(OC Week - Wednesday) Which person from Inara's past does she owe the most to? Who owes her the most? By the end of her story are most of those debts paid? Who of them is keeping the score most closely?
Inara most definitely owes the most in her life to Ulrich, the bandit who took her in when she was young. Without him, she would have died, or perhaps become a slave, or perhaps worse -- in any case, she would never have been able to defend herself from anything that happened to her later in life without him, would never have grown up with the determination of spirit and willingness of heart that she did if she had not first seen it in him.
There are others that might believe they deserve that title - Eamon, of course, believes she owes him more than she would ever admit or believe. And Alistair is a close second, as she owes him her life, her soundness of mind, and her quality of heart.
Inara does not keep track of debts. When her life is ending, she does not lose sleep over what she might owe someone, nor does her heart skip a beat when she thinks of what may be owed to her.
If she were hard pressed, she could name many people who owe her their lives, but that debt is not one she can possibly take seriously - she would not ever accept their life as payment or in sacrifice for hers willingly. All material debts are seen by her as frivolous or inconsequential, especially when she becomes Warden-Commander and has more than enough material wealth of her own to share - though she devotes most of her own wealth to the Wardens, until the day she leaves them.












