Maerad - The Gift / The Naming

The Gift / The Naming

For several years, Maerad and her mother lived at Gilman's Cot as slaves. Weakened by her broken spirit, Milana died before Maerad reached puberty, and she lived alone, fulfilling her duties from then onwards. Though she was a vulnerable girl, she appears to have managed to avoid the more harsh and degrading punishments meted out to female slaves; even as an untrained Bard she was considered to be witch-like and capable of placing the "evil eye" on those who sought to treat her roughly. When Cadvan of Lirigon came through the Cot, ensorcelled in a glimmerspell to hide him, Maerad saw him through his disguise, and he realised that she was an untrained Bard. He agreed to assist her escape from Gilman and took her to the School of Innail, where Maerad learns of her heritage for the first time and begins her training in Bardic studies. She is there loved by Dernhil of Gent, a scholar, who subsequently voluntarily sacrifices his life to ensure Hulls in the service of Enkir are unable to pursue Cadvan and Maerad.

During Cadvan and Maerad's journey to the Annaren capital, Norloch, they enter the realm of Ardina, an Elemental (faerie) being who rules the idyllic forest-realm of Rachida, and learn that Maerad's ancestry includes Elemental blood. Upon their exit from Rachida, they rescue a small boy named Hem as he seeks to hide from Hulls in the Valverras waste who had murdered the Pilani travellers who had rescued him. After much talk, Hem and Maerad realise they are brother and sister, and that they belong to the illustrious house of Pellinor.

With the assistance of Dernhil's research, Cadvan uncovers Maerad's destiny as the Foretold One: she who will wrest the mystery called Treesong back into the Light and defeat the Nameless One in his greatest uprising. In the city of Norloch, Cadvan's mentor Nelac confirms this to be the case as he initiates Maerad as a full Bard, whereupon her truename is revealed to be that which was prophecised; Elednor, the Fire-Lily of Edil-Amarandh. It is here that Maerad also encounters Enkir, now first bard of Norloch, and is forced to flee with Cadvan to the Island nation of Thorold. During her journey, Maerad comes into the Speech which allows her to converse fully with other Bards and animals, including her horse Imi and Cadvan's stallion Darsor.

Maerad is a strongwilled character and strives for her best. She is a little wary of Cadvan to begin with, but soon realises he helps her for her own good. Her and Cadvan make a great team together and soon realise it, but the journey isn't without its fair share of quarrels and arguments!