MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 40 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: Companions choosing new Heralds by "Jennifer S. Broekman" 2) Monarch's Own companion by mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) 3) Re: Companions choosing new Heralds by TAMRA SPIELVOGEL 4) Re: Companions choosing new Heralds by h-wilfehrt-+AT+-nwu.edu (Helen M. Wilfehrt) 5) Re: Companions choosing new Heralds by "Jennifer S. Broekman" 6) Re: other bo by terryg-+AT+-blade.com 7) Books that m by terryg-+AT+-blade.com 8) Re: #1(2) MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 39 by Jassenta-+AT+-aol.com 9) Re: #1(2) MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 39 by Mr CM George 10) Re: Karal by harkerii-+AT+-ix.netcom.com (John Edwards ) 11) Re: Evil Mind Magic People by Thean Yoon Fui 12) Re: Monarch's Own companion by SBuskirk-+AT+-aol.com 13) Re: Monarch's Own companion by mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) 14) Companions choosing again/Monarch's Own by odl-+AT+-maths.bath.ac.uk 15) Re: Companions choosing again/Monarch's Own by mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) 16) NEW book the Fire Rose by Ian MacDonald 17) Re: Companions choosing again/Monarch's Own by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com 18) Re: gwena by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com 19) Companions by RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 6 Jun 1995 12:21:38 -0400 From: "Jennifer S. Broekman" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Companions choosing new Heralds Message-ID: <199506061621.MAA21071-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu> Helen M. Wilfehrt wrote: >Mel wrote: >>It might be to do with the fact that the Monarch's Own Companion always >>leaves >>Haven to choose. At least, I seem to remember that Talia and co. are told >>that during the same class, the implication being that they _might_ pick >>someone who just didn't want to. (I would make a bet that the number of times >>_that_ has happened could be counted on the fingers of one foot. :)) >> >>Of course, this all gets blown out of the water by Jisa. If she's going to be >>King's Own, how are they going to reconcile this with the statement above? >>Am I misremembering this? >This also gets negated by Selenay's twins- at one point it is mentioned >that one of the twins will >likely be Monarch and the other Monarch's Own. Plus it was mentioned that >this had happened before. I think Mel's misremembering. The way I remember it is that the Companion to the Monarch's Own usually *doesn't* leave Haven to Choose. He usually chooses someone who is a Herald or a trainee, or someone like Jisa or Shavri: already present and with strong supportive ties to the Monarch. I have a suspicion that the Herald-Companion bond is about as easily set aside as a lifebond, and that the question Teren asks of the newly Chosen is more psychological balm than anything else, to make the youngsters feel that they're not being forced. Speaking of the twins, shouldn't they be about teenagers by _Storm Warning_? Any idea if we'll start seeing them? I don't think we've ever actually seen them, though they've been mentioned, especially in WoF... -jenneke I *am* family. How could I not have family values? Only Boys Accepting Feminism Get Kissed Meaningfully -- Geoff Marcy The only unnatural sexual act is that which you cannot perform. -Alfred Kinsey broekman-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu | http://www-astro.phast.umass.edu/gs/jenn.html ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Jun 1995 17:36:24 +0100 From: mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) To: mercedes-lackey Subject: Monarch's Own companion Message-ID: <9506061636.AA24130-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> It's entirely possible that I _am_ misremembering what was said about the Monarch's Own companion, given that I haven't read the Arrows books in, oh, probably six months or so. Can someone enlighten me, then, as to what was said in the orientation class? I remember them saying that the MO Companion was special in some way, but I can't remember precisely how. It was just ahead of where the others in the class figure out that Talia must therefore be Monarch's Own Herald... anyone? Cheers Mel. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 06 Jun 95 12:46:49 EDT From: TAMRA SPIELVOGEL To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Companions choosing new Heralds Message-ID: <9506061649.AA24720-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> I thought we saw the twins in Winds (bk 3) playing with the gryplets. Isn't that when Selenay does her sould searching about negleting her duties as a mom. ...-just my quick $.02, Tamra S. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Jun 1995 15:28:27 -0500 From: h-wilfehrt-+AT+-nwu.edu (Helen M. Wilfehrt) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Companions choosing new Heralds Message-ID: <199506062028.AA254990507-+AT+-casbah.acns.nwu.edu> >I thought we saw the twins in Winds (bk 3) playing with the gryplets. Isn't >that when Selenay does her sould searching about negleting her duties as a mom. >..-just my quick $.02, Tamra S. Yes, at one point, it was mentioned that both human and gryphon sets of twins had been isolated together when the fighting with Ancar was starting up. They had been isolated in one of the salles with a couple of Herald keepers/guards/teachers. Hydona had just checked in on them , not wishing to disturb their play, when that Kalendral with the eidetic memory came to deliver the messages from the Kalada'in (sp?) that k'Valdemar now had an escape route kept open by the Shin'a'nin, Tayledras, and Kalada'in. -Helen ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Jun 1995 17:51:06 -0400 From: "Jennifer S. Broekman" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Companions choosing new Heralds Message-ID: <199506062151.RAA21428-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu> Helen M. Wilfehrt wrote: >>I thought we saw the twins in Winds (bk 3) playing with the gryplets. Isn't >>that when Selenay does her sould searching about negleting her duties as a >>mom. >>..-just my quick $.02, Tamra S. >Yes, at one point, it was mentioned that both human and gryphon sets of >twins had been isolated together when the fighting with Ancar was starting >up. They had been isolated in one of the salles with a couple of Herald >keepers/guards/teachers. Hydona had just checked in on them , not wishing >to disturb their play, when that Kalendral with the eidetic memory came to >deliver the messages from the Kalada'in (sp?) that k'Valdemar now had an >escape route kept open by the Shin'a'nin, Tayledras, and Kalada'in. I think this is a use/mention distinction... I think of these instances (and, for example, the mention that the male twin was mad for the Guard, in WoF) as mentions: the characters are being used a symbols of themselves so that Elspeth doesn't have to be Heir, as The-Twins, rather than as individuals, Kris and what's-her-name. We don't get any idea of their personality, just their existence. I'm looking forward to them showing up on-camera, as it were. -jenneke I *am* family. How could I not have family values? Only Boys Accepting Feminism Get Kissed Meaningfully -- Geoff Marcy The only unnatural sexual act is that which you cannot perform. -Alfred Kinsey broekman-+AT+-sparky.phast.umass.edu | http://www-astro.phast.umass.edu/gs/jenn.html ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Jun 1995 14:17:35 -0400 From: terryg-+AT+-blade.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: other bo Message-ID: <9506061817.0PP5H02-+AT+-blade.com> > Everyone seems to think Forgotten Realms is trash. I agree. But that > does not > mean ALL TSR published lit is. Magaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, > probably TSR's > greatest writers, began all novels published by TSR with... Dragon > Lance! > While many books in the series (other authors write in it, > including, I > think, Nick O'Donahue)are horrible, the first 6 books are GREAT! > Try them! > They are: > Chronicles: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Dragons of Winter Night, > Dragons of > Spring Dawning > Legends: Time of the Twins, War of the Twins, and Test of the Twins I agree that some of the TSR books are quite?-Shallow?- However I did enjoy the Cleric Canticle. I agree the above mentioned books by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman were excellent. Their trilogy "Rose of the Prophet" was quite good as well. Terry Toronto, Ontario ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Jun 1995 14:20:27 -0400 From: terryg-+AT+-blade.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Books that m Message-ID: <9506061820.0PRKG02-+AT+-blade.com> > I have, in the past few months, become in avid fan of > the > Firebird catalog. So far I have gotten from it: Heralds, Harpers and I have seen this catalogue mentioned quite a few times. I'm not familiar with it. Could anyone elaborate on it a bit? Terry Toronto, Canada ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 6 Jun 1995 19:05:44 -0400 From: Jassenta-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: #1(2) MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 39 Message-ID: <950606190426_88334548-+AT+-aol.com> In a message dated 95-06-06 10:44:04 EDT, SNESter wrote: >Everyone seems to think Forgotten Realms is trash. I agree. But that does not >mean ALL TSR published lit is. Magaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, probably TSR's >greatest writers, began all novels published by TSR with... Dragon Lance! >While many books in the series (other authors write in it, including, I >think, Nick O'Donahue)are horrible, the first 6 books are GREAT! Try them! >They are: >Chronicles: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Dragons of Winter Night, Dragons of >Spring Dawning >Legends: Time of the Twins, War of the Twins, and Test of the Twins Nancy Varian Berberick's _Stormblade_ was good too, and the other two books in the first Heroes trilogy by Michael Williams and Richard Knaak were okay books, but after that --- yes, I agree, the whole Dragonlance series went to --- well, an evil place. I tried dutifully to read them at first and then gave up in disgust. By the way, no one ever responded to my question about the Death Gate Cycle: has anyone read it; if so, any thoughts; and did anyone else think _The Seventh Gate_ ended disappointingly? Also, people have mentioned C.S. Lewis' sci-fi trilogy, and Tolkien's intent to write one; Margeret Weis also wrote one: _The Star of the Guardians_. Did anyone read this? Jassenta A totally tangential thought: what do you think of the new covers for Chronicles and Legends? I liked the old ones fine.... ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Jun 1995 12:17:32 +1000 (EST) From: Mr CM George To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: #1(2) MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 39 Message-ID: On Wed, 7 Jun 1995 Jassenta-+AT+-aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 95-06-06 10:44:04 EDT, SNESter wrote: > > >Everyone seems to think Forgotten Realms is trash. I agree. But that does > not > >mean ALL TSR published lit is. Magaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, probably > TSR's > >greatest writers, began all novels published by TSR with... Dragon Lance! > >While many books in the series (other authors write in it, including, I > >think, Nick O'Donahue)are horrible, the first 6 books are GREAT! Try them! > >They are: > >Chronicles: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Dragons of Winter Night, Dragons of > >Spring Dawning > >Legends: Time of the Twins, War of the Twins, and Test of the Twins (Great books, all of them - esp. Legends!) > > Nancy Varian Berberick's _Stormblade_ was good too, and the other two books > in the first Heroes trilogy by Michael Williams and Richard Knaak were okay > books, but after that --- yes, I agree, the whole Dragonlance series went to > --- well, an evil place. I tried dutifully to read them at first and then > gave up in disgust. I've read only a couple of their newer books (Night of the Eye being one of them) but I enjoyed them. I have found a few Dragonlance _authors_ I didn't like however. (eg. Weasle's Luck) > By the way, no one ever responded to my question about the Death Gate Cycle: > has anyone read it; if so, any thoughts; and did anyone else think _The > Seventh Gate_ ended disappointingly? Only read one - it was one of those books thats hard to put down, but still leaves you disapointed. A bit like a trilogy I read a while ago... I forget the title, but it was about a world where _everyone_ was magic, and someone has a sword that absorbed magic. (is it "Darksword"?) > Also, people have mentioned C.S. Lewis' sci-fi trilogy, and Tolkien's intent > to write one; Margeret Weis also wrote one: _The Star of the Guardians_. Did > anyone read this? Loved it! At lease as good as Dragonlance Legends. Pity there weren't more. > Jassenta > > A totally tangential thought: what do you think of the new covers for > Chronicles and Legends? I liked the old ones fine.... > - Craig George. E-mail: cmgeo1-+AT+-ccds.cc.monash.edu.au ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Jun 1995 02:29:50 -0700 From: harkerii-+AT+-ix.netcom.com (John Edwards ) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Storm Warning spoiler included..... Subject: Re: Karal Message-ID: <199506070929.CAA11197-+AT+-ix3.ix.netcom.com> Julie Vaux Wrote > > Maybe Karal will end up as the next Son/VOice of the Sun ? > Majissa - Jvaux > I think you're right. She seems to be working up to that. As far as the question of wether or not Karal will be chosen/has been chosen, I will quote from SW. (I posted this some time back, but I don't thing it made it to the list) This is just after the assassination of Ulrich, Karal, lead by Florian, finds Altra somewhere in a field... "Altra -" he cried, flinging himself down in the grass beside the Firecat. He took the CAt into his arms exactly as Talia had taken him into her comforting embrace, and his tears started again. "Altra, Altra, it wasn't your fault." :I had to choose,: the Cat cried in his mind. :I had to choose, and I was sent for you, so I had to choose you.: This is what tells me that Karal _has_ been chosen by Altra, just as though it was a Companion/Herald choosing. The only difference seems to be the nature of the spirit and the number of them (in the case of the Firecats, there just are not that many around). Just my .02 + the FAQ's that I think will back them up... :) John -- ======================================================= = Sometimes I think I must have a Guardian Idiot. = = A little invisible spirit just behind my shoulder, = = looking out for me. = = ..... only he's an imbecile. = = Spider Robinson = ======================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 07 Jun 1995 19:37:00 +0800 From: Thean Yoon Fui To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Evil Mind Magic People Message-ID: Hi all, I was just wondering about the same thing before I read this thread. Anyway... On Sun, 4 Jun 1995 TamELee-+AT+-aol.com wrote: > I have never heard of a companion choosing a different Hearald after their > first dies. The Companions either die first or at the same time. I can't > think of even once that a Companion lost a Herald and didn't die. That is the impression I got too. But, in _Magic's Price_ (2rd book of LHM), Vanyel said he was surprised that after Lancir's (the Queen's Own during Elspeth Peacemaker's reign) death, when he expected Taver to Choose him as Monarch's Own, but Taver went and Chose Shavri instead. Then in _Magic's Promise_, while everyone was puzzling over the fact why Jisa was not Chosen, Vanyel knew that Taver was going to Choose Jisa after Shavri's death, and said something about this was not an event anyone cared to hasten. This shows that at least the Monarch's Own's Companion doesn't die when the Choosen dies. Cheers, Gary, (who knows he is rumbling after re-reading LHM for the umpteenth time.) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Thean Yoon Fui, Gary. Electrical Engineering, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Jun 1995 08:34:30 -0400 From: SBuskirk-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Monarch's Own companion Message-ID: <950607083429_88650785-+AT+-aol.com> Hi everyone! > It's entirely possible that I _am_ misremembering what was said >about the >Monarch's Own companion, given that I haven't read the Arrows >books in, >oh, probably six months or so. Can someone enlighten me, then, >as to what >was said in the orientation class? I remember them saying that the >MO Companion >was special in some way, but I can't remember precisely how. Well, yes and no. In AoQ, Selenay tells Talia that the Monarch's Own Companion _always_ goes out to seek his Herald, but then she also says that it's quite often someone who is already a Herald, or is about to get their Whites. At Orientation, Teren says the same thing. In LHM, Vanyel says something about how he almost expected Taver to Choose him as the next King's Own when Lancir died. BTW, Taver was Monarch's Own Companion. Jisa's lifebonded was Treven. If Heralds can "come back" as Companions, and some Companions can also reincarnate (for instance Felar--LHM, Felara--AoQ) then what happens to the Grove-born Companions when they die? None of their names seem to recycle the same way. Do they go on and become an even higher order of being, or what? ~Sandi~ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Jun 1995 13:40:50 +0100 From: mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Monarch's Own companion Message-ID: <9506071240.AA04981-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> > > Well, yes and no. In AoQ, Selenay tells Talia that the Monarch's Own > Companion _always_ goes out to seek his Herald, but then she also says that > it's quite often someone who is already a Herald, or is about to get their > Whites. At Orientation, Teren says the same thing. In LHM, Vanyel says > something about how he almost expected Taver to Choose him as the next King's > Own when Lancir died. > Thank you, Sandi, now I know I'm not losing my marbles :) That was the bit of dialogue of which I was thinking. OK, so I misremembered it -- so sue me :) Mel ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Jun 95 13:43:56 BST From: odl-+AT+-maths.bath.ac.uk To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Companions choosing again/Monarch's Own Message-ID: <9506071343.aa14472-+AT+-magpie.maths.Bath.AC.UK> An additional note - Talia in the Arrows books is Chosen by Rolan, who previously Chose Talamir. So that's another example of the Monarch's Own's Companion outliving the Herald to Choose again. As for - what's special about Monarch's Own's Companion - isn't it the fact that they are Grove-born? Is that how the class realise Talia is Monarch's Own? Owen ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Jun 1995 14:07:09 +0100 From: mel (Melanie Dymond Harper) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Companions choosing again/Monarch's Own Message-ID: <9506071307.AA06399-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk> We're told that the Monarch's Own Companion: (a) is always Grove-born (b) is always a stallion (c) is unusually fertile (look out, Cymry :)) (d) does not die, but can be killed. If he is killed, and the Herald is not, the new MO Companion will choose the old MO. Have I missed any other distinguishing characteristics? Mel. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Jun 1995 13:38:44 +0100 From: Ian MacDonald To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: NEW book the Fire Rose Message-ID: <13885.9506071238-+AT+-eynhallow.dcs.ed.ac.uk> _/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/ You never get where you _/ _/_/ _/_/ want to be only where you need to be _/ _/ _/_/ _/ email ism-+AT+-dcs.ed.ac.uk _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/_/ AN _/ _/ ACDONALD, Edinburgh University, Scotland ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Jun 1995 7:07:33 -0600 (MDT) From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Companions choosing again/Monarch's Own Message-ID: <950607070733.21c0c5c1-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com> >We're told that the Monarch's Own Companion: >(a) is always Grove-born >(b) is always a stallion >(c) is unusually fertile (look out, Cymry :)) >(d) does not die, but can be killed. If he is killed, and the Herald is not, > the new MO Companion will choose the old MO. >Have I missed any other distinguishing characteristics? >Mel. Here's how I remember it: When Talia is chosen and brought to Haven, Selenay asks her if she wants to back out. Then in orientation class, Teren explains that they can all back out if they choose, but this is their last chance. No one does, and Teren smiles and tells them no one ever has backed out. In other words, the Companions have never chosen poorly. We are also told that most Companions don't choose till they are about ten years old, and that usually those that are to become Heralds somehow find themselves drawn to Haven. So most Companions don't leave Haven to find their chosen (though it certainly happens occasionally, like Skif). However, we are clearly told that one Companion ALWAYS goes out to find his/her chosen, and that's the Monarch's Own. As other people have said, we know this is false. Jisa and Shavri come to mind. So to qualify it, the Monarch's Own Companion always goes out to find his/her Chosen except for special circumstances. The Twins will also fall under this, where one will be Monarch, the other Monarch's Own. In other words, there's several ways to look at this. 1) Misty keeps contradicting herself as she develops this world further 2) The Heralds didn't document things enough, and therefore don't know nearly as much about their Companions as they think they do 3) The Companions keep messing with people's minds 4) The Companions are messing with our minds and trying to keep us confused Iris ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Jun 1995 7:14:40 -0600 (MDT) From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Re: gwena Message-ID: <950607071440.21c0c5c1-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com> >I kept meaning to go off lurk mode to defend her, but I couldn't find my >bullet proof vest! -grin- Fortunately on this list, a few pieces of cardboard seem plenty of protection :) >Elspeth is one of my favorite characters and if your going to say that she >isn't Herald material, I think you had better go take a look at Kerowyn. She >has the same type of attitude and even admits to not understanding why >someone would give up their life for people they have never seen. True. Kero however would give up her life in a blink of an eye for her company. And after she is chosen, she extends that feeling of "company" to all of Valdemar. But I'll give you the idea that Kero is far more mature than Elspeth at this point. I don't dislike Elspeth. I just wish she'd quit whining so much. Vanyel had a far tougher childhood. As did Neave, Skif, Stephen, and dozens of other Heralds. However I keep thinking of Elspeth as being maybe 18 or 19 in the Winds books, and that helps. Yes she's an adult, and demands to be treated like one (which is okay), but she's still plenty immature, and yet self- righteous about it, the way (no offense meant to anyone) many 18 or 19 year-olds are. That feeling of, "I'm an adult, dammit, treat me like one", while still often making immature or unreasoned decisions. That state half-way between adult responsibility and teenage attitude. >Not that I think that Kero shouldn't be a Herald, I thnik she makes a good >one, but Elspeth is as deserving (if not more) as Kero. I think Kero is more than deserving. She is perfect Herald material. Look at what she did for Eldan. When they first met, she's in incredibly bad situation, and despite the fact that it might get her killed, she won't leave him in the hands of the Priestess. Yes, she demands money, but I got the impression that was more to make herself feel better about doing something that her head was telling her was incredibly foolhardy. I think if Eldan had convinced her he was penniless she still would have done it. I'm not saying Elspeth wouldn't, just that she'd tell us in excrutiating detail how self-sacrificing she's being. :) Iris ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Jun 1995 7:20:44 -0600 (MDT) From: RUNDLE-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: Companions Message-ID: <950607072044.21c0c5c1-+AT+-wilma.bcasd.az.honeywell.com> Here's a question to ponder: Companions don't choose till their at least 10 years old. The Heralds are chosen when they are in their teens, say 15 for average. We know some Heralds live for a long time, like (shoot, what's his name, Talia's friend, from Arrows). And the Dean, Elcarth. Call it 60 years old, given that we're talking about vaguely "medieval" conditions. That means that Companions can potentially live into their 60s. Never mind that the Monarch's Own seems to live as long as he likes. For example, Taver was someone else's companion, again can't think of the name, then through all of Shavri's life, call it 30 years since she and Randale died fairly young, and then became Jisa's Companion. That might be upward of 70 years! Now, normal horses live less than a third that time, right? So Companions, while looking horse-shaped, are nothing like horses at all. Here's another thought. What I was saying about the Monarch's Own - it's possible that the Monarch's Own Companion only dies when he is killed, never dying otherwise. In other words, a very lucky, careful Monarch's Own could live several hundred years. What do you guys think? Weird thoughts early this fine Tuesday morning. Iris ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 40 ********************************