Madlen is a Graced healer in Queen Bitterblue's court.
Appearance[]
Madlen has pale skin and white hair. She has one amber eye and normally wears an eye patch over her empty eye socket. She's younger than her hair color suggests and strong "as any healer must be." She has powerful arms, and large, strong hands that are infinitely gentle. She speaks with a Dellian accent.
Personality[]
Madlen has a reputation for marvelous medicines and impossible surgical successes. She is ferocious and astonishing. She is loyal to Bitterblue, and follows her directions and commands without question. She is very secretive about her past. She has "her own particular brand of rough gentleness."
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Seven years ago, Madlen arrived at the castle in Bitterblue City seeking employment. During her interview, she informed Queen Bitterblue of how in all the kingdoms, except for Lienid and Monsea, and particularly in Estill, Gracelings are enslaved to their kings. Madlen claims she has escaped from Estill.
Bitterblue[]
When Teddy is stabbed one night in a story room, Bitterblue brings Madlen to try and save his life. Sapphire is upset by this as he doesn't know Madlen. Madlen replies that she is Teddy's best hope of surviving. She is able to save Teddy's life.
Later, Bitterblue visits Madlen to learn about Teddy's condition. Madlen tells her that Teddy is holding on and it's highly possible he will live. Blue tells her that King Drowden has been deposed. Madlen is very shocked and expresses her hope that King Thigpen will be deposed too.
After Bitterblue has a nightmare that's a memory of King Leck hurting Queen Ashen for not letting him take Bitterblue to his private rooms, Bitterblue visits Madlen who tries to comfort her.
Madlen works to heal Po after he gets an illness and begins hallucinating from the fever. She also heals Bitterblue after she is attacked. She puts Bitterblue's left wrist and forearm in a cast and heals the stab wound in her left shoulder.
Upon the arrival of the Dellian and Pikkian delegation, led by Lady Fire. Bitterblue realizes that Madlen speaks in the same accent. Helda brings Madlen into the library, where she immediately kisses Lady Fire's hand before dropping to her knees in front of Bitterblue and apologizing profusely to her and begging to be allowed to stay on as her healer. Bitterblue accepts because despite her lies, her heart is genuine. The story comes out about how Madlen is not a Graceling, but a Dellian spy who had posed a Graceling and entered Estill before journeying to Monsea. Madlen had been kept supplied with the best Dellian medicines during her time in the seven kingdoms to keep up her pretense of being a Graceling healer. Her true history is that she was born in the western region of the Dells. She had lost her eye as a child, doing an experiment with liquids and a powder that exploded.
Trivia[]
- Madlen's handwriting is big and careful, like a child's.