Pentandra

Pentandra is introduced in Minalan's flashback at Inarion Academy — his former Imperial-Remeran thaumaturge ex-girlfriend. She reappears in person leading a rescue column at Boval Castle. Gathers nineteen itinerant warmagi plus a hundred household troops on her father Orisorio's order and fights her way through Mor Pass to Boval Castle, capturing a shaman's witchstone in a raid.

Captured and dungeoned by Sire Koucey, she is found "levitating about a foot off the ground, a wry smile on her face." Co-powers the sex-magic spell that opens the molopar (Position-five ritual with Minalan at her right hand on the torus stone) to evacuate the Bovali refugees. Cool, catty, politically shrewd beyond Minalan's grasp: "Screw the Duke!" "You don't understand how power works." Talks Minalan into accepting leadership of the warmagi and pursuing an audience with Duke Rard. Specialist in sex magic — her professional interest.

Pentandra invents the stone-based telepathic network linking all High Magi, and runs the nascent Arcane Orders from Remere. Acts as central battlefield communications officer at Timberwatch, relaying intelligence between warmagi from a barn command center. Knighted with the rest of the warmagi after Timberwatch by both Dukes.

Coaches Minalan in court etiquette, political speech, and legal argument. On the treacherous Castali coup: "Uh, Min? It sounds like treachery to me." In the morning after victory, "Pentandra was snuggled up next to me, one leg sprawled over my armor." Becomes Mother Arcane / Steward-in-waiting, and is named Minalan's formal lieutenant — whoever would surrender his stone if he died.

Establishes Fairoaks, her estate outside Castabriel:

elegant enough to make Sevendor seem rustic, a fortified manor, not a castle, a large circular structure four stories tall.

Organizes the Robinwing Conclave distributing witchstones, choreographs the Arcane Orders' processional to Rard's Coronation at Castabriel, coins the term "High Magi," and becomes Steward of the Arcane Orders.

Commissions 150 ceremonial cedar staves for High Magi regalia and a grand staff for Minalan with a snowstone crystal head. Invents ceremonial court protocols; drafts the legal charter that protects the Orders from being used as Crown weapons. At Cambrian she coordinates Dara's Thoughtful Knife run against the dragon's eye socket. "Wrapped in a gown of red, pink, and gold, she looked every bit the Remeran lady of leisure." Wears "the wisp of a light pink translucent headscarf" in Remeran style. Creates Pentandra's Veil around Sevendor's hidden valley. Tired but sharp: "Her family's estates dwarfed even Greater Sevendor."

Off-page mentor-presence only — Tyndal reflects that she coached him in seduction and rajira during his early apprenticeship, setting the foundation for the Sixteen Laws of Love that he later inflicts on Rondal.

Accompanies Minalan and Dara to the Alka Alon council at Carneduin — Penny, Minalan, and Dara line the perimeter of the magical waystone circle. Builds the permanent Waystone network. Commands the field hospital at the Poros and leads the counter-freeze operation on the River Poros during the Anthatiel campaign.

Falls in love with Arborn, Captain of Kasari Rangers, on sight. Dara catches it immediately: "Minalan, is Pentandra twitterpated over him?" Her Fairoaks estate is nearly lost (a legion-trap kills all attackers — "Pentandra does not appreciate uninvited guests"). Besotted:

When a woman encounters a man of that quality, she dedicates herself to making herself worthy of him.

"Turned into a giggling schoolgirl the moment she got around Arborn."

Commits to Arborn: travels the entire 400-league Kasari March with the refugee children, committing herself to earning the Kasari Rites to marry him. Marches carrying a full pack despite being softly raised; sleeps with the Kasari all-girl patrols.

Translates the Books of the Hand from Old Perwynese, discovering the Kasari are descended from an early Callidoran Scouting Reserve. Advises Duke Anguin on strategy:

They are built by guile and plotting, strategy and tactics.

Takes the Kasari Rites in the homeland at Lemsiddons. Physical:

Her hair was plaited into the same long braid all of the Kasari girls wore, with a kerchief tied under her chin. She looked exhausted, sweaty, unkempt and absolutely adorable.

Naked by a forest spring, ordering Minalan around: "If you think that bath is for you, Minalan, that will just be another in the long list of mistaken ideas you've had."

Wedding-fete at the Magic Fair. Minalan gifts her the thaumaturgical baculus Everkeen — a paraclete-enhanced baculus that looks "like an abstract form of a giant erect penis" with awareness, social pattern and memory. Takes her torus-witchstone into custody so she must compete for Arborn with no magical aid. Accepts the Alshari Court Wizard post to support Anguin.

Wedding dress:

wearing a long pale yellow gown and a circlet, a white version of the same mantle, in a more feminine cut and with more fur. She looked adorable and radiant.

The paraclete Everkeen has "a sharp, intelligent, lively, lusty, and careful" personality-pattern chosen to match hers.

This book is Pentandra's POV throughout. She rides into Vorone with Anguin's restoration party on Briga's Day in winter and takes up the office of Ducal Court Wizard of Alshar. Battles the Rat-cult in Vorone, the Woodsmen, undead ("Ocajon the Nemovort"), the demigoddess Ishi, the Censorate, and political opponents. Her mother Amendra descends on Vorone to interrogate her marriage. Survives the dragon attack on the palace.

Institutes justice, reorganizes the burghers' constabulary, reforms the slave-rat underground, chooses Alurra (a blind brown-mage) as her apprentice, wields Everkeen as a weapon-of-office, banishes Ocajon the Nemovort ("I am the Court Wizard of Alshar, and you are banished from this city!"), and coordinates the counter-attack on the palace dragon. "I am bloody Court Wizard of Alshar!" "Screw Fate sideways with a rusty hoe!" "Hastily donned her official Order robes. They weren't particularly impressive, but they did actually make her bulky magical necklace look almost proper for a change." Wears the torus-shaped urgulnosti witchstone in a magical necklace. Everkeen becomes a silver rod that vanishes into her ring.

Becomes Baroness of Wythland/Vanador by Anguin's grant. Coordinates with Ishi the goddess.

Coordinates with Tyndal and Rondal from Vorone on the rescue of Rardine. Supports Anguin's confrontation with Rard re the burning of the palace. Primarily off-page running Alshari affairs from the Tower Arcane.

Coordinates Anguin's court from Vorone while Minalan plans the Olum Seheri raid. Present at key council meetings on the rescue of Rardine. Advises on the Rardine/Anguin engagement and wedding negotiations. Brokers the political union between Anguin and the rescued Rardine.

Manages the "two million ounces of gold" windfall from the Brotherhood theft. Notes Rardine "understands power like no one I've ever seen." Names her counterpart intelligence service "the Blood Red Rose of Enultramar / the Matidine Rose." Pregnant with triplets by book's end.

Minalan arrives in Vanador as count palatine (Pentandra's nominal barony) and deals with the systems she set up. Attends Rardine's wedding to Anguin at Falas.

Founded Vanador's civic structure via her deputy Gareth; endowed the currency (the Anvils "struck with Pentandra's acorn symbol, as she was technically baroness"). Gives Minalan tactical/political briefings on Anguin's restoration. Tired, motherly, still incisive. On Rardine: "She's a far more evolved and dangerous brat." "Penny looked tired, passing tired, raising triplet toddlers on top of that had taxed even her reserves." Wears an Alshari-cut gown in blue-and-green at Rardine's wedding.

Supports operations against Shakathet's invasion from Enultramar; consults Minalan on the necromancer Letharan interrogation. Runs intelligence and operations from the south. Orders massive timber supply for Enultramar.

Visits Minalan to prep him for Vorone's palace-opening, explains Rardine's dark-intelligence apparatus (the Matidine Rose / Blood Red Rose of Enultramar). "Rardine is superb at discovering opposition before it has had a chance to rear its head and strike." "Ignorant? I know more about what is going on than just about anyone."

Pentandra-POV book. Opens addressing Alshari slaveholders in the Tower Arcane. Faces assassination attempts, navigates the abolition of slavery in Enultramar, and deals with an interloper at Rardine's court. Enforces Rardine/Anguin's abolition edict and manages the Game of Whispers in Alshari politics.

Raising her triplet daughters (Fentra, Cynilla, and a third), seen playing in the Tower Arcane gardens. Cold and uncompromising to slaveholders:

Slavery is easy. But slavery is wrong. As a victim of piracy and unlawful imprisonment herself, Her Grace is highly sympathetic to the plight of your former property.

Older now, still commanding; two young twin daughters plus the third on blankets in the Tower Arcane gardens with nursemaids.

Pentandra-POV throughout the Mad Mage side-story. Delivers intelligence updates, rotates between Vanador and Vorone; advises Minalan's caretakers on his ongoing Yith-induced instability. Still Court Wizard of Alshar; still Baroness of Vanador; still raising triplets with Arborn.

Pentandra advises Rardine on Darkfaller and briefs Minalan on royal politics. Warns Rardine against opposing Minalan's plans. A revealing moment with Rardine says:

It is whispered that you two [Minalan and Pentandra] were once lovers.

Ducal Court Wizard, Baroness of Vanador, mother of triplets, Arborn still her husband.

Continues as Court Wizard; reports on Rardine's pregnancies; advises on Rardine's new palace intrigues. Jokingly tells Minalan about Lady Varen says:

Don't worry, if it doesn't work this time, I think Varen will be your next, most viable opportunity. I think she's pregnant, now.

Pushes Minalan to accept the Farise campaign:

Rard wants me to go there. To conquer it. Pentandra does, too. And Anguin and Rardine.

Negotiates intelligence-sharing with Minalan's Farise operation via the Garden Society. Reports Rardine is pregnant again.