Ferocity, the less bloody path, and secrets

[heather mulhern]

Hi, I guess I've mostly been lurking; I commented a couple times, but this is my first time posting.

I just finished rereading ACoK. There was a paragraph that near the end that caught my attention and really intrigued me, which I'd like to hear your thoughts on. It's at the end of chapter Twenty-Two on pg 310.

"Looking into his unsmiling face, Eddis knew it was as close as he would ever come to an accusation. He had been saved by the men Eugenides sent, though he did not yet know the ferocity with which the king of Attolia had stripped those men from other posts, the capital he had expended, the secrets that had been revealed in order to send help to Sounis. But Sophos had to know that she and Eugenides had let him ride away with an Attolian army at his back, believing that he needed it. With more faith in himself, and his father's army, he could have retaken his throne without Attolia's aid. He might not have followed that bloodier and more costly path, but Eddis and Attolis hadn't offered him the choice." (emphasis my own)

So my first thought was about the ferocity with which Gen got the men to send after Sophos, as I interpreted it, these are the men who reinforced them at Oneia. At first I assumed Gen's ferocity was only an indication of how much he cares for Sophos. We know he cares for him a lot (see pg 154 in ACoK where Eddis is thinking about the fact that Sophos holds Gen's heart and is the only one who could destroy him). But then I thought that it might be more than that.

Later on in the paragraph it says that Sophos could have retaken Sounis without Attolia's aid. Firstly I'm wondering could he? and how? Even with the ten-thousand Medes? Maybe if he'd been able to bring unite his barons and their forces before the Medes had a chance to land the rest of their army. Did Gen know about the ten-thousand Medes and send reinforcement because of that? Did he know before Sophos left Attolia for Sounis? Would earlier knowledge of the Mede numbers have led to different tactics that could have been ultimately less bloody?

There is strong support for the necessity of uniting the three countries for reasons that would probably be hard to persuade the general populaces about, maybe even various advisors. Such as Eddis' dreams of the mountain exploding. We also know that eventually the Mede will likely invade. Attolia's aid to Sophos in retaking his throne solidifies their treaty, this is likely why Gen and Eddis did not give Sophos another option, because they both need the three countries to be united. Maybe part of Gen's ferocity had to do with this and not just how he cares for Sophos.

The question I really want your thoughts on considering all of those musings (I'd like to hear your thoughts on those musings too). What secrets did Gen revel to send help to Sounis? Was it about the Mede troops? Some future threat from the Mede? Sources of Gen's information? Messages from the gods? Do you think we might find out in book 5? (I hope so). What secrets do you think were reveled?

Comments

[freenarnian.livejournal.com]

I had to puzzle my way around the suggestion that Sophos could have done it himself, too. Perhaps that's a comment on Sophos' ability, but not his circumstances (which weren't ideal, and in fact pretty dire)... or maybe a hint at the fact that Gen saw a certain advantage in being needed by Sounis, and therefore worked things out favor of having to jump in and save the day himself? This is all just off the top of my head. I need to re-re-re-read CoK to really ponder these questions!

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

I'll have to re-read ACoK as well in order to give any good thoughts. All I have to say is, awesome questions! I'm excited to see other people's thoughts.

[enleve.livejournal.com]

I think that Sophos could have done it himself if he could have convinced his father, and could have avoided the Mede ambassadors and assassins for long enough. His father's army was substantial.

But I also think that given the choice, Sophos probably would have chosen the less bloody route. I think he is sad about the lives that were lost.

I think that the secrets that were revealed are likely to be about how competent Gen actually is. He likes to pretend to be less than he is, and he probably had to reveal something of his strength in order to get the troops so quickly to Oneia. If he'd had more time, he could have been more subtle.

[sclerotia.livejournal.com]

I'm always late with my comments because I check in so seldom. Sorry.

Anyway, I think that if Sophos had been more confident he might have been able to go to his father in the North and convince a majority the barons, with his father's backing, of his worthiness to be their king. It may have been possible for Gen and Eddis to convince him of that. After all, they convinced him to do what he did do, and that, but for Mede treachery did not rely overwhelming force, either. But I am not sure that they could have actually convinced him of that or that the results would have been as positive.

I think where the 10 thousand Medes landed was a surprise to everyone except the Medes and the gods. I speculate wildly on the invisible subtext, that Moira came to Attolia again and told her what was going to happen. Gen says later in the book that Attolia told him where to send the men. I am hoping that in a future sequel that we will see the other side of the coin and see the response of Gen, the secrets revealed, the capital expended from another view point. But knowing MWT from what she has already written, I may be hoping futilely.