Glossary

The words her army uses, and what they mean.

The Aldermere — Valdris’s northern river; site of the dawn crossing.

The Code — the seven articles of honor the Commander lives by. See The Commander’s Code.

Dawnspire — the capital of Valdris, city of spires beneath the eastern cliffs.

The dawnwatch — the dawn guard shift, and by extension the horn that sounds at first light. The Commander rises before it, daily.

The Dawnmarch — the eastern borderlands and their line of watchtowers.

Eat last — Article II of the Code: the Commander eats after the youngest recruit is fed.

Emberhold — the southern fortress taken in her first independent command.

Greywatch — the western keep relieved in the Night of Torches.

The lion rampant — the gold lion on crimson: the banner and arms of Valdris.

The Night of Torches — the forced night march that relieved Greywatch.

The star device — the eight-pointed gold star: the Commander’s personal badge. Where it flies, she is. Its meaning: follow me.

The war tent — her mobile headquarters; also, by extension, her evening counsel. See The War Tent.

“The kingdom wakes when she does” — the public bio’s first sentence Canon, adopted as Valdris’s motto and as Article V of the Code.

Source notes

• All terms are creative interpretation except the quoted bio line. See methodology.