> I'm positing a rather more Machiavellian Sethra than portrayed > elsewhere > (well, _Taltos_ supports me). But if Sethra were truly a Machiavellian person, she would try to seize power for herself, or through someone she could control. I think FHA clearly demonstrates that Adron isn't too easily constrained. > In my version of events, Sethra sees > Adron's spell, realizes it may destroy the Orb, and decides that since > Adron would anyway make a better emperor (as would any breathing > Dragon) Why would it be more beneficial to have a Dragon on the throne in Sethra's eyes? If Sethra's mission or purpose is really to protect the empire from the Jenoine (I'm pretty Issola more or less explicitly says that) then what advantage is there to have a Dragon on the throne trying to conquer more land in the east? That would spread resources thin, wouldn't you think? And thus make it harder for her to protect. > (and since it would make Aliera really happy and grateful) she might as > well save a lot of bloodshed by taking out Tortaalik. She arranges > with > Khaavren to do it, perhaps with Aliera's help. It seems as if through the entire Khaavren and Piro series that Khaavren was entirely devoted to his duty of protecting the emperor. Isn't a bit of a stretch that Khaavren helped to assasinate the man he worked for five hundred years? Wouldn't he have had a better chance by then? I do agree though, I have a feeling all this will be better answered when Enchantress comes out. -Jeff