Marzana Hakelbarend

****M******arzana Hakelbarend** is the daughter of Violet Cross. She came to Greenglass House along with other Waits around Christmastime, and got to assist her mother on a heist, accidentally tipping Milo off on the identities of her parents.

Back in the Liberty of Gammerbund, that summer Marzana assembled the Thief Knot to help solve the kidnapping of Peony Hyde, and succeeded in finding both the culprits and the girl.

## Biography

### *Ghosts of Greenglass House*

Marzana arrived with the other Waits to Greenglass House. She was the hobby horse, and Peter Hakelbarend her handler, since she could not see very well in the costume. When Mrs. Kirkegrim went to enter Greenglass House first, she shouted for her to be stopped. Mr. Hakelbarend introduced her when they entered Greenglass House, and she said nothing. Milo thought her to be not that much older than himself. Marzana then stood against the wall and looked out over the room, staying that way for a long time. Rob advised her and Mr. Hakelbarend to sit down, calling Marzana 'Spookypants', and Marzana corrected him that that was not her name. Clem asked Marzana how she'd wound up with the role of hobby horse, and she responded that it was so she did not have to talk to people.

Mrs. Kirkegrim asked to use the bathroom, and Milo showed her up to the one on the second floor. Marzana followed them, explaining that she needed a minute because there were too many people. Milo understood, as he often felt similarly and was beginning to think that Marzana had a problem with people. Upon seeing the second-floor window, Marzana was fascinated, and explained that she'd been curious about Greenglass House's windows. Mrs. Kirkegrim then exited the bathroom and informed 'Marzie' that she could use it now. This upset Marzana, and Mrs. Kirkegrim noted that she planned to apologize later.

Marzana and Mrs. Kirkegrim were both conked on the head, each saying that they did not know what from. Marzana deemed that Mrs. Kirkegrim had been the one to yell. Mrs. Pine and Milo provided ice packs, and Marzana sat on the couch, saying nothing while Mrs. Kirkegrim explained what had happened. Marzana agreed to go upstairs, saying she would like to lie down. Milo informed Mr. Hakelbarend of the incident and wondered who could have caused it.

Lucky wanted to check on Marzana, feeling responsible as she had convinced Marzana to come, and felt very bad about that. Milo noted that Marzana was staying in room 3S. When going over clues, Milo realized he did not know Marzana's last name. Milo told Meddy that Marzana seemed uncomfortable around strangers and was a little odd, and had a prior interest in Greenglass House, or at least its windows, something Meddy said he should check on. They wondered how she knew about the house. Milo realized the reason for Marzana and Mrs. Kirkegrim being attacked and Mr. Larven poisoned: someone wanted to make sure the Waits could not leave.

When Marzana came downstairs in the morning, Milo thought she looked haunted, wondering if she was that uncomfortable around people. Marzana sat at one of the small breakfast tables, and no one sat at the other chair there. Mr. Hakelbarend looked at Marzana now and then but did not say anything to her.

Lucky told Milo that people volunteered, practiced, then went caroling. Marzana interpreted Milo's unspoken thoughts that this seemed too normal, and Lucky, misunderstanding this, was offended, something Milo did not know what to do with. While Milo tried to think of what to say, he met eyes with Marzana, and realized that she knew exactly what he was feeling, and felt this way all the time. Marzana wanted to hear him explain, and Milo decided to tell her the truth. In doing so, he talked about Marzana too much and decided to shut up, and Marzana grinned the whole time for reasons Milo was not quite sure of, and mentioned why theyh ad not brought the hobby horse inside. Marzana noted that she, too, was a new caroler. Lucky explained that she knew Marzana from work, and Marzana assured Lucky that Lucky was only mostly dead to Marzana after this, and could come back from that. Marzana asked what stollen was when it was brought up.

Mrs. Kirkegrim was sitting in the spot that had a good view of the other guests. Meddy made Milo sit with Marzana at the breakfast table where she was, because it had a good view, despite Milo's protests. Milo asked if he could sit next to Marzana, and after seeing how little options there were for him allowed him to. Marzana moved her things, looking amused, and he sat down and asked how she was feeling. Marzana asked which of Greenglass House's windows did he think was the best, and Milo mentioned his favorite window, the one people often admired, and pointed out the ship chandelier over the dining table. Milo asked how she had known about Greenglass House, and she noted that Liberty residents got news from outside. Milo asked about the Liberty, and she suggested that he ask Mr. Hakelbarend, who knew a lot. Marzana seemed to lighten up when he apologized for asking. Marzana explained that she had heard about Greenglass House from her mother, who she assured Milo he did not know. Marzana repeated her suggestion of asking Mr. Hakelbarend, saying that while she did not always like what he said, she trusted it. Marzana then mentioned stories again, giving Milo the perfect opening to continue with his plan. Marzana suggested that Milo ask Mr. Hakelbarend to tell a story about the Liberty. Marzana volunteered to clear the table instead of Sylvester. Sylvester thanked her, calling her 'Spooky', which she told him was not her name. Owen eventually helped Marzana with the table.

Milo and Meddy went over clues and ruled Marzana out. During storytelling, Marzana sat on the hearth, which Milo deemed to be so that she could be invisible. Mr. Hakelbarend confirmed with Marzana the reason he had been asked to tell a story, which seemed somehow to make her more comfortable. During the story of Whit Gammerbund, Marzana was full of anticipation, having heard the story before. When Milo interrupted to ask about the wings, Marzana shushed him, but Mr. Hakelbarend assured her that it was okay. When Mr. Hakelbarend finished the story, Marzana applauded, and others joined in too.

Marzana asked Milo if he wanted hot chocolate, and on Meddy's orders he said yes. Meddy explained that they still needed to know more about Marzana, but Milo realized something else: she and Mr. Hakelbarend were very familiar with each other. Milo realized that Marzana was his daughter. Marzana soon arrived with the hot chocolate, and after being invited to sit declined, deeming correctly that Milo would rather have alone time. Milo then asked her why she and Mr. Hakelbarend were pretending not to be related, and Marzana, surprised, sat down quickly. Milo explained how he had figured it out, and after a minute Marzana said that the other Waits did not know. Marzana told Milo that it was what they did whenever they left the Liberty of Gammerbund, and she could not tell him why. Milo asked about Lucky, and Marzana noted that Lucky did not know this about her, and owned a bookstore where Marzana liked to shop. Marzana began to ask, presumably, if Milo thought Lucky to be the thief, but didn't, and left. Meddy theorized that Mr. Hakelbarend was a wanted man, and this way Marzana would be safe if he was caught.

Marzana sat on the hearth again during Lucky's tale. She connected the bookstore where Lucky had found the skull to the one she owned now. Milo told a tale about Violet Cross, and Marzana smiled when he began. When he finished, though, Marzana insisted that he had gotten the story wrong. The Orienteer was not a kite kit, she said, but a paper airplane set, and the kite maps were called the Windrose and the Portolan. Mr. Hakelbarend and Mrs. Kirkegrim both attempted to calm Marzana down, but she continued to insist. Marzana then began to cry, saying how sick she was of people telling stories of smugglers and getting them wrong. Milo apologized for getting it wrong, wondering if Mr. Hakelbarend was a mapmaker or smuggler. Marzana asked if he believed her, as he'd gotten it from someone who had known Violet Cross, but Milo said that person could have gotten it wrong, or Milo could have misunderstood the tale. Mr. Larven mentioned the derrotero, and Marzana denied knowing about it. She then stomped away.

Milo approached her later, she looking rebellious. Marzana inquired who Milo knew who had known Violet Cross, but he did not tell her. Marzana corrected him on the other thing he had gotten wrong about the story: the distributors had bought the maps, not the customers. Milo asked how Marzana knew these stories, but she did not tell him, either. Milo inquired why she had denied knowing about the derrotero, but Marzana did not answer, saying that she really wanted to leave. Milo apologized again for getting the story wrong, then asked what Marzana had meant about a map's orientation. Marzana used some of Emmett's art things to draw a map and explain to him about orientation. Milo thanked her and left, but Marzana left the screened porch with him. Georgie gave Marzana her origami version of the Orienteer, to Marzana's delight.

Marzana gave Milo some cookies, and thanked him, leaving before he could respond, to sit by Lucky. Marzana watched, fascinated, when Clem picked the locks on Sylvester's coat. When Milo picked a lock too, Marzana applauded. Marzana thought the locks beautiful. Marzana volunteered to stay, along with the other Waits except for Mrs. Kirkegrim, until the stolen things were returned. When Mrs. Kirkegrim left, Marzana was in a huff. When Milo went outside, he found where Marzana and Mr. Hakelbarend had put the hobby horse: in an old outbuilding on the grounds.

Milo figured out that Marzana was Mrs. Kirkegrim's daughter, and Mrs. Kirkegrim was Violet Cross. Milo sat next to Marzana on the couch, and she asked how long he had known. Milo answered that he had only just figured it out, but she had given him the clues. Marzana admitted that she had been worried about that, but it had been hard not to. Marzana explained that she had always wanted to see her mother work, and Milo thought she should meet Meddy, whose father had been Doc Holystone. Marzana was confused, knowing that Meddy had died, but Milo explained that Meddy had never left. He took Marzana's hand and led her over to the Christmas tree. Meddy appeared to Marzana, and Marzana compared this to a theurgist exploit from Odd Trails, causing Meddy to deem Marzana cool. Mrs. Kirkegrim explained how she'd thought it a safe caper to bring Marzana with her on, and Marzana revealed to Lucky that bringing her along had not been Lucky's idea.

Mrs. Kirkegrim wanted to take a keepsake for Marzana. She thought Marzana had done very well, though Marzana thought she could have not have tipped Milo off. Mr. Hakelbarend contributed that Milo was quite skilled at figuring these things out. Georgie confirmed this. Mrs. Kirkegrim explained how she'd chosen something of the haul to be a keepsake for Marzana, and Marzana was free to choose her own thing, but Marzana of course chose the keys. Everyone then began to examine the haul, and Marzana found her mother in the smuggler cards. Mrs. Pine provided Marzana with a key ring, and she commented on the writing on it. Mrs. Pine explained that they had not bought the rings themselves. Marzana put the keys onto the ring and thanked Mrs. Pine.

Marzana shook hands with Meddy, then Milo, and Milo invited her to play Odd Trails with them sometime, to her delight, and she wanted to talk to Meddy sometime too. The Waits then left, hiking down the hill back to the Liberty of Gammerbund. Milo later realized that Marzana had taken the derrotero home as a keepsake.

### *The Thief Knot*

#### Thief Knot

**Marzana Hakelbarend**: Maybe. I mean, if we're going to do this—

**Nialla**: We should do it right.

— *The Thief Knot*, pg. 70 |  | ”

Marzana and her best friend Nialla Giddis sat outside a shop in the Liberty of Gammerbund. They were watching a man who, it appeared, was planning to steal from a jewelry shop. Over time, however, Marzana began to suspect that this was not what they thought it was, and sure enough, it turned out that the man was proposing to his girlfriend. Marzana and Nialla were disappointed, and Nialla pointed out glumly that nothing ever happened in the Liberty of Gammerbund.

Marzana and Nialla went to Surroyal Books, where Lucky greeted them and sent them toward the set of new *Quester's Crossroads* books. Marzana watched as a kid explained his disapproval of the series and Nialla shut him down. Marzana mulled over how nothing exciting ever happened in the Liberty, thinking of her mother. Lucky suggested that Marzana join a game group that met at the bookstore and included a girl probably in Marzana's grade. Marzana, however, while she did want to go, was nervous about the social interactions and told Nialla honestly that she probably would not go.

Marzana went home, where she found, to her surprise, Emmett Syebuck, whom she'd met at Greenglass House. Marzana was afraid that something was wrong, since Emmett was a customs agent, but her parents assured her that things were okay. Emmett explained the reason for his visit: he needed Marzana's parents' help to investigate a kidnapping. An eleven-year-old girl, Peony Hyde, had been taken, and some of the suspects lived in the Liberty. Marzana wondered if Peony was actually in Gammerbund, and if the adults were doing it wrong, but did not think it likely. Emmett explained the details of what had happened, and at the end, turned to Marzana and asked if she had any questions. Marzana, surprised, asked a few, which both Emmett and her mother thought were good points and wrote down. Emmett then left, and Marzana wondered why she could not be a part of it, to which her parents responded that it was dangerous and she could not help. Marzana was sent up to her room while her parents discussed Emmett's news.

Marzana wrote down clues and things she should find out. Honora then entered, and since Mrs. Hakelbarend had that day refused to answer a letter from the relative of one of her former crew members, Honora told Marzana a story. Marzana craved these stories, only knowing a few, and listened intently as Honora told of a time when the crew of the *Lancet* had smuggled truffle-hunting pigs. Marzana then called Nialla and told her that she had an adventure and would tell her the next day. Marzana and Nialla met up at their school, Marymead, but Marzana was not able to explain before class began, though she managed to later. In their math class, instead of Mrs. Agravin, they found a substitute, Mr. Otterwill, who had, apparently, taught at Peony's school, Watermill Elementary. Marzana and Nialla decided that they needed a Commorancy Kid to help them, and chose Emilia Cabot, causing Marzana to have to go to the game group at Surroyal Books in an attempt to recruit Emilia.

Marzana was very nervous, as was apparently typical for her; Marzana was socially awkward and worried very much about it. Lucky introduced Marzana to the game group (Lily, Maria, Jeffrey, Emilia, and Alex). They played The Sneaksby Gambit, and Emilia was, as Marzana put it, a shark. In a moment when it was just Emilia and her, Marzana invited Emilia to join their group, telling her that there had been a kidnapping and she could say more later. Emilia agreed to hear more. Marzana called Nialla to report what had happened, and Nialla suggested that they invite J.J. Mowbry. She had, she admitted, already told him what had happened. Marzana was furious, as J.J. was a friend Nialla had had previously who had ditched her. Marzana agreed to hear what he had to say, and Nialla apologized for inviting J.J. without asking Marzana first. They decided that the crew would have a name if they got five members.

The next morning, Moth and Christopher Fletchwood, the sons of Tumbler Fletchwood, who had been on Violet Cross's crew, arrived. Mrs. Hakelbarend refused to tell them anything. Mr. Larven then showed up, and Marzana, upset that she could not stay, left for school. After lunch, Emilia took Marzana and Nialla up to the Commorancy floors and they told Emilia about the kidnapping. That afternoon, Emilia led them a secret way out of the school, through underground paths, to Boneash and Sodalime's Glass Museum and Radioactive Teashop. Marzana and Nialla were excited and amazed the whole way, never having known there were things that interesting in the Liberty. They eventually arrived at Surroyal Books, where J.J. and his friend, Ciro del Olmo, were waiting. Marzana was very angry at J.J., and acted it, but he explained how he could to magic tricks and Nialla seemed very impressed, annoying Marzana. Ciro explained how he, like the other del Olmos before him, was a camoufleur. Marzana, Nialla, and Emilia decided to allow the two boys to join, and Marzana was declared to be the leader of the group, something that made her nervous but that she accepted.

Marzana told J.J. and Ciro about the kidnapping. Ciro decided to come over to Marzana's house with his phone, and take pictures of the ransom note and Marzana's parents' notes. Ciro also planned to learn more about the Belowground Transit System, because his father had worked on it and he could access those notes. Every time someone else came into the room, J.J. would talk about pencils with a confidence that made Marzana jealous. The group then adjourned, and Nialla assured Marzana that she had done very well.

Marzana went home, and listened to her parents discuss their investigations. Marzana then called Greenglass House, hoping to talk to Milo Pine, but Milo was away at camp. Milo later called back, however, Mrs. Pine having told him that Marzana wanted him to call. Milo suggested ways for Marzana to contact Brandon Levi, and mentioned how to find a Belowground Transit station. Marzana later asked Honora about different kinds of knots, and Honora listed many different knot names and gave a short summary of each one. Marzana then chose a name for the group.

Ciro came over to Marzana's house after school. Marzana's parents, however, were too busy to ask any awkward questions; Nick Larven was there, and had brought Rob Gandreider. Ciro turned on the Marx Brothers on TV, and Honora provided cookies and lemonade. Marzana and Ciro then photographed Marzana's parents' notes, Marzana and Ciro listened in from the fireplace as her parents interrogated Rob: it turned out he'd been let out of jail by a bribed policeman. Ciro then went home, and Marzana pretended not to have heard her parents talking.

In the morning, a package from Milo Pine arrived. Marzana found a vial with a figurine in it, and a note from Milo with instructions. Marzana did not understand what Milo meant. She left for school, and as she stepped out of the door, she found a girl on the step. Marzana realized that she was looking at Meddy, the ghost she'd met at Christmas, who had somehow been sent to her in the mail. Meddy explained how this worked, then Marzana filled her in on the kidnapping as they walked toward Marymead. Meddy agreed to help out.

#### Investigations

Meddy introduced herself to Nialla, then Emilia, to their surprise. Emilia led Marzana, Nialla, and Meddy in investigating Mr. Otterwill's file: by getting into a Marymead dumbwaiter. They entered Miss Palkowick's office, and looked in the filing cabinet. After reading Mr. Otterwill's file, they deemed him a serious suspect, then got into the dumbwaiter again, as Miss Palkowick was returning. Emilia ferried Marzana, Nialla, and Meddy to Marzana and Nialla's first period class, and they were confused as the two offices were not in line. Baffled, they wondered if the old iron could move around the Marymead rooms to make way for the dumbwaiters. During break, Marzana read a book on birds, looking at the Snakebird entry. She and Nialla then asked Mr. Otterwill some questions, and he said that he'd been recommended for the job by his great-uncle, who, Marzana realized, was Victor Cormorant. Emilia later realized that Victor Cormorant was the Snakebird.

The group met up again at Surroyal Books, and Meddy was introduced to J.J. and Ciro. Marzana introduced the group's name, the Thief Knot, named for a sneaky knot that pretended to be a reef knot but wasn't. The Marymead girls shared what they'd found out about Mr. Otterwill and the Snakebird. Ciro then showed some of his grandfather's notes on Belowground Transit stations, and they found that there were two in the Liberty of Gammerbund, Ottomy Stalls and Horneblende Park. At the mention of Horneblende Park, Emilia began quietly to cry, and Ciro realized that it was a cemetery. Emilia's father had been, Meddy realized, Alexander Cabot. Meddy told Marzana that she should know who he was, since he had saved her mother's life, and Emilia revealed that she'd known who Marzana's mother was. Marzana was quite angry that some people's parents told them things, and hers didn't, and expressed how her parents never told her things. Marzana then felt bad for not comforting Emilia. The group returned to the discussion of Belowground Transit stations, Emilia pretending that the former had never happened. They realized that there was a third Belowground station in the Liberty: inside Marymead. They briefly discussed the possibility of a secret message in the ransom note, then Meddy, Marzana, and J.J. went to Mrs. Agravin's house to see what was up.

Ciro gave Marzana his phone for emergencies, then he and Emilia left. Marzana called her house before setting off, and Honora answered; Marzana's parents had left for something unexpected. The bus arrived and the three boarded it, and as they went Marzana asked Meddy to tell her about how Alexander Cabot had saved Marzana's mother. Meddy did, Marzana promising to ask Emilia. Meddy explained how Emilia's father had figured out who Violet Cross was, then provided an alibi to two customs agents who were suspicious of her. J.J., Meddy, and Marzana got off the bus and walked around Whipping Hyde until they found Mrs. Agravin's house, and discovered that it was right above the Ottomy Stalls Belowground station. Meddy passed through the door and let them in.

Meddy flew down the stairs, shouting that Peony Hyde was there. Marzana quickly called the police, but someone else was coming into the house, and J.J. and Meddy quickly responded (J.J. throwing cards, Meddy shutting the door). Marzana set to untying Peony, and J.J. reported that the people behind the door were Marzana's parents. They entered, took change, and Marzana explained that this was Mrs. Agravin's apartment. Mrs. Hakelbarend promised that Marzana would be scolded. Marzana tried to ask Peony about her captors, but this seemed to scare the girl and she did not answer. J.J. and Meddy did magic tricks for Peony, which seemed to cheer her up. The police then arrived, and the Hakelbarends, J.J., and Meddy left. They found Mrs. Agravin entering, and told her what had happened; she had been told she had won the sweepstakes and gone on a cruise.

Mrs. Hakelbarend talked to Marzana, and Marzana explained her group's investigations. Unfortunately, Mrs. Hakelbarend was very angry with Marzana. She also thought something had been off about the whole kidnapping. The Snakebird then arrived, and Marzana was sent to listen in on the living room, as the Snakebird asked questions and Mrs. Hakelbarend defended Marzana. Marzana then listened to her parents discuss the odd things that had been happening, and asked a few questions. Marzana's parents were very mad at her, presuming correctly that she had not considered the dangers of this. Marzana, too, was upset, and perhaps because of this.

The Thief Knot met up again at Surroyal Books. All of the group's other members were happy, to Marzana's surprise. Meddy insisted that the group had not done anything wrong, and Ciro seemed to presume Marzana's realization, that she'd thought it a game all along. Ciro explained how he and Nialla had tried to find a message in the ransom note, but had not discovered anything that seemed right. J.J. did magic tricks with Meddy. Nialla brought cookies. Emilia did not arrive, and after a while Ciro called, and got Emilia on the phone. Marzana felt that she was beginning to realize something, but could not figure out what.

#### Realizations

Marzana realized, all of a sudden, that the girl they had rescued in Mrs. Agravin's apartment had not been Peony Hyde. She explained this to the others, who eventually caught on. The whole thing, Marzana said, was a shell game. The Thief Knot decided that the adults should be called, but first, Emilia said, they should come see the Belowground Transit station at Marymead, which she thought was somehow connected to the caper. The Thief Knot went to Marymead, where the other Commorancy Kids supported Emilia and they went to enter the station. On the way, they passed the pictures of Marymead trustees, among which was one of one Natasha Cormorant. Marzana and the other Thief Knot members agreed with Marzana that Tasha must have been connected to the kidnapping, as a carrier. Meddy rejoined the group and commented upon Tasha's resemblance to Fake Peony, and Ciro showed how they could be the same person. The Thief Knot then entered Cotgrave Wall Station.

Emilia explained her theory about what the real object of the kidnapping was: to get the Hydes to leave their house. From looking at a map, they found that the Hydes lived above an old Belowground Transit station— the hub. Ciro and Nialla then figured out the ransom-note message: it was on the back of the note. The Thief Knot's members did not understand what it meant, however. Meddy then heard a rumble, and Marzana realized that Emilia had called the train by accident. Brandon Levi arrived, and they explained themselves. Brandon did not want to take them unless he knew there were adults coming, and so Nialla and Ciro decided to go up and call the adults while the others went on. Marzana, however, realized that Nialla was going to miss the adventure. Nialla, however, though upset, insisted that it had to be done for the adventure to go on, and that she would not miss it if Marzana told her about it. Ciro kissed Marzana before she left, then explained that it was for luck.

Marzana, Emilia, J.J., and Meddy boarded the train. They discussed what they planned to do, Meddy suggesting that they catch them and make them talk. Magic was going to be needed, Marzana decided. She then gave the group a pep talk, and they exited the train. The old iron was all over the station, and they could hear someone trying to break in from above. The Knot hid in various places around the station as the kidnappers broke through and entered the station. Marzana hid in a locker (the kidnappers wanted something from a locker too, one in Marzana's row), and watched as J.J. and Meddy used various tricks to delay the kidnappers.

After the two men were out of the aisle, Emilia got in and picked the lock on their locker. The kidnappers came back in, though, and one, Kit, caught Emilia while the other, Timmy, caught Marzana. He placed a knife to her throat. Marzana tried to make a deal that they would open the locker if the two told them where Peony Hyde was, then realized that she knew the two kidnappers: Moth and Christopher Fletchwood, Tumbler's sons, who had come to her house previously. She realized that it was something from their father in the locker, and Emilia eventually (having finished buying time) opened the locker.

The kidnappers found that there was nothing in the locker, however, to their fury. Moth was convinced that the 'little thieves' had taken it, but J.J. and Meddy rigged a balloon to act as the fake ghost of Tumbler Fletchwood, and the balloon signaled that the children had not. J.J. then, while Marzana directed the kidnappers to look at the balloon, formulated a message from cards, and when the Fletchwoods opened the locker again at the balloon's direction, they found a message demanding for the child to be returned. Brandon then caught them, which he could do since Marzana was not their hostage, and sent the Knot up to call the police. Marzana's parents then arrived, however, and Emmett and Thad. Emmett reported that, thanks to the Knot finding the message, Peony had already been found. Moth then threatened to tell everyone who Marzana's mother was if they were not let go. Mrs. Hakelbarend, however, convinced them that they were not like that. The two were arrested and Emmett and Thad marched them out of the station.

Marzana, in looking at the locks, realized that Tumbler had left them something after all. She followed the engravings on the locks to other locks on other lockers, and at the end, formulated a poem from Tumbler to his sons. In the final locker, Tumbler had left two kites, the Windrose and the Portolan. Mrs. Hakelbarend agreed that Marzana could tell Nialla and Ciro the story behind the kites, which Marzana knew they would love. Marzana confessed to her mother that she felt like she understood the Fletchwoods, because they both had the same frustrations, but Mrs. Hakelbarend told Marzana that Marzana had done different things with them, which was good. Mrs. Hakelbarend was impressed at Marzana's being a hero. The train arrived back at Cotgrave Wall, where Nialla and Ciro were waiting. Marzana told Nialla that everything had gone well, and Ciro squeezed Marzana's hand. They all went to the Hakelbarends' house for dinner. Mrs. Hakelbarend expressed approval of the Thief Knot, and to Marzana's delight agreed to tell her a story about a time she had put together a special crew.

## Physical appearance

Marzana has dark hair in one short braid. Marzana has dark skin and is tall.

## Personality and traits

**Marzana Hakelbarend**: I do. This was really scary for me. It was nice of everyone to let me play and not make a big deal out of it.

— *The Thief Knot*, pg. 79 |  | ”

Marzana is quiet when she first comes to Greenglass House, even saying that she plays the role of the hobby horse so she won't have to talk to anyone. Marzana has social anxiety, and is very anxious in many social interactions, mostly staying with her one friend Nialla. However, she gradually gets over this over the course of her adventures with the Thief Knot, gaining confidence, friends, and leadership skills.

Marzana is very upset that her mother does not tell Marzana about her past. She always wants to hear more stories, and the few that she does get, she memorizes and hoards. Marzana is very eager for an adventure.

## Relationships

### Peter Hakelbarend

Mr. Hakelbarend supports Marzana as best as he can. Sometimes, Marzana does not want his help, and sometimes he is upset with her, but generally they seem to understand each other well.

### Barbara Hakelbarend

**Marzana Hakelbarend**: Well, yeah. With *me*. Obviously.

— *The Thief Knot*, pg. 450 |  | ”

Marzana loves her mother very much, and is in awe of Mrs. Hakelbarend's skills and talents. Marzana does, however, have a longstanding frustration: she wants to know more about her mother's career as a smuggler and what she had done. Mrs. Hakelbarend did not tell Marzana much of anything, wanting to keep Marzana safe, but Marzana did not feel that this would help with that. Marzana hoarded every story she got, and eventually her mother began to tell her more.

### Milo Pine

Marzana and Milo both are antisocial, and seem to bond over this. On multiple occasions Milo made comments about her that he didn't mean, then pulled them back, embarrassed, because he hadn't meant that, and Marzana understood. Milo was apprehensive about sitting next to Marzana, as he was a boy and she was a girl, but Meddy made him. They managed conversation, and Milo showed Marzana some of the house's windows. Milo listened to Marzana when she corrected him about the Orienteer, and Marzana in turn taught him about the orientation of maps. Milo figured out who Marzana's parents were, and seemed to understand her giving him clues without meaning to. Marzana planned to come over again later, perhaps to play Odd Trails with Milo and Meddy. When Marzana needed help, Milo was the first she thought of calling, and he helped her despite being at camp, sending Meddy to Marzana.

### Nialla Giddis

Nialla is Marzana's best friend. Both long for an adventure, and together they look for one. Nialla calls Marzana 'Mars' and Marzana calls Nialla 'Nye'; they are the only ones known to call each other those nicknames. Nialla and Marzana form the founding members of the Thief Knot, and together they do many things. Sometimes Marzana and Nialla disagree, but they always make up afterward. Nialla and Ciro eventually stayed behind while the rest of the Knot went for the final confrontation, to Marzana's dismay; this had been their dream. Nialla was unhappy as well, but explained that this was the only way it would happen, and Marzana promised to tell Nialla about it.

## Trivia

* The name "Barend" in Marzana's last name is a form of the name Bernard and means "bear brave".
* Before watching him propose to his girlfriend (mistakenly believing he was going to steal the ring), Marzana and Nialla followed the same man for a week.
* Marzana has heard 13 stories about her mother's past from Honora, 1 from Meddy, and less than 5 from her mother herself.

## Gallery

**Take a look at our **gallery for Marzana Hakelbarend****.

## References

1. ↑ https://babynames.com/name/barend
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *The Thief Knot*