Kolkhis

Kolkhis, or "Keeper" to Mildmay, is Mildmay's Keeper, parental figure, and slaver, and purchases Mildmay from his mother when in his third indiction. She trains him as a child pickpocket, an assassin, and molests and rapes Mildmay once his face is scarred from the age of 13 onwards, until he escapes her.
== Appearance ==
Mildmay describes Kholkis as having mist-grey eyes, pale skin, and long nails she lacquers to match her eyes.Monette, Sarah. “Chapter 5.” Mélusine, Ace, New York, 2005. The Doctrine of Labyrinths. She has a "long, snaky body" and a "deep, drawling voice."
Felix Harrowgate describes Kolkhis as a tall, slender woman with black hair in smooth curls.Monette, Sarah. “Chapter 15.” The Virtu, Ace Books, New York, 2007. The Doctrine of Labyrinths. She has an oval face, with pale gray eyes described as the color of fog. She has a cruel, thin smile.
Kolkhis wears the clothes of a lady, including a high-necked and form-fitting dark purple poplin trimmed with black lace, with large bustles that she has no problems managing dexterously.
== Personality ==
Kolkhis is a manipulative, business-savvy woman who is also a child slaver, pimp, and head of a group of children and teenagers who perform crimes - including assassination - on her behalf. She rarely does anything that does not directly benefit her, and selfishly uses others for her own needs.
Kolkhis is sadistic, at least when it comes to Mildmay, and enjoys taunting and manipulating him.Monette, Sarah. “Chapter 3.” Mélusine, Ace, New York, 2005. The Doctrine of Labyrinths.
She sneers at robbing hotels, as if it's not a decent way to make a living.
She doesn't pay heed to stories about people with red hair, and is more practical about things. She's terrified of the Sim, which is why she teaches all her kept-thieves how to swim.Monette, Sarah. “Chapter 6.” Mélusine, Ace, New York, 2005. The Doctrine of Labyrinths. Cardenio Richey notes she keeps her word.Monette, Sarah. “Chapter 14.” The Virtu, Ace Books, New York, 2007. The Doctrine of Labyrinths. Bernard Heber notes she's dangerous.
== Life ==
=== Pre-Canon ===
Methony Feucoronne sells Mildmay to Kolkhis during his third indiction, and Kholkis teaches him to be a thief. She also cuts his name down to just Mildmay and makes him dye his hair black to be less obvious.
During the first witch trials after the Fire, during Mildmay's fifth indiction, Kolkhis buys trumps and makes flower crowns for all her kept-thieves.Monette, Sarah. “Chapter 4.” Mélusine, Ace, New York, 2005. The Doctrine of Labyrinths.
After Mildmay is badly scarred during a knife fight, Kolkhis starts having him assassinate people: he kills his first man for money at age 15. She tries to teach him to read, but then calls him too stupid to learn.
Around the age of 13 (before he'd finished his second septad), Mildmay starts having sex with Kolkhis, but never permits Mildmay to kiss her because of how ugly she finds his scar. Around age 16 (two septads and two) she asks him to pretend she's a boy, and then accuses him of being molly when he can't get erect as a result. She frequently threatens to send him to "boy brothels" in Pharaohlight. She controls him a great deal, and doesn't allow him to take any comfort in her body, while frequently drawing blood as a result of her long fingernails.
Three years prior to the events of Mélusine, in the summer, Miriam sends Mildmay to assassinate Cerberus Cresset with the help of Drake in the Mirador.Monette, Sarah. “Chapter 8.” Mélusine, Ace, New York, 2005. The Doctrine of Labyrinths. Kolkhis uses the incident to try and deal with Phoskis Terrapin.Monette, Sarah. “Chapter 6.” Mélusine, Ace, New York, 2005. The Doctrine of Labyrinths. When Mildmay leaves Phoskis, he takes the girl Phoskis' was sleeping with as well, which infuriates Phoskis and Kolkhis. Kolkhis gets the girl a job as a maid.
Margot is the first of Kolkhis' kept-thieves to get out, which pisses off Kholkis.
Eventually, Mildmay realizes his situation with Kolkhis is unhealthy and flees.
=== The Virtu ===
The Kalliphorne visits Cardenio in the morgue to report she saw Mildmay being taken out of Mélusine by Malkar Gennadion. He gets himself indebted to Kolkhis to get a way into the Mirador. She gives him a message for Felix, offering her help, and a letter of introduction to Hugo Chandler, who brings Cardenio to Mehitabel Parr, who takes him to Felix.
Felix later goes with Bernard Heber to Kolkhis at the Stag and Candles for passage to Lamia to rescue Mildmay, and she only acquiesces if he agrees to acquire Vey Coruscant's copy of Principia Caeli by Artemisia de Charon for 'a friend of hers' (implied to be Malkar). After he delivers the book, Kholkis puts Felix in touch with Theodore d'Erda, who takes Felix, Mavortian von Heber, Bernard, and Mehitabel Parr to Lamia. 
=== The Mirador ===
== Skills ==
== Relationships ==
=== Cardenio Richey ===
Cardenio is somewhat respectful about Kholkis before Felix, though he notes she hurt Mildmay a great deal. Cardenio notes he went to her for her connections.
=== Devie ===
Devie is one of Kolkhis' former kept-thieves.Monette, Sarah. “Chapter 9.” Mélusine, Ace, New York, 2005. The Doctrine of Labyrinths. Kolkhis often beat her up for not responding quickly enough to things.
=== Felix Harrowgate ===
=== Margot ===
Margot is one of Kolkhis' former kept-thieves who got away, which infuriated Kolkhis.
=== Michin ===
Michin is a friend of Kolkhis' who teaches her kept-thieves how to swim.
=== Mildmay ===
Kolkhis says of Mildmay that he is one of her most loved children, but was a manipulative cold-hearted child slaver who never let Mildmay take comfort in her, and frequently mocks him, calling him too stupid to learn, and undercutting his self-esteem.
=== Phoskis Terrapin ===
Kolkhis and Phoskis dislike each other, and she uses the assassination of Cerberus Cresset to try to deal with him.
== Quotations ==
== Trivia ==
* Resides in Britomart in the Lower City of Melusine, with connections to the Stag and Candles pub
* She got mad at Mildmay for getting sicker than other peopleMonette, Sarah. “Chapter 5.” Mélusine, Ace, New York, 2005. The Doctrine of Labyrinths.
* She has a bed with a teak bedframe carved with dragons and knightsMonette, Sarah. “Chapter 8.” Mélusine, Ace, New York, 2005. The Doctrine of Labyrinths.
== References ==
Category:Characters
Category:Minor Characters
Category:Mélusine