Runaan and Ethari: Origins

~QUESTIONS AND THEORIES~

[~A/N~ The following is a list of my own questions regarding things in TDP that would personally like to attempt to answer. If there are any questions that you have that aren't listed below, please, feel free to stick them in the comments and I'll be sure to see what I can do. Same goes for opinions on any of the stated theories. As soon as I have read your comment, I will reply letting you know that I've seen it. If I don't reply, please, spam my inbox (I'm serious). I'm excited to see where this goes.]

Q: How did Runaan, Tiadrin, and Lain meet Ethari? Ethari said he "was never as strong as the others" regarding his magic; magic seems to be a big part of an assassin's work; maybe had he tried to become an assassin at one point and couldn't because of weak magic skills?

T: I believe Runaan was already close friends with Tiadrin and Lain through assassin training before Ethari came into the picture. I believe Ethari was forced by his father to train to become an assassin to toughen him up and that was where he met them.

Q: Did Runaan always know he was gay? Did he and Ethari always get along?

T: I believe Runaan in fact thought he was perfectly straight before he met Ethari and that, because of those new feelings, he hated Ethari at first.

Q: In training to become an assassin, was Runaan top of his class, or did he struggle?

T: I believe that Runaan indeed was top of his class and in being such, he was asked to help Ethari in his training and they became close through this.

Q: Were either Runaan or Ethari ever bullied?

T: I believe that Ethari was bullied because he was the weakest trainee. I believe that Runaan stood up for him and was bullied for that. I believe this is how Runaan received the scar on his left side.

Q: Ethari is a blacksmith: where did he apprentice?

T: I believe that after finding out he could never be an assassin, Ethari went to live with his uncle and apprentice under him.

Q: Who was married first: Runaan and Ethari or Tiadrin and Lain?

T: I believe that Ethari returned years later for Tiadrin and Lain's wedding and decided to stay and continue his work in Silvergrove. I believe Runaan and Ethari started dating not long after.

Q: Matching moon opals?

T: I believe Ethari made the moon opal pendants as a gift for Runaan before he left on his first mission.

Q: Was Rayla born before or after Runaan and Ethari were married? How old was she at the wedding if she was born before? Moonstrider and Shadowpaw?

T: I believe five-year-old Rayla was flower girl at Runaan and Ethari's wedding. I believe the Moonstrider and Shadowpaw were wedding gifts from Tiadrin and Lain.

Q: When did Tiadrin and Lain join the Dragon Guard? How old was Rayla when she went to live with Runaan and Ethari?

T: I believe Tiadrin and Lain joined the Dragon Guard and sent Rayla to live with Runaan and Ethari when Rayla was only seven.

Extra Theories:

T: I believe Runaan, Ethari, and Rayla were devastated, angry and confused when Rayla's parents abandoned the Dragon Guard, the day the Dragon King was killed and his only egg was stolen.

T: I believe that Rayla begged Runaan to let her go to Katolis with him and Ethari begged him to let her stay behind.

T: I believe that when all the flowers sank but Rayla's, Ethari was angry and heartbroken but still reluctant to ghost Rayla. I believe after he did the spell he couldn't sleep for days.

T: I believe that seeing Rayla again both reopened the wound in Ethari's heart and took some of the weight of the guilt of ghosting her off.

T: I believe after he sent the arrow, Ethari began to spread the word that the Dragon Prince lived. I believe he was laughed at until it was announced that the Dragon Prince was safe with his mother in the Spire and Luna Tenebris was awake.