Defender of Histories: Meet the Main Characters

As I worked through the process of writing Defender, I wanted to create relatable, believable, flawed characters whose motivations and actions are easy to understand (whether you agree with them or not). Most of all, I wanted them to feel human. 

I want to introduce you to the four main characters: Lira, Eremon, Aidryn, and Caitir. (Character portraits were painted by the amazing morgana0anagrom.) 

Silira Mór

Lira relished fitting pieces of Iathium’s history together like a puzzle—working each new bit of information into the whole, connecting catalysts and events across families and centuries. She understood why and how each law, each war, each ruler, and each structure had come to be. Her understanding came easily, but her position as a Historian had been hard-won.

Silira Mór, our protagonist, is a headstrong, determined, intelligent young woman. Her prowess with Iathium's histories has elevated her into the nobility and poised her to take the prestigious Defender of Histories title after her master, Lord Irem. Through her rise, however, she befriends the young supreme ruler, Eremon, who has taken a keen interest in her. 

Lira knows she's smart and capable, and she's proud of that. She has bootstrapped her way up the ranks in the archive, and has lived on her own since she was 12 years old--so she's no stranger to figuring things out and navigating through life. The circumstances that unfold in her story strip away the control she believed she had over her destiny, though, and she has to learn how to trust and depend on others to help her follow her new path with courage.

Eremon, Supreme Ruler of Iathium

“Nineteen years, Ere—forgive me.” Lira fought the urge to avert her eyes, glaring steadily into his instead. “For most of my life, I have worked to preserve these stories—to ensure they’re passed down. I gave up my family and my childhood, all for these histories, and you’re saying it was for nothing. You’re saying I failed.”

“No, Lira, I failed you,” Eremon said. “I have failed my people, but no more. Now is the time for us to act, to expose the truth. Irem has earned the clans’ trust; I believe they will also come to trust you.”

Eremon is the 19-year-old Rí (supreme ruler) of Iathium. He took the throne at age 12 after his father was killed at sea on a mysterious expedition. Lira's father was aboard the ship, too, and never returned. 

Lira and Eremon bond over their fathers' shared fate, their love for Iathium, and the rapport they build while working to uncover the true histories that have been buried by generations of Rís.

Eremon is the picture of idyllic youth; he's idealistic, emotional, impulsive and a bit naive, but he has a good heart--and believes he can uncover the hidden histories for his people while maintaining peace and order across the continent.

Aidryn Tarlach

She looked to her left, where Aidryn Tarlach was hunched over his own transcription. For a moment, she watched him work; his dark hair fell into his eyes as he scratched his quill deftly across the page. His usually close-trimmed beard looked more unkempt than usual, and he chewed the inside of his cheek as he wrote.

Lira waited until he paused to dip his quill into the inkpot on the corner of his desk, then rose. She stretched, rolling her stiff neck before hefting the heavy volume with an unladylike grunt and another glance in Aidryn’s direction. As she sidled past his desk, she whispered, “Finished,” with a satisfied smirk.

Aidryn cursed under his breath, momentarily flustered. “I suppose I can’t win every round.”

“You don’t.” She laughed, heading toward the stacks.

“Three out of the last four,” he said, not bothering to hide his smile before returning to his work.

Aidryn works alongside Lira in the archive, and they have a friendly, long-standing rivalry. Their relationship is punctuated by verbal sparring and good-natured competition, but they have each other's backs. 

Aidryn is protective of Lira, and has spent years standing between her and his family, who want to use her for the power she’s set to inherit--a power she doesn’t even believe in. He has quietly loved her despite her obliviousness to his feelings, although he believes he doesn’t stand a chance against Eremon, the ruler who is vying for her affections. 

When pressed, Lira might say Aidryn's younger sister, Caitir, is her closest friend--but in actuality, Aidryn has earned her deepest trust. He is sharp-witted, blisteringly straightforward, and unendingly loyal to his friends.

Caitir Tarlach

Caitir looked rattled for a moment before she parroted her mother. “Dressmakers don’t inherit thrones or estates.”

“Says who?” Aidryn shot back. “Just marry up. Your husband doesn’t have to be the Rí or one of his lords; there are plenty of nobles with sizeable inheritances.”

Caitir rolled her eyes. “I’m not going over this with you again, Aidryn. You know what Mother wants; I’m just doing my best to give it to her.

Aidryn's younger sister, Caitir, and Lira have been close friends since they were children. Dually a victim of her mother's overbearing social-climbing ambitions and her own self-centeredness, Caitir can sometimes be a difficult person to be around. But Lira and Aidryn are generous and patient with her; they believe they understand the pressure she's under, and they try (each in their own way) to help keep Caitir's feet on the ground.

But what Caitir’s friends don’t know is the darkness hiding just beneath her flighty exterior. When she finally breaks free from the forces that have controlled her every move all her life, they’ll find out that she is truly a force to be reckoned with.

If you want to know more about these characters and dive deeper into their world, start with book 1, Defender of Histories. Get your copy here.