A Teeny snippet from HFQ (spoiler)

pablopinzone wrote:Surprised no one pointed this out:
the heavy, utilitarian coat hanging from his coat tree — like the boots and heavy woolen stockings she’d slipped from slim, pedicured feet and set before the fire — was soaked with melting snow

So where are the wet footprints outside Merlin's door? Why did she not shake the snow off downstairs?

Did she come in via the window?

schoeffelk wrote:I have said this before but it does bear repeating. Ahbraim was Merlin's first attempt at another seijin. He used Silkian language but would fall back to his/her old mannerisms and language patterns. Aivah was cognizant of his initial appearance and questioned her employee later. She was more observant after Ahbraim confronted her and her poison necklace. Aivah watches everything. That is why she and her predecessors have survived over the years. They are overly suspicious. She watches everyone and everything that involves her. She may have heard stories from her predecessor as to what could be expected in the future from Shan-wei's quiver. The organization she is part of only picks the best and brightest for advancement. She is grooming someone to succeed her. I believe Major Phandys is her inside operative. She wants to rescue Ducharyn (sp) if Clyntan try to have him assassinated. He would then proclaim the depravities of Clyntan and Aivah would release her files.
What say you?

pablopinzone wrote:... Plus, she will have very little notice on the need to get to Zion, and needs to make a round trip in less than 1 day. Merlin has effectively destroyed the semaphore network in Siddmark and any 'pony express' will take days if not 5 days to get a message to her from Zion. So she has some other means of receiving communications within hours. ...

DennisLee wrote:Oh! That's a very good point! How is she going to know that she needs to make an urgent trip to Zion? Does she have some means of high speed communications? Is there going to be some spectral or meteorological event that will trigger that need?

pablopinzone wrote:

schoeffelk wrote:I have said this before but it does bear repeating. Ahbraim was Merlin's first attempt at another seijin. He used Silkian language but would fall back to his/her old mannerisms and language patterns. Aivah was cognizant of his initial appearance and questioned her employee later. She was more observant after Ahbraim confronted her and her poison necklace. Aivah watches everything. That is why she and her predecessors have survived over the years. They are overly suspicious. She watches everyone and everything that involves her. She may have heard stories from her predecessor as to what could be expected in the future from Shan-wei's quiver. The organization she is part of only picks the best and brightest for advancement. She is grooming someone to succeed her. I believe Major Phandys is her inside operative. She wants to rescue Ducharyn (sp) if Clyntan try to have him assassinated. He would then proclaim the depravities of Clyntan and Aivah would release her files.
What say you?

While I am not sure about Major Phandys, I agree with this characterization.
Plus, she will have very little notice on the need to get to Zion, and needs to make a round trip in less than 1 day. Merlin has effectively destroyed the semaphore network in Siddmark and any 'pony express' will take days if not 5 days to get a message to her from Zion. So she has some other means of receiving communications within hours. That implies an organization with substantial resources, even if it does not have Fed tech. Such a group would likely have included breaking and entering in its training.

lyonheart wrote:Hi Pablopinzone,

Welcome to the forums, enjoy your favorite simulated beverage on the forum.

Where does Aivah say she needs to make a round trip in a day?

Get to Zion in less than a day, yes; but nothing about returning so quickly.
snip

runsforcelery wrote:All right. I'm not ready to being posting spoilers yet, and I won't be for quite some time, given how far I am from completing the book and the fact that I'm moving events around even in the portion I've already finished. Having said that, I decided to give you a tiny snippet.


-----------------------------------

Merlin Athrawes Chamber,
Charisian Embassy,
Siddar City,
Republic of Siddarmark.

The angry, shingle-lifting background bluster of snow-laden wind roaring about the eaves only made the sudden, profound silence in the modest bedchamber even more complete. The slight sound as a coal settled on the hearth seemed almost deafening, and Merlin Athrawes stood very still, shoulders against the door he’d just closed behind him, sapphire eyes gazing intently through the fire-flickered dimness at the slender woman in the single chair beside that hearth.

The woman who had just called him “Ahbraim.”

Which, he reflected, made the question of how she’d managed to get by the alert sentinels guarding the Charisian Embassy here in the heart of Siddar City rather secondary.

The firelight struck subdued highlights from her dark hair, and the heavy, utilitarian coat hanging from his coat tree — like the boots and heavy woolen stockings she’d slipped from slim, pedicured feet and set before the fire — was soaked with melting snow. She was quite possibly the most beautiful woman he’d ever met and he could smell the subtle sweetness of her perfume, but neither of those were what held him so still.

“Why,” he asked after a moment, in a tone which sounded considerably calmer than he actually felt, “did you call me that, Madam Pahrsahn?” He cocked his head, expression puzzled. “I assume it’s a reference to Master Zhevons?”

“You really are very good,” Aivah Pahrsahn — who had once been known as Ahnzhelyk Phonda, among many other names — said approvingly. “Why, you could almost — almost, I say — convince me. But you can’t, you know. I’ve been watching you for too long.”