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Wyldon of Cavall (pronounced WILL-dun of KAV-all) was the page's training master in the middle of the fifth century of the Human Era. He was a conservative who was set in his ways and belief that females could never keep up with males.[5] That's also the reason why he insisted on Keladry of Mindelan being put on probation when she wanted to try for her shield. One of his other students, Nealan of Queenscove, nicknamed him 'The Stump' due to his unchanging nature and his apparent dislike of change itself. Later he resigned from the post as training master and commanded a district on the northern border during the Scanran War.[6]

Biography[]

Early life[]

Wyldon of Cavall was most probably born as the oldest son of his parents, unless an older brother died of which no mention has been made, because he later becomes the lord of Fief Cavall. He has at least one younger brother and only one sister, Elasabenne, who is the youngest of the siblings. Wyldon and his sister have a very good relationship and Wyldon is even said to be Elasabenne's favorite brother.[7]

Not much more is known about Wyldon's early life. It is also unknown when exactly he married Vivenne or which was her maiden name. The only known fact that can be used for estimating the date of their marriage is that their youngest daughter, Margarry married in 464 HE.[8] Considering that Wyldon took the post of training master in 442 HE[9] and that Margarry has three older sisters it is likely that Wyldon and Vivenne have been married since at least 440 HE. His sister disapproved of Vivienne because she didn't think that she was good enough for her favorite brother[7] and they still don't talk much.

Life as training master[]

Wyldon took the post of training master in 442 HE.[9] Five years later he tilted against Raoul of Goldenlake and defeated him. No one has defeated Raoul since then. Lord Wyldon was very good at his job, teaching the future knights well and choosing good teachers for them. This has proved to be fortunate in the Immortals War, where even the pages and squires had been forced to fight and had done well.[10] When immortals attacked the royal nursery at some point in 452 HE[9] Lord Wyldon saved the royal children, though it cost him the use of his arm for the rest of the year and also some of the next year. Baird of Queenscove, the chief of the royal healers, was able to save it.

When Keladry of Mindelan, a noble girl, stated her desire to become a knight, Wyldon convinced King Jonathan to put Kel on probation for a year, leaving the final decision as to whether she stayed or was sent away after that year up to the training master.[11] Wyldon gave her a hard year, criticizing her and being more strict with her than with any of the other students. However, he allowed her to stay at the end of the year - much to Kel's and his own surprise.

In Kel's second year as a page Wyldon continued to work Kel just a bit harder than the boys, but was more fair than he was in the previous year. During the course of Kel's remaining years as a page, Wyldon moved Kel and several senior pages to doing more advanced exercises, showing that he did believe that Kel was adept at what she did.

After Kel had passed her big examinations, Wyldon was shocked. He did say to Kel that she should expect delays in getting a knight-master, because of the congress. He also said that she had proven him wrong on every count, and that he no longer could guess what to expect from her.

Once Kel became the squire of Raoul of Goldenlake, Wyldon had less influence on her, only seeing her when Kel traveled to Corus after Joren of Stone Mountain turned out to be the main perpetrator behind the kidnapping of Lalasa Isran in order to force Kel to be late for the big examinations for pages. Lord Wyldon attended the trial, and tried to tell Joren that he did not agree with him anymore and that Kel had earned the right to stay.[12] During the Royal Progress, Wyldon jousted with Kel a couple of times, and unseated her the first. After doing so, he gave her advice that allowed her to remain seated while still losing during their second match. Sir Raoul of Goldenlake, Keladry's knight-master and one of the best jousters of his time, told Kel that the last person to unseat him had been Lord Wyldon. Kel asked him if Wyldon had beaten him since, and Raoul answered that he just didn't joust with the lord of Cavall anymore.

Resignation[]

"I told lads to be aggressive, to concentrate on the goal. Mindelan, it may be that the best thing said of my tenure is that you were my student. Should that be the case, I am the wrong man for this post. I did all I could to get rid of you. Your probation was wrong. You know that, I know it. I was harder on you than any lad. Thank Mithros I remembered my honor and let you stay when you met the conditions—but it was a near thing. Next time, I might not heed the voice of honor."
—Wyldon of Cavall explaining the reason why he resigned[13]

In 458 HE Wyldon resigned from the position of training master, despite opposition from most everyone, including Kel. He told Kel that he felt that the failures of Joren of Stone Mountain and Vinson of Genlith, two former classmates of Kel's (who were in truth bullies) who failed in their ordeals, were his fault. Kel couldn't convince him otherwise, for she partially agreed herself. He acknowledged that he was harder on her than the other pages, and was glad at least that he remembered his honor at the end and let her continue her training. Knowing that she couldn't change his mind, Kel asked him to make Owen of Jesslaw, a younger friend of hers, his squire.

The Scanran War[]

After his resignation as training master Wyldon spent some time at his home fief before leaving to take command of Fort Mastiff at the Scanran border. Wyldon placed Kel in charge of a refugee camp, telling her that it's a job that few could do. Kel believed that he wanted to keep her out of the real fighting. However, she realized that she would get her share of battles.

Kel periodically reported to Wyldon about the goings on at her camp. When a trouble-maker complained that he did not like Kel's leadership and later wrote an enraged letter to Lord Wyldon when Kel was forced to place him in the stockades during a battle, Wyldon took her side. He agreed that sometimes such things were necessary. He also had a note written that Kel had his entire confidence, and any complaints must be addressed to her.

After Kel's camp was attacked and her people kidnapped by Stenmun Kinslayer, Wyldon ordered her to bury her dead and come back. Later, when Lord Raoul angrily demanded to know why Wyldon actually thought she wouldn't go after her people, he acknowledged that he had a feeling she would, but was very busy at the time because of the huge loss they suffered in a battle with Scanran armies.

When Kel got back from rescuing her people in Scanra, expecting to be sentenced a traitor's death for disobeying a direct order, Wyldon proved her wrong. He pardoned her with the slight punishment of building a new refugee camp, something Kel didn't mind in the least.

While still during the Scanran War, Lord Wyldon attended the naming ceremony of Sarralyn Salmalín, the oldest child of Numair Salmalín and Veralidaine Sarrasri. Sarralyn's two divine grandparents, Weiryn and the Green Lady, were present at the naming ceremony. Lord Wyldon noticed Alanna the Lioness, but made sure to stay clear of her.[14]

Physical description[]

Wyldon is described as being almost bald with sharply chiseled features. He is well muscled and bears a cast on one arm in First Test. Afterwards, he bears a scar on this arm. His face is always shaven clean[15] and his eyes are brown.[16]

Personality and traits[]

"Wyldon was not flexible: he'd proved that to the entire court over and over. If he were any stiffer I'd paint a design on him and use him for a shield. He's got no sense of humor and he rejects change just because it's change."
Sir Alanna thinking of Wyldon[src]

Lord Wyldon is, at first, shown as immutable and incredibly conservative. He believed that women had no place in war, that commoners should not be schooled, and the changes between the classes would not help the country. He was one of the main antagonists toward Keladry of Mindelan during her time as a page. Despite being an honorable man and knowing his duty, he treated her incredibly unfairly at first and put her on probation—something no male page had ever had to undergo. He was harder on her in training than he was to any other boy.

Wyldon's changes in personality over the eight year period that Kel trains shows his character development against all odds. He begins to see Kel as a true warrior in training, and perhaps even better than most of the boys she trained with. He later describes the way he treated her at the beginning as dishonorable and unfair to Kel after he resigns from being training master.

Kel sees more of his playful and regular personality while at Fort Giantkiller, and describes him of being at ease while at the fort, which shows that he was not entirely happy as training master but he did it as it was his duty.

Family[]

Trivia[]

  • Is a dog breeder for the Crown and others
  • Nicknamed 'The Stump'
  • Was the last person to knock Lord Raoul of Goldenlake off of a horse in a jousting match

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. Tortallan timeline (it is also possible that he resigned from the post in 458 HE as there is some discontinuity in Squire because one of Kel's four years as squire is missing)
  2. First Test, Ch. 1 (pg. 5; Random House paperback)
  3. Mentioned in Mastiff, early chapters
  4. During one of Alianne Crow's visions.
  5. First Test
  6. Lady Knight
  7. 7.0 7.1 Random Buzz; "Meanwhile, Back at Cavall (and Maren)..."; April 20, 2009
  8. Words of Tamora Pierce; "Fief Cavall and its House"; April 21, 2009
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Tortallan timeline
  10. First Test, Ch. 1 (pg. 4; Random House paperback)
  11. First Test, Ch. 1 (Random House paperback)
  12. Squire. "The Price of a Maid" (Random House paperback)
  13. Squire, Chapter 14 "Friends" (pg. 285; Random House paperback)
  14. Trickster's Choice
  15. First Test, Ch. 1 (pg. 3; Random House paperback)
  16. First Test, Ch. 5

See also[]

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