> If Iceflame is as snarky as Loiosh, maybe he/she said something like > "Well. The Easterner is learning some manners. Maybe I *won't* eat > his soul." Assuming that's even what she was smiling about. Tehehe... I like this explanation. I'm away from my books, did Vlad mention if it was actualy wine or if it was brandy? If the latter, maybe he was being a sarcastic pain, and she was noticing? > Vlad never told Morrolan that he was held prisoner by the Greenaerans. > He was pretty close-mouthed about the whole affair, as I recall. Except that Morrolan helped Aliera and Cawti bust him out. Actualy, now that I think of it, wasn't he on the boat waiting for them? Though I can't imagine them not mentioning to Morrolan that Vlad was being held captive. > As long as I'm talking about Phoenix, here's some thoughts: those > events that he partook in are why Vlad was so pissy when he met Verra > again in "Issola". I think that in "Phoenix", when Vlad accepts the > commission, he had some vague notion that since his Goddess wanted > this assassination, it was somehow for the greater good of all. For > all his vaunted cynicism, I think there were *some* things he thought > of idealistically. Really? I thought that he just resigned himself to doing something his patron Goddess asked and that he was being paid for a job. It also gave him a chance to get away for a bit, take his mind off things he didn't want to think about anyway. 'Least, that's what I got from it....:) > The revelation that it was (a) a murder of an innocent man who happens > to be the ruler, and appears to have been loved, or at least liked, by > his people (b) part of a deliberate & callous provocation towards war, > (c) in fact aimed at screwing with his people, Easterners of South > Adrilankha, and (d) didn't even *work* because the result she > predicted didn't happen ... all came as several nasty shocks. So Vlad > was pissed off at himself for being her pawn, and pissed off at Verra > for being so damn manipulative, and so he very nearly got himself into > trouble when he met up with her again in her place of power, and he > let some of that anger out. Oh, I'll agree with all that....<grin> > Of course, poor Lady Teldra had no idea why Vlad was being so rude, > but I think her forgiving attitude -- especially when she says that > Vlad "always" acts appropriately -- says quite a bit about her, > although I am still not sure if it's because she likes Vlad (along > with everyone else), or was a little bit in love with him even then. Hmm... I think Lady Teldra figured something was between the two of them that raised Vlad's ire *because* she respected his tendency to act appropriately. And when she was worried he would step over a line, gently nudged him. I'm not sure about her being *in* love with Vlad, though. Loves more than most, perhaps, but given her nature and her love of everyone, I doubt that she is in love with Vlad. 'Course, I could be wrong. And it's possible she grows into that.... :) Chris