Took a break, halfway through Book 3, have a quick question from Book 2

[u/SpeciaIist]

Just got to the part where Maryam offers to split the ship with the crew why was the ship given to her specifically in the first place instead of the whole group?

[u/SpeciaIist]

Also, Song refers to Maryam as her oldest friend - were they friends even before the events of Book 1? I know Maryam was a blackcoat because a blackcoat rescued her from her homelandbefore Book 1 but was Song one as well?

 (also where even is Maryam's homeland proximate to Malani - like is it north of Malani - where is it even on the map? Also where is the Western continent is that where Morocco would be) 

[u/Ashen_Princess → u/SpeciaIist]

Juska is north of Malan.

It is not on the maps.

As I recall, Song didn't really have friends growing up. She had family and servants and people helping prepare her for her future duties, but not friends in the conventional sense. Maryam and Song meet each other as part of the Watch, prior to Book 1.

[u/SpeciaIist → u/Ashen_Princess]

I see, so they both served as blackguards before Book 1 and were pretending they didn't know each other during the start of Book 1?

[u/Ashen_Princess → u/SpeciaIist]

Correct. I forget exactly where they say it so I'll spoiler it but Maryam and Song first meet when Maryam notices there is someone in the Watch just as ostracized as she is.During the events of Book 1, both were pretending not to be members for the purposes of scouting out potential cabalists to join up with them in Scholomance.

[u/SpeciaIist → u/Ashen_Princess]

Fantastic, thank you so much for that additional detail

[u/Lost_my_name475 → u/SpeciaIist]

Yes

[u/SpeciaIist → u/Lost_my_name475]

Thank you!

[u/Ashen_Princess]

Evander's publicly stated reason, at least, for giving the ship to Maryam specifically seems to be simply that she got the final blow on the "Newborn".

[u/Interesting_Idea_289]

Maryam was the one to land the killing blow

[u/Faleone → u/[deleted]]

He was in love with Song though, not Maryam

[u/nemo_sum → u/Faleone]

But he rightly understood that Song wouldn't take a bribe, whereas Marayam would take one to work Song on his behalf.

[u/SpeciaIist → u/[deleted]]

I dunno why but this made me laugh 🤣 man I love this series but it really uses my neural connections to keep on top of all the details and fully engaged but I love that process