Vedero Drazhin

The Archduchess Vedero Drazhin is the only daughter of Pazhiro Drazharan and Varenechibel IV, and the younger half-sister of Nemolis Drazhar and Nemriän Imaran, younger sister to Nazhira Drazhar and Ciris Drazhar, and older half-sister of Maia Drazhar. She is a scholar and astronomer.

Appearance
When Maia saw her at the funeral for Varenechibel IV and her brothers, Vedero was "a big woman, two inches taller than Maia himself, broad in the shoulder and hip. Her hair was smooth white silk, her eyes the Drazhadeise gray. Her features were strong but good and her presence one of tremendous dignity. Black did not become her, and he could see by the grayness of her face and her red-rimmed eyes that she had been weeping and had scorned to hide the evidence.” She also had perfect posture.

At her audience with Maia, she "still wore full mourning, and unlike most court ladies, she made no effort at ornamentation. Black on black quilting, black ribbons in her hair, and no jewelry at all, save the unadorned rings in her ears.”

She was 28 years old during the events of The Goblin Emperor.

Personality
Vedero had an impassive face when she gave her oath to Maia. She was often close-lipped about things in general, particularly as they concern her own affairs, though she can get frustrated. She wishes to study the stars. She cares deeply about learning, astronomy, and enjoys supporting the work of her friends.

She is "well known not to favor marriage." She deeply mourned the deaths of her father and brothers.

Life
Vedero was born as the fifth child of Varenechibel IV, his second daughter, and the third and last child of Pazhiro. She grew up in the Untheileneise Court.

Vedero had a scholarly bent, and made friends with other women of similar leanings. Varenechibel IV did not give her permission to attend university, likely because women with university training are considered unfit for marriage. She "kept her telescope on the roof of her apartments, reached through a trap and by means of a ladder that was nothing more than iron rungs bolted to the wall."

After the furor of Nemriän's marriage, Varenechibel IV “swore that there would be no public discussion of his second daughter’s marriage until the ceremony of signing”.

Duke Tethimel and Eshevis Tethimar were negotiating with Varenechibel IV for Eshevis' marriage to Vedero while planning to assassinate Varenechibel IV and most of his sons, supposedly securing the regency of Idra Drazhar for Eshevis, as part of the Tethimadeise Conspiracy.

After her father and most of her brothers were killed, Vedero went into deep mourning.

Vedero attended Maia's coronation, and swore loyalty to him. She later attended the funeral of her father and brothers.

Due to the death of Ciris prior to the vow giving and consummation of his marriage with his fiance, Stano Bazhevin, she was left with an awkward place. Her father, Count Bazhevel, suggested Maia marry her. Alternatively, seemingly knowing that this would be refused, as Stano was technically related to Maia at this point, Bazhevel proposed that Dalera Bazhevar marry Vedero. Maia called Vedero to an audience about her marriage and Vedero was close-lipped about potential negotiations for her marriage. She noted she did not wish to be married, and Maia eventually got her to admit that Varenechibel IV had been negotiating with Eshevis. When Maia asked her what she wished to do, and out-waited her, she admitted that she wished to study the stars. But she told Maia he needed her marriage, as a bargaining chip with the world, and did not expect him to consider her wishes.

Uleris Chavar suggested to Maia that Varenechibel IV dearly wished for an alliance with the Bazhevada, and encouraged the match with Dalera. Maia brushed this off, as it was not in writing.

Maia had messages sent to Tethimel and Bazhevel that Vedero and House Drazhada were still in mourning, and negotiations for Vedero's marriage would be put off for at least a year. Maia then sent a note to Vedero telling her to study the stars. This led many in the Court to send Maia a slew of angry messages.

Vedero attended the Winternight ball. She thanked Maia, particularly noting that she knew he did it in honor of his mother, as he didn't wish others to be as miserable as she had been. She invited him to watch a lunar eclipse in a fortnight. She danced with Mer Reshema at the Winternight ball.

On the night Vedero and Maia watched the eclipse together (with Cala Athmaza and Deret Beshelar in attendance), Vedero spoke with Maia more about her interests and her friends and peers and their scholarly interests. When Maia expressed an interest in meeting her friends, and Vedero was incredulous about his seriousness, Maia noted, "We were not considered worth educating, either".

Aizheän Tativin
Aizheän is a member of Vedero's circle of scholars and one of Vedero's close friends. Aizheän gave Vedero the body for her telescope, from a failed attempt to make a horn for a unicorn automaton.

Csethiro Ceredin
Csethiro is a member of Vedero's circle of scholars and one of Vedero's close friends.

Maia Drazhar
Maia was afraid that Vedero hated him, or at least viewed him with distrust and skepticism. At the celebration of Maia's birthday, she evidenced a fondness for him and his compassion. She was still nervous around talking candidly to him about her interests, expecting condemnation. They came to an understanding, and Maia noted that they had something like friendship.

Trivia

 * Vedero's “household, that of an unmarried woman still under the protection of the head of her house, did not include armsmen.”
 * When Kiru Athmaza aimed to become Maia's second nohecharis, she noted that Maia's kindness to Vedero was part of the support for her hopes.