"Why wouldn't you travel by main roads?"

Calanthe

So.

Calanthe.

I've been avoiding Ciri's plotline and everyone related to it because it's spread across episodes more awkwardly, but the fourth episode is the center of Calanthe's character, so it's a good time to think about her. There's also the question of what the best way to present the information is - do we consider her chronologically, or in the order we're given information? While actually following the flow of time is by far less confusing, the order we're given information is, narratively, the more important one, so I'm going to make an attempt at the latter.

In that case, the earliest information we have is of Calanthe at the end of her reign.

Calanthe is being a calm and almost boring queen.

"As your queen, I grant you this commendation, which will symbolize your duty and bond as liegemen in fealty to the crown of Cintra."

Ciri was playing with other kids in disguise and gets dragged off and crammed into proper princess wear to stand around for this. Eist is also there but muttering jokes and carrying on a conversation with her.

"As members of the royal family, is it too much to ask that you exercise a modicum of respect?"

And Calanthe is the one shutting this down.

So Calanthe is a proper sort of queen.

When next we see her, it's at a party. People are dancing and not like, dramatic intrigue ballroom dancing either, just generally having fun.

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Again: kind of boring! They're just all sitting there, chatting. We find out the new guy at the table can do magic but it's "Tricks and illusions to delight." so nothing really spectacular. The king is hoping to just slink off because he's bored, which, okay.

Eist: "I saw the Wraiths of Mörhogg over the channel this morning."

Calanthe: "Yes, you mentioned."

Cirilla: "Who?"

Eist: "No good will come of it. They're an omen of war."

Calanthe: "The North has been at war since Nilfgaard took Ebbing. If legend is true, the Wild Hunt's years behind the curve."

Eist: "The Nilfgaardian force crossed the Amell Pass."

Calanthe: "Headed to Sodden, if they're smart. And if not, 50 of your Skelligen ships are on the way. We have more knights. We are prepared in case--"

Eist wants to talk about spooky omens and an army and war, and Calanthe is just eh, no big deal, it's probably nothing, if we absolutely have to I've done the reasonable and levelheaded thing of preparing for it, and anyway my preparations are exactly why they'll know to leave us be, look they're obviously going somewhere else... Good lord what a boring lady who doesn't want to do anything interesting.

Cirilla continues to try to be included in the conversation...

Cirilla: "Prepared for what?"

Calanthe: "Nothing for you to be concerned about."

And Calanthe continues to not have it.

Eist: "Should we fall to Nilfgaard, your granddaughter will rule. She needs to understand the way of things."

Calanthe: "We will not fall, because we are not under attack! She's a child."

Cirilla: "You won your first battle in Hochebuz when you were my age. I've heard the ballad."