Prince Conor Aurelian: The Weight of a Crown and the Cost of Secrecy
Overview
Prince Conor Darash Aurelian, Crown Prince of Castellane, Duke of Marakand, and Potentate of Sarema, is introduced as the glittering heir to the city that “rules the entire world.” Behind the charm, fine clothes, and easy laugh, however, Conor carries a burden that grows heavier with each chapter: a secret debt of ten thousand crowns owed to the criminal Prosper Beck, and the emotional isolation of a prince who can trust almost no one.
This analysis traces Conor’s journey through the events of Sword Catcher, examining his motivations, relationships, key decisions, and how his character illuminates the novel’s central themes of duty and sacrifice, identity and deception, and power and corruption.
Plot Role
Conor is the political center around which the story revolves. As the Crown Prince, his marriage, his public speeches, and his survival are matters of state that affect every character in the book. He is also the emotional anchor for Kel Anjuman, the Sword Catcher who serves as his body double and closest companion. Conor’s secret debt to Prosper Beck creates a vulnerability that drives much of the novel’s tension, linking the palace to the criminal underworld and forcing Kel into dangerous alliances with the Ragpicker King.
Conor’s forced betrothal to the eleven-year-old Princess Luisa of Sarthe (substituted for the promised Aimada) triggers a political crisis that culminates in the violent attack on the Shining Gallery, where Luisa and Lord Gremont are killed. This event reshapes the power structure of Castellane and leaves Conor’s position more precarious than ever.
Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions
Conor’s actions reveal a young man torn between genuine kindness and inherited privilege, between a desire for freedom and the crushing weight of expectation.
Loyalty and compassion — In the Prologue, Conor personally asks Kel to become his Sword Catcher, promising honesty: “I told myself I would be honest with you. There is no point not being.” He offers Kel an extraordinary life not as an order but as a choice, and the evidence shows Kel wanted to protect him in return. This mutual loyalty defines their relationship.
Impulsiveness and recklessness — Conor’s decision to accrue debts with Prosper Beck—ten thousand crowns’ worth—is never shown in the evidence as a calculated political move. Instead, it reads as the mistake of a prince who believed his position made him invulnerable. When Kel confronts him about the debt, Conor dismisses Kel’s worries while hiding his own fear (Chapter Nine), suggesting shame and denial rather than malice.
Emotional vulnerability — Conor cries when his horse breaks its leg; he punches a window while drunk, cutting his hand badly, and confesses to Kel, “I’ve made mistakes, Kel. Bad mistakes.” He admits that he “cannot fight what I cannot find, or see,” showing a self-awareness that is rare among the nobles of the Hill.
Desire for meaning beyond ceremony — Conor expresses a genuine wish to visit Marakand, his mother’s homeland, and chafes against the endless festivals and balls that fill his calendar. His mother Lilibet notes that he complains there is “always some festivity or another,” and he pushes back against the schedule, seeking purpose beyond performance.
Chronological Arc
Conor’s story moves from a position of relative stability to one of increasing crisis and loss of control.
Early chapters — Conor is introduced as a charming, somewhat petulant young prince who resists marriage pressure and enjoys sneaking out to the Caravel with Kel. He is protected by the Sword Catcher system and appears to have the world at his feet.
Middle chapters — The debt to Prosper Beck surfaces, and Conor’s secret begins to erode his confidence. He becomes more withdrawn, drinking heavily and making impulsive remarks. When Kel helps him after the window-punching incident, Conor admits he has made “bad mistakes” but does not fully explain himself, indicating a growing rift between what he shares with Kel and what he hides.
Later chapters — The forced betrothal to Princess Luisa humiliates Conor publicly and deepens his sense of powerlessness. He tells Kel, “If I had been more clever, perhaps I could have prevented what happened at that dinner.” When he abandons Marivent, leaving a sarcastic note, and returns drunk, it signals a prince who is breaking under the pressure of secrets and circumstances beyond his control.
Climax — During the attack on the Shining Gallery, Conor is absent (drunk), and Kel must impersonate him while armed assassins kill Luisa, Lord Gremont, and Vienne d’Este. By the chapter’s end, ships explode in the harbor, and Kel agrees to work with the Ragpicker King—leaving Conor unaware of the full scope of the danger surrounding his house.
Relationships
Kel Anjuman (the Sword Catcher) — This is the most intimate relationship in Conor’s life. The evidence shows that no one in the palace knows Conor as Kel does: the boy who “cried when his horse broke its leg,” who “could only have a little brandewine before it made him sick,” and who “fretted that the world was so big, he could never see all of it.” Kel is Conor’s protector, confidant, and emotional support. However, the relationship is fundamentally unequal: Kel can never say no, and Conor sometimes treats his service as an expectation rather than a choice (as when he says “You’ll come with me” without asking). The secrets Conor keeps—the debt, the full truth of his mistakes—create a gap that Kel begins to feel acutely.
Mayesh Bensimon — The Ashkar counselor who serves Conor’s family. Mayesh’s role is to “know the Prince better than he knows himself” and to guide him toward politically advantageous choices. Conor respects Mayesh but also resists his manipulation, as when Mayesh presents three unsuitable marriage candidates to make a fourth more palatable.
Lilibet Aurelian (the Queen) — Conor’s mother is distant, focused on parties and appearances. Their exchange about the Dial Chamber meeting reveals a strained relationship: Conor wants his father’s approval, but Lilibet deflects and demands he prove his competence. She treats Kel as invisible, which Conor does not challenge.
King Markus Aurelian — The philosopher-king has retreated to the North Tower with his telescopes, leaving the business of ruling to others. Conor’s relationship with his father is marked by absence and longing. The evidence notes that Kel “knew this was not true” that Markus was busy with learning—the king’s withdrawal is a family secret.
Antonetta Alleyne — A childhood friend who attended the original banquet where Kel first impersonated Conor. Their relationship is never romantic in the evidence, but Antonetta’s presence in Conor’s life suggests a longing for connection outside the formal structures of court. When she tells Kel “it was time to grow up,” it marks a turning point in their shared childhood innocence.
The Ragpicker King — Though Conor never meets the criminal lord directly in the provided evidence, the Ragpicker King’s influence pervades Conor’s life. It is the underworld figure who ultimately recruits Kel, and the debt to Prosper Beck—a criminal associate—is what makes Conor vulnerable. Conor’s world of palace and privilege is inextricably linked to the shadows he cannot control.
Key Decisions and Consequences
| Decision | Consequence | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Creating the Sword Catcher bond with Kel | Gains a loyal protector and friend for life; creates a foundation of mutual need that complicates their future | Explicit fact: Conor initiated the bond, offering Kel an extraordinary life in exchange for protection |
| Accruing ten thousand crowns of debt to Prosper Beck | Leaves Conor vulnerable to blackmail and forces Kel into the underworld to investigate | Explicit fact: When Crawlers ambush Kel, they say Conor owes Prosper Beck the debt; Kel later learns the debt has been bought up and full payment is demanded |
| Hoping to escape to Marakand | Reveals Conor’s desire to escape his obligations, but his mother blocks the plan; he is forced to take over the Dial Chamber meeting instead | Explicit fact: Lilibet tells Conor he cannot leave next week due to scheduled events; later she demands he lead the Dial Chamber meeting |
| Accepting the betrothal to Luisa of Sarthe | Humiliates Conor publicly and establishes a fragile peace with Sarthe, but does not prevent the assassination attack that kills Luisa and Lord Gremont | Explicit fact: Conor tells Kel he accepted the deal because refusing would mean war, and he “cannot deliberately bring war on my city” |
| Leaving Marivent drunk while Kel impersonates him at the banquet | Leaves the palace vulnerable during the assassination attack; Kel must face the assault alone, and the attack succeeds in killing the Sarthian princess and Gremont | Explicit fact: Conor abandons Marivent, leaving a sarcastic note; Kel impersonates him; armed attackers storm the Shining Gallery |
Theme and Symbol Connections
Duty and Sacrifice — Conor embodies the conflict between personal desire and the obligations of rule. He wants to travel, to choose his own spouse, to escape the endless ceremonies—but each time he tries, the machinery of state pulls him back. His line “I cannot deliberately bring war on my city” shows that duty ultimately constrains even a rebellious prince.
Identity and Deception — The Sword Catcher system means Conor’s identity is literally shared with another person. Kel wears his clothes, speaks his words, and takes blows meant for him. Conor’s own identity becomes performative: he must be the charming prince in public even as he falls apart in private. The identity and deception theme runs through every scene Conor shares with Kel.
Power and Corruption — Conor’s power is real but limited. He cannot stop the assassination attempt, cannot choose his bride, cannot control the criminal debts he incurred. The novel suggests that power in Castellane is a web: the king retreats, the queen manages parties, the criminal king runs smuggling, and the prince is trapped in the middle. Conor’s story warns that power without self-knowledge becomes a prison.
Forbidden Knowledge and Magic — The anokham talisman that makes Kel look like Conor is an Ashkar magical object, connecting Conor’s identity to the forbidden magic that Ashkar law suppresses. Conor benefits from this magic but does not control it, aligning him with the forbidden knowledge and magic theme in ways he may not fully understand.
Social Discrimination and Otherness — Conor’s mother is from Marakand, a conquered land, and his own title “Duke of Marakand” is “honorary.” The social discrimination and otherness that Lin faces as an Ashkar is a mirror of the subtle otherness Conor experiences as the child of a foreign queen—though his privilege as crown prince insulates him from the worst of it.
Questions and Answers
1. Why does Conor choose Kel as his Sword Catcher instead of someone from a noble family?
Conor explicitly tells Kel he wants “someone who wants to do it” and “not someone torn from their family.” Kel is an orphan with no ties to the Hill, which means his loyalty will be to Conor personally, not to a Charter House. Conor also admits he needs companionship, and the evidence shows Kel is drawn to protect him precisely because he “had never been needed before.”
2. Is Conor aware of the danger he is in from his debt to Prosper Beck?
Conor is aware of the debt—he discusses it with Kel and tries to downplay the danger while hiding his own fear (Chapter Nine). However, the evidence does not show Conor taking active steps to resolve the debt or to protect himself from the consequences. When Kel tries to investigate, Conor dismisses his concerns, suggesting a dangerous combination of denial and shame.
3. Does Conor love Kel as a friend, or is their relationship purely transactional?
The evidence strongly supports a genuine friendship. Conor tells Kel he wants someone who “would never be lonely” and promises “we would always be together.” When Kel is stabbed, Conor anxiously watches over his recovery in Castel Mitat (Chapter Eight). At the same time, the relationship is structured on inequality: Conor can give orders, and Kel cannot say no. The bond is both real and compromised by the Sword Catcher system.
4. Why does Conor accept the betrothal to Luisa instead of risking war?
Conor tells Kel, “I cannot deliberately bring war on my city. I suppose even I have my limits.” This decision shows that Conor takes his responsibility as prince seriously, even when the cost is his own happiness. The evidence also shows that the Sarthian ambassador, Anessa, exploited Conor’s weakness, noting that “the household is far from being in order.”
5. What is the significance of Conor’s repeated wish to visit Marakand?
Marakand represents an escape from the gilded cage of Castellane. Conor is drawn to his mother’s homeland as a place where he might be known for himself rather than his title. The Queen’s refusal to let him go, and her deflection when he mentions his father, suggest that Marakand also symbolizes the family secrets and emotional distance that surround Conor. His inability to leave signals his entrapment.
Conclusion
Prince Conor Aurelian is not a villain or a hero but a young man trapped in a system he did not create and cannot escape. His charm, vulnerability, and genuine loyalty to Kel make him sympathetic, while his privilege, recklessness, and secrecy create the crises that drive the plot. As the novel moves toward its explosive climax, Conor’s fate remains uncertain: the attack on the Shining Gallery leaves his house in ruins, his debt unresolved, and his closest ally now working with the Ragpicker King. For a deeper examination of the novel’s resolution, visit the ending explained page, or explore the full book guide.