A CoK Theory (super minor spoilers)

[lylassandra.livejournal.com]

Ok, so I may be totally off base, and I really hope I am... but I have a wonder about the physicians' duel in CoK. Why did Gen ask to see Galen? Why is everyone worried about the king's health?

Now, granted, he just survived an assassination attempt, and everyone should worry about the health of their king since the security of their nation depends on it, but... I wonder if Attolia and Gen are having trouble producing an heir.

Now, obviously that would create huge problems in Attolia and rob us all of the joy of watching little Gens and Irenes, and I am probably reading too much into three sentences or whatever, but... does anyone else wonder this?

Comments

[finding-further.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm... I don't know. It seems to me that, given the civil unrest and the potential war on the horizon with the Medes, Gen and Irene would be trying very hard NOT to have an heir right now. I mean, would you want to bring a little child into their world? It is so very unstable and dangerous. Look what happened to Sophos when he was heir of Sounis. I would think that Gen and Irene would not want to expose their child to the dangers of kidnapping, or worse, because they truly can't ensure his (or her) safety while all this craziness is going on. That said, I can see how MWT could use an heir (plotwise) to really bring down our heroes, and I hope that doesn't happen.

So, I prefer to think Gen's health is fragile and everyone is worried about him because he doesn't seem capable of taking care of himself very well. And I'm hoping we'll see an heir at the end of the series, when everything is stable and the Golden Era reigns.

[lylassandra.livejournal.com]

But those, unfortunately, are the concerns of people who are (going to be) solely parents. They're monarchs, and as Eddis, said, things are different for them. For all that a child of theirs would face, they have to have one anyway-- without a clear line of succession, Attolia will be no better off in a few years than it was when the queen was reaching the end of her resources. There will be too many weaknesses to exploit. If they don't have an heir, the Medes win.

Of course, I wouldn't blame them for putting it off a while...

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

That's true. Attolia does need to have an heir and if Gen and Irene both die, or if either one of them dies, really, Attolia's in for a rough time. On the other hand, a little kid heir wouldn't do them any good at all, and if both of them are going to get killed by the Medes within the next year anyway, they might as well not even start. Whereas if they can ward off the Medes *and* secure a bit more loyalty at home (my guess for the next book is it has to do with kicking a few of the more disloyal Attolian barons in the pants) then they might feel a lot safer about having a child. Right now, with so many enemies around them, a new heir wouldn't ensure the future of their throne, he or she would just be another weapon to be used against the parents.

[finding-further.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's how I see it. If the Attolia/Eddis/Sounis region loses the war against the Medes, an heir will be irrelevant. Plus, what better weapon to give your enemies than a little child who holds both soverigns' hearts? Which, of course, may be why we may see an heir in the next book. MWT doesn't flinch at doing terrible things to her characters.

But, I don't think the hot wine (with herbs) is a fertility treatment. If Gen had asked to see the physicians because he was wanting some help in that area, why would he take every opportunity to drop his wine glass, and avoid the treatment?