was also thinking about that 'but you must see, you are the perfect choice'.. she have in him mind as a military overlord/placed king of the easterners? why praytell would he be the perfect choice? what else don't we know about friend vlad.. andy > Hi, > > Sometimes when I have just a few minutes to read something, I pick up > Dragon and randomly read. I had a thought on this passage: end of > Chapter 6, Paperback page 104. > > Vlad speaking to Sethra the Younger: > > 'What I said was, "What would you do with Kieron's greatsword?" > > I could see her trying to decide if I deserved an answer. At last > she said, "Conquer the East. It would be a tremendous symbol for > the leader of--" > > "Spare me," I said. > > She cleared her throat. "Yes, certainly. But you must see, you > are the perfect choice."' . . . > > Vlad says "Spare me" to tell her that he did not want to hear about > it. Sethra the Younger understands, clears her throat and stops > talking about the subject. > > My thought is that she might have taken Vlad literally. > > Vlad says "Spare me" and Sethra the Younger misunderstands, clears > her throat and says "Yes, certainly" meaning Yes, certainly I will > not kill you when I kill all the other Easterners. > > I think she had the same problem Morrolan and Sethra had in Taltos. > She came to see Vlad thinking of him as a Jhereg and not as an > Easterner. > > Page 103 Vlad speaking: > > '"What makes you think I have any interest in doing you a service?" > > She looked startled. "Oh, I'm not asking you for a service." > > "You're not?" > > "No, no. I intend to pay you." > > I carefully controlled my reaction. "I see. Well, what is this > negotiation about?" > > "The sword, of course."' > > So, I think Sethra the Younger just agreed to not cut Vlad in half > with Kieron's greatsword. She may even consider that agreement to > be the payment for Vlad setting up the negotiation. I cannot find > direct text evidence of a payment being made by Sethra the Younger. > > Bye. > > Linda G. >