30 réponses à ce sujet

[gottaloveme]

Quick question.

 

If you listen to what Alistair tells you about living at Redcliffe you learn that Eamon wants to (?) is married to (?) Isolde shortly after the occupation despite the trouble it caused with Maric.

 

This means that Isolde would have been at Redcliffe before (?) Alistair was born which means she would have known about him being Maric's child. So the idea that she thought Eamon was actually Alistair's father would ring false.

 

Yes? No?

 

Be gentle with me - I have a bad cold and am not thinking this thru maybe.

[caradoc2000]

Quick question.
 
If you listen to what Alistair tells you about living at Redcliffe you learn that Eamon wants to (?) is married to (?) Isolde shortly after the occupation despite the trouble it caused with Maric.

I rarely listen to Alistair these days, I prefer to read the codex.    Her family was assigned as the governor of Redcliffe during the occupation.
 

This means that Isolde would have been at Redcliffe before (?) Alistair was born which means she would have known about him being Maric's child. So the idea that she thought Eamon was actually Alistair's father would ring false.
 
Yes? No?

The in-game descriptions/codex entries/epilogues do not always match with each other and/or the books (Calling), so I would take them with a pinch of salt.

Be gentle with me - I have a bad cold and am not thinking this thru maybe.

Is there a good cold?

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

It's possible that Isolde knew Alistair wasn't Eamon's, but there would be people in the arling who would doubt it. Why would Eamon be personally looking after a foundling whose parentage isn't spoken of if it wasn't his own bastard? And one who's older than his legitimate heir? Isolde might have been subject to a lot of unkind gossip.

[caradoc2000]

Isolde might have been subject to a lot of unkind gossip.

Her being Orlesian, she likely was that anyway.

[gottaloveme]

I rarely listen to Alistair these days, I prefer to read the codex.    Her family was assigned as the governor of Redcliffe during the occupation.
 

The in-game descriptions/codex entries/epilogues do not always match with each other and/or the books (Calling), so I would take them with a pinch of salt.

Is there a good cold?

 

I was trying brandy but then started seeing double

[DracoAngel]

She may have known he was Maric's son. But the rumors about him being Eamon's would have made her sour and wanted him gone. As we found out she is very concerned with their image amongst the nobility.

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

Her being Orlesian, she likely was that anyway.

 

True. But racist gossip is different to rumours your husband's been sleeping around, fathered a son, and is raising him in the arling...oh, and that this bastard heir is older than the legitimate one (Connor) and might end up becoming the arl one day.

[Magdalena11]

True. But racist gossip is different to rumours your husband's been sleeping around, fathered a son, and is raising him in the arling...oh, and that this bastard heir is older than the legitimate one (Connor) and might end up becoming the arl one day.

Good points.  Also, sometimes people think there's no smoke without fire.  She might have started to believe them if she was swayed by a majority opinion.

[theskymoves]

***spoilers and crazy talk Ahoy!***

 

The dialogue with Alistair (or rather, one instance of it, since I think he has a couple of places where he'll offer the explanation about Redcliffe/Eamon/Isolde) is

 

Warden: So you said this Arl Eamon raised you?
Alistair:  Oh, did I say that? I mean that dogs raised me. Giant slobbering dogs from the Anderfels. A whole pack of them of them, in fact.
Warden:  Really? That must have been tough for them.
Alistair:  Well, they were flying dogs, you see. Surprisingly strict parents, you see, and devout Andrastians to boot. Let’s see. How do I explain this. I'm a bastard and before you make any smart comments, I mean the fatherless kind. My mother was a serving girl in Redcliffe Castle who died when I was very young. Arl Eamon wasn't my father, but he took me in anyhow and put a roof over my head. He was good to me, and he didn't have to be. I respect the man and I don’t blame him any more for sending me off to the Chantry once I was old enough.
Warden:  He wasn't your father? So you know who he is?
Alistair:  I know who I was told was my father. He died even before my mother did anyhow. It isn't important. Arl Eamon eventually married a young woman from Orlais, which caused all sorts of problems between him and the King because it was so soon after the war. But, he loved her. Anyhow, the new Arlessa resented the rumors that pegged me as his bastard. They weren't true but, of course, they existed. The Arl didn't care but she did, so off I was packed to the nearest monastery at age ten. Just as well. The Arlessa made sure the castle wasn't a home to me by that point. She despised me.
Warden:  What an awful thing to do to a child.
Alistair: Maybe. She felt threatened by my presence. I can see that now. I can’t say I blame her. She wondered if the rumors were true herself, I bet. I remember I had an amulet with Andraste's holy symbol on it. The only thing I had of my mother’s. I was so furious at being sent away I tore it off and threw it at the wall and it shattered. Stupid, stupid thing to do. The Arl came by the monastery a few times to see how I was but I was stubborn. I hated it there and blamed him for everything, and eventually he just stopped coming.
Warden:  Are you sure he isn't your father?
Alistair: Yes, I am quite sure. At any rate, I don’t look anything like him. You’ll see for yourself. Not that it stopped the rumors any. All I know is that the Arl is a good man and well loved by the people.

 

With some bolding for emphasis (and because I like bolding).

 

While I do think Alistair can be  a very unreliable narrator at times, I’ve always accepted his dialogue on the situation at Redcliffe at face value, since he is quite specific about the sequence of events and the cause/effect.

 

A few random thoughts on this... 'soon after the war' could mean almost ANYTHING, given that even 30 years later, some Fereldans are still talking as if the occupation only ended yesterday. And immediately after 'the war', Eamon was still very young. Let's see...  in 8:99 Blessed, Eamon is just 15. (The Stolen Throne, pp 259 of the print edition.)  Isolde is clearly even younger than he, and probably not of an age to marry immediately following the end of the Orlesian occupation.

 

As an aside, I find it very interesting that Connor’s birth would have come right about the time that Alistair was banished to the Chantry. (Connor is about 10 years of age. Alistair was sent to the Chantry at age 10. Alistair is 20... less 10.... carry the naught and... yup.  Alistair got the boot right around when Connor was born.)  My theory *Miss Ann Elk voice* as to why the boy was sent to the Chantry (and not to Rainesfere, or squired out to another lordling), that Isolde's discomfort with/dislike for Alistair had nothing to do with a belief that he was Eamon's bastard (or even rumours to that effect). Rather, I think it's possible that Alistair was banished to the Chantry because Eamon (and Isolde) knew the entire truth about Alistair's parentage... including that his mother was a mage. Magic is hereditary. (Magic being hereditary is something Isolde is quite familiar with, as she tell the Warden when offering a reward (an Enchanter's Staff) for saving both her and Connor: This staff belonged to my grandfather. He was a mage, as well. Connor no doubt owes his abilities to him.) The games strongly suggest that magic often manifests itself in a child near puberty... as it did in Isolde's own son, for example. (I have a hard time believing that even Maric the Shirker would be so irresponsible as to not reveal at least that Alistair’s mother was a mage when he farmed him out. Or that Eamon would have hidden that from his wife... though the Guerrins admittedly are not poster children for familial openness or honesty. :-/)

 

Anywho... as the child of a mage, there was the strong possibility that Alistair too, might possess magic. New parents want to protect their perfect new family from threats. In Thedas, a mage, or even a possible mage (and especially an untrained mage), is regarded as a threat.

 

The Chantry, of course, was best placed for damage control should Alistair take after his mother... toss him in the Chantry-controlled Circle, and no-one is the wiser. And when it became apparent he wasn't a mage, the more interesting 'plan B' of forcing Alistair onto the Templar path results in the Grand Cleric (and to a lesser degree, Eamon) holding sway over the person who was second in line for the throne.

 

This, I think, explains why the Grand Cleric was furious when Duncan conscripted Alistair (who she clearly DID 'value highly').  Imagine if Cailan were to die at some point after Alistair took his vows, or, as he did, at Ostagar. The Grand Cleric could have put forward Alistair for the throne, and who would have dared question the veracity of that claim? Especially if Eamon could offer some proof of it? And what could be more advantageous  for the Chantry (and an allied Eamon) than to have a lyrium-addicted ex-Templar king as their puppet? Win-win, for the machinating opportunists!

 

And since Alistair insists he was not taking lyrium (and he wasn't getting any from my Wardens) I like to imagine that his innate Templar abilities are a combination of mental discipline and low-level magical acumen. (Or the latter + that uber sexxy Theirin dragonblood amiright?) Also explains his weird fascination with magical trinkets, sez me. (Because that wasn't a big a hint as to who his mom is or anything. /snark)

 

Finally, and even more OT but what the heck in for a copper in for a gold, what absolutely infuriates me to the point of incoherence is that Maric (who I truly believe did not give a single thought to his second son once he’d dumped him on Eamon) has been “dead” for FIVE YEARS when the Blight begins. Cailan and Anora are clearly NOT on the baby train (hence the Eamon/Celene intrigue revealed in RTO). Ferelden has for YEARS been one heartbeat away from exactly the succession crisis Cailan’s death at Ostagar precipitates. Yet Eamon, and the Chantry, (and Cailan, if I’m going to point all the fingers) have done NOTHING to prepare Alistair for “what might happen”. What could and did happen, in one heartbeat. *wordless fury*

 

So, tl; dr summation time for Wall o' Text and even I'm bored with what I wrote by now. IMO, the timeline seems to support that Alistair came first, Isolde came later. What anyone knew and why they did what they did is anyone's guess. My guess comes with bonus black helicopters,  a double-thick tinfoil hat, too much coffee, and intense Alistair feels. Also, spellcheck wants to change 'Guerrins' to 'Guerrillas'. Which is the REALLY important bit of this post. Or something.  And of course with apologies for the meander-y digression, but for me, it's all one thing. *remembers the bad stuff that happened on Tumblr when I said this and laughs maniacally before hitting the 'post' button and I'll probably delete this as soon as I'm really awake*

[dragonflight288]

Hmm...Alistair's mother being a mage (SPOILERS) and that mage being Fiona is ambiguous. Granted, it's highly implied, but if someone played the games and never read through the books, all they would know is what Alistair said, he's the son of a serving girl. 

 

That said, with the ambiguity put on the table, I think you forgot to mention a few things. 

 

For one, Maric was married to Eamon's sister Rowan. The fact that Eamon was raising Alistair, Maric's illegitimate son must have been hard on him knowing his sister had been cheated on. Whether it was the serving girl (and Goldanna makes it clear that there was a baby, and she was certain it was Maric's, but had been told it had died,) was his mother or no, there's another bit of dialogue that Loghain if recruited will add, if you ask him why Maric DIDN'T claim Alistair as his son.

 

The answer is pretty simple. Maric nearly did, but he didn't because it would have disgraced Rowan (I'm not sure if she's alive or not at this point since Maric went into the Deep Roads with the Wardens while grieving her death,) and reduced her to being a concubine in the eyes of the people. 

 

And Eamon never had proof that Alistair was Maric's son, even though we all know he actually is, he had put Alistair forward because of his claim through blood, but as he tells the Warden after he recovers, it's but a claim without proof, but coming from him, is enough to make the nobility question Loghain, which in turn helped him call the Landsmeet to try and settle the succession crises and unite Ferelden and end the civil war. 

[theskymoves]

Ambiguity aside, various devs have recently done everything short of flat-out stating that Fiona is Alistair's mother.

 

And how exactly does someone 'cheat' on a dead wife? (Seriously. I'm a huge critic of Maric and think he was a terrible father and not a very good person, but I'm always very confused when people say 'Maric was cheating on Rowan' even after she was long dead.)

[gottaloveme]

***spoilers and crazy talk Ahoy!***

 

The dialogue with Alistair (or rather, one instance of it, since I think he has a couple of places where he'll offer the explanation about Redcliffe/Eamon/Isolde) is

 

Warden: So you said this Arl Eamon raised you?
Alistair:  Oh, did I say that? I mean that dogs raised me. Giant slobbering dogs from the Anderfels. A whole pack of them of them, in fact.
Warden:  Really? That must have been tough for them.
Alistair:  Well, they were flying dogs, you see. Surprisingly strict parents, you see, and devout Andrastians to boot. Let’s see. How do I explain this. I'm a bastard and before you make any smart comments, I mean the fatherless kind. My mother was a serving girl in Redcliffe Castle who died when I was very young. Arl Eamon wasn't my father, but he took me in anyhow and put a roof over my head. He was good to me, and he didn't have to be. I respect the man and I don’t blame him any more for sending me off to the Chantry once I was old enough.
Warden:  He wasn't your father? So you know who he is?
Alistair:  I know who I was told was my father. He died even before my mother did anyhow. It isn't important. Arl Eamon eventually married a young woman from Orlais, which caused all sorts of problems between him and the King because it was so soon after the war. But, he loved her. Anyhow, the new Arlessa resented the rumors that pegged me as his bastard. They weren't true but, of course, they existed. The Arl didn't care but she did, so off I was packed to the nearest monastery at age ten. Just as well. The Arlessa made sure the castle wasn't a home to me by that point. She despised me.
Warden:  What an awful thing to do to a child.
Alistair: Maybe. She felt threatened by my presence. I can see that now. I can’t say I blame her. She wondered if the rumors were true herself, I bet. I remember I had an amulet with Andraste's holy symbol on it. The only thing I had of my mother’s. I was so furious at being sent away I tore it off and threw it at the wall and it shattered. Stupid, stupid thing to do. The Arl came by the monastery a few times to see how I was but I was stubborn. I hated it there and blamed him for everything, and eventually he just stopped coming.
Warden:  Are you sure he isn't your father?
Alistair: Yes, I am quite sure. At any rate, I don’t look anything like him. You’ll see for yourself. Not that it stopped the rumors any. All I know is that the Arl is a good man and well loved by the people.

 

With some bolding for emphasis (and because I like bolding).

 

While I do think Alistair can be  a very unreliable narrator at times, I’ve always accepted his dialogue on the situation at Redcliffe at face value, since he is quite specific about the sequence of events and the cause/effect.

 

A few random thoughts on this... 'soon after the war' could mean almost ANYTHING, given that even 30 years later, some Fereldans are still talking as if the occupation only ended yesterday. And immediately after 'the war', Eamon was still very young. Let's see...  in 8:99 Blessed, Eamon is just 15. (The Stolen Throne, pp 259 of the print edition.)  Isolde is clearly even younger than he, and probably not of an age to marry immediately following the end of the Orlesian occupation.

 

As an aside, I find it very interesting that Connor’s birth would have come right about the time that Alistair was banished to the Chantry. (Connor is about 10 years of age. Alistair was sent to the Chantry at age 10. Alistair is 20... less 10.... carry the naught and... yup.  Alistair got the boot right around when Connor was born.)  My theory *Miss Ann Elk voice* as to why the boy was sent to the Chantry (and not to Rainesfere, or squired out to another lordling), that Isolde's discomfort with/dislike for Alistair had nothing to do with a belief that he was Eamon's bastard (or even rumours to that effect). Rather, I think it's possible that Alistair was banished to the Chantry because Eamon (and Isolde) knew the entire truth about Alistair's parentage... including that his mother was a mage. Magic is hereditary. (Magic being hereditary is something Isolde is quite familiar with, as she tell the Warden when offering a reward (an Enchanter's Staff) for saving both her and Connor: This staff belonged to my grandfather. He was a mage, as well. Connor no doubt owes his abilities to him.) The games strongly suggest that magic often manifests itself in a child near puberty... as it did in Isolde's own son, for example. (I have a hard time believing that even Maric the Shirker would be so irresponsible as to not reveal at least that Alistair’s mother was a mage when he farmed him out. Or that Eamon would have hidden that from his wife... though the Guerrins admittedly are not poster children for familial openness or honesty. :-/)

 

Anywho... as the child of a mage, there was the strong possibility that Alistair too, might possess magic. New parents want to protect their perfect new family from threats. In Thedas, a mage, or even a possible mage (and especially an untrained mage), is regarded as a threat.

 

The Chantry, of course, was best placed for damage control should Alistair take after his mother... toss him in the Chantry-controlled Circle, and no-one is the wiser. And when it became apparent he wasn't a mage, the more interesting 'plan B' of forcing Alistair onto the Templar path results in the Grand Cleric (and to a lesser degree, Eamon) holding sway over the person who was second in line for the throne.

 

This, I think, explains why the Grand Cleric was furious when Duncan conscripted Alistair (who she clearly DID 'value highly').  Imagine if Cailan were to die at some point after Alistair took his vows, or, as he did, at Ostagar. The Grand Cleric could have put forward Alistair for the throne, and who would have dared question the veracity of that claim? Especially if Eamon could offer some proof of it? And what could be more advantageous  for the Chantry (and an allied Eamon) than to have a lyrium-addicted ex-Templar king as their puppet? Win-win, for the machinating opportunists!

 

And since Alistair insists he was not taking lyrium (and he wasn't getting any from my Wardens) I like to imagine that his innate Templar abilities are a combination of mental discipline and low-level magical acumen. (Or the latter + that uber sexxy Theirin dragonblood amiright?) Also explains his weird fascination with magical trinkets, sez me. (Because that wasn't a big a hint as to who his mom is or anything. /snark)

 

Finally, and even more OT but what the heck in for a copper in for a gold, what absolutely infuriates me to the point of incoherence is that Maric (who I truly believe did not give a single thought to his second son once he’d dumped him on Eamon) has been “dead” for FIVE YEARS when the Blight begins. Cailan and Anora are clearly NOT on the baby train (hence the Eamon/Celene intrigue revealed in RTO). Ferelden has for YEARS been one heartbeat away from exactly the succession crisis Cailan’s death at Ostagar precipitates. Yet Eamon, and the Chantry, (and Cailan, if I’m going to point all the fingers) have done NOTHING to prepare Alistair for “what might happen”. What could and did happen, in one heartbeat. *wordless fury*

 

So, tl; dr summation time for Wall o' Text and even I'm bored with what I wrote by now. IMO, the timeline seems to support that Alistair came first, Isolde came later. What anyone knew and why they did what they did is anyone's guess. My guess comes with bonus black helicopters,  a double-thick tinfoil hat, too much coffee, and intense Alistair feels. Also, spellcheck wants to change 'Guerrins' to 'Guerrillas'. Which is the REALLY important bit of this post. Or something.  And of course with apologies for the meander-y digression, but for me, it's all one thing. *remembers the bad stuff that happened on Tumblr when I said this and laughs maniacally before hitting the 'post' button and I'll probably delete this as soon as I'm really awake*

 

Firstly TSM - i didn't know you had it in you to write so much text

secondly - you are devious

[dragonflight288]

Ambiguity aside, various devs have recently done everything short of flat-out stating that Fiona is Alistair's mother.

 

And how exactly does someone 'cheat' on a dead wife? (Seriously. I'm a huge critic of Maric and think he was a terrible father and not a very good person, but I'm always very confused when people say 'Maric was cheating on Rowan' even after she was long dead.)

 

Maybe "cheat" isn't the right word. But her death would have been recent and he was in mourning. Perhaps it would be seen as utterly inappropriate, and would have disgraced her memory or something. 

 

In the end, we simply are told that Maric never claimed Alistair so as to not disgrace Rowan. 

[gottaloveme]

If anyone needs good lovin' it's our Al

[Darkly Tranquil]

@theskymoves: that's a really interesting and quite logical theory.

 

I tend to think that Isolde just flat out didn't like the effect of the rumours on her and her husband's reputation, and wanted the walking, talking reminder of them out of the way because she was a selfish cow who didn't give a damn about anyone but herself. Being Orlesian, and familiar with the Great Game, she may have perceived the rumours as a potential political scandal that rivals might exploit to weaken her family, so she sought to remove the source of that threat. None of which makes her less of a hag, of course.

[luna1124]

Giant slobbering dogs from the Anderfels ,,,,,LOL .. That always makes me laugh

 

 

I think it was the rumors that bothered Isolde and we all see what kind of person she is...

[Magdalena11]

Giant slobbering dogs from the Anderfels ,,,,,LOL .. That always makes me laugh

 

 

I think it was the rumors that bothered Isolde and we all see what kind of person she is...

I agree.  Something that struck me about her character was the slight difference in emphasis between her and Jowan's explanation of why Connor being a mage is bad.  She says magic runs in her family and all the mages have been evil men (and later gives you her grandfather's staff?  Thanks, I guess.) and Jowan says she's pious and magic would be an embarrassment.  I think Jowan has a more accurate idea of her motivation.  She might think all mages are evil, but it's a stain on the family honor to have produced one and that's what bothers her more.  

 

My opinion, for what it's worth.

[theskymoves]

Firstly TSM - i didn't know you had it in you to write so much text

 

 

Sorry 'bout that... once I get going it's hard to stop.   (That was the short version, BTW.   )

[sylvanaerie]

Well, originally Alistair was meant to be a much older Grey Warden. Perhaps it's a bit of game lore that got overlooked by the continuity team?  And lacking any evidence to the contrary, in game, my wardens go with the assumption he's the child of said Redcliffe maid and Maric.  Which, being she's a REDCLIFFE maid and not say, some woman in the palace would lend more credence to why he was left to Eamon, who would have had little to NO reason to have one of Maric's bastards on hand.  

Frankly, I think the whole thing tends to break down into some mess of plot holes if examined too much, so until the writers say "Fiona is his mother" IN the game, I'm going with what's in there.

 

Does it really matter that much though?  Fiona, or serving woman who died at birth, does it truly change who Alistair is in the 'Thedas present'?  Not so much for my wardens who love him unconditionally.  Nor for me TBH, as I just don't get into the prequels that much.  Since he's rarely ruler in my games, Ferelden doesn't need to know more than that.

[gottaloveme]

Sorry 'bout that... once I get going it's hard to stop.   (That was the short version, BTW.   )

 

It's good to get it all out

[Gallimatia]

I don't think Isolde is overly concerned with titles. Her family probably disowned her when she married the man that robbed them of their Ferelden holdings. Rather than play the game she chose to stay behind in a foreign land where everyone is strange, smells like dogs and finds her accent annoying. Now she's stuck living out her days in a rural village where the local nobles can be counted on your fingers and I imagine the closest thing she has to a friend is Teagan. As for her husband well he hasn't aged well and whatever affection he had for her seems dead. He shows no signs of caring if you let a blood mage sacrifice her and her codex entry suggests that the lack of a second heir is telling.

 

 

Isolde met Eamon, not realizing he was the rightful heir to her father's domain, and quickly became smitten with him for being part of the resistance--never mind that it was her family he was resisting. Perhaps a bit too romantic for her own good, she insisted upon staying behind with Eamon when the rest of her family was driven out.

 

My belief is that Isolde has nothing in her life except Connor. He is the one thing that makes her life worth living and that is why she desperately tries to hide him from the Chantry. If indeed you kill Connor her apathy is tangible. She doesn't even have it in her to be upset at the Warden that knocked her out and killed her son. Rather she meekly takes responsibility for everything that happened and asks to be left alone.

 

 

When her only son began to show signs of possessing magic, Isolde tried to cover it up, knowing that he would be taken from her by the Circle if found out.

 

As for Alistair's childhood I think Isolde simply did not see Alistair as her or Eamon's responsibility so she had him sent to the Chantry. I don't think this is blameworthy. It's standard procedure for orphans and there's no reason Alistair's life shouldn't be as good in the Chantry as it was in Redcliffe. For all she knew he could have found in some Grand Cleric what he found in Duncan. Sebastian enjoyed Chantry life well enough and he was sent to Elthina as a spoiled noble.

 

2. Go to the Chantry, child. Someone [that's not me] will look after you.

[gottaloveme]

Bryce Cousland second only to the King in authority and influence. Arl Eamon second again to Bryce and the King's brother-in-law/uncle. Isolde was jealous of her position as Eamon's wife (who knows if she really loved him, considering rumours concerning her and Jowan). Alistair had to go; either as Eamon's bastard who could pose a threat to Connor and a legitimate line of succession (she is Orlesian and maybe averse to the whole voting thing), or as the bastard son of the King who was what he was despite all the hiding. As I see it her strongest motivating factors were pride and jealousy, and for Connor - love and protection at all costs.

[Darkly Tranquil]

As for Alistair's childhood I think Isolde simply did not see Alistair as her or Eamon's responsibility so she had him sent to the Chantry. I don't think this is blameworthy. It's standard procedure for orphans and there's no reason Alistair's life shouldn't be as good in the Chantry as it was in Redcliffe. For all she knew he could have found in some Grand Cleric what he found in Duncan. Sebastian enjoyed Chantry life well enough and he was sent to Elthina as a spoiled noble.

 

Caring for Alistair was a responsibility placed upon Eamon by his King; it was a duty that should have superseded the petty insecurities of his wife. Eamon should have told Isolde that he was fostering Alistair on behalf of a high ranking noble and that she should STFU (it might have done everyone a lot of good, actually). Of course, given what a poxy job Eamon did with Alistair, and what an ineffectual person Eamon seems to be in general, its hardly surprising that he yielded to Isolde's insecurities.

[dragonflight288]

Caring for Alistair was a responsibility placed upon Eamon by his King; it was a duty that should have superseded the petty insecurities of his wife. Eamon should have told Isolde that he was fostering Alistair on behalf of a high ranking noble and that she should STFU (it might have done everyone a lot of good, actually). Of course, given what a poxy job Eamon did with Alistair, and what an ineffectual person Eamon seems to be in general, its hardly surprising that he yielded to Isolde's insecurities.

 

Well, his ineffectualality is dependent on the job he was actually given. Sure, he was raising Maric's illegitimate son, but Maric never recognized Alistair as his, so Eamon's job may have been to keep Alistair out of trouble and keep him ever feeling like he'd have a chance at being king so as to prevent a civil war, preserve Rowan's dignity in the eyes of the people, and generally keep him from ever feeling like he'd have any chance of being a threat to Cailan's rule, as ultimately if the nobles knew about Alistair, many probably work to get Alistair on the throne as a puppet-king to advance their own agenda's. And many nobles rebelled after Cailan's death to advance their own agenda's, not just Teagan's idealistic ones. 

 

If his job was to keep Alistair down, out of the way, and unnoticed, Eamon would have done a superb job at it.