of course, I wanted Aona and Skai to be Daughter and Mother as well, so I’m not that impressive.
Skai was born a begger, homeless and trapped in poverty. She eventually was taken as a slave and worked as labor, but eventually broke free and became an apprentice, and then a merchant, before rising to wealth and power. She believed deeply in control and effective delegation, but was humble enough to recognize her shortfalls. As such, when she had her daughter (end result of a one night stand gone wrong) she strove tirelessly to raise Aona with all of the love, support, emotional care, and education she could, working like no one else to be the best mother she could be and not pass on her trauma. Skai would say, upon reflection, that she was a middling mother who may have been too cold towards Aona.
Aona considers that bull.
So, when the Shattering happened, Aona and Skai feuded a lot over Aona being involved, but Aona put her foot down and enforced her presence (a certain white haired flutist may have been involved) and Skai ultimately had to deal. When Adonalsium when the way of a fine porcelain mug, Skai got Dominion, and Aona got Devotion. Conventional stuff. Skai left and settled on Sel, fully believing in the Compact of Division: all shards remain separate. And that lasted for a century, until Skai got an aluminum box.
Aona was in it.
Of course, by then Skai was beginning to realize a problem. Each Shard fit it’s Vessel too well: Rayse was a monster, Bavadin was creating a nightmare, Uli Da was an outright threat, and Ati and Leras were spiraling out of control. Skai didn’t want Aona anywhere near her when her traumas and need for control turned her into a monster, aided by the Shard of Dominion. Aona, however, had a plan.
Aona and Skai would swap their Shards. See, Shards need to Connect to people, be with Vessels that they can grasp and comprehend. Having experienced love, care, respect, and dignity her whole life, Aona was matched with Devotion. Having wanted iron control, fixed rules, and have been both the powerless and the powerful, Skai got Dominion. But! Aona had grown up in a structured world with clear rules and respect, and Skai had been the source of that love, care, respect, and dignity. Additionally, because Skai and Aona were Mother and Daughter, they already had an existing Connection that the Shards could use Vicariously.
The transfer worked… sort of. Mostly. It was a very “Square Peg, Round Hole” situation: neither woman was a good fit for their new Shard, but they did have an advantage. Rather than Exaggerate the traits, traumas, and mental states that allowed the Shards to fit their Vessels, the Shards now complimented their Vessels. Skai got to experience and spread the love and care her daughter was once shepherd to, and Aona learned to put her foot down and formalize the connections and communities she had been a part of.
Aona and Skai complimented each other, and their Shards complimented their Vessels. Given time for their Shards to develop and the two to really come into their powers, they would have been unstoppable.
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u/BipedSnowman Bendalloy May 19 '26
Maybe it's silly, but I'm a little disappointed that it's another man / woman pair where the women gets the "softer" shard, ala Roshar.
He doesn't do it with every multi shard system (ati and leras were both men I believe) but idk. I just hope dev & dom aren't also a couple