The Mysterious Mr X kleio_caissaJune 18 2011, 14:26:57 UTC
What we know about Mr X:
1. Mr X has sent a message to Laurent in a cipher 2. Mr X was given Laurent's seal ring 3. Mr X is a "Him" 4. Mr X is expected by Laurent to be seen at Ravenel 5. Mr X's messenger dressed himself like a Patran 6. Mr X's messenger was expected to take the mountain path to Patras by the Regent's men. 7. Mr X and Laurent are apparently suspected to have some conspiracy plans by the Regent - hence the extreme espionage and intercepting of Laurent's messages. 8. Mr X must be pretty important to Laurent to risk his life by going into Nesson to receive his message and to send his seal-ring away.
The Suspects:
Torveld as Mr X YES: Torveld fits every one of the Mr X attributes...the Messenger seemed to have Patras as his destination. Torveld had the valuable resource of an army for Laurent to need to conspire with him. They had time in Arles to set up their conspiracy. Laurent could trust him with his ring. And Torveld has indeed shown up at Ravenel, as Mr X was expected to.
NO: Looking at all of Mr X's attributes, Mr X has to know about his own messenger and conspiracy! Torveld appears to deny both. Why would he lie? He could lie in a minor, diplomatic sense, due to fear of being overheard, but I'm not sure why he would, given he has to leave with his army now, having helped out Laurent already. He could lie in a major sense...e.g. that there is a real reason why they need to keep the conspiracy secret, but what would that be?
Nikandros as Mr X YES: Firstly because geographically, the Messenger's mountain path could be a sneaky way of getting to Marlas on the border. And Nikandros is on the front line - if a war is started, it will be because he triggers it, and he's in a mood to do so now after the Regent's provocations. Laurent desperately needs him to agree to neutrality and to interpret the border attacks in the context of the Rabatian civil war, not in the context of aggression against Delpha. This would also be why Laurent was so keen to find out from Damen if Makedon was mobilizing on Nikandros's orders or his own initiative - he was worried that Nikandros might break their agreement or not have received his messenger.
NO: Laurent told the messenger to tell Mr X that he will see him at Ravenel. Can we expect Nikandros there? Surely not. He hasn't brought troops to support Laurent (yet). Or is he expected to come to sign a peace treaty?
Kastor (and Margaret) as Mr X YES: Seems quite plausible for Laurent to write to Kastor. If he believes Kastor could stop the border war, Laurent would no longer have to fight on two fronts (against Akielos and the Regent). He has information to trade - he could threaten Kastor into neutrality (or even assistance) by revealing he knows he has the rightful King here. Kastor would not want that news getting out. Can also see his messenger desperately waiting for weeks at Nesson for Laurent for this very reason.
No: Mr X seems to be expected to meet Laurent at Ravenel. This is surely impossible for Kastor. It's one thing for Laurent to have an Akielon captain, it's another to have the "King" of Akielos at Ravenel. Kastor would surely balk at going as well, lest it be a trap by those cunning Rabatians. Also - how much control does Kastor really have over Nikandros at this point, can he stop the war?
Audin as Mr X YES: He and Laurent were conspiring together in the gardens in an earlier chapter; Audin expresed a tentative wish to change sides. Plenty of time in Arles for them to have worked out conspiratorial arrangements like messengers and ciphers.
NO: Messenger would have been going a really circuitous route back to Arles. Though that does assume that the Messenger actually went through the mountains as Damen and the bad men thought. Plus does the Regent really know that Audin is making sneaky contacts with Laurent? And what can Audin offer Laurent? Super secret info on the Regent, sure, but why meet him at Ravenel? Does he have his own troops like Arran?
Re: The Mysterious Mr X ghost_guessedJune 18 2011, 16:08:16 UTC
Oh I do like CP theories! I'm sure like most if not all readers I thought it was Torveld until chapter 26, and as you say it could still be, the messenger with the signet ring could have been intercepted further along the road. But I am going to go with Nikandros. Next to Auguste he is the most prominent name in the story never to have appeared 'on screen', I am sure he's going to be important as Freece has been mentioning him almost from the start. Also, in Chapter 22 we've been shown Laurent anticipating that Kastor, prompted by Margaret, will cede Delpha to Rabat to end the destabilising influence of the province. If Laurent promises Nikandros governorship of the province, maybe on an autonomous/semi autonomous basis, he could be prepared to support Laurent in holding Ravanel against his uncle.
*has a quick gander at the map of Rabat and Akielos*
Marlas and Ravanel are only about 100 miles apart, that's about 4 days march away. I'd have thought it was worth the trip for Nikandros, who has no love for the Regent or Kastor.
Finally, Laurent asked Damen about how Damen thought he would get on with Nikandros - it seems in keeping with Laurent's ironic sense of humour that he would be wondering this in all seriousness whilst outwardly making the remark to tease Damen.
I also agree with your comment that it seems implausible that Laurent engineered Damen's captivity. From the description of Laurent's reaction to being landed with Damen to his speech about regretting how he'd treated Damen in Arles the indications are that he was shocked and enraged when presented with Damen, and these are unlikely emotions for someone who was seeing his plan to enslave his enemy come to fruition.
Re: The Mysterious Mr X kleio_caissaJune 18 2011, 16:54:22 UTC
If there's a poll for Mr X, my vote would be for Nikandros. Yesterday I feared I was being way too paranoic and that Torveld hadn't received the message yet due to either interception or his setting off early...but rereading the Nessen scene, it's clear that Mr X already sent Laurent a message. So Torveld certainly couldn't be unaware that there was a messenger. He's either lying or isn't Mr X at all.
Nikandros is likely the best bet due proximity and utility...I certainly hope it isn't Kastor and that Laurent has a reserve plan of handing Damen back to him. If it's Nikandros, however, Laurent may be planning to surprise him with his long lost prince, as I think he knows Nikandros does not like Kastor. Would love to see Damen's face then...
Re: The Mysterious Mr X leafaenJuly 12 2011, 22:43:27 UTC
Hm, my vote is definitely for Nikandros as Mr. X, though for purely character reasons.
Laurent may have developed some genuine feelings for Damen, but doesn't he seem to be a bit too ... pliant right at the moment?
My opinion? He's playing Damen's rather obvious attraction to him (in much the same way he played Torveld) for some devious plot of his own devising that involves getting his hooks into the Akielos political scene in a very permanent way. Colluding with Nikandros would, I think, support that.
1. Mr X has sent a message to Laurent in a cipher
2. Mr X was given Laurent's seal ring
3. Mr X is a "Him"
4. Mr X is expected by Laurent to be seen at Ravenel
5. Mr X's messenger dressed himself like a Patran
6. Mr X's messenger was expected to take the mountain path to Patras by the Regent's men.
7. Mr X and Laurent are apparently suspected to have some conspiracy plans by the Regent - hence the extreme espionage and intercepting of Laurent's messages.
8. Mr X must be pretty important to Laurent to risk his life by going into Nesson to receive his message and to send his seal-ring away.
The Suspects:
Torveld as Mr X
YES: Torveld fits every one of the Mr X attributes...the Messenger seemed to have Patras as his destination. Torveld had the valuable resource of an army for Laurent to need to conspire with him. They had time in Arles to set up their conspiracy. Laurent could trust him with his ring. And Torveld has indeed shown up at Ravenel, as Mr X was expected to.
NO: Looking at all of Mr X's attributes, Mr X has to know about his own messenger and conspiracy! Torveld appears to deny both. Why would he lie? He could lie in a minor, diplomatic sense, due to fear of being overheard, but I'm not sure why he would, given he has to leave with his army now, having helped out Laurent already. He could lie in a major sense...e.g. that there is a real reason why they need to keep the conspiracy secret, but what would that be?
Nikandros as Mr X
YES: Firstly because geographically, the Messenger's mountain path could be a sneaky way of getting to Marlas on the border. And Nikandros is on the front line - if a war is started, it will be because he triggers it, and he's in a mood to do so now after the Regent's provocations. Laurent desperately needs him to agree to neutrality and to interpret the border attacks in the context of the Rabatian civil war, not in the context of aggression against Delpha. This would also be why Laurent was so keen to find out from Damen if Makedon was mobilizing on Nikandros's orders or his own initiative - he was worried that Nikandros might break their agreement or not have received his messenger.
NO: Laurent told the messenger to tell Mr X that he will see him at Ravenel. Can we expect Nikandros there? Surely not. He hasn't brought troops to support Laurent (yet). Or is he expected to come to sign a peace treaty?
Kastor (and Margaret) as Mr X
YES: Seems quite plausible for Laurent to write to Kastor. If he believes Kastor could stop the border war, Laurent would no longer have to fight on two fronts (against Akielos and the Regent). He has information to trade - he could threaten Kastor into neutrality (or even assistance) by revealing he knows he has the rightful King here. Kastor would not want that news getting out. Can also see his messenger desperately waiting for weeks at Nesson for Laurent for this very reason.
No: Mr X seems to be expected to meet Laurent at Ravenel. This is surely impossible for Kastor. It's one thing for Laurent to have an Akielon captain, it's another to have the "King" of Akielos at Ravenel. Kastor would surely balk at going as well, lest it be a trap by those cunning Rabatians. Also - how much control does Kastor really have over Nikandros at this point, can he stop the war?
Audin as Mr X
YES: He and Laurent were conspiring together in the gardens in an earlier chapter; Audin expresed a tentative wish to change sides. Plenty of time in Arles for them to have worked out conspiratorial arrangements like messengers and ciphers.
NO: Messenger would have been going a really circuitous route back to Arles. Though that does assume that the Messenger actually went through the mountains as Damen and the bad men thought. Plus does the Regent really know that Audin is making sneaky contacts with Laurent? And what can Audin offer Laurent? Super secret info on the Regent, sure, but why meet him at Ravenel? Does he have his own troops like Arran?
Others as Mr X: any thoughts?
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*has a quick gander at the map of Rabat and Akielos*
Marlas and Ravanel are only about 100 miles apart, that's about 4 days march away. I'd have thought it was worth the trip for Nikandros, who has no love for the Regent or Kastor.
Finally, Laurent asked Damen about how Damen thought he would get on with Nikandros - it seems in keeping with Laurent's ironic sense of humour that he would be wondering this in all seriousness whilst outwardly making the remark to tease Damen.
I also agree with your comment that it seems implausible that Laurent engineered Damen's captivity. From the description of Laurent's reaction to being landed with Damen to his speech about regretting how he'd treated Damen in Arles the indications are that he was shocked and enraged when presented with Damen, and these are unlikely emotions for someone who was seeing his plan to enslave his enemy come to fruition.
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Nikandros is likely the best bet due proximity and utility...I certainly hope it isn't Kastor and that Laurent has a reserve plan of handing Damen back to him. If it's Nikandros, however, Laurent may be planning to surprise him with his long lost prince, as I think he knows Nikandros does not like Kastor. Would love to see Damen's face then...
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Laurent may have developed some genuine feelings for Damen, but doesn't he seem to be a bit too ... pliant right at the moment?
My opinion? He's playing Damen's rather obvious attraction to him (in much the same way he played Torveld) for some devious plot of his own devising that involves getting his hooks into the Akielos political scene in a very permanent way. Colluding with Nikandros would, I think, support that.
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