Why didn't Ithel get married over the winter?

[Avisa]

I'm rereading the histories and this is totally not a big deal but why on earth didn't Ithel do his best to legitimately knock someone up before the spring campaign? Knowing that Sidana and Llewell were dead and the line was going to end with him, you'd think they would have planned for the future a bit better. Heck, he should have pursued Noelie Ramsay himself, she would have been a good age for him.

I mean, I guess it's good that he didn't play the long game like that. This is total navel gazing. But the thought occurred to me and I had to put it somewhere.

[Shiral]

That's a good point, actually. Possibly it was a combination of mourning, and just not thinking clearly. But we don't know for certain that Ithel never had an illegitimate child by a serving girl.... Not that that child would have much of a chance, even if they knew who their father was and had any lofty ambitions. I kind of get the feeling that maybe the Mearans are a bit tired of fighting the Haldanes and always ending up losing. They might have given up sooner if it hadn't been for Caitrin's ambition.  An illegitimate child of Ithel's by a commoner woman wouldn't be considered an eligible challenger. Not to mention that it takes a lot of money EVEN to fight the Haldanes and lose.
Melissa

[Laurna]

I think that if Ithel had actually gotten married in the winter, he would not have been so wicked toward the women of the nunnery in the spring. At least I would hope that itch would have been satisfied. I imagine his mother and father had been so distraught that he did not think along those lines.

On the other hand in fanfiction/gaming, Ithel was betrothed to a girl named Amalie in that winter. Amalie had a daughter named Ithelwen, who did claim the birthright of her father. And she married Brioc de Paor, the son of Brice de Paor, baron of the attainted lands of Trurill. Ithel's granddaughter is Sidana Caitrin Annalind Ithelianne Quinnell-de Paor, who claims the title of Queen of Meara (or so those loyal to the ancient House of Quinnell called her.)  Pretender to the crown. In the year 1164 Sidana gains a betrothal with the son of Teymaraz and thus starts a new chapter of Meara claiming independence.

If interested you can read Ghosts of the Past under the collaborative fanfiction tab.

[DoctorM]

I think that if Ithel had actually gotten married in the winter, he would not have been so wicked toward the women of the nunnery in the spring. At least I would hope that itch would have been satisfied. I imagine his mother and father had been so distraught that he did not think along those lines.

On the other hand in fanfiction/gaming, Ithel was betrothed to a girl named Amalie in that winter. Amalie had a daughter named Ithelwen, who did claim the birthright of her father. And she married Brioc de Paor, the son of Brice de Paor, baron of the attainted lands of Trurill. Ithel's granddaughter is Sidana Caitrin Annalind Ithelianne Quinnell-de Paor, who claims the title of Queen of Meara (or so those loyal to the ancient House of Quinnell called her.)  Pretender to the crown. In the year 1164 Sidana gains a betrothal with the son of Teymaraz and thus starts a new chapter of Meara claiming independence.

If interested you can read Ghosts of the Past under the collaborative fanfiction tab.

I like the ideas here...

[Avisa]

I think that if Ithel had actually gotten married in the winter, he would not have been so wicked toward the women of the nunnery in the spring. At least I would hope that itch would have been satisfied. I imagine his mother and father had been so distraught that he did not think along those lines.

On the other hand in fanfiction/gaming, Ithel was betrothed to a girl named Amalie in that winter. Amalie had a daughter named Ithelwen, who did claim the birthright of her father. And she married Brioc de Paor, the son of Brice de Paor, baron of the attainted lands of Trurill. Ithel's granddaughter is Sidana Caitrin Annalind Ithelianne Quinnell-de Paor, who claims the title of Queen of Meara (or so those loyal to the ancient House of Quinnell called her.)  Pretender to the crown. In the year 1164 Sidana gains a betrothal with the son of Teymaraz and thus starts a new chapter of Meara claiming independence.

If interested you can read Ghosts of the Past under the collaborative fanfiction tab.

Hoo boy. It's certainly plausible anyway!

[ReikiDeryni]

Kinda always wondered that too, merely just for the dynastic reasons. As a total aside, love the avatar Avisa

[Cory]

I don't know if a married Ithel would have been any better to the nuns, given rape is about power, and he was assaulting her because he felt others had power over him.

But the question is a good one about Ithel not getting married. Perhaps his family was unable to find a suitable girl on short notice in the winter. (By suitable, I mean right age and right breeding for the Pretender.) I'm sure Ithel never thought he was going to die. I have always wondered why Ithel was not with the main army and his father. Certainly Brice didn't need Ithel and the heir would have been just as valuable with the main army and possibly better protected.