Elizabeth
asked
Sebastien de Castell:
Based on descriptions in your books and some comments by Brasti, it seems like Kest is asexual. Is this something you intended with the character?
Sebastien de Castell
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[I'll answer as best I can, but keep in mind that my own philosophy is that author intention ceases to matter once the text is set (i.e. once the book is published.) In other words, your interpretation of the text is just as valid as my own.
With that said, my sense of Kest is that his love for Falcio goes beyond friendship or brotherhood or even romantic desire. At some point he simply realized he was going to commit his life to protecting Falcio and would sacrifice any attempt at other relationships that might get in the way of that endeavour. Being Kest, he never lets himself think about why that is, and because he isn't the kind of person to ask "what if?" – he deals only with what is and not what might otherwise be – he never gives us enough to go on to imagine what he might do if the situation was different.
So, is he asexual? Within the context of the Greatcoats Quartet, the answer is yes. The real question (to which even I don't have the answer), is whether he will remain so in future.
Hope that helps!
Sebastien (hide spoiler)]
With that said, my sense of Kest is that his love for Falcio goes beyond friendship or brotherhood or even romantic desire. At some point he simply realized he was going to commit his life to protecting Falcio and would sacrifice any attempt at other relationships that might get in the way of that endeavour. Being Kest, he never lets himself think about why that is, and because he isn't the kind of person to ask "what if?" – he deals only with what is and not what might otherwise be – he never gives us enough to go on to imagine what he might do if the situation was different.
So, is he asexual? Within the context of the Greatcoats Quartet, the answer is yes. The real question (to which even I don't have the answer), is whether he will remain so in future.
Hope that helps!
Sebastien (hide spoiler)]
More Answered Questions
Tamro
asked
Sebastien de Castell:
This question contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[
In Knight's Shadow Falcio is remembering a conversation he had with King Paelis after the King had killed a wannabe assassin. During that conversation Paelis says he could have every Duke, Lord etc. and their families killed. But we never hear why that would have been a good or bad idea. What if Paelis had gone ahead and killed the entire aristocracy of Tristia. What would have happened?
(hide spoiler)]
Giraffedragon
asked
Sebastien de Castell:
This isn't even a question, so I'm sorry if that annoys you, but I wanted to say I think your books are amazing. I just finished Knight's Shadow (literally just finished - what, a minute ago?) and it was incredible. I love the complexity and differing shades of morality and all of the different characters. I don't have much more to say (I'm not particularly eloquent when sending stuff to amazing authors apparently).
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