(Oct-31-2011, 02:10 AM (UTC))Valarya Wrote: [ -> ]I guess it would make the most sense that the Wizardwood charm said it. He was the most concerned for Etta and could speak to the ship the way dragons do.. thanks for that.
Actually, I posted this last in a rush as my daughter needed the computer for an On-Air lesson with her teacher (I almost made her late!) and, after posting, I recalled that I had indeed, at one point, considered the voice to be that of Kennit's. To me though, Kennit didn't ever truly care for Etta while he was alive and so therefore would not have bothered himself with either her or her feelings after his death.
While I did dismiss the thought in favour of the dragon of Kennit's charm, and thus still do believe that it was the charm acting in the same manner of caring for and protecting Etta as it had when it spoke poetry to her and made her cry, there is nothing to say it's not the unborn child. I hadn't even considered it
but no doubt Paragon, the unborn child, would already have a firm sensitivity to Paragon the liveship. Something for us to chew on...
Argh! A thought is is niggling at me though...something about Paragon, the ship, having heard the charm, or been aware of it, at one other time, or vice-versa, before? Will see what I can dig up.
(Oct-31-2011, 02:10 AM (UTC))Valarya Wrote: [ -> ]Thought I had something there, hahah.
We all just might discover that you did and do! The number of posts beneath my name equates to Hobb addiction, not knowledge or intelligence.
The same can be said for my 'moderator' status, which I only acquired at the beginning of the year because I am on here so much!
(Oct-31-2011, 02:10 AM (UTC))Valarya Wrote: [ -> ]In regards to Etta & Kennit's child, I don't know how it could be an Elderling. It won't be in close proximity to dragons, most likely. Do you think? Wintrow will be raising the child pretty much, and he is serpent-touched, and his sister is an Elderling so perhaps the child will be around them all in the future... I just can't see it as well as you can. It's an interesting theory, that's for sure!
This is a very solid point, especially as I have no firm come-back or means of justifying my theory (I both love and hate it when that happens...but mostly the latter when time at the keyboard is limited!
). Hmm...let me see...
I guess much has to do with how we each view an Elderling and where Elderlings sit on the scale. I suppose I define it all a little less firmly that I should. Possibly because I have no clue?!
While Malta, Selden and Reyn are 'formally' Elderlings already, and ones such as Thymara, Rapscal etc are quickly transforming to that state which is outwardly visible to all within the realm as being 'Elderling' eg scaled skin, eyes of varying colour etc, we also then have ones such as Wintrow, Althea, Thick, Dutiful, Nettle and Fitz etc who are descended from Elderlings (or who have 'the stuff of dragons' in their family line) but who do not show outward signs of their heritage other than the very human black hair, black eyes and dark skin colouring that does not match what most conceive as being of Elderlings...it is more in their Skill, sensitivity to liveships etc that the world could define the strain. Possibly I am very wrong in this line of thought!!
When I think of the stained-glass window of the lady with black hair and eyes that Fitz saw in Kelsingra, it depicts a lady speaking with a dragon. Nowhere though did Fitz mention that this lady had elongated limbs, scales etc so it was as though this female was a human, not what we would consider an Elderling. Such a female human with black hair and eyes makes me think of Nettle, Malta or even Thymara if we ignore the progressive scaling and colouring, and/or birth modifications/defects of the latter two.
Such human-ness is depicted a number of times throughout the books, including the female 'Judge' from ancient days, however Fitz usually observes physical differences where they are present or are apparent to him. While he is often confused between Elderlings and dragons, particularly in the Farseer series, he still manages to convey to us the differences in the peoples or beings that he comes across.
As an example, in the same instance where Fitz saw the human-sounding female within the window, he noted the elongated beings throughout the Citadel of Records and within the map tower itself...all such ones he noted as being rather ordinary though they were tall with elongated limbs and had eyes of varying colour and brightness etc but nothing about scales (an attribute which we most often associate with Elderlings). He noted that the women he'd seen outside all had long, fair hair. I am getting the feeling that my black hair, black eyes theory is clouding my thinking but there is a difference here that I can't quite define! Kelsingra was a place where all races and groups seemingly mixed...it was not just a place for what we know of as Elderlings, and while Tintaglia seems to view humans as 'less' than Eldelrings, it appears that humans did interact well with them, as did even possibly the Whites of old. Way off track - yikes!
Though only 'human', Kennit, was Bingtown Trader born and was around liveships all of his life. While liveships are
not dragons, they are
of dragons, and contain the memories of dragonkind, and are created from the very same substance that allows dragons to retain their long line of memories and knowledge. On a tangent, possibly their entire existance, and not just their memories, hinges on their consumption of their cocoon after hatching eg what would happen to a dragon which hatched but for some reason was not able to consume its cocoon?
Ignoring my latter point (!!), while Kennit was not an 'Elderling', as such, he did have a sensitivity and was exposed to stuff of dragons throughout his life. Even Paragon, the ship, noted that there was no distinction between he and Kennit as they were one. While Kennit was later not able to turn aside from his vile actions and claim a worthy future for himself, Etta (or so I believe from Amber's words) is and was found worthy of claiming such a future for herself and her child, aided by the wizardwood charm. I'm not sure what form this future for the boy Paragon could take, other than his becoming King of the Pirate Isles, but he may prove to hold a pivotal function in times to come.
The presence of a serpentine tail may not mean that he will be born an Elderling but that he may acquire that status later in life under Wintrow and Etta's guidance. If Paragon, the boy, is considered Wintrow's ("..this child belongs not to he who makes him but to he who takes him"), then he, as Wintrow's child, may also be rewarded with an Elderling status for Wintrow's part in freeing She Who Remembers?
After all, Selden, Reyn and Malta were rewarded for their roles in freeing Tintaglia?
Regardless, Paragon the boy is obviously of some importance or else why would Amber have bothered to speak to Wintrow of him, and request that Wintrow stay by his side? He will also still have the stuff of dragons in his line, as did Malta. Still, in the beginning, not one of us could have ever predicted her rise to Elderling status. Possibly the same will be said for Paragon, the boy/man.
We are certainly witnessing not only the next generation of Elderlings being created but also the next generation of the world that will live to see (hopefully!) time shifted to a new course.
Enough of my jabbering, all of which most likely has nothing to do with the subject at hand...and most of which I am likely to contradict in times to come. I doubt I'll make much sense to myself!
Sorry if none of this makes any sense...gotta go!! 
