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Eleni Cooper, or Eleni of Olau (pronounced ell-EHN-nee of oh-LAU), is a Tortallan noblewoman born commoner, and the wife of Sir Myles, the Baron of Olau. She is in possession of the Gift, which she uses for healing. Before her marriage to the Baron, she was a healer and a priestess of the Great Mother Goddess in Corus. She had one son with an unknown man: George Cooper. Through him, she has four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Initially a priestess of the Great Mother Goddess, Eleni became pregnant from a temple worshiper she only saw once. She refused to give the child up when he was born, and thus had to leave the temple. Her pregnancy didn't have anything to do with ritual sex.[2]

Motherhood[]

She moved to Spindle Lane in the Lower City of Corus, where she raised her child, George, alone.[1] When George was in his teens, she was dismayed to learn that he had taken to thievery and crookedness, and told him to stop. She said that his ancestress Rebakah Cooper, an extremely famous Guardswoman, would disapprove of her descendant's ways. She told him the story of Beka Cooper, and the lady's adventures.

This did not deter George from a life of thievery. Indeed, he became the Rogue of Corus at a young age, making him the youngest Rogue in all history. Eleni began to come to terms with her son's actions, and maintained a good relationship with him throughout this time. He made sure that she was separate from the Rogue and that his people knew that, as he didn't want people to hurt her to get to him. It was considered dishonorable among Rogues to attack a nonmember and a noncombatant. Eleni's niece, Rispah Cooper, also joined the Rogue, and became the Queen of the Ladies of the Rogue, to her cousin's King.

Meeting Alanna[]

George brought Alanna of Trebond to his mother while she was still disguised as a boy in order to get through knight training. Alanna had begun to have her period, but as she left Trebond before Maude Tanner could talk in depth with her about this natural occurrence, she was quite frightened. Eleni teased her at first once she discovered what it was, but sobered up when Alanna got upset. Eleni did give her a pregnancy charm for free, so that Alanna wouldn't become pregnant if she did decide to have sex.

Eleni later taught Alanna how to be a lady, at the request of her young friend. She provided her with a dress, makeup, and did something with Alanna's hair. Eleni tried to cure Alanna of walking like a boy when she was in a dress, but to no avail.

Events in the Rogue[]

After Alanna had announced her gender to the court of Tortall, became a Bazhir shaman, and had left Tortall in order to search for the Dominion Jewel, things began to take a turn for the worse. George's nemesis, Claw, had done the unthinkable, and had his people try and attack Eleni, which was against the code of the Rogue. People still loyal to George guarded Eleni's house until George came, and decided that Eleni should move to a safehouse. George asked Myles of Olau, Alanna's old friend and adoptive father, to take his mother in, which he agreed to readily. Sir Myles and Eleni began to get quite friendly and later married, making her Baroness of Olau.

After her marriage, Eleni continued to serve as a healer in Olau and Pirate's Swoop. She and her husband became close advisers of King Jonathan IV and Queen Thayet.

She had three grandchildren though George and Alanna, as the two had married: Thom and twins Alan and Alianne.

The 460s HE[]

During the Scanran War, she and her husband were needed advisers to the King and Queen. She 462 HE, she did host her granddaughter Aly during the girl's stay in Corus, but both she and Myles were distracted from giving Aly much attention due to the war. Therefore her granddaughter amused herself. Eleni knew of her granddaughter's disappearance from Myles.

On June 22, 462 HE, Eleni attended the naming ceremony of Daine and Numair's first child at Fief Trebond. When she saw that the baby changed shape every second, she was unnerved. When Daine's divine parents arrived, the hunt god Weiryn and the Green Lady, Eleni curtsied and watched as the Green Lady made her grandchild pick a shape and a gender for the first five years. The baby chose a human girl, and was subsequently named Sarralyn Salmalín by her parents.

After the raka rebellion was successful in the Copper Isles, Eleni and Myles were part of the delegation to welcome Queen Dovasary to her throne and to make negotiations. The delegation served two purposes, to welcome Queen Dovasary, and so some of the delegation could see Aly, and meet her husband Nawat. Eleni and Nawat talked to each other about bird lice during the dinner.

Physical description[]

In 439 HE her hair was already streaked with grey.[3]

Family tree[]

Appearances[]

Listed chronologically by publishing date.

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Terrier, Prologue, From the journal of Eleni Cooper
  2. Giantkiller issue 1, June 2009
  3. Lioness Rampant, Ch. 6 (pg. 220; Random House paperback)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Terrier (electronic edition) "From the Journal of Mistress Ilony Cooper".
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 It wasn't clear who the father or fathers of Beka's younger siblings was or were, but her father died when she was very young, so it was not possible for him to father children born when she was 3+ years old. Mastiff.
  6. 6.0 6.1 It was inferred that Beka's uncle and his wife existed because Phil did. It was also possible that he was the son of her aunt, but male descent for names was usual. Random Buzzers thread as archived at Words of Tamora Pierce "Royal University, Archaeology, Neal’s Family, and Carthak". April 21, 2009. Archived at the Wayback Machine January 20, 2010. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  7. Mastiff.
  8. Terrier (electronic edition) "Wednesday, April 1, 246".
  9. It was possible Diona Cooper was also Beka's half-sibling, but she was old enough for it to be plausible that they shared a father. Terrier (electronic edition) "Cast of Characters", Mastiff.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Bloodhound (electronic edition) "Saturday, September 8, 247".
  11. It was possible Phil was a more distant cousin, or that the term was a simplification of a more complex relation.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Terrier (electronic edition) "Thursday, April 2, 246".
  13. 13.0 13.1 Terrier (electronic edition) "March 18, 406".
  14. 14.0 14.1 It was inferred that Eleni's brother and his wife existed because Rispah was known to be George's cousin, but the relation could be more distant or complex.
  15. Lioness Rampant (electronic edition) Epilogue.
  16. Alanna: The First Adventure (electronic edition) Ch. 2.
  17. 17.0 17.1 Trickster's Choice (electronic edition) Ch. 9.
  18. The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (electronic edition) Ch. 8. Her exact relation was not specified, so the simplest possibility was shown here.
  19. Lioness Rampant (electronic edition) Ch. 7.

See also[]

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