Dairine's necklace - categorize this line

[Ardub]

I haven't seen anyone discussing this unclarfied half-thought from the end of the book, so I'll bring it up:
p. 541 - "It was not until a little later, when Dairine had had a moment by herself, that she'd had time to read what the sentence was." (referring to the thread holding her jewel)

Rather than taking random stabs at what it says, I'll go "meta" and try to figure out what type of allusion this is. Three possibilities come to mind:

- It's not supposed to be too subtle, just to take a few moments of reflection which lead to an "oh, I get it", sort of like the modified Apple computer logo. But nothing that it *must* be comes to mind, so I don't think it's that.

- It's intentionally and forever ambiguous, so each person can read into it what they will, in a very personal way. Eh, maybe, but I don't think there's a precedent for that kind of writing in the series.

- It's foreshadowing to be explained in a future book. Enough was made of the jewel in this book that this seems most likely to me. So I'll break this into two subcategories:

-- We just have to wait to find out what it says, and from that find out what exactly would make her start crying again.

-- There's enough context here to judge from her feelings what type of thing it might say, and from that, infer something more about her feelings. And possibly use that to narrow down what it says. And thus clarify her feelings even more.... Back and forth, sort of like that twin wizardry. Which didn't work, heh. Oh well.

Anyone think they have evidence of what it might say?

[Mel]

Well, you have some interesting thoughts there. I kind of like the second thought there, though I probly counld't stand it (if that makes sense ).
Really, there's not too much evidence of what it means or says in this book; all we really have is interpreting Roshaun's weird looks, and r/d's conversations around the end. So, really the only evidence is what you've already read.

I've never really thought about what it meant. Well, I have, but I haven't really analized it while knowing I did...Did you ever do that? Just think about it without knowing it? I know, no sense.

But there's my two cents!

[Ardub]

Oh, I know what you mean. PLenty of times I'll have a "lightbulb" moment about a book when I'm doing something else entirely and something clicks.

Oh, for completeness, I should add two more possibilities to my outline above. I discount both, but the outline isn't filled without them:

- 2.b.) - It's *un*intentionally and forever ambiguous - It's intended to return to this later but for whatever reason won't be. (Hope not - I'd prefer a 2a to a 2b) (try and read *that* sentence out loud!)*

- 3.c.) - The series is still being written, which might mean that the definite thing it said in the (book's) past must still be determined in the (real) future. Which opens the debate up to feedback loops, that the discussion of the very topic could (subconsciously?) alter the result.

*Which reminds me, what would happen if Dairine's stalky-eyed laptop appeared in a D!ck and Jane book? You'd have something like this:
"See Spot. See Spot see. See, Spot, see!" :-)

[AlidaART]

After realizing that

a) It didn't have a specifically revealed meaning in the book or b) I totally missed something, I decided that the sentance must be intentionally ambiguous. I mean, isn't it just like DD to do that? And quite honestly, I think we can all infer what it means from the context of the necklace and the fact that she would only show it to Roshaun. (read: this has something to do with their relationship, possibly revealing more than Dairine would care to reveal to others). Thus, highly personal, and in consequence, highly unlikely that it will be explicity printed. That's the kind of thing the reader has to do, much as I'd probably go into shipper-euphoria if DD did specify

[Kristina]

You have to remember...Dairine doesn't cry often. Remember the story of her scraped knee and her just saying "no," before walking away? There had to have been something major written there for her to start crying again. It wasn't necessarily about her feelings for Roshaun...it could have been about his feelings for her, or just their growing relationship, in general. Of course, can you really generalize anything about Dairine's relationship with Roshaun? I don't think so.

[Alethia]

Well, I know I'm sort of taking this from the (ah, what's it called?) Who-Loves-Who thread, but if you're going into the Dairine/Roshaun romance, then the sentence the emrald is strung on is about Dairine's feelings towards Roshaun and possibly about their relationship, hence the note about why she would never show it to anyone except Roshaun- because it's about him! And that's why it was enough to make her start crying- because she forgot all about the necklace which had so many memories of him attatched until after he was dead- and when she read the sentence in Speech it reminded her of just how attatched she was to him.
*Looks up and read's Alida's thing*
*Blush* Oh, nevermind, she's got it covered!

[samehl]

Well I like to write and I notice that sometimes when I am adding something like that, an intentionally unexplained peice of information, I am usually not thinking about how it will exactly turn out in the end. I agree w/ ardub, it is DEFINATLY about roshaun and dairine's relationship, possible the exact meaning of the unexplainable bond between them.
I probably don't make any sence.
sehlinger
And I am going to eat... it... all...

[hedwigsangel]

I thought that it said in the book what the necklace said... I only read it once (library book) and so I didn't quite catch all the little details. I thought it said something noble-ish, but I'm not sure. Roshaun liked it and that's bood enough for me!
lol

[Erica]

I thought (when I was reading) that it said something from Roshaun to Dairine about their relationship...I expect we will have more clues in future books to what it might have said (at least I hope so!)
Alethia -- you say that it was like "memories of him attatched until after he was dead". I sure hope he's not dead! That is another mystery to be solved (in my opinion)....

[Alethia]

I didn't mean it like he was dead!
What I was trying to say is that she forgot about the necklace until he *seemed* to be dead.
Ohnonohe'snotdead!

[nelka35]

- It's foreshadowing to be explained in a future book. Enough was made of the jewel in this book that this seems most likely to me. So I'll break this into two subcategories:

-- We just have to wait to find out what it says, and from that find out what exactly would make her start crying again.

-- There's enough context here to judge from her feelings what type of thing it might say, and from that, infer something more about her feelings. And possibly use that to narrow down what it says. And thus clarify her feelings even more....
Anyone think they have evidence of what it might say?

Well, I think that
1. this will be explained or at least clarified in a future book.
2.Yes, there seems to me that there is enough context to make an educated guess/opinion about what it refers to.

What I think it refers to is what Kristina said in her post - it is something about their relationship, and it is something major.
It also seems to me that this necklace can be a sort of spiritual or whatever connection between the two of them, and that conversation with him at the end of the book - Timeheart-like - fits
into that option.

What did you think about that conversation?

[Dragon Writer]

I think we'll find out eventually. In the meantime i think we're meant to be left to wonder what's going to happen.