Kaylaia al Jmaa is the Shang Unicorn.
Biography
Kylaia al Jmaa, the Shang Unicorn, is a wandering martial artist of the Shang order. Her family belonged to a caravan of tribal people, possibly located in Carthak or an adjacent country. Her native language was Dikurri, and this may also have been the name of her people.
Kylaia was a physically active, unconventional child. Kylaia learned to use the sling from her cousin Ogin at age six and initially learned unarmed fighting as a child by observing ostriches, zebras, giraffes, and other savannah animals (see the short story Student of Ostriches). After fighting to defend her sister Iyaka's honor at Nawolu trade fair, Kylaia was taken on as a student by Joesh, the Shang Falcon, despite her "advanced age" of thirteen. Joesh paid her bride-price "for the honor of being allowed to teach so inventive a young lady" and to compensate her family for the loss of a marriageable daughter. As Kylaia's father said, "Even less than a bride possessed by a demon will a young man like a wife who can kick his ribs in."
Physical description
Kylaia is quite tall (at thirteen she was as tall as her father) and the boys of her tribe teased her by telling her she was turning into a giraffe. She is also strong and has callused hands and feet from practicing fighting. She has dark brown or black skin, dark brown eyes, and curly hair, although it is not clear how curly.
She did not consider herself to be as beautiful as her sisters, and it's probable that Liam's assessment of her beauty had more to do with grace, strength, and martial arts skill than conventional standards of beauty.
Appearances
- Student of Ostriches (short story)
- Lioness Rampant Template:Mention