[Dragaera] Liberals

[Jerry Friedman via Dragaera]

> From: Rebecca Harbison <beccastareyes at gmail.com>
>To: Jerry Friedman <jerry_friedman at yahoo.com> 

>I wonder how the Dragons feel about their required service in the Jhereg Guard.  Their House should really give them a waiver during that reign. I suppose as things start to fall apart, some Dragons might want to enlist to help the Iorich arrest the Emperor or whatever happens.
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>I had assumed that, while Dragons must serve as soldiers as part of becoming proper adult members of their House, there's no reason they can't be either mercenaries or attached to a lesser noble rather than His/Her Majesty, and that the makeup of the Imperial Insert-House-Here Guard depends a lot on the character of the Emperor/Empress.  (It is mentioned that the Athyra Guard prized wizardry, hence why so many younger nobles/gentry are considering joining once the House of the Phoenix takes the Orb.  Someone like Khaavren wouldn't have been eligible for the Athyra Guard, and there were probably fewer Dragonlords (though enough, since some members of the House do study sorcery).) 
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>So, maybe many of the young Dragonlords that might otherwise seek a job in the Guard find other people looking for soldiers.  

In Ch. 8 of Yendi, Aliera tells Vlad the Phoenix Guard is "mostly Dragons, because all Dragons must
serve periodically, but there are others from every House in the guards--except Athyra, who are never
interested, and Phoenix, because there aren't enough of them."
 
Maybe there are fewer Dragons in the Jhereg Guard, but it seems like there should be some doing their
periodic service.
 
On the other hand, in the same conversation, Morrolan says he's never met the Empress's lover, so
you never know who to believe.
 
Jerry Friedman