Privilege is a buzzword with a lot of weight behind it. According to the Oxford dictionaries, privilege is a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people.
We think of skin color and money allowing us the biggest privileges. Many benefits can be boiled down into those two definers. (Not that there isn’t other ways one can gain/have privilege).
The Craving allowed me to explore the concept of privilege.
Riva Quinton is a product of the radiated rock of a planet called Feri. He grew up with the love of his parents and siblings in a harsh environment where life was short and death expectancy was certain. There was a lack of everything, especially knowledge. Riva fights extremely hard to overcome everything he doesn’t know, but sometimes he doesn’t know the questions he needs to ask. At times, he lacks the basic foundation in which to store the information he is absorbing from those around him.
This is an excerpt demonstrating what he’s up against:
Eros rescued him. “Also around the same age. The procedure of the ruler assigning a soul mate is in name only. This goes back to when people believed the ruler had certain spiritual and god-like powers.”
Wait! What? Riva had to state, “His Greatness does have god-like powers.” He stared at Eros, then Yoshio. They both frowned. “Um, doesn’t he?”
Yoshio nodded. “Oh, on some planets his position is still revered as destined by the universe, but—”
Riva nodded but could no longer process what was coming out of his friend’s mouth. He’d studied the sacred texts that gave the ruler supreme power over all things. Hours a day were spent memorizing the chants of gratitude to honor the shining star of the Xantha star system. When he had sung the holy words, he didn’t stutter. Wasn’t that spiritual proof? “I… I don’t understand.”
Riva stumbled over and stared out at the passing stars. How was all this not by divine order due to His Greatness? He collapsed into the softness of a chair. How could there not be some predestined order to the universe and meaning to all the suffering?
Eros rushed to his side and crawled into his lap. “That’s not to say there isn’t divinity, spirituality, afterworld, and a purpose for us all.”
Yoshio plopped down next to him.
Silence.
Riva simply couldn’t process this information. “So most other planets don’t see the ruler as all-knowing and destined to rule?”
Eros hugged him closer, giving him his answer.
Riva is tired of people treating him like there’s something wrong because he’s always a step behind. He worked hard to build the framework to understand the incredible amount of information.
Writing his part of the story reminded me how difficult it can be to walk in someone else’s shoes if you have more privilege. How easy is it to judge someone harshly because we forget they may not have had the same advantages we’ve had. We assume people in our world have the same information, skills, and chances in life that we’ve had, but that may not be true.
Thankfully, Riva has friends that don’t judge him for it and were willing to help him succeed.
The Craving Blurb:
The craving is an undeniable urge that drives K’Dane citizens to find their life mates—if only to sate their uncontrollable physical longings.
Thrilled at being named a Chosen, Phoenix Dotir leaves K’Dane to become an artist-monk who will create dimensional art capable of changing worlds. Living by the monastery’s Principles of Purity will surely help him overcome the craving. But he never accounted for star chaser Zadra Solav.
Zadra doesn’t believe in rules and makes his own future. Fate separates him from the man he loves, but one touch renders him helpless to his own desires. Bonding with a monk is forbidden, and Zadra’s family sends him to deep space to avoid disgrace. Unable to give up, Zadra must find a way reunite with his Chosen.
Tormented by enforced separation, Initiate Riva Quinton struggles with his vow of chastity and risks all to rescue his lover. Together with his Eros, he stows away on board a star craft to follow his heart.
Four men defy destiny and tradition for love… but their love is a crime punishable by death.
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Hugs, Z
