Daughter of the Lioness
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The Daughter of the Lioness series (also known as the Tricksters series) by Tamora Pierce
is a duology set in the Tortall universe. It is centered on Alianne of Pirate's Swoop, the sixteen-year old daughter of Tortall's legendary lady knight, Alanna the Lioness, who was the subject of The Song of the Lioness
quartet. The duology takes place approximately 24 years after the last book in the quartet, Lioness Rampant
.
In a Time of Fear, the One Who I Promised will come to the raka, bearing glory in her train and justice in her hand. She will restore the god to his proper temple and his children to her right hand. She will be twice royal, wise and beloved, a living emblem of truth to her people. She will be attended by a wise one, the cunning one, the strong one, the warrior, and the crows. She will give a home to all, and the Kudarung will fly in her honor.
-From the Kyprish Prophecy, written in the year 200 H.E.
However, the raka were often engaged in disputes between tribes, and when the luarin - white-skinned invaders from the Eastern Lands, led by Rittevon of Lenman and Ludas Jimajen - arrived, they were able to conquer the raka quickly. They killed the queen, her family, and most of the high-ranking nobles. The raka that remained now either belonged to the luarin as slaves, or had to pay to live on luarin land.
The raka wondered why their god, Kyprioth, did not come and save them, and so priests spread the story that Kyprioth had been defeated in the Divine Realms by his brother and sister, Mithros and the Great Mother Goddess. However, hope was returned to the raka in the form of a prophecy, which promised that a new half-raka queen would arrive, who was royal to both the raka, through one well-hidden branch of the last queen's family, and to the luarin invaders, through the Rittevon line.
When Trickster's Choice open's, the Copper Isles is ruled by an insane king whose heirs include an obese, pleasure-seeking man, a five year old boy, and a scheming princess who is determined to seize power through her equally power-hungry husband. The Raka and Luarin have intermarried, and the majority of the population are mixed bloods. Social status is often determined by the color of the people's skin. (Raka with lighter skin are treated better.)
The Copper Isles is characterized as a place where foods are often spiced with hot peppers and other Asian-sounding goods. There is a lot of jungle, though there are also many wealthy cities. Some Lords and Ladies have plantations, which mirror the plantations the American South had before the Emancipation Proclamation, (Raka treated very badly, eventually rebel and overthrow their cruel slavemasters.)
, (while teasing her father)
Alianne of Pirate's Swoop - normally called Aly - is the daughter of George Cooper, Baron of Pirate's Swoop, second-in-command of his realm's spies; and Alanna the Lioness of Pirate's Swoop and Olau, lady knight, King's Champion of Tortall, and a living legend. However, far from wanting to follow in her mother's footsteps, the career Aly wishes to follow is her father's; that of a spy.
Frustrated with her parents, (who refuse to allow her to become a spy), Aly takes her boat, the "Cub", and sails down the coast, but is captured by pirates along the way. Despite being a pretty girl in a very bad situation, Aly keeps her head, intentionally getting herself bruised and starving herself so that she won't be bought as a sex slave. She also utilizes the self-defense training her father gave her to keep other slaves from bothering her.
The pirates try to sell her as a slave in Rajmuat, capital city of the Copper Isles, with no success. Aly is eventually given away as a general-work slave to the noble Balitang family, which consists of Duke Mequen, his wife Duchess Winnamine, their children Lady Petranne and Lord Elsren, and Duke Mequen's two daughters by his first marriage to Duchess Sarugani, Lady Saraiyu (Sarai) and Lady Dovasary (Dove). (She is later informed by Kyprioth, the Trickster god, that he was the one who kept her from being sold because he wanted her to go to the Balitang family.)
However, shortly after Aly's arrival, the Balitang family falls out of favor with King Oron of the Copper Isles, and are forced to sell most of their slaves and household goods. When it is Aly's turn to be reviewed by a slave matcher the Balitangs hire, a god appears to her and the Balitangs. Aly sees the god Kyprioth, the Trickster God and patron of the raka, who wagers her a quick, safe journey home and a recommendation to her father that she begin work as a spy, provided she can keep the Balitang children alive until the autumn equinox. He, posing as his brother - the Great God, Mithros - appears to the Balitangs and tells them to keep Aly as his messenger to them and trust her insights.
Aly travels with the Balitangs to the highlands on Lombyn Isle, where they own a fiefdom called Tanair. There, Kyprioth sends Aly help, in the form of the native crows, who, after agreeing to spy for her, begin to teach Aly their language. At Tanair, Aly also learns of the raka conspiracy: the native raka people of the Copper Islands, led by many of the Balitangs' pure-blood raka servants and slaves, plan to overthrow the luarin invaders who oppressed them centuries ago, and put Lady Sarai, on the throne. They believe Sarai, whose father is fourth in line to the luarin throne, and whose mother was one of the last descendants of the old raka queens, is the prophesied Twice-Royal Queen who will lead the raka to greatness. Aly figures out the conspiracy and helps indirectly, though she doesn't officially agrees to join the conspiracy and serve as its spymaster until the next book.
Meanwhile, many things happen in the Copper Isles. The Balitangs are visited by Prince Bronau, a close friend of the family who has also fallen out of favor with the king, and who flirts constantly with Sarai. One of the crows, named Nawat, transforms himself into a man and begins to work as a fletcher at Tanair. He falls in love with Aly, and despite the fact that she tries to act professionally around him at first, Aly is attracted to him as well. Aly is also visited by Kyprioth, who takes her on a journey in a dream to Rajmuat, to see the death of King Oron and the coronation of King Hazarin, his son from his first marriage.
During this time, Mithros, (the sun god), and the Great Mother goddess appear to Kyprioth and Aly, demanding why their brother is so far from the seas that they banished him to. Aly covers up for Kyprioth, remembering the training she received about lying to the gods and managing to fool the two deities by telling only part of the truth. They leave, and Aly grins at Kyprioth and tells him that he owes her.
Prince Bronau returns to the capital, but politics in Rajmuat change quickly. Before long, King Hazarin is dead of apoplexy, and King Oron's three-year-old son Dunevon is king, with his sister Princess Imajane and her husband Prince Rubinyan as regents. Prince Bronau, who is Prince Rubinyan's brother, attempts to kidnap the new King, and soon there is a warrant for his arrest on a charge of treason. He returns to Tanair to visit the Balitangs, but, when they try and convince him to turn himself in, he brings in soldiers and tries to take Tanair by force. His plan is to marry Sarai, kill the king and, when Duke Mequen is King, force him to abdicate in Bronau's favour. However, the raka conspiracy, prepared for a fight, defeats Prince Bronau's forces with the help of the crows. In the fighting, Bronau mortally wounds Duke Mequen, and Dove kills Bronau with two of Nawat's specially-fletched arrows.
At the end of the book, Aly's father arrives to take her home, but Aly decides to stay with the Balitangs as they live at Tanair through the winter, before their return to Rajmuat in the summer. She has grown to love the family, and wants to help them defeat the mad rulers of the Copper Isles. She does, however, require that Kyprioth give her father his boon (which he used to make Kyprioth release Aly from her wager) back, and scolds him for tricking her into falling in love with the Copper Isles.
In the city, Aly faces many new challenges. The spymaster of the Copper isles is a man called Topabaw, a cruel man who has become lazy as his reputation has grown. Aly soon destroys Topabaw's relationship with the regents through psychological warfare, and he is executed, to be replaced with a far more inexperienced man, Sevmire Ambau. She also faces opposition from Taybur Sibigat, captain of King Dunevon's personal guards, who is the first to realize that she is a spy. Luckily, Taybur cares only about the King - he is not interested in politics, so long as Dunevon is safe. Dove, Sarai's younger sister, discovers the raka conspiracy and is allowed to join it, but Sarai remains unaware of it, save for the way the raka watch her wherever she goes. Finally, Aunt Nuritin is the head of a luarin conspiracy, which also plots to overthrow the current rulers, but has not yet made a move towards this goal. Aly also receives help; Daine, her adoptive aunt, gifts her with a collection of creatures called darkings through Tkaa the Basilisk, that agree to spy for the rebellion.
The rebellion's first major act is when a powerful member of the luarin conspiracy, Duke Nomru, is arrested and sent to Kanodang prison. Aly's pack successfully release all of Kanodang's political prisoners and get them to safety on the outer isles, where several rebellions are now in place. The rebellion continues to spread discord, while gathering popularity, and eventually begins to attract the attention of the regents. Noticing Sarai's popularity, they offer her a marriage to Dunevon in an attempt to control her. However, buried in spy reports and plots, Aly fails to notice Sarai's infatuation with Zaimid Hetnim, a young Carthaki healer, until it is too late. The couple incapacitate their servants and elope to Carthak, leaving the rebellion stunned.
However, this failure comes with a blessing - the rebellion now turns its attentions to Dove, who, as an intelligent and cool-headed young woman, is a far more suitable candidate for the throne. Shortly afterwards, Elsren joins King Dunevon on a boat trip to celebrate the king's birthday - however, a magical storm created by Crown mages destroys the ship, killing the boys and many others, and the regents become the rulers of the Isles. However, with the help of the crows, the darkings and the revolution, the Copper Isles are soon in upheaval - people are rioting, the raka on the outer isles are rebelling and the Crown's soldiers are spread thin. Even Taybur Sibigat, still captain of the King's guard, has joined the raka conspiracy, after the regents kill his beloved king. Tortall and Carthak stop trading with the Isles, and repeated attacks on slave ships mean that merchants will do anything to avoid carrying slaves.
Aly begins to turn the regents against each other, planting false "proof" that Rubinyan is having an affair, and learns from the darkings that her plot has worked. Nawat returns, confident in his role as a man, and he and Aly sleep together for the first time, then every night. The revolt happens, killing many on both sides, even though the rebellion tries to avoid bloodshed. Ulasim, the rebellion's general, dies killing Prince Rubinyan, and Ochobu, Ulasim's mother, head of the group of rebel mages known as the "Chain," is killed in the fighting. Many of Aly's Pack are also killed. However, the conspiracy succeeds, Princess Imajane commits suicide, and Dove is crowned Queen. Aly tells the rebellion's leaders, including Dove, about her true parentage, then goes on to marry Nawat Crow and becomes pregnant after removing the anti-pregnancy charm he gave her before mating.
As a slave and maid, she soon discovers and gains access to a rebel conspiracy within the Balitang household, and takes charge as the rebellion's spymaster. At the end of the series she chooses to become the Royal Spymaster for the Isles. She marries Nawat Crow, and conceives triplets with him by the conclusion of the second book. Their names are Ochobai and Ulasu (girls) and Junim (boy).
Aly is quick, observant, and a skilled knife-wielder. She inherited the magical Sight from her father and its power from her mother. It enables her to see if a person is lying or an immortal, different types of magic, seeing far off things as if they are right in front of her, and a variety of other things. Aly is flirtatious and vivacious by nature, but also knows how to curb her witty tongue when needed.
She grows from the immature girl she is at the beginning of the series as she finds her place in life and her true calling. Despite the seriouness of her task at the Copper Isles, Aly is usually cheerful and her lighthearted attitude endears her to the other Raka—even though they are sometimes exasperated by her.
Her training under her father taught her a variety of useful skills, including lock-picking, hand-to-hand combat (though she loves knives the best), moving silently, observation, and code writing/breaking. She becomes the teacher to her "Pack," a group of elite spies that she utilizes for special missions. They call her "Duani," or boss lady (a sign of respect, despite all being older than her), and she treats them with affection, crying bitterly when some don't survive the overthrowing of the Luarin.
Very ambitious and impulsive, he is well liked but not trusted. Despite being raised in the dangerous Jimajen family, he has not learned to curb his tongue. He is also a womanizer and deeply in debt.
Even while he courts Sarai, he sleeps with a different maid every night. Aly mentions that he's the kind of man who would "have her in his lap" if she looked at him the right way, so she keeps her distance. He once courted Duchess Winnamine, but claims that it would have been a "marriage of convenience," to Sarai.
Dunevon is characterized as a boy who is being forced to grow up too fast. Neglected by the regent, he is forced to stamp everything they propose and then placated with sweets and other rich treats that are harmful to children.
Due to this pampered yet unloving treatment, Dunevon can act extremely spoiled, though Tabur Sibigad, does his best to treat him like a regular boy.
It is because of his delusions that the Balitangs are exiled. He and his family are said to have a record of producing a mad child every couple generations, as shown with Princess Josephine in the Song of the Lioness series.
He dies in Trickster's Choice, and names his first-born son, Hazerin, as heir. His children all hate each other due to the fact that he, afraid that if they were united they would overthrow him, made their childhoods a constant competition between them.
More stable than his wife, Rubinyan's weakness is his greed for more land, which leads him to allow his wife to imprison powerful nobles such as Duke Nomru, who then becomes a part of the Luarin conspiracy.
Despite this weakness, Rubinyan is intelligent, practical, and brave. When the rebels attack, he leads his men into battle rather than fleeing or staying behind. Due to Aly's efforts, he and his wife start to have marital problems, though his cool-headed way with Imajane makes breaking them up a difficult task for Aly.
His ghost reveals to Aly that he hates the Rittevon power games, and he is glad to be free of them. Hazarin thinks that Bronau is the smartest man in the world, and is given to strange drugs and rich foods.
A good friend to Aly, he suspects her secret throughout Trickster's Choice, but grows to respect and like her, though he berates her for not acting professionally when Nawat goes off to fight in the war. He sort of acts as her surrogate father in the absence of George Cooper.
Tall, broad, and muscular, he is well into being middle-aged, (his daughter is in her late twenties), and yet as strong as ever. He is both respectful to his mother and fully aware of her irritable nature and qualities. Ulasim is trusted by the Balitang family, and sometimes treats them like equals despite being their footman.
Warm and friendly, she is Aly's first friend among of Balitang servants and keeps any of the Raka from bothering her because of her white skin.
At the end of the duology, she refuses to take a higher position, saying that her place is in the kitchen, and "if anyone wants to talk weapons, they can finds [her] there." Despite this, she is seen ordering weapons and arguing with Fesgao about the number of knives she can give him. She is one of the only core Raka rebellion members to survive and hear Aly's confession about her past.
When she learns that Aly is the daughter of Tortall's unofficial spymaster and the Lioness, her reaction is extremely anti-climatic. She claims that Aly has already proven her loyalties before storming off to berate the delivery boys for getting her flower with rocks stitched at the bottom, and threatening to "take blood."
Quiet and commanding, he becomes a good friend to Aly. A skilled soldier and fighter, he can also be quite good at espionage. Once, in order to show Aly a secret way into the Royal Palace, he pretends to be her lover so that they won't draw suspicion.
He too is one of the only core Raka rebellion members to survive and becomes a very important man as a result. Like Chenaol, he reacts well to Aly's confession of her past.
Extremely powerful, she originally hates all Luarin but grows to accept, (though never love), some, such as the Balitangs and Aly. Ochobu is a fierce woman with a cutting tongue.
An extremely powerful mage, she rides into battle despite her age and throws her entire life into her spells. As a result, her heart bursts and she dies. She is generally considered to be "The Wise One" in the Prophecy. Aly eventually gets her to think about what she plans to do with the Luarin after the rebellion, and Ochobu admits that she knows that it's impossible to drive them all away, (due to most of the population being mixed-bloods).
He is mute, but communicates with hand-signals and has just as much power as Ochobu.
Though she treats Aly with a professional, closed-off attitude at first, she eventually warms up to Aly enough to express some emotion. Junai worked as a caravan-girl (guard), for a long time and is a very skilled fighter. She is also able to pass herself off as a man when the situation arises.
Proud and defiant, she almost gets herself killed by meeting the eyes of a Luarin guard. When both Dove and Aly yell at her afterwards for being stupid and risking her life, she gives one of her rare smiles before wryly promising to try to be more careful. She is a member of Aly's Pack.
He is sharp, suspecting Aly's secrets, though he never acts upon them. He is able to ride like a young man, bareback, despite his age. In Trickster's Queen, Aly calls Junai by his name when Junai, dressed as a man, stands up to a Luarin man. Acting the flirtatious servant girl, she drags Junai away and then soundly berates her for acting stupid.
Mequen is fair, and very noble. He never mistreats his servants, and doesn't allow anyone else to do so. His sense of nobility and fair play gets him killed, for he refuses to mistrust Bronau when the prince comes to him after being exiled.
He treats Aly and the other slaves well, and is a genuinely good man. His people love him, and his death is partly why Aly decides to stay in the Copper Isles.
Winnamine is gentle and gracious, but can also be very resilient and strong. She learns to use the bow and gains her stepdaughters' trust and respect.
Dove is also extremely mature, mingling with people of all classes and instinctively knowing how to behave before the royal family and court. Much more patient than her sister, Sarai, she understands the wisdom of waiting to speak and has a variety of intellectual interests and talents, including astronomy and chess. Dove is also skilled with the bow.
things, and not as calm as her sister Dove. Sarai is much more openly passionate than Dove, and less patient. She speaks her mind even when it endangers herself and her family, but understands her duty to her family. Though she has talent with swordplay, she refuses to continue with it after killing Bronau in Trickster's Choice. She disgraces her family by eloping to Carthak with Zaimid Hetnim rather than marry King Dunevon.
She is described as having "too much heart and not enough head," as well as a brilliant rider and best friends with Winnamine Fonfala, despite her status as a Raka and Winnamine's status as a luarin.
She is extremely sharp and aware of the dangers and instability of the Rittevan court, skillfully navigating the Balitang family so that it is never humiliated and always one step ahead.
She is Elsren's sister and loves to hear Aly tell stories about Tortall.
In Trickster's Choice, Aly is responsible for looking after him and Petranne, and though he is disobedient at first, he grows to love her and enjoy her stories.
He is shown to be impulsive and rude boy who treats the Raka like an inferior race, though one of Sarai's friends point out his "lovely muscles." He loses an eye during the Raka rebellion and seemingly grows more mature.
The Raka rebellion is the physical manifestation of his battle with his siblings, as the gods get power from their servants' victories. Though he seems humorous and light-hearted, Kyprioth can be very intense and is a menace when enraged. His presence is enough to send anyone with Raka blood to their knees.
Taybur is handsome, extremely quick, and much like a male counterpart of Aly. He suspects she is a spy but does not know of the Raka rebellion, and because of his rivalry with Topabaw does not turn her in. They develop a lightly flirtatious friendship based on their ability to relate on an intellectual level. Both are seen to enjoy their banter extremely.
At one point before the King's death he discovers the Darking she left in the Dunevon's room and informs her that he does not care if she spies on him but desires a place where Dunevon can cry and rage unobserved. This shows that he views his devotion to the King much more than his
He is shown to be cruel, sloppy, and ruthless. He has been spymaster so long that most people don't remember a time before him.
Tamora Pierce
Tamora Pierce is an author of fantasy literature for young adults. She is an alumna of the University of Pennsylvania. Best known for writing stories involving young heroines, she made a name for herself with her first quartet The Song of the Lioness, which followed the main character Alanna...
is a duology set in the Tortall universe. It is centered on Alianne of Pirate's Swoop, the sixteen-year old daughter of Tortall's legendary lady knight, Alanna the Lioness, who was the subject of The Song of the Lioness
The Song of the Lioness
The Song of the Lioness is a series of young adult fantasy novels published in the 1980s by Tamora Pierce. The series consists of four books: Alanna: The First Adventure , In the Hand of the Goddess , The Woman Who Rides Like a Man and Lioness Rampant .-Plot Summary:Alanna of Trebond wants to be a...
quartet. The duology takes place approximately 24 years after the last book in the quartet, Lioness Rampant
Lioness Rampant
Lioness Rampant is a fantasy novel by Tamora Pierce, the fourth and last in a series of books, The Song of the Lioness. It details the return of Sir Alanna of Trebond with the Dominion Jewel and the final battle between her and her archenemy....
.
The Prophecy
The Prophecy is Kyprioth's, (the Trickster god's), promise to one day return and overthrow his brother and sister, (Mithros, the Sun god and The Great Mother goddess), who took over the Copper Isles and enslaved the dark-skinned Raka, his people. After they defeated Kyprioth and restricted him to the seas, their people, the white-skinned Luarin, oppressed the Raka and the Raka drew hope from the prophecy stated below:In a Time of Fear, the One Who I Promised will come to the raka, bearing glory in her train and justice in her hand. She will restore the god to his proper temple and his children to her right hand. She will be twice royal, wise and beloved, a living emblem of truth to her people. She will be attended by a wise one, the cunning one, the strong one, the warrior, and the crows. She will give a home to all, and the Kudarung will fly in her honor.
-From the Kyprish Prophecy, written in the year 200 H.E.
The History, Politics and Culture of the Copper Isles
The Copper Isles, the country where most of the series is set, are a group of islands roughly west of Tortall, in the Tortall Universe. They were once ruled over by the native raka, whose inheritance came from the mother's line, and who allowed the oldest child to inherit, whatever gender. The Raka are dark-skinned folk who live in tribes.However, the raka were often engaged in disputes between tribes, and when the luarin - white-skinned invaders from the Eastern Lands, led by Rittevon of Lenman and Ludas Jimajen - arrived, they were able to conquer the raka quickly. They killed the queen, her family, and most of the high-ranking nobles. The raka that remained now either belonged to the luarin as slaves, or had to pay to live on luarin land.
The raka wondered why their god, Kyprioth, did not come and save them, and so priests spread the story that Kyprioth had been defeated in the Divine Realms by his brother and sister, Mithros and the Great Mother Goddess. However, hope was returned to the raka in the form of a prophecy, which promised that a new half-raka queen would arrive, who was royal to both the raka, through one well-hidden branch of the last queen's family, and to the luarin invaders, through the Rittevon line.
When Trickster's Choice open's, the Copper Isles is ruled by an insane king whose heirs include an obese, pleasure-seeking man, a five year old boy, and a scheming princess who is determined to seize power through her equally power-hungry husband. The Raka and Luarin have intermarried, and the majority of the population are mixed bloods. Social status is often determined by the color of the people's skin. (Raka with lighter skin are treated better.)
The Copper Isles is characterized as a place where foods are often spiced with hot peppers and other Asian-sounding goods. There is a lot of jungle, though there are also many wealthy cities. Some Lords and Ladies have plantations, which mirror the plantations the American South had before the Emancipation Proclamation, (Raka treated very badly, eventually rebel and overthrow their cruel slavemasters.)
Trickster's Choice
"I proclaim the shallowness of the world and of fashion. I scorn those who sway before each breeze of taste that dictates what is stylish in one's dress, or face, or hair. I scoff at the hollowness of life." - Aly, (while teasing her father)
Alianne of Pirate's Swoop - normally called Aly - is the daughter of George Cooper, Baron of Pirate's Swoop, second-in-command of his realm's spies; and Alanna the Lioness of Pirate's Swoop and Olau, lady knight, King's Champion of Tortall, and a living legend. However, far from wanting to follow in her mother's footsteps, the career Aly wishes to follow is her father's; that of a spy.
Frustrated with her parents, (who refuse to allow her to become a spy), Aly takes her boat, the "Cub", and sails down the coast, but is captured by pirates along the way. Despite being a pretty girl in a very bad situation, Aly keeps her head, intentionally getting herself bruised and starving herself so that she won't be bought as a sex slave. She also utilizes the self-defense training her father gave her to keep other slaves from bothering her.
The pirates try to sell her as a slave in Rajmuat, capital city of the Copper Isles, with no success. Aly is eventually given away as a general-work slave to the noble Balitang family, which consists of Duke Mequen, his wife Duchess Winnamine, their children Lady Petranne and Lord Elsren, and Duke Mequen's two daughters by his first marriage to Duchess Sarugani, Lady Saraiyu (Sarai) and Lady Dovasary (Dove). (She is later informed by Kyprioth, the Trickster god, that he was the one who kept her from being sold because he wanted her to go to the Balitang family.)
However, shortly after Aly's arrival, the Balitang family falls out of favor with King Oron of the Copper Isles, and are forced to sell most of their slaves and household goods. When it is Aly's turn to be reviewed by a slave matcher the Balitangs hire, a god appears to her and the Balitangs. Aly sees the god Kyprioth, the Trickster God and patron of the raka, who wagers her a quick, safe journey home and a recommendation to her father that she begin work as a spy, provided she can keep the Balitang children alive until the autumn equinox. He, posing as his brother - the Great God, Mithros - appears to the Balitangs and tells them to keep Aly as his messenger to them and trust her insights.
Aly travels with the Balitangs to the highlands on Lombyn Isle, where they own a fiefdom called Tanair. There, Kyprioth sends Aly help, in the form of the native crows, who, after agreeing to spy for her, begin to teach Aly their language. At Tanair, Aly also learns of the raka conspiracy: the native raka people of the Copper Islands, led by many of the Balitangs' pure-blood raka servants and slaves, plan to overthrow the luarin invaders who oppressed them centuries ago, and put Lady Sarai, on the throne. They believe Sarai, whose father is fourth in line to the luarin throne, and whose mother was one of the last descendants of the old raka queens, is the prophesied Twice-Royal Queen who will lead the raka to greatness. Aly figures out the conspiracy and helps indirectly, though she doesn't officially agrees to join the conspiracy and serve as its spymaster until the next book.
Meanwhile, many things happen in the Copper Isles. The Balitangs are visited by Prince Bronau, a close friend of the family who has also fallen out of favor with the king, and who flirts constantly with Sarai. One of the crows, named Nawat, transforms himself into a man and begins to work as a fletcher at Tanair. He falls in love with Aly, and despite the fact that she tries to act professionally around him at first, Aly is attracted to him as well. Aly is also visited by Kyprioth, who takes her on a journey in a dream to Rajmuat, to see the death of King Oron and the coronation of King Hazarin, his son from his first marriage.
During this time, Mithros, (the sun god), and the Great Mother goddess appear to Kyprioth and Aly, demanding why their brother is so far from the seas that they banished him to. Aly covers up for Kyprioth, remembering the training she received about lying to the gods and managing to fool the two deities by telling only part of the truth. They leave, and Aly grins at Kyprioth and tells him that he owes her.
Prince Bronau returns to the capital, but politics in Rajmuat change quickly. Before long, King Hazarin is dead of apoplexy, and King Oron's three-year-old son Dunevon is king, with his sister Princess Imajane and her husband Prince Rubinyan as regents. Prince Bronau, who is Prince Rubinyan's brother, attempts to kidnap the new King, and soon there is a warrant for his arrest on a charge of treason. He returns to Tanair to visit the Balitangs, but, when they try and convince him to turn himself in, he brings in soldiers and tries to take Tanair by force. His plan is to marry Sarai, kill the king and, when Duke Mequen is King, force him to abdicate in Bronau's favour. However, the raka conspiracy, prepared for a fight, defeats Prince Bronau's forces with the help of the crows. In the fighting, Bronau mortally wounds Duke Mequen, and Dove kills Bronau with two of Nawat's specially-fletched arrows.
At the end of the book, Aly's father arrives to take her home, but Aly decides to stay with the Balitangs as they live at Tanair through the winter, before their return to Rajmuat in the summer. She has grown to love the family, and wants to help them defeat the mad rulers of the Copper Isles. She does, however, require that Kyprioth give her father his boon (which he used to make Kyprioth release Aly from her wager) back, and scolds him for tricking her into falling in love with the Copper Isles.
Trickster's Queen
In the spring after the events of Trickster's Choice, the Balitang family returns to Rajmuat, where Duke Mequen's aunt, Lady Nuritin, awaits their return. Lord Elsren is now heir to the throne, and the outer isles are beginning to revolt. Aly has trained a group of spies - her "pack" - who report to her, calling her "Duani," or "boss lady." She also faces relationship troubles with Nawat, who is struggling to find his place in the world of men, and puzzled over why she won't mate with him. He is soon sent away by the leaders of the rebellion to fight on the outer isles.In the city, Aly faces many new challenges. The spymaster of the Copper isles is a man called Topabaw, a cruel man who has become lazy as his reputation has grown. Aly soon destroys Topabaw's relationship with the regents through psychological warfare, and he is executed, to be replaced with a far more inexperienced man, Sevmire Ambau. She also faces opposition from Taybur Sibigat, captain of King Dunevon's personal guards, who is the first to realize that she is a spy. Luckily, Taybur cares only about the King - he is not interested in politics, so long as Dunevon is safe. Dove, Sarai's younger sister, discovers the raka conspiracy and is allowed to join it, but Sarai remains unaware of it, save for the way the raka watch her wherever she goes. Finally, Aunt Nuritin is the head of a luarin conspiracy, which also plots to overthrow the current rulers, but has not yet made a move towards this goal. Aly also receives help; Daine, her adoptive aunt, gifts her with a collection of creatures called darkings through Tkaa the Basilisk, that agree to spy for the rebellion.
The rebellion's first major act is when a powerful member of the luarin conspiracy, Duke Nomru, is arrested and sent to Kanodang prison. Aly's pack successfully release all of Kanodang's political prisoners and get them to safety on the outer isles, where several rebellions are now in place. The rebellion continues to spread discord, while gathering popularity, and eventually begins to attract the attention of the regents. Noticing Sarai's popularity, they offer her a marriage to Dunevon in an attempt to control her. However, buried in spy reports and plots, Aly fails to notice Sarai's infatuation with Zaimid Hetnim, a young Carthaki healer, until it is too late. The couple incapacitate their servants and elope to Carthak, leaving the rebellion stunned.
However, this failure comes with a blessing - the rebellion now turns its attentions to Dove, who, as an intelligent and cool-headed young woman, is a far more suitable candidate for the throne. Shortly afterwards, Elsren joins King Dunevon on a boat trip to celebrate the king's birthday - however, a magical storm created by Crown mages destroys the ship, killing the boys and many others, and the regents become the rulers of the Isles. However, with the help of the crows, the darkings and the revolution, the Copper Isles are soon in upheaval - people are rioting, the raka on the outer isles are rebelling and the Crown's soldiers are spread thin. Even Taybur Sibigat, still captain of the King's guard, has joined the raka conspiracy, after the regents kill his beloved king. Tortall and Carthak stop trading with the Isles, and repeated attacks on slave ships mean that merchants will do anything to avoid carrying slaves.
Aly begins to turn the regents against each other, planting false "proof" that Rubinyan is having an affair, and learns from the darkings that her plot has worked. Nawat returns, confident in his role as a man, and he and Aly sleep together for the first time, then every night. The revolt happens, killing many on both sides, even though the rebellion tries to avoid bloodshed. Ulasim, the rebellion's general, dies killing Prince Rubinyan, and Ochobu, Ulasim's mother, head of the group of rebel mages known as the "Chain," is killed in the fighting. Many of Aly's Pack are also killed. However, the conspiracy succeeds, Princess Imajane commits suicide, and Dove is crowned Queen. Aly tells the rebellion's leaders, including Dove, about her true parentage, then goes on to marry Nawat Crow and becomes pregnant after removing the anti-pregnancy charm he gave her before mating.
Cast of Characters
Throughout the series, occasional appearances are made by many of the main characters from other Tortall books, including Alanna the Lioness, Baron George Cooper of Pirate's Swoop, King Jonathan III of Tortall, Myles of Olau, Daine the Wildmage, Numair Salmalín, Keladry of Mindelan, the Graveyard Hag and Tkaa the Basilisk. The main characters of the series include the following.Aly (Alianne) of Pirate's Swoop
Protagonist of the duology, Aly is the daughter of George Cooper, (Baron of Pirate's Swoop, second-in-command of Tortall's spies), and Alanna the Lioness of Pirate's Swoop and Olau, lady knight, King's Champion of Tortall, and a living legend. While journeying to a nearby town after a fight with her mother, who won't allow her to spy like her father, Aly is kidnapped by pirates and sold as a slave to the Balitangs, a noble family of the Copper Isles.As a slave and maid, she soon discovers and gains access to a rebel conspiracy within the Balitang household, and takes charge as the rebellion's spymaster. At the end of the series she chooses to become the Royal Spymaster for the Isles. She marries Nawat Crow, and conceives triplets with him by the conclusion of the second book. Their names are Ochobai and Ulasu (girls) and Junim (boy).
Aly is quick, observant, and a skilled knife-wielder. She inherited the magical Sight from her father and its power from her mother. It enables her to see if a person is lying or an immortal, different types of magic, seeing far off things as if they are right in front of her, and a variety of other things. Aly is flirtatious and vivacious by nature, but also knows how to curb her witty tongue when needed.
She grows from the immature girl she is at the beginning of the series as she finds her place in life and her true calling. Despite the seriouness of her task at the Copper Isles, Aly is usually cheerful and her lighthearted attitude endears her to the other Raka—even though they are sometimes exasperated by her.
Her training under her father taught her a variety of useful skills, including lock-picking, hand-to-hand combat (though she loves knives the best), moving silently, observation, and code writing/breaking. She becomes the teacher to her "Pack," a group of elite spies that she utilizes for special missions. They call her "Duani," or boss lady (a sign of respect, despite all being older than her), and she treats them with affection, crying bitterly when some don't survive the overthrowing of the Luarin.
Bronau Jimajen
A Luarin prince, brother of prince Rubinyan. He has a close, romantic relationship with Sarai. He is originally a friend of the Balitangs, but at the end of Trickster's Choice he murders Duke Mequen and is killed by Sarai.Very ambitious and impulsive, he is well liked but not trusted. Despite being raised in the dangerous Jimajen family, he has not learned to curb his tongue. He is also a womanizer and deeply in debt.
Even while he courts Sarai, he sleeps with a different maid every night. Aly mentions that he's the kind of man who would "have her in his lap" if she looked at him the right way, so she keeps her distance. He once courted Duchess Winnamine, but claims that it would have been a "marriage of convenience," to Sarai.
Dunevon Rittevon
King Oron's youngest child, who becomes King after Hazarin. He is only five years old, but is killed in a magically created storm caused by the mages commanded by the boy-king's regents, Princess Imajane and Prince Runbinyan.Dunevon is characterized as a boy who is being forced to grow up too fast. Neglected by the regent, he is forced to stamp everything they propose and then placated with sweets and other rich treats that are harmful to children.
Due to this pampered yet unloving treatment, Dunevon can act extremely spoiled, though Tabur Sibigad, does his best to treat him like a regular boy.
Oron Rittevon
King of the Copper Isles at the beginning of the series, mentally unstable.It is because of his delusions that the Balitangs are exiled. He and his family are said to have a record of producing a mad child every couple generations, as shown with Princess Josephine in the Song of the Lioness series.
He dies in Trickster's Choice, and names his first-born son, Hazerin, as heir. His children all hate each other due to the fact that he, afraid that if they were united they would overthrow him, made their childhoods a constant competition between them.
Rubinyan Jimajen
Luarin brother of Prince Bronau, and husband of Princess Imajane. Killed by Ulasim and is Ulasim's murderer.More stable than his wife, Rubinyan's weakness is his greed for more land, which leads him to allow his wife to imprison powerful nobles such as Duke Nomru, who then becomes a part of the Luarin conspiracy.
Despite this weakness, Rubinyan is intelligent, practical, and brave. When the rebels attack, he leads his men into battle rather than fleeing or staying behind. Due to Aly's efforts, he and his wife start to have marital problems, though his cool-headed way with Imajane makes breaking them up a difficult task for Aly.
Hazarin Rittevon
King Oron's oldest remaining son, who becomes King after his father's death, before dying of an apoplexy.His ghost reveals to Aly that he hates the Rittevon power games, and he is glad to be free of them. Hazarin thinks that Bronau is the smartest man in the world, and is given to strange drugs and rich foods.
Imajane Rittevon Jimajen
King Oron's only remaining daughter, wife of prince Rubinyan, and regent to King Dunevon, Imajane is described as very beautiful, but in a cold, icy way. She is very cold and power-hungry, and slightly mentally unstable. Coldly calculating, she is intelligent but given to passionate jealousies, and Aly uses this to drive a wedge between Imajane and her husband. When she suspects a woman having an affair with her husband, she sends the lady home "covered in bruises." When the rebellion succeeds, she jumps to her death from her balcony rather than be captured and executed or exiled.Ulasim Dodeka
Free raka servant, head footman to the Balitang family and general of the raka conspiracy, Ulasim is Junai's father and Ochobu's son. He dies killing Prince Rubinyan in the rebellion.A good friend to Aly, he suspects her secret throughout Trickster's Choice, but grows to respect and like her, though he berates her for not acting professionally when Nawat goes off to fight in the war. He sort of acts as her surrogate father in the absence of George Cooper.
Tall, broad, and muscular, he is well into being middle-aged, (his daughter is in her late twenties), and yet as strong as ever. He is both respectful to his mother and fully aware of her irritable nature and qualities. Ulasim is trusted by the Balitang family, and sometimes treats them like equals despite being their footman.
Chenaol
The Balitang's full-raka cook, a leader in the revolution. She provides the revolution with weapons, and is extremely skilled with weapons herself, able to "tell good steel from bad at a glance and send any knife to the heart of any target."Warm and friendly, she is Aly's first friend among of Balitang servants and keeps any of the Raka from bothering her because of her white skin.
At the end of the duology, she refuses to take a higher position, saying that her place is in the kitchen, and "if anyone wants to talk weapons, they can finds [her] there." Despite this, she is seen ordering weapons and arguing with Fesgao about the number of knives she can give him. She is one of the only core Raka rebellion members to survive and hear Aly's confession about her past.
When she learns that Aly is the daughter of Tortall's unofficial spymaster and the Lioness, her reaction is extremely anti-climatic. She claims that Aly has already proven her loyalties before storming off to berate the delivery boys for getting her flower with rocks stitched at the bottom, and threatening to "take blood."
Fesgao Yubinu
A raka, head of the Balitangs' men-at-arms and the military leader of the rebellion.Quiet and commanding, he becomes a good friend to Aly. A skilled soldier and fighter, he can also be quite good at espionage. Once, in order to show Aly a secret way into the Royal Palace, he pretends to be her lover so that they won't draw suspicion.
He too is one of the only core Raka rebellion members to survive and becomes a very important man as a result. Like Chenaol, he reacts well to Aly's confession of her past.
Ochobu Dodeka
Ulasim's mother and head of the rebel raka mage network known as the Chain. She and her fellow mages agree to aid the raka conspirators in The Trickster's Choice.Extremely powerful, she originally hates all Luarin but grows to accept, (though never love), some, such as the Balitangs and Aly. Ochobu is a fierce woman with a cutting tongue.
An extremely powerful mage, she rides into battle despite her age and throws her entire life into her spells. As a result, her heart bursts and she dies. She is generally considered to be "The Wise One" in the Prophecy. Aly eventually gets her to think about what she plans to do with the Luarin after the rebellion, and Ochobu admits that she knows that it's impossible to drive them all away, (due to most of the population being mixed-bloods).
Ysul
Second-in-command of the rebellion's raka mage network known as the Chain, assumes command after Ochobu's death.He is mute, but communicates with hand-signals and has just as much power as Ochobu.
Junai Dodeka
A raka woman who acts as Aly's bodyguard. She is Ulasim's daughter, and dies in the fighting when the rebellion takes place.Though she treats Aly with a professional, closed-off attitude at first, she eventually warms up to Aly enough to express some emotion. Junai worked as a caravan-girl (guard), for a long time and is a very skilled fighter. She is also able to pass herself off as a man when the situation arises.
Proud and defiant, she almost gets herself killed by meeting the eyes of a Luarin guard. When both Dove and Aly yell at her afterwards for being stupid and risking her life, she gives one of her rare smiles before wryly promising to try to be more careful. She is a member of Aly's Pack.
Lokeij
Raka slave, chief hostler for the Balitangs, killed in the fighting at Tanair.He is sharp, suspecting Aly's secrets, though he never acts upon them. He is able to ride like a young man, bareback, despite his age. In Trickster's Queen, Aly calls Junai by his name when Junai, dressed as a man, stands up to a Luarin man. Acting the flirtatious servant girl, she drags Junai away and then soundly berates her for acting stupid.
Mequen Balitang
Duke, fourth in line to the throne, father of Sarai, Dove, Petranne, and Elsren, married to duchess Winnamine. His first wife, Duchess Sarugani, was a member of the raka nobility and descended from the original raka royal family.Mequen is fair, and very noble. He never mistreats his servants, and doesn't allow anyone else to do so. His sense of nobility and fair play gets him killed, for he refuses to mistrust Bronau when the prince comes to him after being exiled.
He treats Aly and the other slaves well, and is a genuinely good man. His people love him, and his death is partly why Aly decides to stay in the Copper Isles.
Winnamine Fonfala Balitang
Luarin duchess married to Duke Mequen. Has two children by Mequen: Petranne and Elsren. Was the best friend of Mequen's first wife, Duchess Sarugani, and was briefly courted by Prince Bronau Jimajen before her marriage to the duke.Winnamine is gentle and gracious, but can also be very resilient and strong. She learns to use the bow and gains her stepdaughters' trust and respect.
Dovasary Balitang (Dove)
Dove is the younger of Duke Mequen Balitang’s two half-raka daughters by his first marriage. She is quiet, observant, and very intelligent.Dove is also extremely mature, mingling with people of all classes and instinctively knowing how to behave before the royal family and court. Much more patient than her sister, Sarai, she understands the wisdom of waiting to speak and has a variety of intellectual interests and talents, including astronomy and chess. Dove is also skilled with the bow.
Saraiyu Balitang (Sarai)
Sarai is the beautiful but impetuous eldest daughter of Duke Mequen Balitang. She is stubborn about certainthings, and not as calm as her sister Dove. Sarai is much more openly passionate than Dove, and less patient. She speaks her mind even when it endangers herself and her family, but understands her duty to her family. Though she has talent with swordplay, she refuses to continue with it after killing Bronau in Trickster's Choice. She disgraces her family by eloping to Carthak with Zaimid Hetnim rather than marry King Dunevon.
Sarugani Temaida Balitang
First wife of Duke Mequen, and mother to Sarai and Dove. Before her death from a riding accident, was a member of one of the few remaining full-raka noble families and the last of the raka royal line.She is described as having "too much heart and not enough head," as well as a brilliant rider and best friends with Winnamine Fonfala, despite her status as a Raka and Winnamine's status as a luarin.
Nuritin Balitang
Duke Mequen's bossy and overbearing luarin aunt; head of the Balitang family and the luarin conspiracy.She is extremely sharp and aware of the dangers and instability of the Rittevan court, skillfully navigating the Balitang family so that it is never humiliated and always one step ahead.
Petranne Balitang
Duke Mequen's third, and only full-blood, luarin daughter.She is Elsren's sister and loves to hear Aly tell stories about Tortall.
Elsren Balitang
Duke Mequen's youngest luarin child and heir to Dunevon's throne as a result of Mequen's death. He is killed in the same storm as Dunevon.In Trickster's Choice, Aly is responsible for looking after him and Petranne, and though he is disobedient at first, he grows to love her and enjoy her stories.
Ferdolin Tomang
A high-ranking luarin noble, and one of Sarai's many admirers.He is shown to be impulsive and rude boy who treats the Raka like an inferior race, though one of Sarai's friends point out his "lovely muscles." He loses an eye during the Raka rebellion and seemingly grows more mature.
Kyprioth the Trickster
Chief of the trickster gods, former patron of the Copper Isles, sea god for the oceans around the Copper Isles. Overthrown by his brother Mithros and sister the Great Mother Goddess 300 years prior to the beginning of the series, he enlists Aly to help him get it back.The Raka rebellion is the physical manifestation of his battle with his siblings, as the gods get power from their servants' victories. Though he seems humorous and light-hearted, Kyprioth can be very intense and is a menace when enraged. His presence is enough to send anyone with Raka blood to their knees.
Nawat Crow
A crow who turned himself into a man. He has a romantic relationship with Aly through most of the series, but does not truly find his place in the world of men until near the end of Trickster's Queen. Nawat is shown to be extremely innocent, not knowing the proper decorum for human beings. He is extremely attractive and popular with women, as well as gifted with physical abilities that are beyond any humans. For example, he can keep up with a horse by running and leap ten feet up into a tree, as well as catch arrows, spears, and knives. He works as a fletcher and a warrior, as well as Aly's main link to the crows. At the end of the series he and Aly are married and are expecting a baby.Taybur Sibigat
Head of the King's Guard. He aids the raka conspiracy after the death of King Dunevon, whom he loved with all his heart.Taybur is handsome, extremely quick, and much like a male counterpart of Aly. He suspects she is a spy but does not know of the Raka rebellion, and because of his rivalry with Topabaw does not turn her in. They develop a lightly flirtatious friendship based on their ability to relate on an intellectual level. Both are seen to enjoy their banter extremely.
At one point before the King's death he discovers the Darking she left in the Dunevon's room and informs her that he does not care if she spies on him but desires a place where Dunevon can cry and rage unobserved. This shows that he views his devotion to the King much more than his
Duke Lohearn Mantawu
A.k.a. Topabaw, a Crown spymaster who is executed by the regents as a result of Aly's spy work.He is shown to be cruel, sloppy, and ruthless. He has been spymaster so long that most people don't remember a time before him.