Esbar du Apaya uq-Nāra: Prioress, Mother, and Pillar of the Priory

Overview

Esbar du Apaya uq‑Nāra is a munguna – a direct descendant of Siyāti du Verda uq‑Nāra, the first woman to eat the fruit of the orange tree after Cleolind Onjenyu. She is the long‑term partner of Tunuva Melim and the birth mother of Siyu du Tunuva uq‑Nāra. After the death of Saghul Yedanya, Esbar becomes the Prioress of the Orange Tree, tasked with leading the order during the return of the Nameless One. Throughout the novel, she balances a fierce protectiveness of her family with the heavy responsibilities of command, making her one of the most compelling figures in the Southern storyline.

For further context on the Priory and the world of the novel, see the main A Day of Fallen Night page.

Plot Role

Esbar appears from the earliest chapters and remains a central figure in the South. She is present at Siyu’s birth (chapter 5) and later leads the search for Siyu when the girl flees (chapter 18). After Saghul’s death (chapter 47), she is formally invested as Prioress. In the second half of the book, she confronts Siyu over the consequences of her rash journey to Carmentum, including the death of her ichneumon, Lalhar (chapter 58). Esbar also coordinates the Priory’s military response to the awakening wyrms and rides to the Ersyr to warn Queen Daraniya. Her decisions shape the Priory’s readiness for the war that has begun.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Duty and Protection

Esbar is first and foremost a guardian. She believes the Priory must remain hidden to survive, a conviction that leads her to distrust outsiders such as Anyso (chapter 39). When Siyu’s actions endanger the order, Esbar reacts with anger – not out of cruelty, but because she sees those actions as a betrayal of the centuries‑old duty to stand against the Nameless One. The text shows this in chapter 58 when she tells Siyu: “You would have known if you had been with your family when I addressed them.”

Tough Love

Esbar’s love for Siyu is undeniable, but she expresses it through discipline. After Siyu returns from Carmentum, Esbar refuses to let her have another ichneumon until she deems her worthy (chapter 58). This decision is both punishment and a lesson in responsibility. However, the same chapter reveals that Esbar later softens: she accepts Siyu’s apology and does not strip her of her warrior’s cloak.

Pragmatism and Leadership

As Prioress, Esbar must make hard choices. She initially refuses to send anyone after Siyu, stating, “as Prioress, I cannot send anyone chasing after my own birthdaughter when we need every sister ready to fight” (chapter 47). Yet when Tunuva insists on following, Esbar does not physically stop her – she says, “If you go, you do not go with my blessing.” This reveals a leader who understands when to let individuals act despite official disapproval.

Vulnerability

Beneath the stern exterior, Esbar is capable of deep emotion. After her confrontation with Siyu, she tells Tunuva, “I am afraid” (chapter 58). She admits to feeling cold and trembling, showing that the weight of leadership and the fear of losing loved ones affects her profoundly.

Chronological Arc

• Birth of Siyu (chapter 5): Esbar delivers Siyu, names her after Tunuva, and entrusts her to the Mother.
• Siyu’s flight and search (chapter 18): When Siyu disappears, Esbar immediately plans a search with Apaya’s help.
• Saghul’s death and Esbar’s investiture (chapter 47): Esbar is confirmed as Prioress by the initiates, accepting the red cloak and the amber necklace.
• Confrontation after Carmentum (chapter 58): Esbar learns of Siyu’s role in Lalhar’s death and Anyso’s execution. She delivers a harsh reprimand but eventually accepts Siyu’s apology.
• Reconciliation with Tunuva (chapter 58): After the confrontation, Esbar and Tunuva share an intimate moment in the hot spring, reaffirming their bond before the war begins.

Relationships

Tunuva Melim

Esbar’s romantic partner and lifelong companion. Their relationship is one of mutual support and passion, but it is tested when Tunuva leaves to follow Siyu (chapter 47). In chapter 58, they reconcile: “Don’t leave me again,” Esbar breathes, and Tunuva promises to stay. Their connection is a source of strength for both.

Siyu du Tunuva uq‑Nāra

Esbar’s birthdaughter. Their relationship is strained by Siyu’s rebellion. Esbar’s anger in chapter 58 is rooted in fear – both for Siyu’s safety and for the Priory’s secrecy. Yet Esbar does not disown her; she allows Siyu to earn back trust. The text implies that Esbar’s love is constant, even when she must be stern.

Apaya du Eadaz uq‑Nāra

Esbar’s birthmother. Apaya is a seasoned warrior and guardian to the Ersyri queen. She assists Esbar in the search for Siyu and offers wise counsel. In chapter 23, Apaya warns Tunuva about being “ruled by an old grief” regarding Siyu, showing her protective concern for Esbar’s family.

Saghul Yedanya

The former Prioress and Esbar’s mentor. Esbar respects Saghul deeply, as seen when she honours Saghul’s request to admit Canthe into the Priory (chapter 47). Saghul’s death is a turning point that forces Esbar into leadership.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Theme and Symbol Connections

• Duty versus Personal Desire: Esbar embodies this tension. She wants to protect Siyu, but her duty to the Priory forces her to deliver hard punishments. She also sacrifices personal comfort to lead.
• Motherhood and Sacrifice: Esbar’s own birth scene (chapter 5) is a sacrifice of her body. Later, she sacrifices leniency for discipline, hoping to shape Siyu into a worthy warrior.
• Power of Myth and Historical Narrative: Esbar’s authority comes from her lineage – she is a descendant of Siyāti, linking her to the founding myth of the Priory. She invokes that legacy when she anoints Siyu.
• Secrecy and Identity: The Priory’s existence is a secret from the outside world, and Esbar is its chief guardian. She fears that Anyso’s knowledge will expose them, leading to his execution.
• Balance of Natural Forces: As Prioress, Esbar commands mages who draw magic from the orange tree. She must maintain the balance between using that power and preserving the tree’s sanctity.

For more on the Priory’s origins and the novel’s conclusion, see the ending explained page.

Five Book‑Specific Questions and Answers

1. Why did Esbar name her daughter Siyu du Tunuva uq‑Nāra?
   In chapter 5, Esbar explains that as a descendant of Siyāti, she may give the child two names. She chooses “Siyu” for the child herself and “du Tunuva” to honour Tunuva, her partner. The name signifies that Esbar entrusts the child “always, to the Mother,” and also cements Tunuva’s role in the child’s life.

2. What was Esbar’s role in Anyso’s death?
   The text is explicit that Esbar did not order his execution. In chapter 58, she tells Siyu, “I didn’t hate him, Siyu, I feared him… Saghul ordered his execution.” Esbar was aware of the danger Anyso posed to the Priory’s secrecy, but she did not carry out the act. She later admits that she feared his presence, not the man himself.

3. How does Esbar respond when Siyu accuses her of killing Anyso?
   Esbar angrily corrects Siyu: “Saghul ordered his execution.” She then clarifies that the sister who carried out the order was “someone who had to clean up your mess.” Her response shows that while she may have supported the decision, she distances herself from direct responsibility.

4. Why does Esbar forbid Siyu from having a new ichneumon?
   After Lalhar dies because Siyu took her to Carmentum, Esbar states in chapter 58: “You will not have another pup until I deem you worthy once more.” This is both a punishment for Siyu’s recklessness and a lesson in the sacred bond between a sister and her ichneumon. Esbar forces Siyu to prove she can be trusted with such a responsibility.

5. How does Esbar’s leadership style change after becoming Prioress?
   Before Saghul’s death, Esbar is already forward‑thinking (plans for a skygazing pool, chapter 8). After she takes the red cloak, she becomes more constrained by duty: she cannot act purely on maternal instinct. For example, she refuses to send a search party after Siyu (chapter 47). Yet she still finds ways to support Tunuva’s mission, showing that her love coexists with her role.

For more discussion, see the questions and answers page.