Character guide

Simon the Coldheart

major

Also known as Simon, Simon of Beauvallet, Beauvallet, Sir Simon of Beauvallet, Sir Simon, Simon Baron of Beauvallet, Simon Beauvallet, Lord Simon

Simon arrives at Montlice's gate with nothing but nerve, demanding employment from a lord notorious for his temper, and earns a place through sheer audacity. He rises by strategy rather than charm: his men follow him because he wins, and his enemies fear the flat green-blue gaze that appraises them like a problem to be solved. At Belrémy he plans to open the gates from within, dividing his lands and wealth by sealed will before a fight he refuses to call doomed — and the woman who rules that castle will prove the one siege his cold logic cannot simply starve out.

Lady Margaret of Belrémy

major

Also known as Belrémy, the Lady Margaret of Belrémy, the Lady Margaret, Margaret, Margaret of Belrémy, The Lady Margaret, Lady Margaret, Countess of Belrémy

Margaret holds Belrémy against the English and treats with Simon only on her own terms — alone, under truce, inside her castle where she believes he is helpless. She is defiant, sharp-tongued, and unused to being outmaneuvered, which makes her a genuine adversary rather than a prize waiting to be won. Their parley is the hinge of the campaign: whatever passes between them in that stronghold reshapes both the siege and Simon's famously frozen heart.

Geoffrey of Malvallet

supporting

Also known as Malvallet, Geoffrey, Sir Geoffrey, A Malvallet, Sir Geoffrey of Malvallet

Geoffrey fights beside Simon through every campaign and is the one who notices when Simon starts speaking like a man settling his affairs before a battle — and says so, anxiously, to his face. His loyalty is absolute and his temper hot, but he is also the friend who takes command if Simon falls and who will care for Simon's wards for his sake. He grounds the story's cold hero in human warmth, and his dread before Belrémy tells the reader exactly how dangerous the coming fight is.

Fulk of Montlice

supporting

Also known as Fulk, Montlice, Lord Fulk, My Lord Fulk, Milor' Fulk

Fulk is a giant of a lord, hot-tempered and loud, who tests the boy Simon at his own table and finds himself out-faced by a stripling who refuses to be called a vagrant. Wounded at Shrewsbury, he rages at being carried from the field while Simon finishes the rout, and their gruff, sparing exchanges reveal a bond built on mutual respect rather than affection. As Simon's first master and patron, Fulk launches the rise that the rest of the book measures — and his bafflement at Simon's choices keeps the older generation's voice in play.

Jeanne de Faucourt

supporting

Also known as Jeanne, Mademoiselle, mademoiselle, Mademoiselle Jeanne, petite Jeanne, miss Mademoiselle Jeanne, little Jeanne

Jeanne rides with Margaret out of beleaguered Belrémy and banters with Geoffrey about being carried to the altar by force, all mock-severity and dimples. Under the flirtation she is startlingly clear-sighted: she insists Simon must love Margaret, because why else would he have killed Raoul, and Geoffrey calls her wits wandering. Her certainty plants the question the reader will spend the middle of the book wanting answered, and her lightness leavens the siege's grimness.

Alan of Montlice

supporting

Also known as Alan, Montlice, the young Montlice, young Alan, Sir Alan, Sir Alan of Montlice

Alan is the young Montlice, courteous and quick to laugh, who overrides his father's men and brings the ragged Simon before Lord Fulk out of sheer instinctive liking. He becomes Simon's devoted friend and Master of his Horse, a harp-playing, lovesick counterweight to Simon's iron, forever volunteering for the dangerous task and forever being told to be content with doing his bidding. His open-hearted loyalty makes Simon's coldness legible — we see the warmth Simon inspires precisely because Alan feels it so plainly.

King Henry V

supporting

Also known as Henry, VII, King Henry, King Hal

Henry is the soldier-king whose victories at Agincourt and beyond have made him the sun around which ambitious men orbit, and he prizes Simon enough to keep him at court if Simon would only stay. Where others see only Simon's stone-cold efficiency, Henry points to a frolicking page in the Beauvallet green and insists the man is not wholly made of iron. His patronage launches Simon's rise and quietly frames the question the whole book worries at: whether the Iron Lord can ever be humanised.

Maurice of Gountray

minor

Also known as Maurice, Gountray

A French knight and ally of Lady Margaret's cause.

Ranaud

minor

A French soldier or knight serving under Lady Margaret.

Raoul the Terrible

minor

Also known as Raoul, Lord Raoul

A brutal French lord who captures Lady Margaret.

Roger of Maitland

minor

Also known as Roger

An English knight and companion to Simon.

Charles of Granmere

minor

Also known as Granmere, Charles

A French nobleman and ally of Lady Margaret.

Gregory Arnold

minor

Also known as Gregory Arnold of Saint Dormans, little Arnold, Arnold

A young boy or servant in Simon's household.

Hélène

minor

Also known as Mademoiselle Hélène, Mademoiselle, mademoiselle

A French lady-in-waiting to Lady Margaret.

Chevalier de Fleurival

minor

Also known as The Chevalier de Fleurival, The Chevalier, the Chevalier

A French knight who serves Lady Margaret.

Bernard of Talmayne

minor

Also known as Bernard, Talmayne

A French knight allied with Lady Margaret.

Madame la Comtesse

minor

Also known as Madame

The Countess, likely Lady Margaret's mother or a relative.

John Holland

minor

Also known as Holland, John

An English nobleman and ally of King Henry.

Fernand de Turincel

minor

Also known as Turincel, Fernand

The lord of Turincel castle, an ally of Raoul.

Cedric of Gountray

minor

Also known as Cedric

A French knight, possibly related to Maurice.

Master Hubert

minor

Also known as Hubert

Simon's trusted steward and advisor.

Margot

minor

Also known as May, Poor Margot, sweet Margot

A servant or attendant to Lady Margaret.

Margaret the Amazon

minor

Also known as An Amazon, Margaret, the Amazon, The Amazon

A legendary or allegorical figure, possibly a nickname for Lady Margaret.

Master Bernard

minor

Also known as Bernard

A clerk or secretary in Simon's service.

Nicholas

minor

Also known as great Nicholas stammer, the bully Nicholas, Nicholas Conrad

A bully encountered by Simon in his youth.

Walter of Santoy

minor

Also known as Santoy, Walter

An English knight in Simon's company.

Amélie

minor

Also known as Mademoiselle Amélie, Mademoiselle, mademoiselle

A French lady-in-waiting to Lady Margaret.

James Short-Leg

minor

Also known as Short - Leg, piped Short - Leg, James the Short - Leg

A messenger or servant with a distinctive nickname.

Master Fenton

minor

A clerk or official in Simon's service.

Gaston

minor

Also known as the good Gaston

A French soldier loyal to Lady Margaret.

Malcolm Clayton

minor

Also known as Malcolm

An English archer or soldier in Simon's army.

Edmund Marnet

minor

Also known as Edmund

An English knight or squire serving under Simon.

Edmund of Fenton

minor

Also known as Edmund, little Edmund

A young boy or page in Simon's household.

Jean de Galledemaine

minor

Also known as de Galledemaine, Jeanne

A French knight or nobleman, possibly a relative of Lady Margaret.

Paul Lenoir

minor

Also known as Lenoir, Paul of Lenoir, one Lenoir

A French soldier or captain serving under Lady Margaret.

Owen Glyndourdy

minor

Also known as Glyndourdy, Owen de Glyndourdy, Owen

A Welsh ally or rebel mentioned in the story.

Robert of Balfry

minor

Also known as Gilbert

An English knight in Simon's retinue.

John of Barminster

minor

Also known as Barminster

An English knight or official.

Philip Morgan

minor

Also known as Morgan, Philip

A Welsh or English soldier in Simon's army.

Basil of Mordaunt

minor

Also known as Basil

An English knight serving under Simon.

Léon Margrute

minor

Also known as Léon, Léon de Margrute

A French knight or nobleman.

Father Peter

minor

Also known as Peter

A priest who counsels Simon or Lady Margaret.

Sire de Galledemaine

minor

Also known as The Sire de Galledemaine

A French lord, possibly father of Jean.

Francis of Dalley

minor

Also known as Francis, Frank

An English knight in Simon's company.

Thomas of Worcester

minor

Also known as Worcester, Thomas

An English nobleman and ally of King Henry.

Captain Lenoir

minor

A French captain serving under Lady Margaret.