Gareth "Gary" of Naxen (pronounced GAHR-eth of NAKS-enn), also called Gareth the Younger, is a Tortallan nobleman and serves as Prime Minister of Tortall under King Jonathan IV and Queen Thayet. He was the nephew of the late Queen Lianne and the late King Roald, thus making him first cousins with the King. Gary is a knight of the realm and completed his training in 433, a year after King Jonathan[4].
He is married to Cythera of Elden, with whom he has four children.
Biography
Birth and early life
Gary was born in 415 HE as the only child of Gareth of Naxen and his wife Roanna.
Page training
He probably entered page training in 425 or 426 HE. At the royal palace he made friends with other boys of the same age, including the Crown Prince Jonathan (his cousin), Raoul of Goldenlake and Alexander of Tirragen. In early 430 HE Alanna of Trebond arrived at the palace, disguised as a boy. Gary was appointed her page sponsor and they soon became friends. He, along with his friends, were impressed by Page Alan's fiery temper and will. He soon figured out that Ralon of Malven was beating on Alan, but understood that the page wanted to take care of the bully himself. When Page Alan found the cat Faithful, Gary suggested Alan name the cat Raoul. Originally, Gary was very close with Alex of Tirragen, but after the Sweating Sickness hit Corus, he is shown to be close with everyone, especially Page Alan. He also accompanied the page into Corus, where he was the first of Alan's friends to met George Cooper. Gary immediately recognized him to be a thief, but soon came to trust the other man.
Squire
In Midwinter of 430 HE, Gary was made a squire. It is unknown who became his knight-master. He spent a lot of time at the palace. The squires, along with Page Alan at the request of the prince, went to the Bazhir city of Persopolis. There, they met Ali Mukhtab, the Voice of the Tribes, who told them about the dangers of the Black City, and the ancient demons known as the Ysandir. Later it was revealed that the prince almost had to fight Gary in order to have the right to take Page Alan along as his squire once they became knights and passed their Ordeal of Knighthood[5].
Gary passed his Ordeal of Knighthood in Midwinter of 433 HE, when he was eighteen.
Early knighthood
As a knight, he had the power the instruct other squires for their Ordeals. In 437 HE, his cousin Prince Jon and Alanna of Trebond told him about Alanna's real gender, and how she was in fact a girl. Contrary to Alanna's belief, Gary didn't shun her, but agreed to instruct her in the baths. They did so divergent from custom, and did not bathe with her, but waited as she bathed and then instructed her afterwards once she was clothed.
Prime Minister of Tortall
While Alanna was out exploring far places, Gary's aunt Queen Lianne, who had always been sickly, succumbed to a fatal illness and died. His uncle, King Roald, died in a hunting accident, but everyone believed it to be a set up, and that it was truly suicide.
Gary's father, Duke Gareth, stepped down from his place as Prime Minister and King's Champion, allowing Gary to become Prime Minister. Once Alanna returned from the Roof of the World with the Dominion Jewel after battling the earth spirit Chitral, Jon appointed her the new King's Champion[6].
After Duke Roger was defeated by Alanna during the Coronation Day Battle of 439 HE, Gary took a very important role in his cousin's rule and was a member of his private council. Later, the council would include both Alanna and Numair Salmalín[7]. He, along with his father, was a member of the Tortallan delegation sent to Carthak to negotiate peace with Ozorne Tasikhe, the Emperor Mage.
Physical description
Gary is first described as being "big" (though not as big as Raoul of Goldenlake) with chestnut brown hair and eyes. As a page he was of a "large" stature.[8] As an adult, he is described as heavyset and pale.
Personality and traits
- "One could sense that the boy had made enemies with his sharp mind and sharper tongue."
- —Description of Gary when he first met George[src]
Gary was first presented as quick-witted and sarcastic, a good sponsor for Alanna of Trebond because he could answer what questions she had. He also helped Alanna whenever she needed help and had always "something funny to say" about even the dullest teacher. Alanna also considered Gary "intelligent".[9] His quick-wittedness also showed when he first encountered George Cooper, whom he instantly recognized as a thief, even though Gary was at that point still a page and in his early teens.[10] It was Gary who introduced Alanna to her first group of friends, including Jon, Raoul, Alexander of Tirragen and Francis of Nond. His curiosity (read: eavesdropping) was useful for getting information to aid others. He was also a betting man, often restricted to the palace for various pranks, including kissing Lady Roxanne for ten gold nobles.
As Gary ages throughout the novels, he becomes more responsible, reflecting the seriousness of ruling a country and also reflecting his father's influence. In fact, the Duke we see in Song of the Lioness is very much like the Prime Minister in Protector of the Small—outwardly serious but with an occasional glimpse of a slightly cynical joker. Gary does have a very important role in Tortall. While Jon concerns himself with wars, foreign policy, and Immortal beings, Gary's task seems to be the maintenance of internal Tortallan affairs.
Relationships
Alanna
Gary was Alanna's sponsor when she first came to the palace, disguised as the boy "Alan". Through his sponsorship he became Alanna's first friend in the palace.
George
Gary met George for the first time when he accompanied Alanna to the city on her first Market Day outside of the palace. Gary realized quickly that the commoner taking an interest in them wasn't any commoner but the Rogue himself. George explained himself to Gary and at the end of their first conversation both had agreed to be friends.[11]
Family tree
Naxen Family Tree
Appearances
- The Song of the Lioness
- The Immortals
- Protector of the Small
- Page (minor appearance in Cp. 8)
Notes and references
- ↑ Tortallan timeline
- ↑ Random Buzz;"Champion's Duties, Scanran War, King Roald/DukeG, Bazhir"; April 22, 2009
- ↑ Random Buzz; "Famous Women"; April 23, 2009
- ↑ Even though they are the same age, the Crown Prince takes his Ordeal of Knighthood at seventeen per royal custom; everyone else takes the Ordeal at eighteen.
- ↑ Alanna: The First Adventure, last few pages
- ↑ Lioness Rampant
- ↑ Emperor Mage, Cp. 2 (p. 54; Simon Pulse paperback)
- ↑ Alanna: The First Adventure, Cp. 2 (p. 30; Random House paperback)
- ↑ Alanna: The First Adventure, Cp. 2 (p. 45; Random House paperback)
- ↑ Alanna: The First Adventure, Cp. 2 (p. 49; Random House paperback)
- ↑ Alanna: The First Adventure, Cp. 2 (p. 50; Random House paperback)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Alanna: The First Adventure.
- ↑ Random Buzz thread as archived at Words of Tamora Pierce September 9, 2011 "Champion’s Duties, Scanran War, King Roald, Duke Gareth, and the Bazhir". At the Wayback Machine July 8, 2010. Retrieved May 16, 2023.