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George Cooper of Pirate's Swoop was born in the early 400s HE in Tortall. He is the son of Eleni Cooper and an unknown man. He won the position of King of the Thieves very early in life at the age of seventeen, and was the youngest person in history to be the Rogue. He later married Alanna of Trebond and Olau and had three children with her: Thom of Pirate's Swoop and twins Alianne and Alan. Under King Jonathan IV, he became the Baron of Pirate's Swoop and the second-in-command spymaster under his stepfather Myles of Olau. He became known as the Whisper Man by his contacts. He is a member of the Cooper family and a descendant of the famous Guardswoman, Rebakah Cooper.

Through his daughter Alianne, he has three grandchildren: Ochobai, Ulasu, and Junim Crow.

Biography[]

Early life[]

George was the son of Eleni Cooper, a former priestess in the Temple of the Mother, and an unknown temple worshiper. George grew up on Spindle Lane in the rough Lower City, where he learned to steal and speak slang.[3] He was first arrested at age six by the Provost's Guard for theft and was taken to the Jane Street kennel, where Eleni had to come get him. After that incident, his mother told him the story of their famous ancestor, Rebakah Cooper. Despite Eleni's attempts to lead George on a honest path, he still became crooked and involved himself with the Court of the Rogue.

Rogue[]

Becoming the Rogue[]

George: "I--buy, and I sell."
Gary: "You're a thief."
George: "'Thief' is a harsh word, Master Gareth."
— George and Gary on their first meeting[src]

By the time he was seventeen,[4] George had become the Rogue, or The King of Thieves, in the capital city of Corus, defeating the former Rogue in a fight. Like his predecessors since the time of Rosto the Piper two hundred years earlier he held court in the Dancing Dove. His Gift allowed George to keep an eye on his rogues, which lead him to the assumption that his situation as the Rogue was better than that of the former Rogue and that it helped him to stay longer in the position.[5]

As the Rogue George kept a special collection. When one of his thieves made one mistake, he was warned. After the second mistake George took an ear for his collection. A third mistake caused the thief in question to lose the second ear along with "all that's attached." Stefan, one of George's followers and also hostler at the palace stables, commented on this practice that "George like[d] things done right."[6]

Meeting Alanna[]

Three months after he became the Rogue[7] George first saw Alanna riding into Corus. His Gift told him that he needed to make Alanna's acquaintance and in the following months he "kept a close eye on [her]", until they met on Alanna's first Market Day in the city nearly three months later.[8] On that occassion George invited the boy "Alan" and his friend Gary to a drink in the Dancing Dove. He later became a good friend of Alanna, claiming he trusted his intuition in befriending her.[9] He taught her to fight barehanded or with a dagger, in order to give her the upper hand in her feud with Ralon of Malven. He also sold to Alanna her first horse, Moonlight, and Jonathan of Conté his horse Darkness. He gave Moonlight to Alanna at a significantly lower price than he should have gotten, telling Jonathan he would "give [Moonlight] to the boy outright, if he'd take her".[10] George was the first of Alanna's associates in Corus she trusted with the truth about her sex and after he learned that she was secretly a girl, he began passing letters between Alanna and her brother Thom.

By the time of Alanna's term as a squire George was already in love with her, although this love would remain unrequited for the time being. He repeatedly told and showed her how deep he was in love with her, but at the time Alanna was still afraid of loving anyone and later Jonathan was her lover.[11] It was only after her Ordeal of Knighthood and estrangement with Jonathan in the Great Southern Desert, at the tribe of the Bloody Hawk, when Alanna came to live at George's house in Port Caynn that they became lovers. George had been in Port Caynn because some local members of the Court of the Rogue there had been misbehaving and proven to need the direct control of their Rogue. After an attempt on his life from a maid sent by a new member of the Rogue called Claw (who was later found out to be really Ralon of Malven), George felt that he had to return to Corus. Alanna didn't want to face Jonathan so soon after their estrangement and returned to the desert, thus temporarily ending her relationship with George.[12] In the following weeks and months George was busy with keeping his throne and fighting back Claw and the members of the Rogue Claw had won for his cause, because Claw wanted George's position but wasn't willing to fight for it in single combat as was tradition. He eventually won over Claw by killing him in a fair fight.[13]

Baron and Second-in-command Spymaster[]

When Jonathan was crowned King, George was given a pardon. He gave up his life of crime and became the Baron of Pirate's Swoop. Only a few months after the Coronation Day Battle George proposed to Alanna and she accepted. He and Alanna married not long afterwards, still in 439 HE.[14] Eventually, George used the skills of his past to assist Tortall's spymaster, Myles of Olau, who was also his father-in-law and stepfather.

George and Alanna settled down at Pirate's Swoop and had three children: Thom and the twins, Alan and Alianne, or Aly. When the oldest son Thom was born Alanna and George were on a mission together, forcing George to deliver the child himself.[15] In the summer of 449 HE George helped to defend Pirate's Swoop and Queen Thayet as well as her two oldest children Prince Roald and Princess Kalasin during the siege of his home.[16] Through Alanna he also got to know her squire, Nealan of Queenscove and he met Keladry of Mindelan on the Royal Progress.

Because Alanna was often called away due to her being the King's Champion, George was the dominating parent in his children's life, especially Aly's. His daughter was the only one of his children showing an interest in his work and George appreciated it, because he needed someone like that at that time. Thus he taught her what he knew and even took her with him when he met with spies. This went on until she was twelve and he realized that he was putting his daughter in danger when they were meeting with a contact and it turned into violence. Although Aly handled herself well George wouldn't take her along to meetings afterwards.[17]

When Aly was asking for a real spy's work at sixteen George wouldn't put her to work. When Aly simply vanished one day George was worried for her but didn't tell his wife because he didn't want to make her anxious too, because she needed to be focused in the Scanran War. Once Alanna learned of Aly's vanishing she got angry with George. In the meantime he put all efforts into finding her again, following Aly's trail to the Copper Isles and the Balitang family. At Tanair he tried to buy Aly, whom he thought to be a household-slave. However, his daughter told him that she wanted to stay in the Isles with the Balitangs and explained about her wager with Kyprioth. George in turn revealed that he knew the Trickster God.[18] At that occasion he also met Aly's future husband Nawat Crow.[19] He saw his daughter again the following year when Dovasary Balitang had become Queen of the Copper Isles, when George was part of the Tortallan delegation.

Physical description[]

George is a tall, lean man with white teeth and tan skin. Like his mother, he has bright hazel eyes and brown hair, which he cuts short like most commoners. He is also described as having a beaky nose, inherited from his father, that is too large for good looks, but he looks handsome when he smiles. He is supposed to be around six feet 4 inches. He is heavily muscled and has eyes that are full of mischief. He carries a number of knives and daggers as to be always ready for an attack, legacy of his time as the Rogue, or the King of Thieves in Tortall. His daughter Alianne, the main character of Trickster's Queen, is also always armed, and has George's hazel eyes.

According to Alanna's first impression of George he has "something powerful about him, something almost royal."[9]

Personality and traits[]

George always trusted his instincts when making decisions, which he learned quickly through his "line of work". Thus he knew that he should make Alanna's acquaintance.[9] While being part of the Court of the Rogue George didn't really like nobles, but when his friendship with Alanna and Jon became closer he found himself helping them more and more and once even betrayed the Law of the Rogue, giving the Lord Provost word on Claw's plans on regicide to save Jon. Eventually George even became a Baron himself when Jon gave him the estates around Pirate's Swoop. Still George kept friends in the lower classes, especially the people living near the swoop and his contacts.

Skills and abilities[]

He had the Gift, to be more precise the Sight, which enabled him to see more clearly.[8] This in combination with his instinct told him to make Alanna's acquaintance. However, she and other people with the Gift were shielded from his Sight.

George was skilled in hand-to-hand combat, being able to fight with knives and daggers, an ability nearly every member of the Court of the Rogue needed. Someone trying to overthrow the old Rogue usually did so by defeating him in a fight. He taught fighting hand-to-hand and with knives to Alanna and Jon.

Relationships[]

Family[]

Alanna of Trebond[]

From the first time he saw her, George took a liking to Alanna of Trebond. He approached her on her first visit to the Corus market and befriended her, still thinking like everyone else that she was the page Alan.

Before he met Alanna he knew several nobles who had only been his "friends" to have a "kept thief". That led him to thinking Alanna had similar motives and wanted his thugs to take care of Ralon of Malven, when she came to him one evening. After Alanna's indignant reaction he realized that she didn't want to use him like other nobles but really respected him as a friend. He subsequently taught her a few tricks in fighting he knew to enable her to defeat Ralon in a fair fight.[6]

George was the first of her friends to know that "Alan" was a girl. Alanna revealed herself to him when she was desperately searching for a female city healer and George was the only one she could trust to find her such a healer.

She was still a squire when George discovered that his feelings for her were deeper than mere friendship and he loved her. Alanna refused all his advances at that time, claiming their differences in age and standing made a love relationship impossible between them.[11] George waited for Alanna for eight years, weathering her relationships with both Jonathan and Liam Ironarm, although they had a short love affair after Alanna's first stay with the Bloody Hawk and her quarrel with Jonathan.[12] His patience paid off, as eventually he "finally tamed himself a Lioness", and Alanna accepted his proposal in autumn of 439 HE.[13] They married and had three children: Thom, Alianne and Alan of Pirate's Swoop.

Their marriage included many periods in which they were separated, Alanna having to fight for her king and kingdom and George being off on spy-business or taking care of their home and children. In such times George usually missed his wife and was worried for her. When their daughter Aly vanished and George kept the truth from Alanna she was furious with him, but George managed to soothe his wife.[18]

Parents[]

George gets on very well with his mother, Eleni, who was a temple priestess who then became a healer for women. She disapproved of a few of his early life choices; namely, his involvement with the Court of the Rogue when he was quite young. She gave the journals of Rebakah Cooper to him in order to influence him against choosing that life. George did not heed her advice, even after reading Beka's story. Nonetheless, Eleni doesn't ostracize or ignore him after that, and sees him occasionally. She was the first to realize his feelings for Alanna of Trebond.

George's stepfather/father-in-law have a good relationship, even at first. After Claw breaks the rules of the Rogue and attacks Eleni Cooper, George first thinks of Myles's very protected home as a good refuge for his mother. Thus, he essentially plays matchmaker for his mother. After his marriage to Alanna, George and Myles work together and build a spy network to rival those of other countries.

Children[]

George has three children with Alanna. Since she was away quite often doing work as King's Champion, George was the primary caregiver for their children. As such, his daughter Aly grew up like him rather than like her mother. This put her in the frame of mind more suited for spy work than for knight work, which grated on Alanna's nerves. George and Aly got along famously, and it is unknown how well he gets on with his sons, but it is assumed they have a good relationship.

Friends[]

Jonathan of Conté[]

George first met Jon when Alanna came to him to purchase a new horse, Moonlight. Jon figured out George's status as the King of Thieves quite quickly, and impressed George with his shrewdness. Since then, Jon also accompanied Alanna into Corus to the Court of the Rogue, where he learned how to cheat and how to avoid being cheated, among other things. He learned quite a bit about human nature from George, and owed that to his friend.[20]

Their friendship became a little rocky when they both realized they had a mutual attraction to Alanna. George was jealous of Jon, as Alanna and Jon had already begun a sexual relationship. When they broke it off while staying with the Bloody Hawk in the Great Southern Desert, George was happy that Alanna realized that nobles weren't as good as they seemed. When Alanna returned from the Roof of the World, they buried the hatchet and became friends again. Jon also gifted George with a barony, which George at first was too angry to accept, but Jon convinced him that he wasn't just trying to buy George off.

After Jon's coronation, they worked well together. Jon even became one of the godsfathers of George's three children.

Sir Gareth of Naxen[]

Gary: "I like you--for all you're a thief."
George: "And I like you, Gary--for all you're a noble. Friends, then?"
Gary: "Friends"
Gary and George becoming friends[src]

George and Gary first met when Gary accompanied Alanna to her first Market Day into Corus. Gary was at first suspicious of George's interest in them, suspecting him of trying to take advantage of their status as nobility. However, George quickly made clear to him that he didn't have any particular interest in Gary and only acquainted himself with Alanna because his Gift told him so. At the end of their first conversation Gary and George had decided that they liked each other and become friends.[21]

Family tree[]

Appearances[]

The following books are mentioned chronologically based on publication date.

Trivia[]

In the Danish editions George's name has been changed to "Gergi Gatto". Gatto is Italian and means "cat". "Gergi" is similar to the Italian "gergo", meaning "jargon" or "slang". Gergi could also be Turkish and related to a kind of fabric.[38]

Notes and references[]

  1. Tortall: A Spy's Guide, Official Timeline
  2. Tortall: A Spy's Guide
  3. Terrier, Prologue, From the journal of Eleni Cooper
  4. Trickster's Queen, Ch. 1 (pg. 9; Random House paperback)
  5. Alanna: The First Adventure, Ch. 2 (pg. 51; Random House paperback)
  6. 6.0 6.1 Alanna: The First Adventure, Ch. 3
  7. Alanna: The First Adventure, Ch. 2 (pg. 50; Random House paperback)
  8. 8.0 8.1 Alanna: The First Adventure, Ch. 2 (pg. 49; Random House paperback)
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Alanna: The First Adventure, Ch. 2 (pg. 48; Random House paperback)
  10. Alanna: The First Adventure, Ch. 5 (pg. 122; Random House paperback)
  11. 11.0 11.1 In the Hand of the Goddess
  12. 12.0 12.1 The Woman Who Rides Like a Man
  13. 13.0 13.1 Lioness Rampant
  14. Trickster's Choice, Ch. 1 (pg. 7; Random House paperback)
  15. Random Buzz; "Yuki and 'labor and delivery' in Tortall."; April 20, 2009
  16. Wild Magic
  17. Readergirlz; "December: In the shadow of fame"; December 5, 2009
  18. 18.0 18.1 Trickster's Choice
  19. Trickster's Queen
  20. Lioness Rampant, final chapters
  21. Alanna: The First Adventure, Ch. 2
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 Terrier (electronic edition) "From the Journal of Mistress Ilony Cooper".
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 It wasn't clear who the father or fathers of Beka's younger siblings was or were, but her father died when she was very young, so it was not possible for him to father children born when she was 3+ years old. Mastiff.
  24. 24.0 24.1 It was inferred that Beka's uncle and his wife existed because Phil did. It was also possible that he was the son of her aunt, but male descent for names was usual. Random Buzzers thread as archived at Words of Tamora Pierce "Royal University, Archaeology, Neal’s Family, and Carthak". April 21, 2009. Archived at the Wayback Machine January 20, 2010. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  25. Mastiff.
  26. Terrier (electronic edition) "Wednesday, April 1, 246".
  27. It was possible Diona Cooper was also Beka's half-sibling, but she was old enough for it to be plausible that they shared a father. Terrier (electronic edition) "Cast of Characters", Mastiff.
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 Bloodhound (electronic edition) "Saturday, September 8, 247".
  29. It was possible Phil was a more distant cousin, or that the term was a simplification of a more complex relation.
  30. 30.0 30.1 30.2 Terrier (electronic edition) "Thursday, April 2, 246".
  31. 31.0 31.1 Terrier (electronic edition) "March 18, 406".
  32. 32.0 32.1 It was inferred that Eleni's brother and his wife existed because Rispah was known to be George's cousin, but the relation could be more distant or complex.
  33. Lioness Rampant (electronic edition) Epilogue.
  34. Alanna: The First Adventure (electronic edition) Ch. 2.
  35. 35.0 35.1 Trickster's Choice (electronic edition) Ch. 9.
  36. The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (electronic edition) Ch. 8. Her exact relation was not specified, so the simplest possibility was shown here.
  37. Lioness Rampant (electronic edition) Ch. 7.
  38. I only got a German translation for the word and even that isn't really well known, so I judged the "meaning" from the context given.

See also[]

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