Based on the books, more than anything Barristan wants to serve as a kingsguard for a good king. I think he recognizes Harry as having that potential despite any quirks he may have.

 

Ser Barristan wasn't with Harry when Aeryn was raped.

 

Just a suggestion, but giving Aeryn a modus operandi that isn't directly linked to Harry would be more than sufficient in developing her character. Perhaps she can't see Harry as a means to an end, but she COULD get any number of favors out of him, let alone money or training. But, what I mean, not money or training to please Harry (she wants money so she can look/smell nice, wants training to please Harry and be his servant), rather, training or money for sake itself - training because she wants to be something. I haven't read the latest beta chapter yet, but something along that frame of idea, would go a long way. I imagine she hates rapists - I don't see her becoming someone about women's rights, or something, but she might like the idea of becoming a harbinger of justice or something? lol I dunno, that'd still be emulating Harry. Perhaps one idea of conflict could simply be, she wants to be something other than a whore / known as "Harry's skank" or what not, yet she can't step outside of his shadow no matter what she does to better herself? Such a conflict could feed into the larger story, where Aeryn starts making a name for herself, which isn't a good thing, since she's supposed to be Harry's nearly invisible little wench.

Unless you intend for her to just be a romance partner that will be swiftly killled off. But evne in that case, I'd prefer if she had something else to her, that defined her in a context that had little to do with our protagonist, even if we understand she feels gratitude and desire for him.

 

Carrying on with that, I personally like Brandon Sander's explanations of character motivation the best for situations like this: Every character has to have things they want, but reasons that they can't get them, and it's in overcoming or seeking to overcome those obstacles that the character becomes believable.

So to reinforce what Chime is saying, Aeryn being Harry's friend or !interest is all well and good, but as a subplot. If she had some goal in mind, and her proximity to Harry is what she thinks can help her achieve that, then that's what will make her more believable, and she can continue to be the friend or whatever as a corollary of her proximity.

Of course, maybe you're already doing this and we just don't see it yet.

 

Like, I don't understand the overwhelming need to have Aeryn be the second main character or the like. First everyone wanted her to die, and now people seem to want her to be awesome since she is not going to die.

I just want the character to feel realistic and work for the plot, and that is what is currently happening. If her goals ends up involving Harry directly, that is fine.

 

You don't see it? I had thought it was a bit obvious.

 

Not to the degree I would like, as yet. Of course, it's entirely possible that I just need to reread what you have so far... which isn't a bad way to spend a Sunday morning...

 

Pah, she had correctly identified him as a little lord from sight and was still threatening his life and seemed willing to go through with it. The reason she didn't was because Harry was being reasonable and he also had an advantageous position. I feel the need to repeat myself. She knowingly threatened the life of a noble and then did a one eighty and became a little wall flower. It reeks of either cowardice, a lack of commitment to her ideals (about nobles,) or was just a poor job by the author at grounding who she is. I'm leaning towards the last one. Her being raped before her personality could be established was probably a mistake since it seems like she is going to have a fairly significant role in the story.

Her being the daughter of a high class courtesan, she hasn't been referred to as anything other than a whore btw, seems to have little effect on her station as a lowborn. She has been repeatedly grouped with the little folk. Your speculation on a whore's daughter's place in society has little grounding from the story. In fact the opposite is true. Her background was used by the author to provide a tangible difference between Harry's outlook on the little folk and the rest of the nobility.

Your shitty attempt to put words in my mouth is noted. If you will kindly reread my post you will see I said I wanted her dead because I thought his relationship with her is very poor. However this is still very early in the story anything can happen.

What I was doing was giving feedback and analysis about how I perceive a character for the author's benefit. Whether he takes it under advisement, ignores it, or pats himself on the back for anticipating my reaction and leading me through hoops is up to him.

 

Some noble =/= a prince of the Seven Kingdoms.

 

Fair enough, but that makes little difference when comparing nobles to lowborn. As Tyrion said any other noble would have had their hands for the attempted robbery. I doubt anyone would raise an eyebrow about even the most minor of a noble killing a commoner for threatening their life. What does it matter if its a prince or a baron when they are going to kill/mutilate you either way?

 

The difference is that with a random noble you have a chance to get away with it. Sure they will look for you, but who cares about some unimportant highborn who didn't even have money for a proper guard? But if you hurt a prince? There will be no place in the Seven Kingdoms for you to hide.

 

I, for one, am not that interested in Aeryn as a character, as the most that will come of her interaction with Harry is some sort of romantic scandal, which, considering his parentage, is pretty minor in perspective.

Instead, why don't we talk about this Brenden, seeing as he is apparently Harry's new head facefucker, or this maester Marwyn, who, from what little we've heard of him, sounds like the closest thing Westeros has to a expert on magic and who will no doubt become a much more major character if nothing untoward happens to him?

 

Heh, got a bit sidetracked. I'd speculate on the effectiveness on that manhunt, how effective it would be is entirely up to the author.

But this is largely irrelevant. My problem is that she went from being ballsy enough to attack nobles to being shown as a somewhat passive follower. I'm not upset she isn't trying to stab Harry when his back is turned. Just that she seems so submissive.

Intellectually I understand why she does it, he is the proverbial meal ticket, but that doesnt make me like her. Doubly so when Harry is shown thinking about liking girls who are assertive.

 

Cleanrag, that was Lamora's attempt at turning the discussion away from an already treaded path. I, for one, agree with it.

I feel like Harry finding the maester will be something akin to Dorothy finally meeting the Wizard. Which is to say, he's not going to be impressive and probably won't know any more about "real" magic than Harry already does.

EDIT: Cheddar, do you mean Aemon? Or am I mixing up Targaryens?

 

Knowing other maesters he probably doesn't expect much from Marwyn and may be pleasantly surprised by his knowledge of this world magic if not his own.

 

No! We like talking about Aerys because she's the potential Femme-Fatal in Harry's life. One of those silent but deadly women manipulating in the background.

Anyhow, will be eagerly waiting for the timeskip. I love the story now but Harry at 9 years old can't do much.

 

Aeryn.

I don't see that from what I've written, but my perspective is of course different from yours. Could you point out those passages where she seems such? A PM is fine.

Yep. Right on the money.

It might happen.