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

[drashizu.livejournal.com]

Interesting theory.

Well, first off, as for reading too much into it, absolutely not! MWT spent those 3 sentences (or whatever) describing an issue that has the potential to become politically relevant in later books. MWT. It absolutely matters.

The question is what it *is*! Personally, I got the impression Gen had some sort of clinging sickness caused by his sleep deprivation (because of the nighttime adventures), stress, past injuries, and possibly sandy diet (or, if he avoids eating the sandy foot, malnutrition). But your theory is way more creative than that, since it combines two different plot threads into one issue.

Would the physicians be making Gen drink herbal wines if to help with fertility? Is Irene drinking the same sorts of things but Sophos just doesn't notice? Now I'm wondering, since I don't know anything about what Renaissance doctors thought about the reproductive system! What I do know is, I definitely want to see what Gen and Irene's kids would look like, so this is a troubling prospect...

[hapaxnym.livejournal.com]

FWIW, lack of children in Renaissance times was almost always attributed to female "barrenness", not male fertility problems. Indeed, if you're talking about a monarch, suggesting that he might have difficulty fathering a child was often considered tantamount to treason.

Unless Attolia had already demonstrated her fertility with an existing child, it would be very unlikely that any Renaissance physician would think of treating the potential father first.

(This is all assuming that MWT's physicians were similar to "our" Renaissance physicians)

I tend to lean towards the theory that the wine is some sort of prophylactic poisoning antidote "in advance", or even actual poison, building up immunity (iocaine, anybody?) But that's just because I like Gen to be sneaky like that.

[finding-further.livejournal.com]

Iocane. Princess Bride. Brilliant.

I like this theory a lot. It feels very much like something MWT would do.

[earthstar-moon.livejournal.com]

I LIKE this theory, because Gen building his immune system like that would be so Gen. ^_^