Leopold is an interesting subject. As a viktor, he was born—or reborn, I guess—to guard someone the Fates believed was destined to bring about significant change or serve great purpose. But unlike most viktors, Leo figured out what he was, as well as who he was sent to protect and why.

Hair: Coppery red.

Eyes: Pine green.

Body type: Tall.

Facial features: Square jaw with several days’ worth of beard growth.

Straight nose. Dark brows.

Personality: Caring. Stable.

Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Called Poppy “poppy- flower” and “baby girl.”

Background: Viktor. Firstborn son. Wealthy but not a Lord—merchant family involved in shipping and friends of the King.

Family: Wife = Coralena †. Son = Ian †.

LEOPOLD’S JOURNEY TO DATE:

Leopold, being reborn with the sole purpose of guarding Poppy on her path of bringing about great change, was one of the rare few who figured out who he was meant to protect and guide and took it upon himself to search out who he knew would eventually become Poppy’s guardian— Cora. The two fell in love and ended up having a son. For all intents and purposes, they had a good life, despite knowing the truth about the Ascended and Poppy’s fate.

When the Dark One came to claim Poppy, both Leo and Cora fought.

Alastir, having betrayed them both, was also present at the Lockswood Inn that fateful night.

Most believed both Cora and Leo died that night. It’s later revealed that Cora didn’t and was instead killed by Isbeth. Leo’s fate, however, still remains unknown.

I surmise that he was killed and returned to Mount Lotho and the Arae to await his next life and mission.

IAN BALFOUR †

Click here to see a full-size image of Ian by art.bymikki.

Ian was the catalyst for so much of Poppy’s motivation after Casteel— as Hawke—whisked her away. And while his story came to a tragic end, and despite circumstances, he was a good brother.

Hair: Reddish brown.

Eyes: Hazel—shifting from brown to green. Turned black after Ascension.

Body type: Long and lean.

Facial features: Handsome. Oval face. Smooth jaw. Full lips.

Personality: Gentle. Imaginative. Playful. Kind. Patient. Doting. A bit of a flirt.

Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Voice was as soft as air. Loved to tell stories. A dreamer. Knew the horrors of what lay outside the Rise walls. Called Penellaphe, “Poppy.” Wrote his sister monthly letters. Liked coffee. Had nightmares of the Craven attack. Before Ascension, could be found outside on sunny days, scribbling in one of his journals and writing stories. Was a great actor. Liked dancing.

Other: Was older than Poppy by two years. Born in December but didn’t know the date and didn’t really celebrate.

Background: Looked forward to Ascension. Married Lady Claudeya shortly after Ascending, though he never talked about her. Ascended when Poppy was sixteen as a favor. Was the last to Ascend.

Family: Mother = Coralena †. Father = Leopold †. Adoptive sister = Penellaphe.

IAN’S JOURNEY TO DATE:

Ian is an interesting case. He seemed to retain some of his goodness even after his Ascension. Too bad Isbeth had to cut his life short. I wish Poppy could have had more time to see how much was left so she could add that to her memories of playing with him under the willow, making snowballs, and learning how to pick locks.

The night the Craven attacked Lockswood because of the Dark One— i.e., Malik—a woman at the inn pulled Ian into a room to save him.

It’s said he always looked forward to his Ascension. I’m sure that changed once he learned the truth…

Three years before Poppy’s planned Ascension, one year before Ian Ascended, he beat Lord Mazeen in poker, and the Lord accused him of cheating. That didn’t go over well at all and caused some tension.

I’ve wondered if that’s why he ended up separated from Poppy—outside of her being the Maiden and him being slated for Ascension.

Ian Ascended when Poppy was sixteen, even though he wasn’t a second son—the ones the vamprys usually made into new Ascended. It was said it was done as a favor to Poppy, and that Ileana petitioned the gods to let it be so.

I don’t believe any of that.

However, it’s worth noting that Ian was the last to be Ascended.

He married Lady Claudeya shortly after Ascending, but I think it was more of a political move somehow. He never spoke of her. Maybe he never really married her at all, and it was just a lie. Who knows?

He next appears in my visions right around the time things were getting real with Poppy and her allies.

Vonetta confirms that Ian has Ascended, and then he leads a convoy of about two hundred Royal Knights and soldiers to Spessa’s End to request an audience with Cas and Poppy. He says he will only speak to his sister and claims he’s come to prevent another war.

He asks about Poppy, wondering how she’s doing after her kidnapping.

When he finds out she’s married, he fakes surprise—I’m quite certain he already knew.

When he meets with them, he asks what Atlantia hopes to gain by taking his sister—not the Maiden—and wonders if he’s actually supposed to believe she married the monster responsible for their parents’ deaths. He

makes a comment that he can only imagine the lies the enemy has told her, though he won’t hold it against her—nor will the Crown.

At this point, the things he said made me think that while he might have had a spark of goodness left, it wasn’t a big one. Either that, or as Poppy said, he was just a really great actor. I honestly don’t know. It’s really hard to read someone properly in a vision.

Especially since he sort of shifts yet again, saying some additional things before telling the group the villain is always the hero in their own story.

Ian asks if he can speak with Poppy alone, and as they talk, something

flickers across his face when she talks about how the Ascended feed.

He relays that Tawny is safe but says Poppy can see for herself if she comes. He adds that the true Queen has requested a meeting with the Prince and Princess of Atlantia in a fortnight at the Royal Seat in Oak Ambler. He says Ileana promises not to harm either of them so long as they leave the army they’ve gathered in the north.

As the group mulls it over, Ian flirts with Vonetta and tells her she’s more than welcome to join them when they make the trip.

Cas moves to Poppy, and the knights start to advance. Ian halts them and says the Blood Crown has no desire to start another war, then adds that if it comes to that, Atlantia won’t win.

He warns them all that if they arrive with any ill will, they will be destroyed, along with Atlantia, starting with Spessa’s End. Then he taunts that they could have hundreds of thousands of soldiers and wouldn’t beat what the Queen created—alluding to the Revenants.

Here, it felt to me like he was giving them information without it appearing he wasn’t loyal to the Blood Crown. And given what happens next, I believe I’m right.

Ian tells Poppy he’ll see her in Oak Ambler and then asks to hug her. When they embrace, he tells her he knows the truth and urges her to wake Nyktos, adding that only his guards can stop the Blood Crown.

This shocked me. I wasn’t prepared to have it confirmed that he actually was acting. Perhaps him being a firstborn son changed his Ascension somehow, just like it did with Millie and Callum when they became Revenants. I’m honestly not sure.

When the group arrives in Oak Ambler, he speaks to Poppy and tells her he hopes she is well and that her travels after they last saw each other went

well. This could sound innocuous to those around and mean nothing but her trip to Oak Ambler, but we know he’s subtly inquiring if she went to Iliseeum.

The group meets with the Queen, trading barbs, and Ian remains silent all the while.

I saw another flaw in Ian’s disguise when Ileana orders Millie to be struck down and he turns away. After the truth comes out about Isbeth— what and who she is—Ian confirms all of it.

After the Blood Queen puts forth her terms for what she wants of Poppy and Cas, Poppy refuses. As punishment, Isbeth has one of her knights behead Ian.