Malta *spoilers all Hobb books*

[Valarya]

Ok, another question...a little before the event with the dragons, Amber had been speaking to Malta: " '...Your time will come to fly. And when it does, you must be strong, not bloodied and weary.' Amber's eyes went suddenly wider. 'Beware of one who would claim your wings for her own. Beware of one who would make you doubt your own strength..."

So, who was it who tried/would try to claim Malta's wings for her own? I haven't thought much on it but I can't think of anyone off the top of my head, in the LST or RWC, who tried to do this. Wings makes me think someone may take her Elderling status from her...it also makes me think of Thymara and her Elderling status but I'm doubting there'd be an issue there? Thoughts?

My immediate reaction to this phrase upon re-reading it feels right in one of those ways you just KNOW it's right (hahah, great theory proving evidence, yes?)

And that is: Tintaglia is (was) the being who will steal her wings to fly. I don't think it meant Malta would literally fly, but that Tintaglia would take Malta's life in order to free herself and live/fly/be a dragon. Which happened. Tintaglia was inside Malta's head, forcing her to come help.. that Dragon even drowned the crap out of Malta (in memories) in order to be free knowing that, first drowning, then opening the chamber could possibly kill the human. But Tintaglia didn't care. As long as she could live and fly.. who cares if the puny human died in the attempt to free her, right?

So I believe Amber's advice was to beware Tintaglia using her in order to live and be free. Luckily for Malta, she didn't die in the attempt. AND, one of the reasons I believe she didn't become a great drooling babe from that intense drowning is because:

City of Dragons spoiler!!!!!!!!!!

-- we have since found out that only humans can drown in memories. Elderlings cannot. The memories are put there for Elderlings so they have a vast pool of knowledge (much like Dragons do naturally). Since Malta was already becoming an Elderling at this point, the city was hers to take/remember.

Does this mean that Amber and Malta shared a tiny Skill-link from that point and, as it was never removed, they share it still?

Why did Fool's removal of the fingerprints totally delete the Skill-link he'd had with Fitz for so long....

I think you sorted out your own riddle in the same post but didn't even realize it, Farseer.

If the Skill-Link between Fitz and Fool was 'severed' after Fool removed his fingerprints.. then deductive reasoning would state that, even if he did have a Skill-Link with Malta due to the dragon-saving episode, it would now be severed also (due to aforementioned fingerprint skill removal).