[SPOILER] Just finished HFQ ...

Hi Charybdis,


Pretty much the same way you do.

But...

It still isn't going to be easy for Thirsk to sort out what he does next.

Don

Charybdis wrote:

So how do YOU think Thirsk will receive Merlin?

Mark me down with those folks believing Thirsk will turn coat. I lend a lot of credence to Admiral White Ford, who also thought so. I think Admiral White Ford knows Thirsk pretty well, despite not spending a lot of time with him.

~Tonto

Tonto Silerheels wrote:Charybdis wrote:

So how do YOU think Thirsk will receive Merlin?

Mark me down with those folks believing Thirsk will turn coat. I lend a lot of credence to Admiral White Ford, who also thought so. I think Admiral White Ford knows Thirsk pretty well, despite not spending a lot of time with him.

~Tonto

I think I agree with you Tonto. White Ford and Thirsk have pretty deep professional respect for one another (from OAR when they first met). Not sure how much interaction they had during that voyage after their first meeting, but I just got the sense that they read each other pretty well. I sense that White Ford's relationship with his ruler was similar to Thirsk's with HIS ruler - not necessarily "I love the guy" but more "I swore an oath to the guy but he's a buffoon."

As to how Thirsk will receive Merlin? Ever since Thirsk first encountered Merlin at Thirsk's surrender in OAR, I feel that Thirsk has learned more and more about the Seijin and has come to believe that he really is what he's being called - a true "Seijin." I don't necessarily believe that Thirsk will "like" Merlin, but then again, I don't think Merlin has done anything that could cause Thirsk to "hate" him either. And if Merlin tells him that his family is safe - whether Merlin had anything to do with it or is just "being the messenger", then Thirsk will feel a significant debt of gratitude to him.

Remember, we've seen LOTS of textev about Thirsk's thoughts about his family over several books now, and there's no doubt in my mind that Clyntahn's "control" over Thirsk's family has colored Thirsk's decisions and actions significantly.

IMHO, Merlin tells Thirsk his family is safe. Thirsk feels Clyntahn's chains break and fall away. Thirsk realizes he's been on the wrong side all along. Thirsk becomes a strong, overt supporter of Charis and applies his considerable talents against his former masters. Whether all of this takes place in the next book or not is something I won't guess at - it could take a while for this line to develop... But then again, MWW can advance storylines pretty quickly when he wants to!

If I remember rightly what I red many years ago, in medieval Europe there was a formal procedure to declare defiance of someone to whom you had sworn an oath if he no longer deserved obedience. It was recognised as severing all ties of allegiance. I wonder if it's in the Safehold records?
Cheers
John

Tonto Silerheels wrote:Charybdis wrote:

So how do YOU think Thirsk will receive Merlin?

Mark me down with those folks believing Thirsk will turn coat. I lend a lot of credence to Admiral White Ford, who also thought so. I think Admiral White Ford knows Thirsk pretty well, despite not spending a lot of time with him.

~Tonto

John Prigent wrote:If I remember rightly what I red many years ago, in medieval Europe there was a formal procedure to declare defiance of someone to whom you had sworn an oath if he no longer deserved obedience. It was recognised as severing all ties of allegiance. I wonder if it's in the Safehold records?
Cheers
John

Tonto Silerheels wrote:Charybdis wrote:

So how do YOU think Thirsk will receive Merlin?

Mark me down with those folks believing Thirsk will turn coat. I lend a lot of credence to Admiral White Ford, who also thought so. I think Admiral White Ford knows Thirsk pretty well, despite not spending a lot of time with him.

~Tonto

Since there is no medieval Europe in Safehold's records, there can't be, and since the church is the ultimate oath-holder, they probably wouldn't permit it. Additionally, if you take a look at the history of Chisholm, the nobles there were beholden to King Salys and even though they were in conflict, they never withdrew their oaths.

I think Thirsk will have a short window to decide what to do and act upon it. He either has to withdraw himself from the reach of the inquisition or he has to lead a coup that rounds up the inquisitors in Gorath, starting with the intendant if he has the resourses to do that.

Doing nothing gets him assasinated or earns him a one way trip to Zion. In short it gets him dead.

The only other thing that might happen to shift the situation is that someone offs Clyntahn first.

Don