A Collection of Ranger's Apprentice Theories

A Mini Boatload of Dates

Welcome one, welcome all, to dive into the mysterious lives of the royal family. A wedding, birthdays, and coincidences to gossip over, this theory has irrelevant facts galore!

The Gorlan tournament happened during the first week of Fourthmonth ('The Tournament at Gorlan'), the new year began over the winter ('The Battle of Hackham Heath'), and a year is referred to as a twelvemonth, so it can be assumed Araluen follows the same calendar system as the real world, where Fourthmonth is April.

In 'The Battle of Hackham Heath,' Oswald is said to hang onto life just long enough to see his son married, and then in the new year passes away during several weeks of snow. This indicates the Duncan and Rosalind marriage occurred late December, and Oswald passed in January. Then, for the 2 months before spring, the castle mourned—into March.

Crowley is sent to retrieve Rosalind from Woldon Abbey 8 months into her pregnancy, around Halt's 18 months of being a Ranger. Halt is made a Ranger by Duncan soon after the Gorlan tournament, as he had his Silver Oakleaf within the month ('The Tournament at Gorlan'). So, Cassandra is born in October, and Rosalind dies 10 months into marriage. As of March, when the pregnancy announcement is made, she is a few weeks pregnant.

Since Will is able to be passed off as a baby whose mother has died in childbirth, and Daniel only knew his wife was just about 9 months pregnant because from being busy fighting off the Wargal attack beginning soon after Cassandra was born ('Death of a Hero'), Will is close in age to Cassandra, either an October or November baby.

Rosalind herself has a sixth sense about the future. Crowley is sent to save her from the Wargals, and the journey to Woldon Abbey from Castle Araluen is a 16 hour Ranger horse ride. When Crowley arrives, Rosalind has been in labor for 16 hours before giving birth. The timing is perfect for Crowley to make plans and ride back with the baby Cassandra.