Choria differs from the traditional fairy tale heroine in that she rescues the hero instead of being rescued by him. She enjoys the warrior training which Theora disdains, and eventually her skills rival those of her teacher. In short, Choria is educated much as the Makralo's son would have been, and she gains the independence and selfreliance traditionally restricted to the hero, while passivity is a characteristic of the less admirable sister.

Equally resourceful are Willowill —who is still a good hunter despite her advanced age—and Petriana—who, like Choria, received warrior training in her youth. Petriana's description of a gentlewoman sounds decidedly modern:

The only gentlewoman worth knowing is the one who can stand eye to eye with danger or demon and spit in its face. . . . To be soft and gentle is fine, when there is need for it. It is...