For the Intended: Journal One

Characters

Of the characters involved in For the Intended, the following four seemed the most important: Galayne, Vir, Arnet, and Queen Aurora.

Galayne (14, bordering on 15) has been inducted into her new role as Princess of Edgeladine and as the Summer Born, the rarest of all Naetera. She has since begun to develop new powers, experiencing power bursts which temporarily sap her of her energy. Throughout the story, Galayne seems reluctant to take on the responsibilities of being a princess and doesn’t really seem the princess type. To me, she appeared to be more of a tom boy, taking a more casual and rash approach toward life. It is also said that she seeks to give off a reputation as a ‘fierce, ferocious warrior’, which is something that made me chuckle as I read the book. Overall, I liked Galayne as a character as she was interesting and made for a steadfast friend, however, I was never sure what her goal was in the story.

Next, we come to Vir, Galayne’s best friend since they were first found together years ago in the woods. Vir always seemed to take things in his stride, becoming emboldened by challenges set out for him. He seemed sweet and sincere in his feelings for Galayne, always doing his best to protect her whenever he could. He had an outwardly calm demeanour, his powers relating to the elemental ability to conjure and manipulate snow and frost to varying degrees. He was a fascinating character in his own right and I wish we’d gotten to see more of him over the course of the story.

Next, we come to Arnet, Galayne’s guardian and commanding officer. At first, Arnet always seemed strict and over-protective of Galayne, never leaving her much room for personal freedom. However, as the story progressed, we learn that he has his own reasons for acting this way. He cares deeply for Galayne as if she were his own daughter, just as he cares deeply for the other teenagers in his charge. He must do whatever he can to both protect them and prepare them for whatever may come their way, a great burden which understandably takes its toll on him.

Finally, we come to Queen Aurora of Edgeladine. She at first appeared to be beautiful and profoundly gentle as a ruler, however, she was also quite firm when she needed to be. Her primary duty was to keep the Summer Born safe. In addition, Galayne occasionally compares Queen Aurora to her, who we later learn refers to her birth mother, a woman Galayne harbours resentful feelings toward. As such, I was never sure how I felt about Queen Aurora’s character, having only witnessed her through Galayne’s lens of mild hatred and distrust.