Who is Alain?

Hey Alia,

I just finished re-reading "The Gathering Storm," and I think that Alain is what Henri says- his son. But I think that upon his conception, or maybe his birth, there was something more to his soul- kind of like the son of God, but without the immaculate conception. Obviously he's a divine being in some way, otherwise he wouldn't have the powers that he has (I'm being rather vague here because I really want to hear Lace's unadulterated opinions).:p
 
Yeah... I have to say I agree with you... Earos posted something on Kate's Website about Alain I love. I think I will see if Earos will copy and paste it over here. And Lacey needs to hurry up and finish reading... ;) I am looking forward to his opinion on the matter.

Good to see you Arya!
 
I am reading as fast as I can but not as fast as I would like. This series is excellent thus far, and it was (I think) recommended to me by Ali and maybe Kelpie. Either way thanks to those people who told me about this series.

I was begining to think that Alain was simply the son of Henri. The question is; Who is Henri?
 
Alia said:
After reading it, I knew with out a doubt that he wouldn't be the next emperor. He isn't a leader. I think the next Emperor or Empress would be Blessing...
Click to expand...

I don't think Alain is meant to be the next Emporer either, Alia. But I do think he's a leader of sorts- he's just not the type who covets power. I think that he'd be great at changing the rules a little bit and becoming the next skopos. That church could really use someone like him, who is kind and fair and leads gently and not by force. He's also open-minded, which I think could go far in regards to helping unite the lands.

On a side note, I doubt I'd be a big fan of Baldwin either, but in the end he does think of others before himself- I think he grows a lot as a character (although he still has a lot to learn). I just wonder what's going to happen with Ivar. That boy is so conflicted it's painful somehow.
 
He spends so much time away from home (Henri) and what, if he is his father, was his motive for putting his only child in the church? Protection? But from what?
 
Sorry it took me sooooo long Aria... Here is my post (edited to remove the rambling... or as much of the rambling as I could)

"I think Alain has been touched by supernatural and magical beings, but he doesn't seem to have been born with it... Sanglant has always known who and what he was, Liath knew she was magical, but learned she was supernatural as well... Alain is more like a pinball machine... He gets bounced around by the events going on around him... Thats one of the greatest things about him.. He gets bounced around more then anyone has a right to be, but he retains who he is (to me, thats the only miracle Alain has performed)... He holds true to his beliefs, even when he is trying to go against his nature... In some ways he is the opposite of Hugh, Hugh used his life as an excuse to be a monster... Alain uses his experiences as a reason not to be one...
If he ever breaks out of his shell he will be a force to reckon with, but until then... He is just another ball bouncing around in the machine....
"At least thats my opinion... Who knows, I could be wrong..." -Dennis Miller
I know my interpretation of alain is a little different from everyone else's and I dont really dwell on his heritage as much as I bring up what and who he is now... I think who his parents are is less significant then who he has grown (is growing) into... I mean Jesus was born to a carpenter and a housewife look what he represents now... Was jesus the child of God? aren't we all? if your christian you know what I mean, I do not believe in religion so dont think i am a holier then thou type.. I just grew up around it.. I wont go into my beliefs, they offend religious people so I pretty much keep them to myself... (again I babble... bad Earos... keep on topic for a change... hehe)
I have read some comparisons between the crown of stars and the modern christian church... thats the only reason I used the example I did... probably not the best way to make my point, but I think it is effective... Sorry if my borderline blasphemy offended anyone, that was not my intent... I really hope I didnt offend anyone...

Alain is like me... A walking oxymoron... He is open and genuine, but mysterious... He is clever and intelligent, but lacks direction of his own... purpose without motivation... Has a strong common sense personality, but makes stupid mistakes... He is honest to himself even when he is lieing to himself... A very real character in my eyes... Thats why I think he is not supernatural or magical... He is to human to be anything else... "

Thats what I think anyways:) (I hope this is the post alia was thinking of... If not, feel free to copy and paste anything I put up on Kate's forums...)
 
**blushes** thanks Alia:)

On the thoughts of why Henri would put his only child into the church... Protection from what? himself... If you are thinking that alain is magical or supernatural, then you must take into account the prejudices that exist in that time... Maybe Alain is magical and supernatural, maybe he was born to it... During that time the church is cracking the whip on all things they cannot control... So Henri decided to hide the boy in the church, where he would learn "right and wrong"...

If your thinking like me and think what makes Alain special is Alain, not magic or divinity, then maybe it was the dieing wish of his mother... I don't think his mother was a whore... I think they put that title on her because she got pregnant out side of wedlock... Maybe she was raped and he was the product... Sort of like how Liath was pregnant from that ******* Hugh... Only Alain's mom got away from her tormentor before he could beat her up and push her down stairs... She meets Henri and fall in love, she dies in childbirth... Henri loves Alain for being the last piece of his love and resents him because he was the cause of her death... He decides to put the boy in the church...

If I really think about it, there are alot of different possibilities... I do not think he is part Aoi, nor do I believe he is supernatural... I do agree that he is one of the lonliest heroes, but heroes usually are... The reward for a true hero is peace and quiet... Alain does not want to be skopos or anything else... A frater maybe, more like a farmer.... I think he has had his fill (and then some) of important people and situations...
 
Rose went to the ruins... often... what if she did have a lover? Maybe even Henri...

And the Shaded Aoi mentioned that Alain is marked...
Thoughts or theories on this Earos?



Plus... I really believe that Henri knows who the father is... He knows the truth...
 
Maybe Rose was one of those magic using people and went to the crown there to communicate with the sleepers... I know no one has really touched on that theory yet, so think about it a little... Think about how Bernard was with Liath and how Henri was with Alain... Maybe thats what Henri wanted to protect Alain from, the sleepers...

Too many possibilities concerning Alain's importance to the story... Too many overlapping events and circumstances...

Alain being marked could be from when he went to Adica's time and spoke to the princes (I thought it odd that the shadow prince didnt recognize him...) and gave the prince a golden feather... Then again, with all Alain has gone through... it could have been from the lady of battles marking him, it could have something to do with his affinity to animals.... The Aoi hold animals in some sort of religous, ritual type regard, perhaps thats why they hate the horse people, they look at them as unholy or unnatural...

BTW, the war the Aoi were fighting was against the horse people, the humans were just used, by both sides...

I agree, Henri knows something... It could have happened just as I said.. just my thoughts though...
 
The time theory with Alain going back in time was actually discussed on Kate's site... I'll sum it up for you what we concluded:
First the appearance of Alain... There is several years difference when he first runs into the shaded aoi and then when he gives the aoi the feather. He had a beard and wasn't as lanky as he was when he was younger, etc. etc. etc.
Secondly... they are two different Aois... twins, I believe. And it was Eldest Uncle who recieved the feather, not Zuga... something, so Zuga(something - I'm too lazy to look it up sorry) only saw Alain the one time, at the ruins.


Interesting theory about Henri protecting Alain against the seven sleepers... but what if it wasn't really the seven sleepers, but someone else? Who?
Also, Anne didn't take note of Alain until book 5... which I find is interesting and Alain is a year old than Liath.
I have often wondered if in the proluge after Henry the king is done with Alia and carries of Sanglant, there is a second group of people watching the event and decided to stop it... you know the scene... I hope... anyways... I have wondered if the scene wasn't really of Anne and the seven sleepers, but a different group? And Alain is the product of that group... but I don't know who...
Aaahhh... it is just a thought...
 
it was the seven sleepers, there is a reference to it when liath is learning who she is and who bernard was and what he did for her and how anne killed him... That lead me to believe that they are both the same..

When Alain gave the feather to eldest uncle, his twin was standing right there... The twin wanted to kill Alain, but eldest uncle pointed out the gesture of peace represented by the feather...

Besides, with all the plots, sub-plots and overlapping plots... Ms. Elliot would have to keep it all straight... Look how much trouble we are having keeping the things we know straight... Imagine if there was another hidden organization with even more plots... and if they focused on Alain... Alain has gone through enough... He needs some R&R time... Poor guy... I am not even sure Ms. Elliot meant for him to be the focus of the series... I think Sanglant and Liath have enough plots going on to keep the series going... LOL

Just some more off the wall ideas from the peanut gallery:)
 
Alright peanut gallery... how about this one...
Did you get confused with the baby in the proluge and Alain in the first chapter of the story?
 
LOL pegged me right on that one... took me a bit to catch on... LOL
 
I wonder if Kate did it on purpose... your not the only one... lots of people I know had to work it out. I wonder why she did it. Any ideas?

Maybe we should be asking Kelpie this question... she may actually know...
 
It lends weight to the importance of Alain... I think there is a noticeable age gap between alain and sanglant so that rules out a possible mix up... Thats not including the telltale Aoi coloring of Sanglant...

As for deeper meanings I would be likely to believe that Rose was a sleeper and Alain was one of the tools they were going to bring into the world to combat Sanglant...
 
I am only part way through book three, so I should go easy on the comments so as to safe face when I am hundred percent wrong. :)

I was thinking that Liath was the tool sent to combat Sanglant, there are after all many ways in which to combat. Did she not have an immediate effect on Sanglant? Excuse me if I am way off the mark here.
 
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