It was interesting writing Ivan at seventeen, having to get that combination of highly observant and completely tactless. Miles thinks that Ivan's dumber than rocks in WA, but by BiA he acknowledges that Ivan is smart but lazy. Also, I think, though he seems to have grown out of this in later books, disinclined to believe things that are going to mean Trouble For Ivan, like 'Galeni is double-crossing us' or 'Miles, you're technically committing treason'. Although he's the one who first brings up Vorloupolous's Law to Miles; his subconscious is not only smarter than him, it's smarter than Miles.
Anyway, Ivan does show a Milesian tendency to defy Gregor for what he thinks is Gregor's own good. I get the impression that he likes Gregor as a person without considering it much, other than finding him very scary when he's angry. So his idea of tactful comfort is 'Let's all go and get drunk.' Gregor is about at the end of his tether, having had about as much stress as Miles during WA and a lot less fun, and is probably thinking "Not Ivan as well as everything else". They'll probably end up getting completely legless and the pale stern Imperial persona will be very convincing the next day. :)
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branchandroot
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Date: 2008-02-16 08:11 pm (UTC)Anyway, Ivan does show a Milesian tendency to defy Gregor for what he thinks is Gregor's own good. I get the impression that he likes Gregor as a person without considering it much, other than finding him very scary when he's angry. So his idea of tactful comfort is 'Let's all go and get drunk.'
Gregor is about at the end of his tether, having had about as much stress as Miles during WA and a lot less fun, and is probably thinking "Not Ivan as well as everything else". They'll probably end up getting completely legless and the pale stern Imperial persona will be very convincing the next day. :)