# Empress Hildaborg — Short Fiction character guide

> Empress Hildaborg in Short Fiction by Poul Anderson.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** Hildaborg, Therokos, Aureon

**First appearance:** 0000-star-ship

## Who they are

An empress who led armies against invaders.

## In the story

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_44_se/chapters/ii)

Young queen of the Emperor Aureon, mentioned as a half-barbarian princess of Choredon.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_44_se/chapters/iii)

Disguises as a guardsman; reveals the prophecy and her plan to meet Alfric; explains the Temple-Imperium conflict; refuses to abandon her friends.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_44_se/chapters/iii)

Mentioned as the High Priest who seeks absolute power and wants to eliminate Hildaborg.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_44_se/chapters/iii)

Mentioned as the deceased Emperor, last of the Thirty-Ninth Dynasty, and Hildaborg's husband.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_44_se/chapters/iv)

Hildaborg, the Empress, is captured and given an ultimatum by Therokos; she ultimately yields to save her men.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_44_se/chapters/iv)

The High Priest Therokos confronts the prisoners, offering Hildaborg a choice between marriage and a horrific death.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_44_se/chapters/v)

Assists in subduing Therokos and a slave, then is sent to rally city supporters for the uprising.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_44_se/chapters/v)

High Priest taken hostage; offers a bargain but is ultimately stabbed by Alfric after leading them out.

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_44_se/chapters/vi)

Joins the final charge on horseback, kisses Alfric after victory, and declares he will be her king.

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_44_se/chapters/vi)

Found dead among the bodies of priests and slaves after the Temple is stormed.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_44_se/characters/hildaborg
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_44_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_44_se/characters