Even in fiction, I strive for realism, and I'm afraid that a portion of my story doesn't qualify. So tell me what you think.
Imagine that a boy appears from nowhere, just pops into reality, in the middle of a seige. Imagine he saves the life of a monarch. He has no past (or if he does, he won't speak of it), and so no place to live. Would the monarch offer this boy who saved his life a place in his own castle (as much as I like this idea, it doesn't seem plausible), in effect adopting him, or would he simply put him up at a good inn for a while, until the boy can fend for himself?
I understand the monarch would feel a sort of obligation to this boy, but is it really all that likely that he would adopt him?
posted
Seems quite resonable for the Monarch to make the boy a ward of the crown, or some sort of equivalent. Actual aboption brings a great many problems (Line of secession issues, for example). What exactly being a ward means -- live in the castle as a guest or a servant, foster out to a member of the nobility, for a couple of examples I can think of off the top of my head -- would all be dependent on the personality of your Monarch and your society's structure.
Posts: 652 | Registered: Feb 2002
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posted
If the boy saves the monarch's life, I would not have difficulty believing that the monarch would offer him a place in his castle.
As long as you give a proper foundation, I could even believe that the monarch adopts this boy as his heir. (For example, if the monarch had no children, and under his belief system it was plausible that this child was sent by the gods to be his heir. Or the monarch's son of about that age died years ago, and so he sees this boy as a miraculous replacement.)
You can get the reader to accept just about anything if you set things up properly.
Focus on character motivations, and find reasons why they would do what you need them to do for your plot's purposes.
It is, in fact, in character, because this monarch is a decent man.
As for sucession issues...well, there are none. As part of a plot to leave no heir, the monarch's many wives have been unable to bear him a son. So I guess he would be almost eager to adopt this boy, or make him a ward, perhaps.
I like the idea that he'd believe the boy was sent by the gods, not only as an heir, but as a protector. It's an interesting thought.
Anyway, thanks, all. I'm that much closer to completing my story.
Any more opinions, though, would also be appreciated.
Anyways, let me register my agreement with the other comments. Even leaving aside the question of adoption, in any sort of monarchy the boy would at least be made a member of the warrior class (one of the essential--in the sense of if you can't do this you aren't a monarch--functions of a monarch is doing just this). I wouldn't expect him to be knighted (or the equivalent), but certainly I would expect him to be set on that track.
posted
In one of the recent Dune books (House Atreides maybe) something similar happens, but I forget the exact example - I think it was Duncan Idaho who escapes the Harkonnens as a boy, makes it to Caladan, saves the Duke from a problem with a bull (I can't remember exactly) - is made a stable boy, works his way up, etc.
If there are knights, maybe the boy could become a squire to the king's favorite or most special knight protector (or whatever)- and work his way up to some position special to the king. He can be kept near, treated well, but still must work and can face hardships that way that the king would not put on him (if that is necessary to build his character).
This could also give him a chance to become what the king needs, proving his worth in other ways other than one act, and prepare him to become the king's heir if that is where you are headed (he can get tutoring, etc., lots of reasons to be in/around the castle).
posted
cvgurau, I agree with everyone here except you. I don't understand how this is a realism problem. The monarch's reaction will be based on his/her personality, and the personality is your invention. It's only unrealistic if you do a bad job describing his personality.
Or are you writing a story with a real historical figure? If your monarch is Napoleon or Ferdinand or Queen Victoria then you do need to worry about realism. In this case you'll want to do a lot more research than just asking a buch of schmucks on the Internet.
posted
Unless the Monarch was a very kind hearted type of man I wouldn't picture him actually 'adopting' the boy. But I would see him offering the boy a chance to live with him and train in some sort of profession so he can make a life for himself.
I would find it less believeable if the monarch just gave the boy a few days at an inn free of charge or something like that. Monarchs tend to value their lives and their lifestyle a whole lot. Normally they don't face battle every day and don't face death every day. So dying would be a big deal I'd imagine he'd be very grateful and accomidating to anyone who's saved his life.
posted
This suggested the story of David and Saul to me. The king is sent a child savior. The child is favored by the gods. Is it more dangerous to keep the child close by (as a potential rival) or get rid of him?
Posts: 334 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Pharaoh's daughter found Moses in the bullrushes and took him in to be a great man in Egypt. And he didn't even save her life (though he may have fulfilled it, I suppose.)
Posts: 1810 | Registered: Jun 2002
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