History Literature / LastHeraldMageTrilogy

** From Stefen's generation: Young Medren is basically young Vanyel plus a Bardic gift and minus the homosexuality, and frequently refers to "young Meke", who is probably his oldest half-brother. One of Mekeal's daughters is mentionned to have been Chosen. This actually gets discussed for Treven and Jisa, due to the fact that they can't be sure Treven won't develop the same health problems as Randale and it's known that Jisa will become King's own when her mother dies.

* [[HasTwoMommies HasTwoDaddies]]: Brightstar and the barely-mentionned child Vanyel sired between ''Magic's Promise'' and ''Magic's Price''.

* MindlinkMates: Vanyel and Tylendel; Vanyel and Stefen; Donnic and Mardi; Randale and Shavri. The trilogy's term for this phenomenon is "lifebonding".

* RapeAndRevenge: Staven interrupts Vanyel while he's dishing out the second part.

* GenerationXerox: Mekeal looks almost exactly like Withen, while Lissa is pretty much a copy of her aunt Savil in her youth.

* AllGaysArePedophiles: Subverted repeatedly throughout ''Magic's Promise'', as people keep expecting Vanyel to hit on minors, including his own twelve-year-old nephew, and he keeps explaining that ''no''.
* AllGaysArePromiscuous: Also subverted, as people assume Vanyel has an undending stream of male groupies. In reality, he notes that "Savil sees more action in bed than I do."

* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: When they die, Vanyel, Yfandes and Stefan [[spoiler: become the eternal guardians of the Forest of Sorrows]].

* CelibateHero: Vanyel, from a few months before ''Magic's Promise'' begins until he gets together with Stefan in ''Magic's Price''.

* DefiledForever: Averted twice. First, Stefan thinks Vanyel doesn't want him because he knows of Stefan's [[ReallyGetsAround extensive]] sexual history, but he's wrong-- Vanyel just hadn't realized how serious Stefan was about him. Later, Stefan sees Vanyel's rapists escaping a burning building and muses that "they didn't matter. What mattered was Van."

* DoubleStandard: Deveran Remoerdis, the king of Bairnes, made sure his queen never had a chance to be alone with a man, due to his obsession with paternity. In Valdemar, Vanyel tells Withen "I know good and well you've been with women other than Mother" and doesn't seem to regard it as dysfunctional, but also tells Stefan that he doesn't think Treesa would cheat on Withen because "I think she truly loves Father, in her own way".

* DrivenToSuicide: Tylendel throws himself off a chapel roof out of his guilt regarding Gala's death in ''Magic's Pawn''; Vanyel makes two failed attempts to follow him. In ''Magic's Price'', after Vanyel's HeroicSacrifice defeating Leareth, Stefan is about to poison himself, [[spoiler: but Vanyel's ghost stops him]].
* EarnYourHappyEnding: Stefan decades working for the right to spend eternity with Vanyel [[spoiler: in the Forest of Sorrows]].

* HeelRealization: Jaysen in ''Magic's Pawn'', when he realizes that he really ''doesn't'' want to be the kind of guy who drives angsty teenagers to suicide; later Vanyel, after realizing how badly his drive for revenge has led him to treat Stefan.
* HeroicBastard: While Medren doesn't really have the skill set to go around [[{{Badass}} kicking ass]], he certainly averts the BastardBastard stereotype by being a loving nephew to Vanyel and a good friend to Stefan.

* IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim: Stefan convinces Vanyel of this with regard to the men who had kidnapped and raped the latter.

* InterruptedSuicide: Vanyel, twice, in ''Magic's Pawn'', and Stefan in ''Magic's Price''. Both cases resulted from grief at the death of a [[MindlinkMates lifebonded lover]].
* ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies: Why Vanyel considers breaking up with Stefan. Yfandes talks him out of it.

* KickTheDog: Withen's letting Jervis break Vanyel's arm. Vanyel's coldness toward Stefan while out for revenge against [[spoiler: Savil's killer]]. An outlaw gang's decision to take turns raping a helpless captive. Maybe even Vanyel's use of a magically-altered bird to gain revenge on Leareth. There aren't a lot of perfect characters in these books.
* KickTheMoralityPet: Poor Stefan, dealing with a vengeance-obsessed Vanyel in ''Magic's Price''. Luckily, Van comes around before he completes his FaceHeelTurn.
* KnightInSourArmor: When Vanyel arrives in Haven, Savil saves him from his fathers' minions' bullying but also tells him, "You're an imposition. It's your job to see you become less of one." Yfandes also comes across as this, at least in her conversations with Stefan.

* TheLostLenore: Vanyel doesn't heal from Tylendel's death until the latter returns to him as [[spoiler: Stephan]], around eighteen years later.
* LoverAndBeloved: Played with. Savil says that confident, experienced Tylendel was the leader and Vanyel the follower in their relationship, although they don't have the age difference generally associated with this trope. By contrast, Vanyel is nearly twice Stefan's age, but seems not to have any more confidence or sexual experience than the younger man.

* MindlinkMates: Vanyel and Tylendel; Vanyel and Stefan; Donnic and Mardi; Randale and Shavri. The trilogy's term for this phenomenon is "lifebonding".

* PrettyBoy: Vanyel, Stefan, and Medren.

* ReallyGetsAround: Stefan, prior to falling for Vanyel.

* ReincarnationRomance: Tylendel is reincarnated as [[spoiler: Stefan, allowing him and Vanyel to renew their lifebond]].

* ShipperOnDeck: Medren sets up Vanyel and Stefan.

* TheTwink: Early!Vanyel and Stefan.

* WhatTheHellHero: Stefan gives this to Vanyel a lot, usually when Vanyel has just been snippy with him, but on one occassion when he finds Vanyel in the middle of slaughtering a gang of outlaws.
* WillTheyOrWontThey: Due to the age difference and the fact that [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies people close to Vanyel become targets]], it takes a while for him and Stefan to consummate their love.

* AdultsAreUseless: They get almost nothing right in the first three-quarters of ''Magic's Pawn''. Among their many failures: the armsmaster breaking Vanyel's arm in a fit of rage; Withen's father supporting the armsmaster breaking Vanyel's arm in a fit of rage; Savil not bothering to have her already fanatical charge Tylendel sent to a Mind Healer after a longtime enemy kills his [[TwinTelepathy telepathically-linked brother]]; nobody bothering to ask questions or even get a blanket after Vanyel witnesses a horrific supernatural slaughter ''and'' the suicide of his [[MindlinkMates mind-linked lover]]; and, after Vanyel's first suicide attempt resulting from aforesaid experience, Jaysen falling asleep while on watch to keep him from trying it again.

* AttemptedSuicide: Vanyel, twice, in ''Magic's Pawn'', and Stefan in ''Magic's Price''. Both cases resulted from grief at the death of a [[MindlinkMates lifebonded lover]].

* AdultsAreUseless: They get almost nothing right in the first three-quarters of ''Magic's Pawn''.
** Vanyel's mother encourages his artistic and effeminate qualities in order to indulge her own yen for courtly love, treating him like a plaything; his father, meanwhile, is a narrow-minded homophobe who neither understands him nor makes any effort to, instead pushing his armsmaster to "make a man" of him by any means necessary. Armsmaster Jervis, who later admits to having known better, lets his loyalty and sense of indebtedness to Withen and his own frustration with Vanyel's bratty behavior drive him to bully the boy until he actually breaks Van's arm in a fit of rage - and even after this, Withen still takes Jervis's side rather than his son's.
** The Collegium does no better. Savil knows that Tylendel isn't rational where his family is concerned, but still doesn't think to have him see a [=MindHealer=] after his [[TwinTelepathy telepathically-linked twin brother]] is murdered by their longtime enemy. After Tylendel's suicide, there's not a single person around who isn't too wrapped up in their grief and horror over Tylendel's death to spare any concern for Vanyel, who's just witnessed a horrific supernatural slaughter and the suicide of his [[MindlinkMates mind-linked lover]]. Nor does anyone pause to consider the possible consequences of the fact that Vanyel has suddenly developed powerful mind-reading abilities which he has no control over, making him all too sensitive to the resentment of the people around him who didn't know his "feud" with Tylendel was a cover for their relationship and resent the fact that he's alive and Tylendel's dead. And even after this leads to Vanyel's first suicide attempt, Jaysen falls asleep while on watch to keep him from trying it again.

* DrivenToSuicide: Vanyel, after he endures Tylendel's death, the opening of his channels, and the awareness that most of the Heralds would be just as happy if he had died too.

* HystericalWoman: Treesa seems to actually take pride in embodying this trope.

* KnightInSourArmor: When Vanyel arrives in Haven, Savil saves him from his fathers' minions' bullying but also tells him, "You're an imposition. It's your job to see you become less of one."

* MindlinkMates: Vanyel and Tylendel; Vanyel and Stefan; Donnic and Mardi; Randale and Shavri.

* AdultsAreUseless: They get almost nothing right in the first three-quarters of ''Magic's Pawn''. Among their many failures: the armsmaster breaking Vanyel's arm in a fit of rage; Withen's father supporting the armsmaster breaking Vanyel's arm in a fit of rage; Savil not bothering to have her already fanatical charge Tylendel sent to a Mind Healer after a longtime enemy kills his [[TwinTelepathy telepathically-linked brother]]; nobody bothering to ask questions or even get a blanket after Vanyel witnesses a horrific supernatural slaughter ''and'' the suicide of his [[MindlinkMates mind-linked lover]]; and, after Vanyel's first suicide attempt resulting from aforesaid experience, Jaysen falling asleep while on watch to keep him from trying it again.

* TheLostLenore: Vanyel doesn't heal from Tylendel's death until the latter returns to him as [[spoiler: Stephan]], around eighteen years later.

* TheAtoner: In the afterlife, Tylendel knew he hadn't loved Vanyel enough, so he choses to be reincarnated in hopes of atoning for his betrayal.

* EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette: Vanyel has pale skin, silver eyes, and blue-black hair, and he scares the stuffing out of most of the people who recognize him.

* FantasyForbiddingFather: Withen hates Vanyel's musical interests so much that, despite being a reasonably talented performer, the son feels compelled to hide his lute.

* Gayngst: Vanyel in ''Magic's Pawn''.

* ShipperOnDeck: Medren, for Vanyel and Stefan.

* MindRape: Regardless of how important Vanyel's intel-gathering is, there's no way around the fact that he reads people's minds without their consent.

* AllGaysArePromiscuous: Also subverted, as people assume Vanyel has a stream of male groupies. In reality, he notes that "Savil sees more action in bed than I do."

* RealWomenWearPants: Lissa, Jisa, Savil, Bel, and any other woman who isn't hysterical or simpering will don pants at some point. Largely justified by the fact that Valdemar has an integrated army and school of magic, both of which rely heavily on horseback (or Companionback) riding, and you can't fight a war riding sidesaddle.

* EvenTheGuysWantHim: Two of the book-finale villains he encounters try to seduce him.

* ThereAreNoTherapists: Halfway averted: although there are no therapists as we think of them, Mind Healers can supposedly recognize and, to some degree, treat insanity. Unfortunately, we never see them actually doing this, so their utility remains in doubt.

* SettleForSibling: Melenna has sex with Mekeal after Vanyel turned her down, a decision that results in Medren.

* ParentsAreUseless: Vanyel's and Tashir's parents are either simply useless or outright abusive, although both get parental figures who do a bit better.

* WhatAnIdiot: Lores nearly beats a Companion to death, a mistake he would've avoided by accepting that his own Companion thinks it's innocent. Savil aptly calls him "a fathead".

* AbusiveParents: While Treesa is merely silly and weak-willed, Withen's determination to turn Vanyel into "a toy version of [him]self" (per Savil in ''Magic's Pawn'') leads him to outright cruelty: he allows an armsmaster to break Vanyel's arm, calls him a "perverted little catamite", and generally makes himself despicable until ''Magic's Price'', wherein he becomes merely obnoxious. And poor Tashir's father despised him in the belief that he was. as Lores says, "[[BastardBastard the worst kind of bastard".

* DarkLord: Just in case you missed the [[BlackMagic turning animals into assassins]], [[Mooks army of people with no apparent free will]] [[EvilWearsBlack in black uniforms]], employment of a gang of [[Outlaw thieves and rapists]], and [[IHaveYouNowMyPretty sexually-charged taunts]], Leareth sometimes calls himself "Lord Dark".

* SettleForSibling: Melenna slept with Mekeal after Vanyel turned her down, a decision that resulted in Medren.

* WillTheyOrWontThey: Due to the age difference and the fact that [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies people close to Vanyel become targets]], it takes a while for him and Stefan to consummate their love.
* WhatTheHellHero: Stefan gives this to Vanyel a lot, usually when Vanyel has just been snippy with him, but on one occassion when he finds Vanyel in the middle of slaughtering a gang of outlaws.

* AbusiveParents: While Treesa is merely silly and weak-willed, Withen's determination to turn Vanyel into "a toy version of [him]self" (per Savil in ''Magic's Pawn'') leads him to outright cruelty: he allows an armsmaster to break Vanyel's arm, calls him a "perverted catamite", and generally makes himself despicable until ''Magic's Price'', wherein he becomes merely clueless and obnoxious.

* ActionGirl: Vanyel's sister, Lissa Ashkevron.

* CastFromHitPoints: Heralds are capable of a kind of suicide attack that obliterates everything nearby. It's called "Final Strike". Also, Shavri drains her own life force into Randale, [[spoiler: meaning that she won't long outlive his terminal illness.

* DefiledForever: Averted. Stefan sees Vanyel's rapists escaping a burning building and muses that "they didn't matter. What mattered was Van."

* HeelFaceTurn: Jervis (well, a little, anyway).
* HeelRealization: Jaysen in ''Magic's Pawn'', when he realizes that he really ''doesn't'' want to be the kind of guy who drives angsty teenagers to suicide; later Vanyel, after realizing that his focus on revenge has caused him to act cruelly toward Stefan (''Magic's Price'').

* JacobAndEsau: Treesa dotes on Vanyel, while Withen prefers any of his other sons.

* WillTheyOrWontThey: Due to the age difference and the fact that people close to Vanyel become targets, it takes a while for him and Stefan to consummate their love.

* CastFromHitPoints: Heralds are capable of a kind of suicide attack that obliterates everything nearby. It's called "Final Strike".

* CoolBigSis: Liss.

* HeteronormativeCrusader: Vanyel's father, Withen, and the Herald Jaysen.

* MindlinkMates: Vanyel and Tylendel; Vanyel and Stefan; Donnic and Mardi.

* WillTheyOrWontThey: Due to the age difference and the fact that people close to him become likely targets of violence, Vanyel takes a long time to consummate his love for Stefan.

* AbusiveParents: While Treesa is merely silly and weak-willed, Withen's determination to turn Vanyel into "a toy version of [him]self" (Savil, ''Magic's Pawn'') leads him to outright cruelty: he allows an armsmaster to break Vanyel's arm, calls him a "perverted catamite", and generally makes himself despicable until ''Magic's Price'', wherein he becomes merely obnoxious.

* ReplacementGoldfish: Tashir bears a strong resemblance to Tylendel (as Vanyel last saw him, a dozen years ago), and Vanyel feels strongly tempted to accept his proposition. Fortunately, given the [[Squick disturbing]] moral issues, he remains chaste.

* HeelFaceTurn: Jervis (well, a little, anyway) and Jaysen.

* AbusiveParents: While Treesa is merely silly and weak-willed, Withen's determination to turn Vanyel into "a toy version of [him]self" (Savil, ''Magic's Pawn'') leads him to outright cruelty: he allows an armsmaster to break Vanyel's arm, calls him a "perverted catamite", and generally makes himself despicable until ''Magic's Price'', wherein he becomes merely obnoxious.

* KickTheDog: Withen's letting Jervis break Vanyel's arm. Vanyel's coldness toward Stefan while out for revenge against [[spoiler: Savil's killer]]. An outlaw gang's decision to take turns raping a helpless captive. Maybe even Vanyel's use of a magically-altered bird to gain revenge on Leareth. There aren't t a lot of perfect characters in these books.

* SexyDiscretionShot: Although themes dealing with sexual identity, homophobia, and rape permeate the book, the amount of sex actually ''shown'' is very small, and it's always very vague. Usually there's either some kissing or some leering, then a skip forward to the postcoital bliss or trauma.
* SituationalSexuality: Because of his issues dealing with women, Tashir wants to be gay and hits on Vanyel.

* IfIKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim: Stefan convinces Vanyel of this with regard to the men who had kidnapped and raped the latter.

* IntellectualAnimal: Any given Companion is a highly intelligent, magically-gifted being with a horselike body.

* Abusive Parents: While Treesa is merely silly and weak-willed, Withen's determination to turn Vanyel into "a toy version of [him]self" (Savil, ''Magic's Pawn'') leads him to outright cruelty: he allows an armsmaster to break Vanyel's arm, calls him a "perverted catamite", and generally makes himself despicable until ''Magic's Price'', wherein he becomes merely obnoxious.

* BigScrewedUpFamily: As Starwind says of the Ashkevrons, "This is not a family, it is a small army. And half of them are mad." Not only are they headed by a stereotypically hysterical woman and an abusive father, but they're breeding like rabbits. Some are itching for a war for no better reason than that Forst Reach doesn't have enough room for so many heirs.

* DoomedByCanon: Vanyel will die fulfilling a legend expressed in the (chronologically) later books.
* DotingParent: Treesa loves bragging on Vanyel and showing off his musical skills, although she doesn't love him quite enough to stand up to Withen.

* IntellectualAnimal: Any given Companion is an hyper-intelligent, magically-gifted being with a horselike body.

* BadassGay: Vanyel and, to a lesser extent, Tylendel.
* BadassInDistress: Thanks to a magic weapon, Leareth's outlaw gang manages to temporarily incapacitate Vanyel, and Stefan has to come to the rescue.

* ReincarnationRomance: Tylendel is reincarnated as Stefan, allowing him and Vanyel to renew their lifebond.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: There are a lot of these: from Tylendel against the Mavelans; from Vanyel against the magically-altered bird that killed [[spoiler: Savil]]; and from Vanyel again after an outlaw gang tortures and rapes him.

* Ambadassador: By ''Magic's Price'', Vanyel is in demand as a diplomat as well as being Valdemar's most powerful warrior.

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