Loran Duchenin

Loran Duchenin was the second daughter of Count Duchenel, the niece of the former Lord Chancellor of the Ethuveraz, Uleris Chavar, cousin of Nurevis Chavar, and niece of Viscount Chavel. She was a hopeful to become Maia Drazhar's empress, but was not ultimately chosen.

Appearance
When Maia first met Loran, she wore a green silk dress, and “was taller than Csoru, though just as fine-boned. Her eyes were a darker green than Min Vechin’s, and she set them off with peridots.” She also had "perfect eyebrows". She had a very loud laugh.

Loran was 20 years old.

Personality
Loran was talkative, boisterous, given to going off on long-winded tangents, and ambitious.

She held grudges, and was mocking.

Life
Loran seemed to reside at the Untheileneise Court. She was known as being very accomplished, and very established at Court.

During Maia's first meeting with the Corazhas, Nurevis sent an invitation to the Alcethmeret, inviting Maia to an entertainment in the evening, where Nedaö Vechin would be performing. After the performance at the Chavadeise apartments, Nurevis presented a line of courtiers to Maia, and eventually Loran. After Maia's awkwardness, Loran went off on a tangent that she found hilarious, to which Maia did not know how to reply, and Nurevis rescued Maia from her.

Loran cornered Maia at another of Nurevis' parties, talking largely at him, and laughing at her own stories, "as if she could make him want her by sheer persistence." One of Maia's Second Nohecharei, Lieutenant Telimezh, rescued Maia from Loran, giving him the excuse of talking to Csevet Aisava. Maia avoided Loran after that.

When the Corazhas convened to select Maia's empress, Csevet presented "Maia's" final choices: Paru Tethimin, Loran, and Csethiro Ceredin. Uleris argued in favor of Loran, with the Witness for the Prelacy supporting him, but Csethiro had overwhelming support, and was ultimately chosen.

Nurevis invited Maia to more gatherings at the Chavadeise public rooms, and invited Csethiro as well, out of consideration for Maia. Loran still attended at least some of Nurevis' parties, but would sit in a camp of her associates apart from Csethiro, and "made no secret of her anger at being passed over". She mocked Maia behind his back, and called him "Edrehasivar Half-Tongue".

Csoru Drazharan
Loran and Csoru were rivals.

Maia Drazhar
Maia disliked Loran, in part because he found her overwhelming and because she cornered him in her attempts to pursue him. After being passed over for empress, Loran took to mocking Maia's social awkwardness.

Nurevis Chavar
Nurevis likely acted on his father's behalf to introduce Loran to Maia, and to not interfere with Loran's courtship.

Uleris Chavar
Loran was Uleris' niece through Uleris' mother's line. He supported her bid to become Maia's empress.