charles_sumner at harvard.edu wrote: At 11:23 AM 4/12/2004 -0400, Alexx wrote: >spoilers ho: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Re: the difference between Paarfi's and Paresh's version of a certain >encounter: > > > Actually, what amazes me is that Paarfi knows about the event > > sufficiently to actually recount it at all! Who would have told > > him THAT version? Aerich? Dead. Khaavren? Never had time to > > hear it. Paresh? Possibly, but if so, Paarfi clearly didn't > > believe him. > >I would presume that Aerich wrote at least one letter between leaving >Tazendra's castle and his death. After all, he's always portrayed as >being meticulous about having his affairs in order, and he *knew* that >he was walking into a trap. Possible, although there's also the unpleasant possibility that the only account Paarfi had was that of Paresh, which Paarfi modified to fit the character he had developed in his book. What really bugged me about that sequence was that it raised the specter that Aerich, as he appeared in the Paarfiad, may not have been quite so noble in reality but was written as such so that Paarfi could use him to make comments on society of the time. ******************************************************************************************** It could possibly raise that spectre, yes; however, I simply cannot imagine, from previous novels, Aerich pounding all over a castle in a sorcerous battle with a Teckla. It is not Aerich's way. However, what I can imagine is a story growing in someone's mind over a few centuries in the telling. I have no doubt that, during the year after Tazendra's kidnapping, that Paresh studied many of her books. Nor do I doubt that he slept in her bed. I also do not doubt that he has told the story of it many, many times and that, each time, some new little detail has been added. After a while, even the teller of it will have some confusion about what really happened and what was added to "spice it up a bit". One of the reasons I believe this is that, in Paresh's telling, he states that Aerich said to him, " Inform your master that the Duke of Arylle will see him." By saying this, Paresh is subtly re-stating how the nobility has no clue who inhabits their lands. However, Aerich knew full well that Tazendra was female, and in the Paarfiad version, Aerich is said to ask for the Baroness. I would be more inclined to believe that Paresh vacated Castle Daavya after Mica arrived and gave him a dressing down for assuming he could take over the Castle just because Tazendra was temperarily absent. Now, I am only assuming that this happened, but it would make sense as Mica stated that he had returned to Castle Daavya and found that Srahi had been killed. If Paresh had burned the bodies, as he had said, how would Mica know, in certainty, that Srahi was dead if he had simply returned to a completely empty castle? Aerich described the desolation and destruction outside of the castle, but only noted that there were footprints in the dust of the courtyard within the castle walls. That implies to me that Paresh had completely cleaned up all signs of violence that had been there. Which also implies to me that Mica would have had to find out from someone who was around that Srahi was dead. That would have to be Paresh, since he was the one to burn the bodies. However, if Steve so wishes, it can easily be cleared up. Paresh's discriptions of the sorcerous battle were rather full of blasts and flames. If there happens to be a mention of Tazendra's estate in the future ( I wonder who inherits all of that?), we simply need to see if the new owners complain of having to clean soot and blast marks off of the walls. Peace, Caliann "Offense theives. -- they take it when it isn't offered." --Tom Digby --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Win a $20,000 Career Makeover at Yahoo! HotJobs