Aiglamene

Aiglamene illustrated by lucenorthstar

> *"A soldier's best quality is her sense of allegiance. Of loyalty. Nothing else survives."*
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**Aiglamene** *(Eye-GLAM-en-ay)* is the Captain of the Guard of the Ninth House and Gideon Nav's sword-master. Though she is loyal to her House and the Lady Harrowhark Nonagesimus, she is sympathetic to Gideon's plight and seeks to be on her side as often as possible. She is promoted to Marshal upon Harrow's departure to the First House.

## **Biography**

### **Early Life**

Aiglamene fought on far-off front lines when she was younger, where she lost her leg and presumably gained her other scars. At some point, either when she was off-planet or before the Ninth House closed itself to outsiders, she “saw the primary cavalier of the House of the Second fight in his youth”

She was in charge of the weapons training for both Ortus Nigenad and Gideon Nav.

Aiglamene, as Captain of the Guard, has been made aware that Priamhark and Pelleamena died years ago and that Harrow is the true leader of the Ninth House.

### **Gideon the Ninth**

#### Act I

Aiglamene appears at the landing field after Marshal Crux has left, having heard him *"abusing Gideon [Nav] to anyone who will listen."*  She is understanding, but stern with Gideon—without permission from Harrowhark Nonagesimus, she cannot allow Gideon to leave. Aiglamene departs, but quickly returns with Crux and Harrow.

Despite her protestations, Harrow proposes a duel and Gideon accepts. As Gideon and Harrow prepare to duel, Aiglamene chastises Gideon for her lack of good sportsmanship and loyalty to her House. She demands that Gideon give Harrow a weapon, but Gideon refuses. Despite this, the duel ends in Harrow's favor, and Aiglamene is instructed to tell the shuttle to wait an hour for its passenger.

Aiglamene attends muster and hears The Emperor's summons—calling the Heirs to The Nine Houses and their cavaliers to First House. She chastises Ortus Nigenad, the current cavalier primary, for refusing his duty, and his mother for supporting and coddling him. After the muster, she accuses Gideon of not being able to *"spell obligation if I shoved the letters up your ass."* She tries her best to instill a concept of loyalty into her student and, though she inevitably fails, she offers Gideon her sword and bags back.

A week later, Harrow tasks Aiglamene with turning Gideon into a proper cavalier primary to replace Ortus—who has escaped on Gideon's shuttle. She suggests training Gideon in the cavalier's rapier and knuckles, though Harrow is partial to the powder or the chain. As Gideon resists the idea of teaming up with Harrow, Aiglamene works to convince her that this is truly her only chance to get off of Ninth House and out of her bondage. In the end, Gideon listens to her mentor and agrees to train.

Over the next three months, Aiglamene shapes Gideon as best she can into a passable cavalier. They train hard in sword fighting, and she sets her to exercises such as walking a pace behind Harrow for long periods of time. She is genuinely proud and impressed at the progress Gideon is able to make in that time, though somewhat doubts it will be enough. At the end of their time, she presents Gideon with a reforged rapier and knuckles. Before she departs for First House, Harrow promotes Aiglamene to the position of Marshal.

## **Appearance and Personality**

Aiglamene is first described as thus:

> *"The captain of the House guard had a head of melty scars and a missing leg which an indifferently talented bone adept had replaced for her. It bowed horribly and gave her the appearance of a building with the foundations hastily shored up. She was younger than Crux, which was to say, old as balls: but she had a quickness to her, a liveliness, that was clean."*
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Her personality is primarily fair—she is helpful when she is able to be and clearly cares for Gideon (though she does not express it openly), but she will not tolerate disloyalty and open disobedience. Despite being eighty-some years old, Aiglamene has a passion to her that is rare in Ninth House, and is still capable of being invested in the living.

## **Powers & Abilities**

* **Swordsman:** Aiglamene, a Cohort trained fighter and Captain of the Guard, is an extremely proficient in swordsmanship and a variety of other weapons techniques.

## **Relationships**

### Gideon Nav

Gideon describes her relationship with Aiglamene as:

> *"Nobody had ever loved her in the House of the Ninth, and certainly Aiglamene did not love her and would have laughed herself to her overdue death at the idea: but in her had been a measure of tolerance, a willingness to loosen the leash and see what Gideon could do with free rein. Gideon loved free rein."*
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The two have a simple mentorship and Aiglamene grows short with Gideon's immaturity. Gideon is her student, and a frequently impulsive and insubordinate one at that. She tries to instill a measure of obedience and respect through mutual respect, but it is a lesson Gideon refuses to learn. Despite this, she seems to see a genuine hint of promise in Gideon, and tries to foster it the best of her abilities. She is not tender, but it is the only support Gideon ever receives from Ninth House.

## **Trivia**

* "Aigla" refers to "l'aigle," which is French for the eagle.

## **References**

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Gideon the Ninth," Act I, Ch. 3
2. ↑ "Gideon the Ninth," Act I, Ch. 4
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Gideon the Ninth," Act I, Ch. 1
4. ↑ "Gideon the Ninth," A Little Explanation of Naming Systems