Nia died instead of Wendolyn? (Part four)
(Link to part three —)
SPOILERS! And a lot of speculation
THE MONSTER IN THE HOLLOWS•Book three.
initially I believed that we would at least make it to the fourth book before we strayed so far from the cannon, but as I was wondering about Esben and the children, I realized something;
It is only because Rudric and the Durga Guild came to the recuse that the Jewels of Anniera get the time to sing to their dying father, thus connecting with Artham over the ocean and he tells Esben to sing the song. Rudric returns to Ban Rona bc Leeli sent Baxter to fetch him the minute the Hollowfolk showed up to arrest Nia. Since Nia and Rudric weren't a thing- {the family probably would have seen Rudric every now and then bc of the cloven showing up in their backyard and the kids being The Heirs of Anniera- but
Leeli wouldn't know where Rudric went. He wouldn't tell them bc why would he? So Leeli couldn't have send Baxter so Rudric wouldn't have hurried to return to Ban Rona MEANING
The children wouldn't have time to sing to him, so Esben wouldn't be healed, so the grandparents would be killed and the Jewel would be taken by Bonifer Squoon and Esben isn't there to rescue them, so (unless plot armor gets involved) Bonifer would escape with the children! They would sail out the Watercraw, then to Yorsha Doon or possibly somewhere closer (sneak them across the hollows) and try to sneak them to Throg.
There would be no one to follow them, except Rudric when he returns or Oscar, but neither of them would know where to look for them. As for the battle they left behind, without the Durga patrolmen, the fight would last longer and they would lose more people but the Green Hollows folk would win that fight. Following that, there wouldn't be much reason for another attack from Gnag, until he has succeeded in his plan.
Now, I'm sure that Janner would already be planning for their escape as they sail out of the Watercraw (throne wardens, you know.) What that would look like is entirely up to the imagination. With this plotline, however, Andrew Peterson could've explored Yorsha Doon in the original series like he wanted to.
So, leaving off there, I guess the book would end with Janner, Kal and Leeli, hidden safely away with maybe a new friend who took them in and the Fangs would be scouring the city. Artham wouldn't have been triggered by Leeli's song, Oscar survive and after the burial of Podo and Wendolyn, he would stay at Chimney Hill with Freva and Bonnie and try to convince Rudric to look for the Jewels and mourn over the lost of the First book. Esben would die alone in the streets of Ban Rona after he tried to follow Bonifer but was too wounded.
Let be know what you think and what you imagine happens in Yorsha Doon when the Wingfeathers try to escape🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♀️
Then Gnag wins, due to Leeli not being able to defend Ban Rona.