Vatar at 22, at the beginning of the second book:

Apparently, I was pretty boring at sixteen. I guess that’s not surprising. I hadn’t done much, yet, back then. Now? I’ve been more places and seen more things than most. I’ve been to places you’ve never even heard of. I’ve been clear across the Great Forest and across the mountains beyond. What do you want to know about me?

Why did I cross the Great Forest? Well, that’s a long story. I don’t think we need to go into all of that. I'm told there's a whole book about it. Let’s just say, I didn’t do it because I wanted to. I didn’t have much choice. It was just something I had to do.

It wasn’t a pleasant or a safe journey. I was pretty badly injured along the way. But the good thing about it is that I found her. That red-haired woman I used to see in my mind. I found her. She was there, in that Valley on the other side of the mountains all the time. And she agreed to come back with me as my life mate. That’s the best thing that has ever happened to me. Well, that and my children. I can’t pick between the two.

Yes, I’m a master smith, now, with my own master’s mark. I chose a charging lion—the symbol of the Lion Clan. I can’t live without working with iron and steel. Well, I can. But I don’t want to. It’s in my blood. Didn’t they tell you? I’m descended from Tabeus, the first smith. So I came back to Caere become a master smith. My knives are in high demand. The best to be had in the city. Why are mine the best? Well, can you keep a secret? Iron and steel sort of sing to me. I can see what the metal needs—where to strike, when to temper. It’s a very old Talent. Tabeus had it. And, sometimes, I can sing power into the blades. But only if I’m really angry. You’re right; it comes from my Fasallon heritage. Seems I do have Talents after all. And that’s not the only one. But don’t tell the Fasallon. They might not take it well.

What other Talents? All of them, actually. Every one. There’s not much any one of the pure-blood Fasallon can do that I can’t. But we don’t want them to know that. It might make them nervous. Except Father, of course. He knows. And a very few others.

Father, I mean Veleus? I've changed my opinion about him. He’s been really good to me. I guess I’ve grown to like him and respect him, in some ways. And, well, I understand things a little better, now. Things aren’t always as simple as they seemed back when I was sixteen, when I first found out about him. I’ve had a failed marriage myself. I didn’t cheat on Avaza, of course. But I also didn’t have to ask anyone’s permission to leave her. Alright, technically, she left me. But only because she beat me to it. I was only going to stay with her until after the twins were born.

Yes, I’m a father, now, too. I have twins, a girl and a boy. That’s the worst thing about coming back to Caere, having to be away from them. I miss them so much. But I’m not sure that they’d be safe here in Caere. They have Fasallon blood, too, you know. And my son can already hear me if I speak to his mind. And he’s only three!

More children? Hush! Don’t let Thekila hear you! Don’t you know women die in childbirth? I couldn’t possibly risk Thekila like that. I couldn’t lose her. I couldn’t stand it.

Thekila is very different from Avaza. She's small, very petite, especially among the Dardani. We're a very tall people, generally. Next to Avaza, she almost looks like a child, she's so much shorter. And she doesn't have Avaza's more obvious attributes. I have to admit it, it was Avaza's figure, not her mind, that attracted me to her. It's different with Thekila.

The twins don't look like Thekila, of course. They're mine and Avaza's. How could they look like Thekila? The twins don't look much more alike than any other brother and sister. They're both blonde. And I suppose there's some family resemblance. My son has my eyes. I guess he looks like me, except that he's blonde, like his mother. My daughter looks more like Avaza. But she's sort of serious, like I always was as a child. I don't think Avaza was ever that serious about anything in her life.

I guess I'd still be kind of serious, if it wasn't for Thekila. She can be very mischievous. She makes me laugh. That's another thing I love about her.

Thekila loves the twins. She loves to watch them play. That's what makes me afraid she's going to start wanting to have more children. Thekila is so small! I'm not sure that's a good idea.

The twins haven't known Thekila very long, but they like her. I think they'll love her when they've known her longer.