Ireth
Myth Weaver
What do people think of using implicit versus explicit questions? I have a scene involving the former in my main WIP, which gave my beta some trouble. An implicit question, for those who don't know, is one in which the question is derived mostly from tone of voice and body language, rather than spoken word. Example:
Implicit: "Apple?" Bob offered, holding one out to Alice.
Explicit: "Would you like an apple?" Bob offered, holding one out to Alice.
Now for the context of my scene: the secondary protagonist, a human named Vincent, has made a deal with a Leannan Sidhe named Lenore, in which he agreed to sing for her and let her consume part of his energy if she would answer one important question (relevant to Vincent's quest to find his kidnapped daughter) per stanza that he sings. The song (seven stanzas long) is done, and here is the question scene, from the POV of Vincent's brother Dom (who has just found Vincent and Lenore after getting lost and being separated from Vincent).
"[irrelevant stuff snipped out] Now, question one: What is the name of Madoc Morfryn's son and heir?"
"Prince Fiachra,” said Lenore, sullen. She folded her arms. “What sort of question is that?"
"Where does he dwell?"
Lenore's eyes narrowed. "Why so curious?"
"I'm the one asking the questions. Answer, please."
"Caer Celynnen," she said after a pause.
Dom smiled. Finally, a name for their destination. That would be useful.
Vincent smiled too, and posed the next question. "How can my brother and I get to Caer Celynnen from here?"
“I can’t imagine why you’d want to. His Majesty wouldn’t take kindly to you intruding on his stronghold.”
“We have business with the prince,” Vincent said calmly. “Please tell us how to get to Caer Celynnen.”
She sniffed. “Find the place where winter never thaws, and holly is a guardian.”
Dom frowned. “And in plain English, that means...?”
“You aren’t part of the bargain,” she sneered at him. “I gave your brother my answer already.”
“And I’m asking another question. We’re in this together, so you’ll have to deal with both of us.”
Lenore maintained a frigid silence.
Vincent sighed. “Fine. Will you please clarify your previous answer, then, Lenore?”
“No.”
He frowned, but nodded. “Well, I did ask. Alright, next question. In which direction is Caer Celynnen from here, and how long will it take Raoul, Chim and me to get there?”
“That’s two questions,” Lenore objected.
“Which brings me up to six, still well within our bargain. Now, the answers...?”
“Caer Celynnen is north-north-east of here,” Lenore said, her gaze hard. “As for how long, I can’t possibly tell you. Time means little in Faerie, especially to us Fae. Traveling with one of us is one thing; traveling with iron is another thing entirely. Too many variables, no single answer.”
“I suppose that’s fair enough. Last question, then--”
“No. You asked your seventh before I answered the fifth and sixth.”
Vincent’s brows furrowed. “I don’t recall anything of the sort.”
Lenore snorted, then took on a Glamour to mimic his face and voice for a moment. “‘Now, the answers...?’” Dropping the illusion, she added, “If that wasn’t a question, I don’t know what you’d call it.”
Dom cringed along with Vincent at Lenore’s creepy-as-hell display. He watched Vincent carefully, wondering whether he’d risk pressing the issue or not.
NOTE: 'Raoul' is Dom's alias while in Faerie to avoid speaking his true name in front of the Fae. Not an error.
I'm hoping you all can see the problematic part of this. I do wonder whether to make Vincent a little more aware of the ambiguity of his words; immediately following this segment he just sort of shrugs it off, not wanting to make Lenore angry at him since she is quite capable of rendering him helpless or even dead. What are people's thoughts on this?
Implicit: "Apple?" Bob offered, holding one out to Alice.
Explicit: "Would you like an apple?" Bob offered, holding one out to Alice.
Now for the context of my scene: the secondary protagonist, a human named Vincent, has made a deal with a Leannan Sidhe named Lenore, in which he agreed to sing for her and let her consume part of his energy if she would answer one important question (relevant to Vincent's quest to find his kidnapped daughter) per stanza that he sings. The song (seven stanzas long) is done, and here is the question scene, from the POV of Vincent's brother Dom (who has just found Vincent and Lenore after getting lost and being separated from Vincent).
"[irrelevant stuff snipped out] Now, question one: What is the name of Madoc Morfryn's son and heir?"
"Prince Fiachra,” said Lenore, sullen. She folded her arms. “What sort of question is that?"
"Where does he dwell?"
Lenore's eyes narrowed. "Why so curious?"
"I'm the one asking the questions. Answer, please."
"Caer Celynnen," she said after a pause.
Dom smiled. Finally, a name for their destination. That would be useful.
Vincent smiled too, and posed the next question. "How can my brother and I get to Caer Celynnen from here?"
“I can’t imagine why you’d want to. His Majesty wouldn’t take kindly to you intruding on his stronghold.”
“We have business with the prince,” Vincent said calmly. “Please tell us how to get to Caer Celynnen.”
She sniffed. “Find the place where winter never thaws, and holly is a guardian.”
Dom frowned. “And in plain English, that means...?”
“You aren’t part of the bargain,” she sneered at him. “I gave your brother my answer already.”
“And I’m asking another question. We’re in this together, so you’ll have to deal with both of us.”
Lenore maintained a frigid silence.
Vincent sighed. “Fine. Will you please clarify your previous answer, then, Lenore?”
“No.”
He frowned, but nodded. “Well, I did ask. Alright, next question. In which direction is Caer Celynnen from here, and how long will it take Raoul, Chim and me to get there?”
“That’s two questions,” Lenore objected.
“Which brings me up to six, still well within our bargain. Now, the answers...?”
“Caer Celynnen is north-north-east of here,” Lenore said, her gaze hard. “As for how long, I can’t possibly tell you. Time means little in Faerie, especially to us Fae. Traveling with one of us is one thing; traveling with iron is another thing entirely. Too many variables, no single answer.”
“I suppose that’s fair enough. Last question, then--”
“No. You asked your seventh before I answered the fifth and sixth.”
Vincent’s brows furrowed. “I don’t recall anything of the sort.”
Lenore snorted, then took on a Glamour to mimic his face and voice for a moment. “‘Now, the answers...?’” Dropping the illusion, she added, “If that wasn’t a question, I don’t know what you’d call it.”
Dom cringed along with Vincent at Lenore’s creepy-as-hell display. He watched Vincent carefully, wondering whether he’d risk pressing the issue or not.
NOTE: 'Raoul' is Dom's alias while in Faerie to avoid speaking his true name in front of the Fae. Not an error.
I'm hoping you all can see the problematic part of this. I do wonder whether to make Vincent a little more aware of the ambiguity of his words; immediately following this segment he just sort of shrugs it off, not wanting to make Lenore angry at him since she is quite capable of rendering him helpless or even dead. What are people's thoughts on this?