The Companions of the Heart (spoilers LST)

[Farseer]

Thanks Nuytsia re confirming Kekki's area of expertise.

Serilla says something about the role being to honestly advise the Satrap on their particular area of expertise.
I think the emphasis is on them being free to give the Satrap their honest opinion, and not being tempted to flatter him to gain favour as others in his court may do. In order to be free of the need to gain his favour it's implied that they would have a lot of power in their own right.

Possibly herein is the reason for Cosgo's downfall. He overlooked this value in his Companions of the Heart and delegated them to a lesser role. In doing so, he then turned over the function or true role of a CotH to his nobles and, in this, they failed miserably.

While a CotH may have felt it was their right to be able to advise without repercussion, the same could not be said of a noble. It was the nobles' inability to honestly advise Cosgo that led to their eventual revolt aginst him. They hated the way he acted and ruled but did naught to deter him from his actions, even encouraging him to curry favour from their 'Satrap'....hence Cosgo's words to them when he was finally able to confront them in SOD. He had expected them to mentor and advise him.

Rather then keep everyone's roles as they should have been, he switched them to his own detriment (expecting nobles to advise, Companions of the Heart to flatter etc), and it took Malta's intervention to return things to order.

Serilla says that if a Companion becomes pregnant to the Satrap the baby is given to the priests of Sa.

Obviously this kind of physical relationship between a CotH and Satrap happens from time to time then, if there's a 'rule' about the fate of possible offspring. What of the baby itself? Would it be considered a bastard? If so, it's a curious thing that he/she would then be so honoured as to become a priest of Sa, given that the Satrap is himself said to be of Sa. Or it is a sacrfice, rather than an honour? Or both?

Which suddenly brings me to another question for another thread! I love this brainstorming business!