King Tauri
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Overview
King Tauri is Navarre's monarch, and his family is not insulated from the Riders Quadrant's dangers: Xaden cites the death of Tauri's second son during Threshing to tell new cadets that dragons do not privilege lineage.
Tauri's authority as king shapes Navarre's military and diplomacy, with crown approval controlling major pardons, appointments, and negotiations.
Personality and Behavior
Aaric characterizes his father as someone who does not ward anything unless it is worth showing off. Violet uses that assessment to reason that Tauri would keep his most precious items visible and close at hand.
Relationships
Aaric Graycastle is Tauri's third son, and his secret entry into Basgiath is dangerous because the king does not know he crossed the parapet. Violet expects the king's ignorance to matter, and Dain warns that everyone involved may be killed when Tauri finds out.
Alic's death is a lethal point of tension between Tauri and Xaden. Aaric says that if the king knew Xaden killed Alic, Xaden would likely lose his head.
Halden is Tauri's son, and his presence away from Navarre can be used as leverage in negotiations. Courtlyn speculates that Tauri may make concessions if Halden effectively serves as a hostage, while Violet threatens to ask the king how he feels about the night's attack on Navarrian nobles and the danger to Halden.
Aaric's return gives Tauri a reason to protect the expedition from punishment. Aetos says the king has forbidden any form of punishment because Aaric is back.
Possessions
Tauri's royal vault is protected by wards that require his bloodline to breach, and his private library is separately protected by royal wards. The warded central pedestal bears the king's signet and hides two small leather tomes, making Aaric's hidden royal identity a practical key to the vault.
Fen Riorson's sword is believed to be recoverable from Tauri. Lewellen thinks he may be able to get the sword back from the king during the Tyrrish negotiations.
Important Events
Tauri's post-rebellion response is associated with executions, the punishment of rebel families, loyal nobles receiving rebel great houses, and the burning of Aretia. An official brief written for him by General Lilith Sorrengail preserves her objection to forcing rebellion leaders' children to witness their parents' executions.
At Basgiath's Reunification Day celebration, Tauri personally engages Violet, Liam, and the marked cadets. He praises Violet for bonding two exceptional dragons, asks after Xaden, says he ordered all the marked ones to attend, and jokes that Violet should tell them if Xaden decides to start another war.
Fen Riorson accused Tauri and all prior Navarrian rulers of a vast conspiracy during interrogation. Markham presents the accusation as madness, but the surrounding hidden-history revelations make the official dismissal less certain.
Melgren invokes Tauri's word when offering to respect the independence of the movement's riot and Aretia if they fight at Samara. The offer puts the crown's authority behind the proposed bargain, even though Xaden cannot tell how much Melgren truly knows about Aretia.
Tauri restores Xaden's title, Tyrrish authority, and Senarium seat as part of the bargain keeping the Aretian riot at Basgiath. He also sanctions Lindell and Lewellen for hiding Aretia and sends half his personal guard to search for the missing Aaric.
Tauri signs the pardons attached to the Aretia Accord, which prevents the Senarium from punishing Violet's wardstone crime because it occurred before the signing. Aetos says the king appointed him commanding general of Basgiath, and Queen Maraya expects Tauri to arrive for continuing negotiations.
Tauri refuses to open Navarre's borders during negotiations, leaving rescued Poromish civilians politically exposed. The refusal has not been solved by the settlement Violet expected to protect Maren's brothers.
Xaden refuses Tauri's request for a Provincial Commitment of Tyrrish troops. In official correspondence to the king, Xaden asserts that he, not the crown, commands Tyrrish citizens in military service.
Tauri's order could send Halden's troops across the Calldyr border against Tyrrendor, so Xaden withholds Talladium shipments until the king confirms the alliance stands without the Provincial Commitment and the Aretian riot remains safe at Basgiath. Tauri answers with an official order demanding the immediate restoration of Talladium flow and warning of dire consequences for Tyrrendor and the Continent.
The weapon shortage keeps Tauri in the center of Navarre's internal political danger. Imogen notes that Aretia has brought enough forge weapons to start a war within Navarre because Xaden has been withholding those weapons from the king.