originally posted by Demi
Ok guys,
As much as I have refrained from asking about this, I cannot deny my nature anymore. I am a hopeless romantic and one of the reasons I like Ships of Merior was the scene where Arithon and Elaira formed thier empathic bond. Some things are still not clear despite over twenty readings. What is the exact nature of that bond? Is it only intense feelings that are transmitted or thoughts as well. If one dies what happens to the other? And the part where Elaira went into trance with Arithon while writting the runes about the fisherboy before she "came back to herself", exactly what happened there? Janny please help out here, I have a hectic semester ahead I cannot afford to be thinking about this stuff.
originally posted by Trys
Demi,
[serving as intermediary]
Janny's schedule is extremely hectic right now as she has much to do before leaving for WorldCon. I wouldn't expect an answer until after she gets back from there. Hope you can wait that long. 
Trys
Hectic - you betcha. This will be brief!
Demi - You Asked.
When Arithon and Elaira went into trance, they forged an energetic, empathic bond - by the fundamental truth of their Named being, tapped into each other to access the mysteries, and in so doing, dissolved their individual boundaries, one to the other. Anything that occurs, in linkage with the True Self (Named being) would translate through into physical manifestation. This means: they are energetically corded deeply enough that intense feelings, and some intense thoughts became empathic between them.
If one dies, the other will not be affected, except for the fact the partner would share awareness of the crossing (SPOILER!!! for PERIL's GATE – much as Arithon did, at Jieret's passing)
You will assuredly come to see more of what this means, and its impact upon both of them, in
Traitor's Knot.
originally posted by Beth
As much as I really really want to see Arithon and Elaira get together, is it possible for Morriel/Selidie to use this against them? I mean can't she force Elaira to give up her mind to the Skyron crystal and then do something to her to make her feel pain that would translate to Arithon?
Morriel doesn't seem to have many morals other than her goal to get rid of the F7 and see that her succession passes. I'm not sure how much she knows of their bond but it seems to me that that is a weakness that she could manipulate.
Beth
originally posted by Trys
Beth,
If memory serves, Selidie/Morriel's last instruction to Elaira was intended to put Elaira in a situation where she would have to help Arithon and by doing so incur a debt of oath. How Selidie/Morriel plans to collect on this debt, if incurred, should be interesting.
Trys
originally posted by max
I am going to be a devil's advocate here and ask this question. Can the Koriani force you to pay this debt? or can you declare bankruptcy? I mean when they save your life it was their choice to do so. I think most people ask for their help. do you have to ask? would they actually walk by and let someone die? Or stand there till the person is forced to beg for help. And what if the patient is unconcious? Do they help them and when they wake up, tell them what they owe? [like hospitals do] How can they force you to pay them? what if you just tell them to rub salt and go bark at the moon? [grinning at ya]
originally posted by Kimberly Israel
If Arithon agrees to accept Koriani debt, then I think he'd be bound by that…although I don't know how giving free consent works for something as ambiguous as the Koriani debt. Could he agree to discharging the debt in some terms but not others? If Elaira helped Arithon but Arithon didn't actively agree to the debt - say he was unconscious or something - and say Elaira didn't get his express permission the way the F7 do when they do anything to someone - then Arithon wouldn't have given consent and could appeal to the F7 to protect his freedom? And of course, if Elaira realizes that she could ask for help in revoking her Koriani oaths, then she could help Arithon all she wanted with no debt incurred and the Koriani wouldn't be able to do anyting about it…
originally posted by Blue
It's just getting Elaira to realize that she CAN ask for help in regaining her freedom that has thus far proven to be tough. All of the F7 have mused on that at one point or another during their encounters with her, or when talking about her role in Arithon's life.
originally posted by Sleo
I just found an answer, perhaps, to a topic much debated elsewhere on this board. And this is a potential spoiler for later in the series, so if you haven't read it WARNING
**SPOILER**
Elaira's crystal in Peril's Gate elects to return to the sisterhood. There has been much musing as to why this is so. I'm wondering if I found a partial answer in Ships of Merior, after Luhaine visits Elaira while she's undergoing the longevity thing that the Prime has initiated and he gives her longevity through the fellowship's sorcery. It says "If the hour came that conflicted interests broke her faith with the Koriani Order, the prime who presided in judgement would gain no further power through the white quartz matrix of Elaira's personal crystal. Her vows of initiation upon the Skyron jewel alone would hold influence against her."
Very interesting.
originally posted by Annette
Spoilers, spoilers, spoilers, spoilers at least for this section.
I thought a comment of Luhaine's from Fugitive Prince was far more interesting when thinking about the still secret purpose of a certain crystals decision. Perhaps the crystal knows something and is just making sure Elaira remains in the Koriani order.
quote:Since her last candidate for succession died in the rite of passage, I suspect the complexity of her office has become too much for any new aspirant to bear. No initiate in her order, however well trained, could survive the transfer of power."
"One might have," Luhaine interjected, more than usually thoughtful. "At least, Elaira shows spirit enough to endure."
"And count our good grace for the fact she is cast out of favor!" Sethvir cried in rife exasperation. "The current Prime Matriarch is headache enough, with her penchant to ally herself with Lysaer. A successor tied by love to Arithon s'Ffalenn would yield up a frightening collusion."
The crystal chose to serve of free will, thus keeping Elaira in the order unless she was willing to clear the crystal against its will. Why would the crystal want to remain enslaved? It knows something about Elaira's future. I think Elaira as Prime and Arithon would make a great team, and solve a few problems with the Koriani straying from their original purpose.
And there is something more I could say about where I think that might all lead. But I will wait till we are waiting for Song of the Mysteries to comment on the possible purpose of the powers, talents, gifts and initiations Arithon and Elaira are collecting between them.
originally posted by Sleo
Well it had occurred to me that Elaira might become prime and change the whole order - give the Biedar secrets back to the Biedar and change the whole thing into a sisterhood of healers. But I'm only on Ships in my reread, and decided to note the things of interest that I come across that I either missed or had forgotten since my last read.
originally posted by Sleo
I'm pretty amazed at how much I remember from this book, after all my memory lapses rereading Curse. But I'm always wrung out by that beautiful, beautiful love scene, when Arithon and Elaira heal the boy's arm. It's just sooo sensitive and sooo lovely and sooo poignant!
originally posted by Phome
I've just re-read this scene, and while I remember Arithon and Elaira sharing an emphatic bond, I had no recollection at how it had formed to begin with. How did THAT leave my brain?!
Wonderful to go through this again in my re-read. I've still got chills, and resonances from things in my own life.
In a word: wow.