Character Archive · The Canticle Prelude · Major Spoilers
Maria
The healer who saved Siegfried.
Maria is not a wizard or royal knight, but when the old defenders begin to fall, her practical skill and fierce loyalty keep one of the kingdom’s most important protectors alive.
Wilhelm’s Wife
Maria and Wilhelm build a home together while the kingdom grows increasingly dangerous. She is perceptive enough to recognize when Wilhelm is hiding his work with the resistance and forceful enough to make him confront what his choices could cost their family.
Saving Siegfried
When Wilhelm brings a badly poisoned Siegfried to their cottage, Maria treats him. The poison has progressed too far for ordinary remedies, so she makes the severe decision required to stop it from spreading and save his life. Her care allows Siegfried to survive the collapse of the rebellion and continue protecting the kingdom.
A Grounded Voice
Maria repeatedly supplies the perspective the legendary knights lack. Where they think in terms of oaths, battles, and duty, she sees homes, children, consequences, and the people who must live with the aftermath.
Michael D. Young 