Scholar Ankooria

Sally's People are characters I invented for books, short stories and poems. Their creation spans the last three decades of the 20th Century and (so far) the first of the 21st.

Scholar Ankooria is the teenaged son of Lord Toombs. He is a reluctant besieger of Castle Torm, a red-headed conner (scholar) as his name suggests. His father hopes Scholar will make a dynastic marriage with Tegwen of Hasselsjo, but Scholar has his own plans.

The heir of Toombs Castle is quiet and withdrawn, the clever offspring of an ambitious lord and a long-dead Ankoorian mother. The only thing he loves, beside his studies, is his spellhound, the lovely Tace (Tah-chee), whose name means "silence". Faced with death and battle at the siege of Torm, Scholar is sick with misery and anxiety, so when the chance comes to help a girl-child in her escape from the castle, he takes it. But there's a catch- she must take his precious Tace away from danger.

Scholar is another character who has more power than he understands. His name reflects his nature, while his braided red hair hints at a less than common destiny.

Scholar Ankooria is a major character in Candle Iron, published by harperCollins Australia in 2000. Candle Iron is the third in a loose series that comprises "Amy Amaryllis", Shadowdancers", "Candle Iron" and "Wintersong".