Questa discussione ha avuto 4 risposte

[Callidus Thorn]

I've recently started re-reading The Calling, and came across something that seemed to stand out.

 

Is it ever mentioned anywhere what Maric was doing on page 54, stopping at a farmhold on the outskirts of the Bannorn?

 

Sure, it seems like a pretty small thing, barely even mentioned and with no real detail. But Maric insisted on it, didn't say anything about why, and since he wasn't expecting to come back it has the feeling of a last chance or obligation on his part. And it just has that feel of a hint being dropped.

 

I'm not going to lie, my first thought was that it was something to do with Alistair. I can't think of anything else that would fit.

 

Then I saw on the Wiki that Alistair's been confirmed to be Fiona's son, but that was confirmed by Laidlaw, not Gaider, so I can't help wondering if he dropped the ball on that.

[Deadly dwarf]

I just finished reading "The Calling" for the first time about a month ago.  I hadn't noticed Maric's brief stop at the farmhold; perhaps some unfinished business left over from Stolen Throne?  I wonder if Gaider has ever addressed this...but you are right, this seems to be a hint of some sort.

 

It's way to early to have anything to do with Alistair; at this point in the story, Fiona is still very cold to Maric.  I'll avoid spoiling the rest of the book for you.  When you're done, I wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts on the final quarter of the book.  I generally liked it, but felt that it unraveled toward the end.

 

Here's a question for all in general:  are the alienages voluntary on the part of elves or are they forced to live there?  I always assumed it was forced segregation, but then I read something that Fiona said toward the end of "The Calling" that since the children of elf and human relationships come out human, elves lived in alienages voluntarily to keep their bloodlines pure and avoid dying out.

[Callidus Thorn]

Firstly, as I said, I'm re-reading the book, I've read it a couple of times already.

 

Alistair being Fiona's kid doesn't really fit with what we're told in DA:O by Goldanna. Duncan could have placed that kid anywhere, could have made up anything he liked if asked about the kid's origins, and only Maric and Fiona could have known it to be a lie. Considering that Fiona specifically said she didn't want the kid not to be "tied to the royal blood", leaving him with the brother of Maric's late wife seems like something of a betrayal on Duncan's part.

 

Secondly, do you mind not trying to hijack my thread?

[nightscrawl]

Firstly, as I said, I'm re-reading the book, I've read it a couple of times already.

 

Alistair being Fiona's kid doesn't really fit with what we're told in DA:O by Goldanna. Duncan could have placed that kid anywhere, could have made up anything he liked if asked about the kid's origins, and only Maric and Fiona could have known it to be a lie. Considering that Fiona specifically said she didn't want the kid not to be "tied to the royal blood", leaving him with the brother of Maric's late wife seems like something of a betrayal on Duncan's part.

 

Secondly, do you mind not trying to hijack my thread?

 

It is basically confirmed in Inquisition that Alistair is Fiona's son.

 

It's also not a betrayal on Duncan's part. Fiona gives the baby to Maric at the end of The Calling. Maric in turn hands the baby over to Arl Eamon. What did you want Duncan to do? Kidnap Alistair away from Arl Eamon? Alistair may have had a crap childhood, but he was essentially safe and better off than some other children.

 

As far as Goldanna is concerned, even if we give her the benefit of the doubt and say she's not lying, she was a child and children misunderstand things and misremember things. "Thems at the castle" could also have told the little urchin whatever to get her to go away, or they could have misunderstood what she was asking. There are any number of possibilities. Her account is hardly reliable.

[ArcadiaGrey]

How is it Duncan's betrayal?  Maric chose to give Alistair to Eamon, not Duncan.

 

And Goldanna was lied to just as Alistair was, so take what she says with a pinch of salt.