History Characters / ExileDuology

* {{Warrior Prince}}ss: It helps that Valdemar requires Monarchs and Heirs to be Heralds too, so Princess Selenay had rigorous academic and martial training, took an active role in her father's council, and sat in the city's courts as an adjudicator. Though understandably terrified, she accompanied her father to the frontlines of a war and while there, visited different campfires and to the sick tents to visit the common soldiers.

* CombatPragmatist: And ruthlessly tries to enforce that in his students

* CustomUniform: Refuses to wear Heraldic Whites and sticks to his gray leather outfit. As mentioned in ''Arrows'', he's a law unto himself.

* DefectorFromDecadence: Was a successful captain in the enemy's army before he became a Herald.

* TrainingFromHell: Though in fact partly self-inflicted. Told by his armsmasters at the Karsite military academy that he's quite naturally talented, young Alberich then worked himself to the ground to prove that he's just as good as anyone else, if not better, especially because the social cards were stacked against him due to his status as an illegitimate child of an impoverished single mother.

* YourCheatingHeart: Goes right back to his favorite brothel the second Selenay stops being besotted into compliance.

* AChildShallLeadThem: Zig-Zagged. Selenay was WiseBeyondHerYears and a good Queen when she first took the throne at 20. However, her advisors can't take her seriously, she's painfully naive at times and the stress of ruling when she should be enjoying her youth nearly breaks her.

* HuntingAccident: [[spoiler:Her late husband]] planned to arrange one. It ends up backfiring on him.
* IronLady: She tries to be this in public, and usually succeeds (it helps to have Talia to talk to in private). Her facade breaks at least once, when a messenger brings news that a group of child hostages had been murdered in a standoff gone awry -- everyone at the Council table stares while Selenay weeps openly.
* LadyOfWar
* LoveAtFirstSight: When she first sees [[spoiler: Daren]] in ''By the Sword''.
* LoveMakesYouDumb: Deconstructed with her and Prince Thanel. Sure, he's a bad choice, and she definitely does not think the marriage through as much as she should because she's decided it is True Love...but she's also under a massive amount of pressure and still grieving for her father, plus her therapist/main adviser is more or less out of commission, and Thanel seems like the only uncomplicated good thing in her life. So it's more like "having lots of stress and no good outlets makes you vulnerable to manipulation".

* MamaBear: Comes through in a rather obstructive, somewhat belated way to Elspeth during ''Winds of Fate,'' much to the latter's frustration. Selenay is not pleased when her daughter quite reasonably points out that she's expendable, since [[spoiler: Selenay ends up having twins with Daren and Elspeth is no longer the sole Heir]]. It's hinted that Selenay feels guilty for having raised Elspeth rather poorly and her overprotectiveness is her trying to make up for it.
* MindlinkMates: With [[spoiler: Daren]]
* ModestRoyalty: She dresses quite simply on most days, enough that Talia had no idea who she was for a good portion of their first conversation. Her armor is well-made but the only concession to her rank is a small gold crown on her helm.

* WinterRoyalLady: As a Herald, she's going to have a rather limited color palette - white (though often with gold embellishments as her role as Monarch as well as black trim for mourning). However, this really comes into play during the Ice Festival, when she holds a party in an ice palace constructed on the river, with her royal regalia predominantly of white fur and diamonds.

* HonestAdvisor: Again, Talamir is this for Sendar and is supposed to be this for Selenay.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: He and Selenay have so much in common! He's so charming and witty and nice! He's going to be a great husband! He's...actually a massive JerkAss who deliberately seduced her in order to bump her off and become regent once they have a child.

* MamaBear: Comes through in a rather obstructive, somewhat belated way to Elspeth during ''Winds of Fate,'' much to the latter's frustration. Selenay is not pleased when her daughter quite reasonably points out that she's expendable, since [[spoiler: Selenay ends up having twins with Daren and Elspeth is no longer the sole Heir]]. It's hinted that Selenay feels guilty for having raised Elspeth rather
poorly and her overprotectiveness is a way to try to make up for it.

* MamaBear: Comes through in a rather obstructive, somewhat belated way to Elspeth during ''Winds of Fate,'' much to the latter's frustration. Selenay is not pleased when her daughter quite reasonably points out that she's expendable, since [[spoiler: Selenay ends up having twins with Daren and Elspeth is no longer the sole Heir]].

* HeroicSacrifice: He dies in the Tedril Wars, and Selenay nearly follows him.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: He and Selenay have so much in common! He's so charming and witty and nice! He's going to be a great husband! He's...actually a massive JerkAss who [[spoiler: deliberately seduced her in order to bump her off and become regent once they have a child.]]

* HuntingAccident: He attempted to assassinate Selenay and call it this. Also the official explanation for his death.

* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Thanel turns out to be his own worst enemy. He seduces and marries Queen Selenay -- and then promptly blows up all his goodwill by throwing a fit when he learns it doesn't make him the King. When he goes out to put a saddle on ''Selenay's own Companion'' to prove a point, everyone knows exactly the kind of person he is.
* RoyalBrat: Tarma notes sourly in ''By the Sword'' that he was horrifically spoiled by his mother and had no redeeming features except for oily charm that he used to great effect in riling his brother Daren up and pinning trouble on him. When no one in Rethwellan is willing to put up with him, he turns his sights to Valdemar, where his reputation is not quite as well-known.
* TooDumbToLive: Not understanding exactly what Heralds and Companions are? Understandable, since even plenty of Valdemarans don't quite get it. Not understanding that he must be Chosen to rule, after having had it explained to him multiple times by multiple people, including in his marriage contract? Incredibly dumb. Trying to ''break a Companion to saddle'' and then threatening to murder her when he fails? ''Unforgivably'' dumb. (For bonus idiocy points, he also expected Selenay to take his side.)

* HeKnowsTooMuch: While he didn't connect all the dots on Orthallen's treachery, he did realize that Elspeth was in need of an intervention. Orthallen had him killed before he could act (which would have spiked ThePlan).

* HotBlooded: [[spoiler: His FatalFlaw. Sendar wants to fight and acts before he thinks which is what causes his death.]]

* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: A rare deconstruction. [[spoiler: Sendar's insistence in being on the front lines and leading a charge ends up killing him. There's a reason why kings shouldn't take to battlefield - they immediately become the primary target.]]
* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice]]

* HuntingAccident: [[spoiler: Attempted to arrange one for Selenay.]] Also the official explanation for his death.

* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Karal being a spoiled, entitled little brat is the best antidote to his own seduction of Selenay possible. He can't handle being told "no", so he pulls something massively stupid and cruel and then blows up when Selenay calls him on his BS, thus handily undoing at least half his own work.

* TooDumbToLive: Not understanding exactly what Heralds and Companions are? Understandable, since even plenty of Valdemarans don't quite get it. Not understanding that he must be Chosen to rule, after having had it explained to him multiple times by multiple people, including in his marriage contract? Incredibly dumb. [[spoiler: Trying to ''kidnap and break'' a Companion, and then threatening to murder her when he fails, which is both a capital crime and high treason in the country he's now Prince-Consort of?]] ''Unforgivably'' dumb. (For bonus idiocy points, he also expects Selenay to take his side.)

* AlmightyJanitor: Is officially only the Collegium's Weaponsmaster. Unofficially, he's the spymaster and (prior to Talia) the closest thing to a Queen's Own
* BadassGrandpa: In later books.

* CombatPragmatist

* GuileHero: She's the only female Herald who is ''not'' a fight, but she uses her brains (along with a dose of ObfuscatingStupidity) to play Alberich's sidekick and get information out of places where he can't go.

* MaidenAunt: Selenay sees Caryo as this; a sweet but asexual older woman whom she can't really ask about relationships, let alone sex.

* StrangledByTheRedString: Her lifebond [[spoiler: to Daren]] is the clearest example of marriage by divine decree in the series. The gods ''need'' Valdemar and Rethwellan firmly allied to each other when the Mage Storms hit (and they need AnHeirAndASpare so Elspeth can take up other duties), and accordingly both of them fall in LoveAtFirstSight. [[invoked]] However, this is Reconstructed considering by the time they do get together, the audience knows that both of them are strong adults who are compatible enough that they probably would have gotten together on their own.

* TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask: Her father's HeroicSacrifice during the Tedrel Wars thrusts her very early onto the throne. Her sense of duty keeps her carrying on and she starts becoming a quite able leader, including in dealing with an obstructive and obstinate Council. But her forced maturation, unresolved grief, feelings of isolation, and despair seethe in her with no healthy outlet for quite some time, leading to a disastrous marriage. She never quite outgrows this, but she has more trustworthy friends in later books to share the burden.

* HuntingAccident: [[spoiler:Her late husband planned to arrange one. It ends up backfiring on him.]]

* LoveMakesYouDumb: Deconstructed with her and Karal. Sure, he's a bad choice, and she definitely does not think the marriage through as much as she should because she's decided it is True Love...but she's also under a massive amount of pressure and still grieving for her father, plus her therapist/main advisor is more or less out of commission, and Karal seems like the only uncomplicated good thing in her life. So it's more like "having lots of stress and no good outlets makes you vulnerable to manipulation".
* MaidenAunt: Selenay sees Caryo as this; a sweet but sexless older Companion who she can't really go to for romantic advice.
* MamaBear: Comes through in rather obstructive, somewhat belated way to Elspeth during ''Winds of Fate,'' much to the latter's frustration. Selenay is not pleased when her daughter quite reasonably points out that she's expendable, since [[spoiler: Selenay ends up having twins with Daren and Elspeth is no longer the sole Heir]].

* ParentsAsPeople: Selenay is a Herald first, the Queen second, and a mother to Elspeth third. Between her royal duties and her very early forced maturation, she doesn't know how to treat or discipline Elspeth and mostly leaves her in the hands of her tutors, and she's completely oblivious to the fact that one such tutor has [[EvilMentor an agenda of her own]]. Talia has to provide the parenting that Selenay can't.

* StrangledByTheRedString: Her lifebond [[spoiler: to Daren]] is the clearest example of marriage by divine decree in the series. Both [[spoiler: Daren]] and Selenay are well-adjusted adults, but the gods need Valdemar and Rethwellan firmly allied to each other when the Mage Storms hit, and accordingly they lifebond the pair on sight. [[invoked]] However, this is Reconstructed considering by the time they do get linked together, the audience has enough time to know the both of them and that they will work well as partners.

* TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask: [[spoiler: Her father's HeroicSacrifice during the Tedrel Wars thrusts her very early onto the throne. Her sense of duty keeps her carrying on and she starts becoming a quite able leader, including in dealing with an obstructive and obstinate Council. But her forced maturation, unresolved grief, feelings of isolation, and despair seethe in her with no healthy outlet for quite some time... to disastrous effect.]]

* TheConfidant: Talamir is this for Sendar and is supposed to be this for Selenay... but in practice, as a man of advancing years he finds it difficult to connect with and properly advise a much younger woman.

* TooDumbToLive: Not understanding exactly what Heralds and Companions are? Understandable, since even plenty of Valdemarans don't quite get it. Not understanding that he must be Chosen to rule, after having had it explained to him multiple times by multiple people, including in his marriage contract? Incredibly dumb. [[spoiler: Trying to ''kidnap and break'' a Companion, and then threatening to murder her when he fails, which breaks multiple laws of the country he's now Prince-Consort of?]] ''Unforgivably'' dumb. (For bonus idiocy points, he also expects Selenay to take his side.)

* WhatAnIdiot: Not understanding exactly what Heralds and Companions are? Understandable, since even plenty of Valdemarans don't quite get it. Not understanding that he must be Chosen to rule, after having had it explained to him multiple times by multiple people, including in his marriage contract? Incredibly dumb. [[spoiler: Trying to ''kidnap and break'' a Companion, and then threatening to murder her when he fails, which breaks multiple laws of the country he's now Prince-Consort of?]] ''Unforgivably'' dumb. (For bonus idiocy points, he also expects Selenay to take his side.)

* BadassPrincess: It helps that Valdemar requires Monarchs and Heirs to be Heralds too, so Princess Selenay had rigorous academic and martial training, took an active role in her father's council, and sat in the city's courts as an adjudicator. Though understandably terrified, she accompanied her father to the frontlines of a war and while there, visited different campfires and to the sick tents to visit the common soldiers.

* GuileHero: She's the only female Herald who is ''not'' an ActionGirl, but she uses her brains (along with a dose of ObfuscatingStupidity) to play Alberich's sidekick and get information out of places where he can't go.

* AuthorAvatar
* BlindWithoutEm: Myste is severely myopic.

* HotBlooded: His FatalFlaw. Sendar wants to fight and acts before he thinks which is what causes his death.

* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: A rare deconstruction. Sendar's insistence in being on the front lines and leading a charge ends up killing him. There's a reason why kings shouldn't take to battlefield - they immediately become the primary target.

* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething

* {{Badass}}
** BadassGrandpa: In later books.

* TrainingFromHell: Though in fact partly self-inflicted. Told his armsmasters at the Karsite military academy that he's quite naturally talented, young Alberich then worked himself to the ground to prove that he's just as good as anyone else, if not better, especially because the social cards were stacked against him due to his status as an illegitimate child of an impoverished single mother.