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When Beka is ten years old her mother takes her to [[Fern Cooper]], Beka's grandmother, because the pigeons were talking to Rebakah and Ilony feared that her daughter might be mad. Fern tells her that it's not madness at all, but that Beka has the [[Gift | Air Gift]], which she inherited from her father.<ref>[[Terrier]] (Random House Paperback), p. 9</ref> |
When Beka is ten years old her mother takes her to [[Fern Cooper]], Beka's grandmother, because the pigeons were talking to Rebakah and Ilony feared that her daughter might be mad. Fern tells her that it's not madness at all, but that Beka has the [[Gift | Air Gift]], which she inherited from her father.<ref>[[Terrier]] (Random House Paperback), p. 9</ref> |
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Four years later [[Ilony Cooper]] dies.<ref>http://www.tamora-pierce.com/timeline.htm</ref> [[Lord Gershom]] and his wife provide for the children and make sure all of them get proper education. Although [[Theodorie of Haryse | Lady Theodorie]] still doesn't approve of Beka learning to be a Provost's Guard, she pursues that future. Before entering official training as a guard, Rebakah has been working as a message runner for three years. |
Four years later [[Ilony Cooper]] dies.<ref>http://www.tamora-pierce.com/timeline.htm</ref> [[Lord Gershom]] and his wife provide for the children and make sure all of them get proper education. Although [[Theodorie of Haryse | Lady Theodorie]] still doesn't approve of Beka learning to be a Provost's Guard, she pursues that future. Before entering official training as a guard, Rebakah has been working as a message runner for three years. |
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| − | While living at the [[Lord Provost]]'s, Beka also made an acquaintance which should prove to be important for her later live: She found a little kitten in the stable, a black kitten with purple eyes. She named him Pounce and Beka soon discovered that this was no ordinary cat. Only one of the miracles surrounding Pounce being that he could actually talk. |
+ | While living at the [[Lord Provost]]'s, Beka also made an acquaintance which should prove to be important for her later live: She found a little kitten in the stable, a black kitten with purple eyes. She named him [[Pounce]] and Beka soon discovered that this was no ordinary cat. Only one of the miracles surrounding Pounce being that he could actually talk. |
===Trainee Guardswoman=== |
===Trainee Guardswoman=== |
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Beka possesses the ability to understand the spirits of the dead, who ride on [[Animals in Tortall#Pigeons|pigeons]]. Through them, she learns of murders that have occurred recently and pieces together clues to them. She can also commune with [[dust spinners]], which are like small dust storms that are stationary on some street corners. The dust spinners pick up sounds from events and conversations that occur near them and relay the information to Beka. |
Beka possesses the ability to understand the spirits of the dead, who ride on [[Animals in Tortall#Pigeons|pigeons]]. Through them, she learns of murders that have occurred recently and pieces together clues to them. She can also commune with [[dust spinners]], which are like small dust storms that are stationary on some street corners. The dust spinners pick up sounds from events and conversations that occur near them and relay the information to Beka. |
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| − | ==Pounce== |
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| − | Pounce is Beka's cat. His pelt is black and he has purple eyes, and is a previous reincarnation of [[Alanna of Trebond]]'s cat [[Faithful]]. Both Faithful and Pounce guide their owners in the right direction, and both are forms of the constellation "The Cat". This is a roaming constellation that has the same name in both the language of humans and that of crows. The Cat is said to disappear for up to a decade at a time before returning (presumably disappearing when helping mortals). |
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==Appearance== |
==Appearance== |
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Revision as of 23:10, 27 April 2009
Rebakah Cooper is a member of the Provost's Dogs, a law enforcement group in the city of Corus. Nicknamed Beka, she is the protagonist in Tamora Pierce's trilogy Provost's Dog. She appears in book one, Terrier, as a puppy (trainee) to two senior Dogs, Matthias Tunstall and Clara Goodwin. She is an ancestor of Eleni Cooper and George Cooper and her story takes place approximately 200 years before the beginning of the Song of the Lioness Quartet.
Book Two in the Provost's Dog trilogy, Bloodhound, opens with Beka as a full-fledged Dog (guardswoman).
Personal History
Early Years
Rebakah was born in 230 HE as the oldest daughter of Ilony Cooper. The family lived in the poorest part of Corus, the so-called Cesspool in the Lower City, where Ilony worked as an herbalist. Neither the name nor the fate of Beka's father are mentioned in the books, although Ilony was married to him and Beka inherited the Air Gift from him. Presumably he died because Ilony has been living with another man until he found out she was terminally ill, beat her up and robbed her in 238 HE. Rebakah was furious. She followed the man and discovered that he was a member of the Bold Brass gang, which has been terrorising the wealthy districts of Corus for a year by then. Beka went to the nearest kennel (guard station) to report what she had found out, but none of the guards believed her. That's when Rebakah first meets Lord Gershom. She steps in front of his horse, when he is riding in the Lower City and tells him she can give him the Bold Brass gang. The Lord Provost believes her and and thus catches the criminals.[1]
Afterwards, he follows Beka home and takes her and her family in to live at his household. Beka and Lord Gershom get along quite well with each other, as Rebakah shows vivid interest in the Dog work, which pleases the Lord even more because none of his own children are that enthusiastic about it. That's also the reason why his wife, Lady Theodorie, doesn't approve of Beka. She doesn't like the girl being that interested in the work of the Provost's Guard because she herself disapproves of it and because she is of the opinion that it's unfit for Beka.
When Beka is ten years old her mother takes her to Fern Cooper, Beka's grandmother, because the pigeons were talking to Rebakah and Ilony feared that her daughter might be mad. Fern tells her that it's not madness at all, but that Beka has the Air Gift, which she inherited from her father.[2] Four years later Ilony Cooper dies.[3] Lord Gershom and his wife provide for the children and make sure all of them get proper education. Although Lady Theodorie still doesn't approve of Beka learning to be a Provost's Guard, she pursues that future. Before entering official training as a guard, Rebakah has been working as a message runner for three years. While living at the Lord Provost's, Beka also made an acquaintance which should prove to be important for her later live: She found a little kitten in the stable, a black kitten with purple eyes. She named him Pounce and Beka soon discovered that this was no ordinary cat. Only one of the miracles surrounding Pounce being that he could actually talk.
Trainee Guardswoman
On April 1 in 246 HE Beka begins her year as a trainee Guard, a so-called "Puppy". Together with her partners Clara Goodwin and Matthias Tunstall she covers evening watch.
Guardswoman
Magical Abilities
Beka possesses the ability to understand the spirits of the dead, who ride on pigeons. Through them, she learns of murders that have occurred recently and pieces together clues to them. She can also commune with dust spinners, which are like small dust storms that are stationary on some street corners. The dust spinners pick up sounds from events and conversations that occur near them and relay the information to Beka.
Appearance
Beka is five feet eight inches (5'8") tall, muscular, and slender. She has light blue-gray eyes that are unsettling when she glares. She has brown-blond hair which she tight-braids from the crown of her head and braids a spiked strap into so as to surprise opponents who try to grab her hair in a fight.
Family
Immediate
- Ilony Cooper - Beka's mother, deceased
- Fern Cooper - Beka's grandma through her father. Taught Beka how to handle dust spinners and the pigeon's passengers.
- Diona Cooper - Beka's 15-year-old sister, studying to be a lady's maid
- Lorine Cooper - Beka's 13-year-old sister, training to be a seamstress
- Willes "Will" Cooper - Beka's 12-year-old brother, royal messenger
- Nilo Cooper - Beka's 10-year-old brother, training as a stableman
- Lilac - Beka's cousin
Relationship
- Rosto - Current King of Rogue
- Dale Rowan - banking clerk
Descendants
- Eleni Cooper - George's mother
- George Cooper - King of the Rogue, friend and future husband of Alanna of Trebond