of
House Vanderode

Lady Saralleine's Character Biographie:

Lady Saralleine Caelle of House Vanderode is a powerful Cairhienin noblewoman, the granddaughter of the legendary Lady Caemille IV, High Seat of Vanderode and councillor to kings. The mother of three children, she is the widow of Lord Eofrem of House Moendivell. Saralleine's early life was one of privilege and luxury, as she is the heiress-apparent to the Vanderode fortunes after her aging, bachelor uncle, Lord Gaethan, the current High Seat.

The Vanderodes are a house embattled and beset upon by their enemies; during the Aiel War, an entire generation of young house members met mysterious and untimely ends, believed to be laid at the feet of their powerful enemies. Saralleine's entire world view has been colored by such tragedy. She conducts her affairs in Daes Dae'mar with much trepidation and caution. Indeed, her one moment of boldness only reinforced her timid inclinations.

In the heady atmosphere after the fall of King Fiabhan of House Kintalle, Saralleine, buoyed by her own personal happiness and prosperity, tried to maneuver House Vanderode towards the Sun Throne, earning the enmity of House Cordaevell and House Ildevwyn. A series of terrific defeats ensued, paramount among them the brutal death of her husband, Lord Eofrem. Frightful for the safety of her children, she sent them into concealment, so that they may reared by loyal vassals and retainers away from the lethal intrigues of the capitol. Many of her contemporaries, that is, siblings and cousins, did likewise, so that an entire young generation of Vanderodes has been raised in exile.

Once House Cordaevell was ascendant, another fearsome campaign was mounted on those who had vied for the throne. Partisans of Queen Heally, who is also known as Queen Healle, with or without her direction, specifically targeted Lady Saralleine in scheme of scandal, publishing small compilations between Saralleine and a number of fictional lovers, and common ones at that, ruining her reputation and causing her to withdraw entirely from the Societé at the Sun Palais.

She established herself in a gracious manor in Tar Valon, and went about the task of reuniting her family, all while serving as a clearinghouse for intelligences for the High Seat in far-off Cairhien, and tending to the families mercantile interests. In time, as she regained some of her former prestige, she was deemed a suitable chaperone for junior house members who wished a season in Tar Valon, or study in the White Tower library.

As an unfortunate result of the fostering of her own children, she has strained relations with her two sons, now grown to young adulthood, Thomaens and Paetrid, and a fantastically antagonistic one with her sole daughter, Lilavaere, whom she considers a graceless hoyden, lacking all feminine airs and sophistications. Lady Lilavaere returns the animosity, regarding her mother as meddlesome and is unforgiving of those years spent apart. Saralleine does seems to have a warmer relationship with her nieces Ellisaene and Soleille, and her nephew Rolaen.

Lady Saralleine's Character Description:

Seemingly fey and delicate, and short of stature and slender of frame, Saralleine Vanderode has the typical pale complexion and dark hair of a Cairhienin woman, together with large eyes of purest violet, giving her a small, fragile doll-like appearance. Her face appears to be exquisite mold of flawless porcelain, frozen in a position of serene repose with a fine nose, high cheekbones, and well-shaped mouth tinted a pale shade of plum. At times, though, a curious intensity fills her eyes, giving her something of a vulpine appearance, gone as quickly as it comes.

Saralleine is not a bud of a young woman, rather a lily in fullest bloom, with a frosty air of sophistication and worldliness and knowing glimmer in her countenance. Her dark hair is coifed, arranged into a soaring pile of artful curls and held in place with pins tipped in amethyst and pearl. Saralleine is gowned in a stylishly cut creation of her native Cairhien, all deepest violet silk, so dark as to seem black, high-necked and full-skirted, with spills of dark ivory lace at her wrists, and small ruff framing her milky chin. A full compliment of stripes is arrayed down her bodice and halfway to her knees, alternating white and lavender and blue. A small violet-colored gem hangs on a silver chain in the center of her brow. Several bracelets of silver links and flat moonstones, dotted with purple gems glitter on her wrists, and a matching necklace is draped around her neck, moonstones and amethysts bright against her somber gown. Matching slippers sewn with with pearls peek out beneath her hems when she is required to rise from her place to move. A cloak of velvet, edged in silver lynx, tops off her ensemble. She wears a costly perfume, the essence of lilacs.

• Thaelle Candervail: Keeper of the Keys:
  Tiny and wizzened, with soft grey hair wound into a lace-knot at the back of her head, and more than a few creases in her kindly, oval face, Thaelle Candervail has a soft compassion in her eyes of deep brown. She wears a dress of finely-combed grey wool, high-necked and long sleeved, trimmed with lace at collar and cuff. A shawl of dove-grey is thrown about her slim frame, and a small purse of lavender velvet hangs alongside a ring of keys at her belt. Three thin stripes, lavender, white and blue, decorate one cuff.
  
  
• Kiendrid Vanderode: Sworn-Sword of Lady Saralleine
  Trim, and fit, with a good-looking face and bright blue eyes and his hair shaved and powdered in front and worn long in back, Kiendrid Vanderode looks every inch the warrior, despite his relative lack of stature. Nearing twenty and five years of age, Kiendrid moves with a wolf-like grace and a wary appraisal fills every glance. His coat of dark grey is snug and high collared, and marked with three stripes across his chest, lavender and white and blue. Matching trousers tuck into glossy black boots, and a cloak edged in vair covers it all, the seal of the house worked on the left breast. A curved sword hangs from his belt, as do a pair of daggers with gilt-handles.
  
  
• Amaelie Candervail: Senior Maid-in-Attendance to Lady Saralleine
  Slim and straight-backed, Amaelie Candervail is a pretty-faced woman of thirty-three years or so, with alert brown eyes and shining black hair, worn in a tidy braided knot at the nape of her neck. Her dress is grey wool, finely woven, and cut with care, with long sleeves and a high neck. A small white diamond sigil of Vanderode is worked in applique on her upper bodice, and two thin stripes, white and blue, decorate one cuff. Soft velveteen slippers garb her feet, and a purse containing a small mirror and her lady's other toiletries hangs from her belt.
  
  
• Betse Candervail: Maid-in-Attendance to Lady Saralleine
  A fresh-faced slip of a girl, Betse Candervail looks about fifteen or so, and moves with a lively gait. Her glossy dark hair is worn in a slick coil over one shoulder, held by a small riband of lavender satin. Betse's limpid eyes are bright periwinkle, a Cairhienin rarity, but common among the Vanderode family, whom she serves, as has her mother Amaelie. Betse wears a dress in the household livery, grey wool with a small house seal embroidered on the upper bodice, trimmed in white lace at cuff and collar. A single thin stripe of blue encircles one cuff.

House Vanderode Linkages:

• House Vanderode Main Page.
  • House Vanderode Properties.
  • Lord Benjaen Caedric of House Vanderode
    Brother to Lady Saralleine and Lord-Commandant of the Vanderode levees.
  • Lord Evaen Doneledrid of House Vanderode.
    Lord Benjaen's scoundrel of a son, affianced to marry Lady Carinae of House Belmond, of Andor.
  • Lady Soleille Maire of House Vanderode.
    Lord Benjaen's daughter, currently being courted by Waldyn Andivell, Lord Savran of House Zadnere and Lord Asan of House Dhamsid.
  • Lady Merilleise Cariele of House Vanderode.
    Widowed sister to Lady Saralleine and Lord Benjaen, she resents their authority and is quietly plotting a coup de maison.
  • Lady Lilavaere's Home Page.
• House Moendivell Main Page.
  • Lady Elisaene Theonae of House Moendivell
    Niece to Lady Saralleine by way of her late husband, Eofrem, she is dear to Saralleine's heart.
  • Lord Rolaen Aledrid of House Moendivell
    Nephew to Lady Saralleine by way of her late husband, Eofrem, he is a dedicated lieutenant in the combined levees of Moendivell and Vanderode.
  
  

  Linkages General:

  • Tales of Ta'veren Memorial.
  • House Ildevwyn of Cairhien.
  • House Zadnere of Saldaea.
  • House Sulamaad of Tarabon.
  • House Dhamsid.
  • House Versyr of Andor.
  • House Hune of Andor.
  • House Roesone of Andor.
  • House Belmond of Andor.
  • House Corsobar of Altara.
  • The White Tower.
    • The Blue Ajah (site maintained by Perseinde)
    • The Red Ajah (site maintained by Perseinde)
    • The Green Ajah (site maintained by Tianan and Rigan)
    • The White Ajah (site maintained by Perseinde)
  • The Andivell Household of Tar Valon
  • Tribute to Tales of Taveren Main

  
  
  Lady Saralleine Caelle of House Vanderode
  
  "Lady Saralleine" logo © Helène Duvalle.
  Content and design © 2002-2003 Sarah Hough
  Wheel of Time there, setting and inspiration © Robert Jordan and Tor Publishing.
  "Clematis Flowers" background graciously provied by Graphics By Shawna.