Alys Vorpatril
Lady Alys Vorpatril is an important side character in Lois McMaster Bujold's sci-fi series, the Vorkosigan Saga.
Lady Alys is the mother of Ivan Vorpatril and aunt to the series' main character, Miles Vorkosigan. Her slain husband was Aral Vorkosigan's first cousin Padma Vorpatril, both descendants of Xav Vorbarra, and both the only survivors in their generation of the assassinations by Mad Emperor Yuri of all potential heirs to the Emperor's throne. During the War of the Vordarian Pretendership, the pregnant Lady Alys, along with Lord Padma, were targeted for assassination because of Padma's Vorbarra bloodlines, which would make both her husband and her unborn child potential rival claimants for the throne. Her husband was killed, and Alys was forced to take refuge in a seedy district of the capital city, Vorbarr Sultana, called the "caravanserai" where she gave birth to Ivan while in hiding. Every year thereafter, in the early morning of the anniversary of his death and Ivan's birthday, she and Ivan go and offer a burn offering, Barrayan-style, at the place where Padma died. When Ivan marries, Lady Alys reveals that she spent a long time angry at her husband for abandoning her while she was in labor after she begged him not to leave, and then getting caught by warring factions and getting killed. Eventually she decides that, after 35 years, perhaps she has mourned long enough.
Lady Alys is considered High Vor, through her marriage with Padma Vorpatril and his promixity to the Barrayan throne. During the later novels, she serves as Emperor Gregor's official hostess, as the emperor has no sisters, wife, or mother. This duty ends when Gregor marries, but due to her intimate knowledge of the workings of the Barrayan social scene, she stays on as Social Secretary to the Imperial Residence and is currently serving as Empress Laisa's first assistant. In this capacity, she spearheaded the organization of the Emperor's wedding to Laisa Toscane, which included the duty of serving as 'baba' (or go-between) to Laisa's Komarran parents, in effect acting as Gregor's emissary to formally request their permission for the marriage.
Later it is learned that not only is she dating former ImpSec Chief Simon Illyan, but she is also a blind drop for an ImpSec covert operative responsible for aristocratic affairs. It later becomes apparent that Simon spends a great deal of time at Alys' penthouse, where he has his own room and study, but continues to keep his own modest apartment as a decoy.
Lady Alys is regarded as a sophisticated, stylish woman, with long dark hair and large attractive eyes. She noted for her good manners and impeccable taste, as well as her formidable organizational abilities. Throughout the series, she is noted as providing sartorial advice to many of the female characters, including custom designing the stunning wedding gown of Ludmilla Droushnakovi (later Koudelka), and essentially being the newlywed Lady Cordelia Vorkosigan's stylist.
| ||||||||||