Auren

Gildy Locks (Lu)

Precious (Midas)

Gild (Keg)

Castle Girl (Keg)

Gleam

Glow

Gold

For the first five years of Auren's life, she spent it in Annwyn with her father and mother. Though one fateful evening there was a raid. She tried to escape with the other children though she was captured and taken to Orea. She was sold to a flesh trader in Derfort Harbor, forced to beg and steal for 10 years until she was forced to be a street-saddle. She escapes on a ship to Second Kingdom, wandering the desert until her power developed. She meets Midas and spends the next 10 years with him in a gilded cage and castle in the frozen mountains of Sixth Kingdom.

### **Gild (Book 1)**

Auren is the main character and sole POV of this book (minus one chapter at the end). She is living in Sixth Kingdom with King Midas, who found her ten years prior. She is considered his "favored saddle" out of his harem. However, Auren is kept in a cage that extends the entire length of the top floor of the castle in Highbell. Auren is extremely lonely in the beginning, musing about the likelihood of turning solid gold like a bird named Coin in the atrium.

During the visit of the king from the Fifth Kingdom (of whom, Midas is allies with), Auren is used to flaunt Midas' power and wealth, parading around each expansion of her cage. When the Fifth King asks for a night with her, Midas agrees on the condition he send his army to Fourth Kingdom to meet with Sixth's army and strike. Auren is horrified by this, but the deal is struck, and the two kings spend a week planning the attack and the aftermath.

On the night of the attack, Auren is dress up like a saddle and told to behave by Midas. During the festival, Auren is forced to sit on the Fifth Kings throne where he forces her to feed him. During this time, she is degraded and insulted. When the Fifth King tries to drag her out of the room, Auren refuses and is both physically and verbally assaulted by the King. A messenger prevents the interaction from escalating. Once the Fifth King learns the attack on Fourth Kingdom was a trick by Midas, he and his soldiers attack Midas and his men, using Auren as a threat against Midas. A knife is pressed to her throat which draws golden blood and later scars.

Auren is traumatized by this, and later refuses to speak with Midas. He apologizes for his actions but explains that it was necessary for him as he was never going to let the Fifth King actually touch her. It was all a ploy to trick the king and kill him, but Auren could not know. Auren has nightmares throughout the following week and is only comforted by Digby, a guard for her cage whose been around for several years.

Midas later goes to the fifth kingdom with the intent of getting its control. He leaves with Auren and Saddles to follow.

When travelling, Digby feels something wrong in the snow and goes to check with some other guards leaving Auren and Sail, the guard Auren became friends with. They are attacked and captured by pirates. There, Sail is murdered and is hung on the ship, Auren refuses to let the pirates ruin his body and throws it overboard.

Captain Fane, furious, takes her into a room to assault her but is interrupted by a messenger telling her that there is a hawk with a message. Fourth Army arrives along with Commander Rip. Rip makes a deal with Captain Fane to buy Midas’s saddles and soldiers. Fane agrees but attempts to keep Auren but ultimately allows Rip to buy her as well. Auren and Rissa are taken to Fane’s quarters where he rapes Rissa and beats Auren. Auren saves herself and Rissa by turning Fane solid gold and revealing that she is the one with the gold-touch powers.

### **Glint (Book 2)**

Auren and the other saddles are now traveling with Fourth’s army under the command of Rip

### **Personality:**

She is often very positive and tries so see the best in her situations. And despite her past experiences and of course traumas she manages to appear kind, humorous and generous.

### **Magic: Gold Touch, Ribbons**

**Gold Touch**: Auren has the ability to turn things gold with her touch. She is often seen wearing gloves to prevent this in Gild and Glint.

**Ribbons:** Auren has 24 "ribbons" protruding down her spine on either side. She can control them subconsciously and often uses them to help undress or braid her hair. In Gild, she uses them to pull Sail's body down from the Red Raid's ship and manages to throw his body overboard with them. In Glint, she begins training with them to learn how to better defend herself.