Born into the royal court of the Avar Elf-queen Dardarien, Ulgarin (Av."Demon-posessed-crowned-one" ;PQ."Úlugharyariknâ") spent her childhood splashing in the island surf, running races in the tiled halls of the palace, and watching the sun rise over the Eastern Ocean. She paid little heed to the political realities surrounding her until the Queen ordered Ulgarin's mother put to death by the ancient method, gwaen-en-wiroithe, or pressing, for treachery. The Lady of the Prith-an-Iryst ("Tower of the Rainbow") lay down beneath a board of polished thornwood and stones were placed on top of it, one by one, to crush her. Ulgarin's allegiances shifted rapidly. She began to master the ways of channeling while learning and remem- bering the views held by all the nobles of Dardarien's court. Someti