Queen Nontusvel
Names: Queen Nontusvelthe QueenNonnieNontusvelGood QueenMothermy Lady MotherQueen-DamQueen-MotherQueen and MotherMother of the HostAwful Mother
First appears in Book 2: The Golden Torc, chapter 1 (1)
Appearances
What you know
Book 2: The Golden Torc
- Ch 2Nontusvel is Mother of the Host, Thagdal's wife, with red hair; her ur-mothermind read Bryan's memories and she took Mercy's portrait.
- Ch 2Nontusvel has borne 242 children, including Nodonn, Velteyn, Imidol, Culluket, Riganone, Clana, Dectar and Anéar.
- Ch 4Nontusvel is Queen of the Host, loves animals, and is gentle and trusting, though her children press her to accept killing Elizabeth.
- Ch 4Nontusvel fears being displaced as queen-dam, sharing the fate of earlier queens Boanda and Anéar-la, and is relieved Elizabeth does not want to be queen.
- Ch 9Queen Nontusvel has more than two hundred surviving children, many in her Host.
- Ch 10The Queen speaks Standard English around the torcless Bryan and mothers the Great Ones; she says some of her best friends are human.
- Ch 12She is Queen, a First Comer who has ruled eight hundred years; her Host of 242 children shows pureblood Tanu can survive without human genes.
- Ch 12Nontusvel hopes Brede will choose what is best for both races, even praying for all three races.
- Ch 12Nontusvel asks the others to link minds and sing the Song for all living exiles on the planet.
- Ch 23The Queen comforts Thagdal, telling him his impotence is all in his mind, and manages him with soothing, flattering words.
- Ch 23Nontusvel favors Riganone replacing Mayvar as Lady Farsensor and Kingmaker, and regards Nodonn as the secure heir.
- Ch 23Nontusvel plans to find the chubby black-haired girl who sang a Welsh lullaby, suspecting Dionket is keeping her.
- Ch 25Queen who personally coerced Sukey and farspoke Culluket; she is reluctant about harming the Thagdal and is exempt from Nodonn's plans.
- Ch 33The Queen always wins the last chariot race; she insists Nodonn will beat Aiken and may use the Sword.
- Ch 40Nontusvel is Thagdal's Queen; she stood beside him at the combat and was with him when the wave struck.
Connections
- related toThagdalrule together as King and Queen
- partner ofThagdalhusband and wife; King and Queen
- family ofLord Imidolson
- family ofCulluketson
- family ofLady Riganonedaughter
- family ofNodonnson/brother of the siblings
- family ofKuhalson
- family ofAnéarchild
Key moments
- Book 2 · Ch 2Presentation to the High Table
The honorees are presented; Elizabeth is hailed with Slonshal. Thagdal and Nontusvel welcome them, Nontusvel promises Bryan he will see Mercy, and Ogmol is named as his assistant.
- Book 2 · Ch 2Thagdal explains Tanu breeding and torcs
Over the supper Thagdal and Nontusvel explain his sovereignty by fertility, the eugenic program with human help, and how honorary golden torcs were granted to key human arrivals.
- Book 2 · Ch 2Thagdal explains Tanu history of torcs
Thagdal tells the human guests how Gomnol discovered human latency and invented the assay device, silver and gray torcs, which let the Tanu dominate the Firvulag.
- Book 2 · Ch 2Toast to Elizabeth and fellowship
Thagdal declares Elizabeth a gift of Tana and announces her training under Brede; the court toasts fellowship, then feasting and dancing begin.
- Book 2 · Ch 4Siblings press the Queen to kill Elizabeth
In the garden, Culluket, Imidol and Riganone persuade Nontusvel that Elizabeth threatens the dynasty through Gomnol's breeding scheme and cannot be allowed to flee. They agree she must die.
- Book 2 · Ch 4Plan to compel Elizabeth's self-destruction
Imidol and Culluket will design a compulsion to self-destruction, powered by the Host members in Muriah, while waiting for Nodonn and Grand Combat. They resolve to act after Brede's initiation and to hide it from the Thagdal and Gomnol.
- Book 2 · Ch 8Nodonn reveals his troubles
Nodonn tells Rosmar they must go to Muriah on his mother's summons, voices worries about Delbaeth and hostile new humans, and Rosmar pledges to fight with him.
- Book 2 · Ch 10Royal box discussion
Bryan reports on his survey while Tanu leaders voice fears about human influence, and Greg-Donnet rants about cloning.
- Book 2 · Ch 12Mourning Anastasya
The High Table members gather at Redact House, link minds and sing the Song over Anastasya's body, then debate her legacy.
- Book 2 · Ch 12Dispute over Gomnol's plan for Elizabeth
The Host demands Elizabeth's death, fearing hybrid operants; Gomnol and Eadone defend the plan. Aiken Drum's possible challenge is raised, and the Queen proposes demanding a ruling from Brede.
- Book 2 · Ch 12Nontusvel calls for a Song for the living
After Eadone and Kuhal discuss Brede's role and uncertain choice, Nontusvel asks the group to link minds again and sing the Song for all exiles on the planet, not for dead Bybar.
- Book 2 · Ch 23The King's failure and the doomsday survey
After Thagdal fails again with a love-gift girl, Nontusvel comforts him. He reveals Brede's taboo on Elizabeth and Bryan's survey predicting Tanu downfall. He vows to stop a human-hybrid coalition and destroy the reports.
- Book 2 · Ch 25Sukey's treason exposed
The Queen and Culluket reveal Sukey's plot knowledge and marriage to Stein; she is condemned as an outlaw human, and Stein is imprisoned.
- Book 2 · Ch 25Nodonn reveals his strategy
Nodonn outlines his plan to exploit the planned raid and expose the survey at the Grand Combat, summoning the top fighters to a reunion luncheon, and reveals Mercy's genes.
- Book 2 · Ch 33Thagdal confides in Nontusvel
After the chariot races, Thagdal tells the Queen of defections, escapes and Aiken Drum's rising support. They console each other.
- Book 2 · Ch 37Nodonn presents Bryan's survey
At the banquet, Nodonn brings the torc-compelled Bryan before the Tanu to expose the consequences of human assimilation, while Celadeyr defiantly backs Aiken Drum.
- Book 2 · Ch 40The great flood
The Spain-Africa dike collapses and a 230-meter wave sweeps over the White Silver Plain as the champions clash, drowning Thagdal and the gathered multitude.