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| occupation=The King's Own
 
| occupation=The King's Own
 
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| squire=[[Douglass of Veldine]<br />[[Keladry of Mindelan]]<br />[[Alan of Pirate's Swoop]]
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| squire=[[Douglass of Veldine]]<br />[[Keladry of Mindelan]]<br />[[Alan of Pirate's Swoop]]
 
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| appeared=[[Alanna: The First Adventure]]
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'''Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak''', born '''Raoul of Goldenlake''' and nicknamed '''Giant-killer''', is a famed [[Knight of Tortall|knight]] in the realm of [[Tortall]]. He is a close friend of the current King, [[Jonathan IV of Conté]], and the [[King's Champion]], [[Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau|Alanna the Lioness]], having gone through training for knighthood with them. He is also the commander of the [[King's Own]] and a member of the [[King's Council]]. Lord Raoul is infamous for his dislike of official festivities and parties, but all the more known for his deeds in the [[Immortals War|Immortals-]] and [[Scanran War]]s.
 
'''Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak''', born '''Raoul of Goldenlake''' and nicknamed '''Giant-killer''', is a famed [[Knight of Tortall|knight]] in the realm of [[Tortall]]. He is a close friend of the current King, [[Jonathan IV of Conté]], and the [[King's Champion]], [[Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau|Alanna the Lioness]], having gone through training for knighthood with them. He is also the commander of the [[King's Own]] and a member of the [[King's Council]]. Lord Raoul is infamous for his dislike of official festivities and parties, but all the more known for his deeds in the [[Immortals War|Immortals-]] and [[Scanran War]]s.
   

Revision as of 19:12, 9 January 2014

Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, born Raoul of Goldenlake and nicknamed Giant-killer, is a famed knight in the realm of Tortall. He is a close friend of the current King, Jonathan IV of Conté, and the King's Champion, Alanna the Lioness, having gone through training for knighthood with them. He is also the commander of the King's Own and a member of the King's Council. Lord Raoul is infamous for his dislike of official festivities and parties, but all the more known for his deeds in the Immortals- and Scanran Wars.

Biography

File:No Swimming by prismageek.png

Raoul as a page, trying to convince "Alan" to go swimming

Raoul was an older page when Alanna of Trebond first arrived at the palace. He was a close friend of the then Prince Jonathan, and soon became a friend of Alanna's. He was also close to 'Gary', Gareth of Naxen, 'Alex', Alexander of Tirragen and Francis of Nond. 'Alan' became a favourite of his, and Raoul offered to thrash Ralon of Malven during the time Ralon was bullying Alanna.

Raoul took his Ordeal to become a knight at the same time as Prince Jonathan, Gary and Alex. According to Jonathan, both he and Gary felt it unfair that Jonathan should get the 'best' squire, Alanna. His squire was instead either Douglass of Veldine or Sacherell of Wellam [2]. During this period, he remained close to Jonathan, Gary and Alanna, although Alex began to drift away as he became closer to Duke Roger and his treason. Raoul fought with Jonathan in the Tusaine War, and was one of those to accompany Jonathan across the River Drell to rescue Alanna, thus capturing Duke Hilam and Count Jemis. Raoul pitched in money to help outfit Alanna as a 'proper knight'. He was also the last of her close friends to be told that she was a girl before her discovery. He supported her against Duke Roger when she accused Roger of treason.

When Jonathan ascended to the throne, Raoul was used for diplomatic missions and soon became the Commander of the King's Own. It was Raoul who brought Alanna home by ship after she found the Dominion Jewel. He was also made a member of King Jonathan's Council. He protected Jonathan during Roger's attack during his coronation.

Raoul has admitted to having drunk a lot of alcohol during his younger years, and disliking what it turned him into. Tamora Pierce reveals that he quit drinking after a riding accident that resulted in the death of his favorite horse and the injuries of a family of Players.[3]

In the intervening years, Raoul continued as Commander of the King's Own. Prior to his command, the King's Own was known as a soft option for nobles' younger sons, but Raoul turned it into the Crown's weapon, including an expansion to three companies and the recruitment of many of the Bazhir. This expansion became particularly valued when the immortals were loosed into the world. When Daine and Numair discovered the plot of Tristan Staghorn and Yolane of Dunlath against the throne Raoul was amongst the fighting forces sent there. During the Immortals War, Raoul gained the moniker of 'Giant-killer' after tackling a giant on his own, even though, as Neal of Queenscove puts it, it was 'only' a twenty-foot giant. In the final battle of the war Raoul - with some help from the Badger, Rikash Moonsword and darkings - fought and killed a giant three-headed chaos snake. For his contributions during the Immortals War, Jonathan elevates Raoul to a peer of the realm, making him Lord of Malorie's Peak (prior to this, Raoul was only Sir Raoul of Goldenlake, this is due to his father's still being alive).

In 456 HE, Raoul took Keladry of Mindelan as his squire. Although he was accused of only taking her because Alanna asked him to, Raoul had genuinely been interested in Kel's skills, particularly her knowledge of the Yamani Empire. He treated Kel well and became very fond and supportive of her. He taught her various skills, including command, logistics and supplies, and tilting. Kel was introduced to the King's Own, and many members of the Third Company of the King's Own also became attached to her. This became clear when Raoul sent a squad of men after Kel when she crossed the borders into Scanra after her people when they were captured from Haven.

Raoul and the Third Company became attached to the Grand Progress (spanning the years 457 and 458), and Raoul had to be repeatedly called to the progress by the king due to his dislike of parties and social functions. Eventually, Jonathan released the Third Company to deal with the burgeoning war with Scanra in the north. Raoul killed a second giant in 459.

Raoul also became Buriram Tourakom's lover, and later husband, during this period.

After Kel gained her shield, he took Alan of Pirate's Swoop, the younger son of his friend Alanna and the twin brother of Alianne of Pirate's Swoop, as his squire.

Raoul remains Commander of the King's Own even after his marriage to Buri because his men didn't want him to go, although the rules would have demanded it.[3] However, this is contradicted during Squire, where Flyndan tells Raoul that he is the only one who can get married and stay part of the King's Own.

Personality

Raoul is shy, friendly, and kind. He is also in possession of a strong temper when provoked. He is extremely loyal to the king and friends. Although usually not prone to fighting without good reason, he liked to hit the generally disliked Ralon of Malven, according to Jonathan.[4]

He is also notorious for hating balls and parties and avoids them as often as possible. He is described as turning into a block of wood on one occasion when confronted with a young dinner partner of marriageable age.

Physical Appearance

Raoul is 6'4" with a powerful physique. He is described as having sloe-black eyes, curly black, although it was described as being brown when he was still a page[5], hair which is cropped short during his tenure as Kel's knight-master, and a broad, ruddy face.

Relationships

Family

Raoul is the son of the Lord of Goldenlake, who is still alive by the end of the 450s. His father's aunt, his own great-aunt, is Lady Sebila of Disart, whom he describes as a 'female dragon'. She is hard of hearing and anxious to get Raoul married off to someone. Raoul does not mention any siblings in any of the books, suggesting that he is also the heir to Goldenlake.

Raoul eventually married Buriram Tourakom in the year 460 HE. No children have yet been mentioned.

Friends

Raoul is close friends with Jonathan IV of Conté, Gareth II of Naxen and Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau. He was one of Alanna's first friends in the palace and very protective of his young friend "Alan".[4]

Appearances

Notes and references

  1. Tortallan timeline
  2. during In the Hand of the Goddess, Douglass is spoken of as being Raoul's squire, but later described as Gary's
  3. 3.0 3.1 [1] Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "rb1" defined multiple times with different content
  4. 4.0 4.1 Alanna: The First Adventure, Cp. 3 (p. 56; Random House paperback)
  5. Alanna: The First Adventure, Cp. 2 (p. 28; Random House paperback)

See also