Plans for Costis

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

I don't know how it happens that I didn't connect the two things before, but it only just now dawned on me that Eugenides links his plans for Costis (that Costis won't like) with Gen's previous ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

"'I hope you know that I could once jump from the palace to those roofs over there.' He eyed the empty space below him and said sadly, 'If I tried now, I'd probably eviscerate myself when I landed. But it does give me an idea for what to do with you.'"

So whatever plans he has for Costis involve - what? Jumping long distances? Somthing about those roofs over there? Evisceration from a bad landing? The palace roof?

Costis is to become the champion pole-vaulter of Attolia?

Comments

[rowana.livejournal.com]

Leslie, I've been wondering the same thing, but I've no idea what Gen might be thinking of. Perhaps something that Costis can do that Gen wouldn't be able to do any more?

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

Like strangling Nahuseresh?

(Which of course brings us another question: What's the big thing that he can't strangle Nahuseresh? So what? He can cut his throat or gouge him to death with his hook, among many other possibilities.)

[philia-fan.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this one stumps me, too, since as far as we know Costis can't jump that far himself. It's kind of fun, though, having one clue like that that I can't come up with any decent theories for.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

It's simple, yo.

Gen knows Costis can't jump far. Jeesh. Come on. He needs Costis to lie on the ground to provide a soft landing for him in case he misses when he leaps across the roofs to get into the Mede palace so he can chop off Nahuseresh's red beard and use it for his dinner fork. You know, to pay him back for sending the assassins.

Surely I'm not the only one who has thought of this. Isn't this what everyone else has assumed, too?

[avian-xj.livejournal.com]

LOL! Yes, that must be it, Checkers. (and I thought you were Bear for a second then :P)

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Now that I think about it, what I said is pretty silly---Gen wouldn't want to land on Costis, he'd teach Costis to catch him, like an acrobat would. Then, when the circus with the dancing bear comes to Attolia, Costis could perform with them before he keeps the bear in the palace garden as a pet.

I'm just trying to help get the next book written, Megan, feel free to use any of my ideas. I don't mind.

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

The king spoke to Costis in a low, serious voice. "Costis, I am about to tell you a deep, dark secret."

"Deeper than the fact that you aren't a prancing lightweight?"

"Yes, Costis, deeper than that. I..."

"Deeper than the fact that you and the queen are in love?"

"Costis, can you focus here for a minute? Yes, deeper than that." The king lowered his voice. "Costis, I am the Tooth Fairy. I take children's lost teeth, very stealthily, from under their pillows, and leave them earrings - I mean, coins, instead. Or I did do this, when I was able to leap from roof to roof. But now I can't. And so, Costis, that is your new assignment. *You* will be the new Tooth Fairy!"

[jade-sabre-301.livejournal.com]

...

-ded-

[willow-41z.livejournal.com]

What is that icon??

[jade-sabre-301.livejournal.com]

What does it look like?

(it has currently replaced the "NOT MY DAUGHTER YOU BITCH" icon. :-b)

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

i don't know. i've been looking at it for 5 min and i still don't get it

*dense*

[cleo]

twtd and I think it's either an idle threat, or it's a metaphor for some overachring plan Gen has for Costis.

[sandtree.livejournal.com]

He's going to throw Costis off a roof and see what happens.

:D

[(Anonymous)]

*spits hot chocolate all over the desk laughing*

~Feir Dearig

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

They must be learning the Mede language for a reason...

[main-titles.livejournal.com]

Costis is to become the champion pole-vaulter of Attolia?
XD

In all seriousness, I really have no idea what Gen was thinking of.

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

You guys make me laugh. So. Hard. Oh my goodness. Hee!

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I agree with what people said before--that it'll be something Gen used to be able to do for himself, but can't anymore for various reasons (missing hand, being king, Irene would kill maim get Very Angry with him...)

[(Anonymous)]

I thought the answer to this came when Gen says, "Will you serve me and my god?" and Costis says he will, and Gen says, "Then come out, knowing that you'll never die of a fall unless the god himself drops you."
The way I understand it, only thieves have that expectation. Wouldn't Gen, being from Eddis, think that having a King's Thief is a necessary thing? I think he's spent the last several months choosing who he wants to mentor as a thief. Someone with two hands, young (remember Costis is unusually young)and teachable. Also, if Costis learned to be all stealthy, that would be the best protection from the enemies he has gained. That's my theory.

[in-my-niteshirt.livejournal.com]

I forgot to log in before leaving my comment. oops. The above comment was written by In_my_niteshirt, In case anybody's interested.

[dawnbluewings.livejournal.com]

That was my thoery as well... Hrm... We shall all have to wait and see... in the meantime... *plots*

[philia-fan.livejournal.com]

I agree it's a nice thought, and maybe there's a way he can train Costis, but Costis is a grown man, older than Gen. He won't have been trained from childhood, so he's not going to come close to Gen's skills.

[lipton-tea.livejournal.com]

hmm...I always assumed when I read that line that it was segue into what he says next line about detaching Costis from the Guard. Though reassignment hardly counts as disembowelment. Perhaps Eugenides was referring to the fact that he used to be able to jump from the palace to those roofs in order to escape to safety and comparing that to detaching Costis from the Guard in order to get him out of the palace to someplace less high profile where he would be safe from falling shingles and 'a stray arrow at the butts', etc.

[(Anonymous)]

It's sort of a pity that a nephew/niece of Eugenides' seems impossible right now. With how things are working, he/she would probably be almost exactly like Gen. (Just younger, of course.) Waa!

[(Anonymous)]

Hey all! I'm new here... It's fun to read all your discussion of these books! Intros...My name's Hazel and I'm a student in Montreal, Quebec... I love M.W. Turner, I think some of the things she does are really unique. :)

This is the question I always ponder!!!

I've always thought Gen was going to send Costis in search of Sophos. But the blurb from A Conspiracy of Kings indicates that Sophos will turn up on his own in Attolia (!!!) so it doesn't seem likely he'd send Costis to find him anymore. We don't know how much time passes between the two books: maybe Gen already knows Sophos is in Attolia by the end of KoA, so maybe he's going to use Costis to help Sophos some other way (to be Sophos's bodyguard, maybe?).

It's possible he'd send him to assassinate Nahusaresh, but Costis isn't trained as a spy and I think that would be beyond him. Also assassination might not rate highly on Costis's sense of morals. I think when Eugenides invites Costis to come out and serve his god (the god of thieves), it may mean by helping Gen in his secret plots rather than by Costis being a thief himself.
That's where I'm at so far!!!
:-D

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Welcome! So glad you found the comm.

I've always thought Gen and Costis are heading to Medea, since they're learning the language. No idea what that means, though.

[crazededdisian.livejournal.com]

I know this is two years too late, but I have a sort-of idea. Perhaps Gen needs Costis to catch him?

[faerietaleredux.livejournal.com]

I'm very happy to see this post. Because I have the exact same question. It just took me three years to figure out that I wondered it. ;)

[peggy-2.livejournal.com]

lol, cbjen!

SCORE! to you both.

:D