Fortún Donadei: The Olive Prince’s Rise and Fall

Overview

Fortún Donadei, known as the Olive Prince, is one of Luzia Cotado’s three main rivals in the torneo de milagros of Leigh Bardugo’s The Familiar. Unlike the prophetess Teoda Halcón or the social‑climbing Gracia de Valera, Fortún is a peasant‑born illusionist whose magic relies on music and a powerful talisman: a gold crucifix set with a large emerald and jade stones. His story traces a desperate bid for freedom from his patroness, doña Beatriz, a calculated betrayal of Luzia during the third trial, and a final, irreversible loss of power after the Inquisition’s execution.

Plot Role

Fortún is introduced in Chapter 22 as a “singer with a pony trick” whose family worked the olive groves of Jaén. During the first trial (Chapter 24), he plays a vihuela and summons a flock of birds that dance through the ballroom, earning thunderous applause. He later reveals to Luzia (Chapter 27) that he despises his patroness and must win the torneo to escape her sexual demands. His role deepens as an informant: he warns Luzia that Santángel is not what he seems, but Santángel cautions her not to trust Fortún’s “calculated charm” (Chapter 28). In the third trial (Chapter 41), Fortún pretends to ally with Luzia, then transforms her giant cross into a galleon using illusion magic—a betrayal that forces Luzia to retaliate by shattering his talisman with her refrán. At the Inquisition (Chapter 51), he lies under oath, claiming Luzia and Santángel had an affair and that Luzia schemed with Antonio Pérez. After the execution (Chapter 55), his emerald crucifix cracks, and he loses all magical ability.

Motivations and Traits

Fortún’s primary motivation is escape from doña Beatriz. He tells Luzia (Chapter 27): “I can’t stand her… I’m hers in every way.” Winning the torneo would grant him money, status, and freedom—he explicitly says he would no longer have to “fuck her.” This desperation drives his ambition, but it also makes him cautious and calculating. He is a skilled manipulator: he commiserates with Luzia as a fellow peasant, then uses her own creation (the cross) to build a more impressive spectacle. Under pressure, he lies easily to protect himself and to curry favour with don Víctor. Yet he is not pure malice—he seems genuinely regretful when he says “It’s still a competition” after betraying Luzia. His actions show a pragmatism that borders on cruelty, tempered by moments of shared vulnerability.

Chronological Arc

First Trial (Chapter 24): Fortún performs with his vihuela, calling birds into the hall. He wears his gold‑and‑emerald crucifix, already a symbol of his power.
Second Trial (Chapter 31): He summons a glowing lamb during the mystery play, then retreats. His magic is purely illusory—sound and image.
Between Trials (Chapter 27): He confides in Luzia about his patroness, warning her about Santángel.
Third Trial (Chapter 41): He tricks Luzia into helping him build a cross, then turns it into a war galley. Luzia destroys his crucifix's gems with her refrán, collapsing his illusion.
Inquisition (Chapter 51): He testifies falsely against Luzia and Santángel, hoping to gain don Víctor as his new patron.
Aftermath (Chapter 55): The emerald cracks during the execution fire. He loses all magical power; his patron Víctor repeatedly postpones a journey to restore it, and Víctor dies alone. Fortún ends the story powerless and largely forgotten.

Relationships

Luzia Cotado: A nuanced dynamic. He first treats her as a fellow outsider (Chapter 27: “You look like the girls from my village”), but later attempts to seduce her trust. The outline shows he shares his secret about doña Beatriz to win her sympathy. When he betrays her, he calls her “Malparido” (bastard) in Spanish, revealing his contempt. Yet he also saves a measure of honesty—he admits “It’s still a competition.”

Doña Beatriz: His patroness and abuser. He describes her as possessive: “I’m hers… in every possible way.” His entire arc is defined by his desire to escape her control.

Santángel: Santángel correctly judges Fortún as a “calculated charmer” (Chapter 28) and warns Luzia not to trust him. Fortún later warns Luzia about Santángel in turn, trying to drive a wedge between them.

Don Víctor: After the torneo fails, Fortún seeks Víctor as a new protector. Víctor agrees but keeps delaying the journey to replenish Fortún’s power—a delay that becomes permanent when Víctor’s fear and inertia take over.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Confiding in Luzia (Chapter 27): He reveals his hatred for doña Beatriz. This makes Luzia sympathetic but also gives her knowledge she could use. Ultimately, it fails to secure a true alliance.
Betraying Luzia in the third trial (Chapter 41): He turns her cross into a galleon, hoping to win the king’s favour. The immediate consequence is Luzia’s retaliation—she speaks a refrán that causes his emerald gems to turn into insects, collapsing his ship. The long‑term consequence is that Luzia’s attack may have weakened his talisman, leading to its crack during the flames.
Testifying falsely (Chapter 51): He lies about an affair and about Luzia’s political ties. This backfires because Santángel and Luzia both confess to even greater crimes, making Fortún’s lies irrelevant. He fails to win Víctor’s full trust.
Losing his power (Chapter 55): The cracked emerald renders him an ordinary musician. He cannot repeat his miracles, and his new patron’s fear prevents any restoration. He ends the story stripped of the very gift that gave him a chance at freedom.

Theme and Symbol Connections

Identity and Concealment: Fortún hides his true nature—an ambitious, manipulative man—behind a mask of the simple peasant. His illusion magic is a physical metaphor for this deception. (Theme page: Identity and Concealment)
Power and Control: Doña Beatriz controls his body; he seeks to control his own fate through the torneo. When he later tries to gain Víctor’s patronage, he merely trades one master for another. (Theme page: Power and Control)
Magic as Survival: For Fortún, magic is not a gift but a tool for survival. He learned it (or acquired the talisman) to rise above the olive groves. When the talisman breaks, he loses his livelihood. (Theme page: Magic as Survival)
Love vs Sacrifice: He is willing to sacrifice Luzia—and any pretence of friendship—for his own freedom. His love is only for himself. (Theme page: Love vs Sacrifice)
Faith and Heresy: His emerald crucifix is itself a symbol of faith perverted: he uses a holy object to perform “miracles” that are illusions, not gifts from God. The crack could be read as divine punishment or as the breaking of a false idol. (Theme page: Faith and Heresy)

5 Book‑Specific Questions and Answers

Why does Fortún betray Luzia in the third trial?
He betrays her because he must win the torneo to escape doña Beatriz’s sexual demands. He sees Luzia as a rival, not an ally, and uses her plank‑creating refrán to build a more impressive spectacle—a galleon—that he hopes will impress King Philip’s representative.
What is the source of Fortún’s magical power?
His power comes from his emerald crucifix. The outline explicitly states that the stone “had taken in and strengthened his gift.” The crucifix is a talisman that amplifies his illusion magic. When it cracks after the execution, his abilities vanish.
How does Fortún escape punishment after the torneo?
He does not escape punishment but rather suffers a gradual loss of power. After the Inquisition, he remains free because he testifies against Luzia and Santángel, and don Víctor takes him as a new protégé. However, he loses his magic permanently and ends up trapped under Victor’s indecision.
What happens to Fortún at the end of the book?
In the final chapter (55), Fortún’s emerald crucifix cracks during the execution fire. He loses all magical ability. Don Víctor plans to take him south to restore his gift, but Víctor becomes consumed by fear and delays the journey indefinitely. Fortún is left in a static, powerless existence.
Is Fortún a sympathetic villain?
The book presents him as a product of his circumstances—a peasant abused by a noblewoman who uses her wealth to own him. His desire for freedom is understandable, but his willingness to manipulate and betray Luzia (whom he pretends to befriend) makes him morally ambiguous. He is sympathetic in his suffering but not in his actions.