History Characters / HisFairAssassin

* TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask: Constantly, though she's far from being an IceQueen.

* IllGirl

* NotSoDifferent: She says this to Ismae when Ismae tries to claim that they both had the same chances, but chose very different paths in life--Hivern asks Ismae what ''she'' would have done, had she been in Hivern's place. [[spoiler:The fact that Hivern is right is what drives Ismae to find a way to save her life]].

* [[spoiler:ChildByRape]]
* [[spoiler:DeadBigSister]]: Part of the reason he hates D'Albret so much. [[spoiler:Beast's sister, Alise, was D'Albret's sixth wife. D'Albret murdered her]].

* [[spoiler:ImprobableAntidote]]: [[MasterPoisoner Ironically enough]].

* BrotherSisterIncest: Her eldest half-brother, Pierre, molested her as a child. Sybella used Julian, her other half-brother (Pierre's full brother) as a shield, though that ended up being an incestuous relationship as well. This is ultimately subverted when she finds out that she is the Daughter of Mortain, not [[spoiler:D'Albret]]. As she is the only daughter of [[spoiler:D'Albret]]'s [[spoiler:fifth]] wife, none of her "siblings" share so much as a drop of blood with her.
** NotBloodSiblings: At the time ''Dark Triumph'', Julian is still in a sexual relationship with her -- however, Sybella is now aware that he's not actually her brother, and it's all that keeps her from losing her sanity every time he touches her. [[spoiler:To be fair to Julian, he never ''meant'' to hurt Sybella -- he's just as psychologically messed up as Sybella, and saw it as love rather than cruelty. He also believed that it was fully consensual, whereas Sybella felt as though she ''couldn't'' say no because she believed that he would no longer protect her if she refused him. When Sybella finally reveals this to him, he's stunned -- but ultimately does choose to protect her as a brother rather than a lover, even though it costs him his life]].

* ManipulativeBitch: And ''how''. While not as obvious in ''Grave Mercy'', she really shows her true colours in ''Dark Triumph'' with Sybella.

* DistressedDamsel: Ismae refers to her as one since she is surrounded by enemies on all sides.

* ManipulativeBitch: While [[spoiler:Duval is innocent]] of any treason, she is plotting to have her son François ascend to power in Anne's place, as she believes that the duchy needs a strong ruler to hold it rather than a little girl.

* InterClassRomance: With Ismae. She's as lowborn as it's possible to be -- raised as the daughter of a turnip farmer -- whereas Duval is specifically stated to be royalty despite being a bastard. Of course, Duval notes that by being the daughter of one of the Old Gods, her lineage is in a class as untouchable by nobility as nobility is to the commoners.

* TheChessmaster: One of several, [[spoiler:though the only one able to manipulate the convent.]]

!'''''WARNING:'' Spoilers for each book will be UNMARKED in the folders of their sequels.'''
!!Spoilers for all books will be hidden within the ''Protagonists'' and ''Old Gods'' folders.

[[folder:Protagonists]]

* AcquiredPoisonImmunity: If by 'acquired' you mean 'a gift from her Father'. Ismae is immune to all toxins and poisons, ''full stop''. If the poison is exceptionally strong, she may feel some tingling, but that is the extent of the effect that poison will have on her.

[[folder:First appearing in ''Grave Mercy'']]
!Abbess of the Convent of Saint Mortain

[[folder:First appearing in ''Dark Triumph'']]

* BrotherSisterIncest: With Sybella. Subverted in that they don't actually share any blood, what with Sybella being Death's daughter.
** NotBloodSiblings

[[folder:First appearing in ''Mortal Heart'']]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Nine Saints / The Old Gods]]
!Amourna, patron saint of love.

!Arduinna, patron saint of love.

!Brigantia, patron saint of wisdom.

!Dea Matrona, the dark mother.

!Camulos, patron saint of war, battles, and soldiers.

!Cissonius, patron saint of crossroads and travelers.

!Mer, patron saint of the ocean and sailors.

!Mortain, patron saint of Death.

* MarkedToDie: Those whom He wishes to die have a 'marque' somewhere on their bodies, appearing as a sort of black "smudge". [[spoiler:As it turns out, the marques are more complicated than that, and can even disappear if certain actions are taken]].

!Salonius, patron saint of mistakes.

** NotBloodSiblings: At the time ''Dark Triumph'', Julian is still in a sexual relationship with her -- however, Sybella is now aware that he's not actually her brother, and it's all that keeps her from losing her sanity every time he touches her. [[spoiler:To be fair to Julian, he never ''meant'' to hurt Sybella -- he's just as psychologically messed up as Sybella, and saw it as love rather than cruelty. He also believed that it was fully consensual, whereas Sybella felt as though she ''couldn't'' say no because she believed that he would no longer protect her if she refused him. When Sybella finally reveals this to him, he's stunned -- but ultimately does choose to protect her a brother rather than a lover, even though it costs him his life]].

* [[spoiler:CallingTheOldManOut: Especially impressive considering her father is ''Death''. When Mortain appears to her, she demands to know why he was never there when she needed him. While asking that of a god might seem a little bit self-centred, considering her hellish upbringing and everything she's gone through, it comes off as a perfectly valid inquiry]].

* [[spoiler:HotMom: Although the 'mom' part is heart-wrenching.]]

* NoNameGiven: She is only ever referred to as the Abbess.

* KnightTemplarBigSister: Her reaction to her sister, Amourna, falling in love with Mortain? She shoots Mortain through the heart.

* DeusExMachina: He intervenes in several cases, most notably when he [[spoiler:lets Duval live longer than the poison should have allowed]]. Sometimes he's subtle about, other times not so much.

** [[spoiler:To be fair to Julian, he never ''meant'' to hurt Sybella -- he's just as psychologically messed up as Sybella, and saw it as love rather than cruelty. He also believed that it was fully consensual, whereas Sybella felt as though she ''couldn't'' say no because she believed that he would no longer protect her if she refused him. When Sybella finally reveals this to him, he's stunned -- but ultimately does choose to protect her a brother rather than a lover, even though it costs him his life]].
** NotBloodSiblings: At the time ''Dark Triumph'', Julian is still in a sexual relationship with her -- however, Sybella is now aware that he's not actually her brother, and it's all that keeps her from losing her sanity every time he touches her.

* TheBerserker: Referred to as his "battle rage", when he gets into a series fight... well. Let's just say he ''earned'' the name 'Beast'.

* {{Determinator}}: Every damn time he makes some progress, the unknown traitor manages to . Duval's reaction to this is to ''try harder''.

* [[spoiler:AFormYouAreComfortableWith: When he appears to Ismae and Sybella. As Ismae says of his appearance, "In the flesh, or such flesh as the saints will wear"]].
* [[spoiler:BlackCloak: He appears to wear one when he speaks with Ismae and Sybella]].

* DisappearedDad: One of the more justified examples, what with him being a god and all. [[spoiler:He does personally speak to Ismae and Sybella, both times in the waking world and in the flesh (so to speak) rather than simply through a vision or a dream]].

* [[spoiler:LoveRedeems: ''Platonic'' LoveRedeems. It's only when he puts aside his desire to be Sybella's lover in favour of being her brother, as she wishes him to be, that he ]]

* BrotherSisterIncest: He molests Sybella when she is nine years old; she responds by using Julian as a shield.

!Viscount (Chancellor) Maurice Crunard
* AllThereInTheManual: The only mention of his given name is in the ''Dramatis Personae'' section at the beginning of the novel.

!Sir Raoul de Lornay
* AllThereInTheManual: The only mention of his given name is in the ''Dramatis Personae'' section at the beginning of the novel.
* [[spoiler:AlmostDeadGuy: Lingers long enough after being grievously wounded to have a last conversation with Ismae]].
* [[spoiler:HeroicSacrifice: He rides into battle to buy Anne time to escape D'Albret, knowing that his chances of survival are pretty much nil. While he survives long enough for Ismae to reach him, his wounds are fatal, and she grants him a MercyKill at his request]].
* {{Jerkass}}: He make it clear that he is ''not'' fond of Ismae, though the narrative does not vilify him for this.
** JerkWithAHeartOfGold: De Lornay is not a bad person. He's a loyal friend, a loyal knight, a good and brave man, and [[spoiler:he was unkind toward Ismae because he believed that she would hurt Duval, whether by killing him or breaking his heart]].
* [[spoiler:MercyKill: He requests this from Ismae, as his wounds are fatal, but it will take hours before he dies. She grants him not only a merciful death, but a merciful passage into the afterlife -- normally, souls linger with their bodies for three days, but Ismae uses her misericorde to send him immediately into the arms of his patron saint]].
* PrettyBoy: ''Very''. Ismae describes him as being downright angelic in his beauty, and serving maids start trailing him the instant he walks into a tavern.

[[folder:The Old Gods]]
!Amourna, patron saint of Love.

!Camulos, patron saint of War.

!Salonius, patron saint of Mistakes.

* BrotherSisterIncest: Her eldest half-brother, Pierre, molested her as a child. Sybella used Julian, her other half-brother (Pierre's full brother) as a shield, though that ended up being an incestuous relationship as well. This is ultimately subverted when she finds out that she is the Daughter of Mortain, not [[spoiler:D'Albret]]. As she is the only daughter of [[spoiler:D'Albret]]'s [[spoiler:sixth]] wife, none of her "siblings" share so much as a drop of blood with her.

!Chancellor Crunard

!Sir de Lornay

!Count D'Albret

!Madame Dinan

* LastNameBasis: With everyone save for Anne. [[spoiler:Even after he and Ismae start a romantic relationship, she continues to call him Duval, though he does sign his letters to her with his first name]].

!Madame Hivern ("The French Whore")
* The Mistress: First to the aging king, and then to the Duke. She bore the Duke five children, though we only meet two of them within the series: Gavriel Duval and François Avaugour.

!François Avaugour

!Duke of Nemours
* NiceGuy: He's not just interested in her duchy; he genuinely wants to rescue Anne from her awful situation.
* [[spoiler:TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: Show of hands: who thought he was going to survive? Anyone?]]

* ProperlyParanoid: Duval considers pretty much every single person besides Beast, De Lornay, and (eventually) Ismae to be untrustworthy to some degree. He is almost entirely correct in this assessment.