A Bold Stroke
Aug. 16th, 2007 06:36 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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queensthiefProffered with much Hesitancy...
I leave it to your discretion. {...may the games begin!...}
I can't read QoA and not read The King immediately afterward. So this bit from the King of Attolia I was actually stewing over when I posted my thoughts from The Queen...and it won't go away.
Magus is in love with Eddis.
Now how's that for a turnaround of the stereotypical falling-for-the-kidnapper line?
Wait, wait, wait. I know. I rather believe in Sophos/Eddis myself. But you know...what about this whole piece? First let us look at the endearing set up here:
The Queen of Eddis sat at a desk scattered with papers. There was ink on her fingers and a smudge on one cheek. She looked up from her work and smiled when the Magus of Sounis was introduced to the room. [How cute. By the way, because of the way I skim read, I almost always think it's still Attolia; the smudged visage helps me figure out my mistake very nicely.] "How is my honored prisoner?" she asked.
The magus wrapped his robes tighter and sat in the chair by the desk. "I am enduring my captivity very well," he said. "But I cannot find a morning chill refreshing, and I would like to return to my nice warm country."
"You know that you may go when you like," said Eddis.
"Unfortunately, my nice warm country is consuming itself in a civil war, and there are too many people who would slit my throat if they could. One of whom being the king, who may still hold it against me that I was abstracted from his service by your nefarious, underhanded, incorrigible former Thief. My 'confinement' will have to continue until Sounis sends for me."
"You heard this morning in the court about the progress Sounis has made. It won't be long until things are settled and he negotiates your release. I will miss you when you go."
He smiled at her fondly. "No less than I will miss you, Helen. Did you send for me for a reason?"
...
"But if he is gone, if he is dead, and not a hostage somewhere," the Queen of Eddis asked, "would you see me marry Sounis, then?"
She turned back to the magus, but he, in turn, had looked away. He answered very reluctantly, "Yes."
Magus is in love with Eddis.
Now how's that for a turnaround of the stereotypical falling-for-the-kidnapper line?
Wait, wait, wait. I know. I rather believe in Sophos/Eddis myself. But you know...what about this whole piece? First let us look at the endearing set up here:
The Queen of Eddis sat at a desk scattered with papers. There was ink on her fingers and a smudge on one cheek. She looked up from her work and smiled when the Magus of Sounis was introduced to the room. [How cute. By the way, because of the way I skim read, I almost always think it's still Attolia; the smudged visage helps me figure out my mistake very nicely.] "How is my honored prisoner?" she asked.
The magus wrapped his robes tighter and sat in the chair by the desk. "I am enduring my captivity very well," he said. "But I cannot find a morning chill refreshing, and I would like to return to my nice warm country."
"You know that you may go when you like," said Eddis.
"Unfortunately, my nice warm country is consuming itself in a civil war, and there are too many people who would slit my throat if they could. One of whom being the king, who may still hold it against me that I was abstracted from his service by your nefarious, underhanded, incorrigible former Thief. My 'confinement' will have to continue until Sounis sends for me."
"You heard this morning in the court about the progress Sounis has made. It won't be long until things are settled and he negotiates your release. I will miss you when you go."
He smiled at her fondly. "No less than I will miss you, Helen. Did you send for me for a reason?"
...
"But if he is gone, if he is dead, and not a hostage somewhere," the Queen of Eddis asked, "would you see me marry Sounis, then?"
She turned back to the magus, but he, in turn, had looked away. He answered very reluctantly, "Yes."
I leave it to your discretion. {...may the games begin!...}
