Coram Smythesson was a former soldier and later teacher to Alanna of Trebond and her twin brother Thom of Trebond. He accompanied Alanna to the palace and acted as her manservant during her page-years. After Lord Alan's death Coram managed the fief for Alanna, because both twins were still studying. Once she got her shield Coram travelled with his mistress. On one of those travels he also met Rispah. After their return from the Roof of the World Coram settled down, marrying Rispah and being awarded the Trebond estates by the Crown after Thom's death, becoming a baron. Together he and Rispah had ten children.

BiographyEdit

Coram was originally from Trebond. He trained as a blacksmith but worked as a soldier in the King's army. Obviously he was very good at his work. As a soldier, when he was still "but a lad", Coram served in the Battle of Joyous Forest, where he saved the life of Duke Gareth of Naxen.^[2] Later he retired and returned to Trebond Castle, serving the Lord of Trebond as a sergeant-at-arms and teaching Thom basic fighting skills. As they were twins he couldn't escape from teaching Alanna, too, which he did gladly because she was more adept at it than her brother. He feared the task of having to take Thom to the palace because he knew that Thom would make a fool of himself as well as of Coram, who was supposed to teach the boy the basic fighting skills.^[3]

Originally intended to accompany her brother Thom to his training as a knight, Coram was tricked into taking Alanna instead. He stayed with Alanna in Corus, acting as her manservant and living in the same quarters with her. In his free time he served in the palace guard.^[4] Coram became Alanna's faithful friend and companion on her path to knighthood. When Alanna was a squire Coram was in Trebond, running the fief for her and looking for a suitable man to fulfill this duty when he accompanied Alanna after she gained her shield.

Coram joined the Bazhir tribe of the Bloody Hawk along with Alanna and when they were in Port Caynn visiting George Cooper he met George's cousin Rispah. They developed a romantic relationship which lasted until his return from the Roof of the World. Then they married and settled down in Trebond - the Crown had granted him the fief after the death of the last Lord of Trebond, Thom. They had ten children: Jonthair, Alinna, Thomsen, Mylec, Daran, Liam, Thayine, Rose, Elenna, and Buran^[5].

By the time the Scanran War broke out Coram was too old to do fighting or scouting work. Instead he helped by coordinating the supplies and housing soldiers passing through.^[6]

Personality and traitsEdit

Coram hated magic^[7], because it made him nervous, which was why Alanna could persuade him to let her go to the palace with the threat of making him see things.^[3] He was a soldier in his heart and could be quite rough sometimes, but normally he was a kind person and he was good in caring for children.^[8]. He was a faithful servant and friend to Alanna, keeping the estates in order while no-one else is available to do it.

Notes and referencesEdit

1. ↑ Alanna: The First Adventure, Cp. 2 (p. 25; Random House paperback)
2. ↑ Alanna: The First Adventure, Cp. 2 (p. 21; Random House paperback)
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Alanna: The First Adventure, Cp. 1 (p. 11 - 13; Random House paperback)
4. ↑ Alanna: The First Adventure, Cp. 2 (p. 22; Random House paperback)
5. ↑ Random Buzz; "Roger, Contes, and Inheritance."; April 17, 2009
6. ↑ Random Buzz; "Champion's Duties, Scanran War, King Roald/DukeG, Bazhir"; April 22, 2009
7. ↑ Alanna: The First Adventure, Cp. 1 (p. 2; Random House paperback)
8. ↑ Lioness Rampant