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Queen Sabran Berethnet the Ninth
Margret Beck is Loth’s younger sister. A sensible and level-headed young Black woman, she quickly becomes Ead’s best female friend in the Inysh court. Margret is loyal, loving, and openminded: when she learns that Ead doesn’t practice the Six Virtues and is in fact a mage—something the Six Virtues insists is evil—Margret quickly adapts, suggesting that the Six Virtues must have made a mistake since she knows that Ead is a good person. She’s also one of the first to suggest that the Eastern dragons may be entirely different from the Western wyrms and might not be evil at all. Margret has long been in a relationship with Tharian Lintley, though for much of the novel their relationship can’t go any further because Lintley is a commoner and Margret is a noble. After Sabran elevates Lintley to a Viscount, the two become engaged—though they keep putting off their wedding in order to address bigger concerns.
Lady Margret Beck Quotes in The Priory of the Orange Tree
The The Priory of the Orange Tree quotes below are all either spoken by Lady Margret Beck or refer to Lady Margret Beck . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 53 Quotes
‘Meg, what has Loth told you about me?’
‘Everything.’ Margret grasped her by the shoulders. ‘You know I take the Knight of Courage as my patron. There is courage, I think, in open-mindedness, and in thinking for oneself. If you are a witch, then perhaps witches are not so wicked after all.’
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‘Once Sab was old enough to bear children of her own,’ Loth said, ‘Crest sought help from King Sigoso. She knew he reviled Rosarian for refusing his hand, so together they conspired to kill her, with Crest hoping the blame would drift toward Yscalin.’
‘And Crest still considered herself pious?’ Margret snorted. ‘After murdering a Berethnet?’
‘Piety can turn the power-hungry into monsters,’ Ead said. ‘They can twist any teaching to justify their actions.’
She had seen it before. Mita had believed she was serving the Mother when she executed Zāla.
‘Crest waited then,’ Loth said. ‘Waited to see if Sabran would grow to be more devout than her mother. When Sab resisted the childbed, Crest sensed rebellion. She bribed people to enter the Queen Tower with blades to frighten her […]’
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Chapter 55 Quotes
‘Birthing my daughter took a great deal of my strength. I lost too much blood. Finally, as I lay racked with childbed fever, close to death, I could keep hold of Galian no longer. Clear-eyed at last, he threw me into the dungeons.’ Her voice darkened. ‘He had the sword. I was weak. A friend helped me escape…but I had to leave my Sabran. My little princess.’
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All the scattered fragments of the truth were aligning, explaining what the Priory had never understood.
The Deceiver had himself been deceived.
‘Galian ripped down every likeness of me that had been painted or carved and forbade any more to be created for the rest of time. Then he went to Nurtha, where I had raised him, and hanged himself from my hawthorn tree. Or what was left of it.’ […] ‘He ensured his shame would go with him to the grave.’
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Chapter 56 Quotes
‘I agree.’ Loth had spoken before he knew it. The three women looked at him, Margret with raised eyebrows. ‘I think it would help,’ he conceded, even as his faith groaned in protest. ‘During my…adventure, I learned what it was to be a heretic. It felt as though my very existence were under assault. If Inys can be the first to cease using the word, I think it would have done this world a very fine service.’
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Lady Margret Beck Character Timeline in The Priory of the Orange Tree
The timeline below shows where the character Lady Margret Beck appears in The Priory of the Orange Tree. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
...arrived at court at 18, a new convert to the Virtues of Knighthood. Ead and Margret, Loth’s sister, had warned Loth that it was dangerous to be friends with Sabran since...
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Chapter 4
Ead leaves the room with Margret and Lady Linora Payling, a known gossip. Linora titters about how Sabran must wed and...
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Chapter 6
...as “siden,” is a gift from the orange tree. The Inysh would consider it sorcery. Margret explained to Ead once that this is because of the legend of the Lady of...
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Chapter 11
...then she dreams of her childhood friend Jondu and the Prioress. Finally, she wakes to Margret sitting by her bedside. She comes up with a lie to explain why she was...
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Chapter 14
...is due to arrive, most of the court gathers in the Presence Chamber. Ead and Margret discuss that Margret’s parents aren’t here; they don’t want to see Combe after he sent...
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Later, Sabran invites everyone to watch a jousting tournament. Ead and Margret sit together, discussing Combe and whether they think Sabran will end up marrying Aubrecht. Igrain...
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Chapter 15
...to their rooms. Loth bathes, wondering what happened to Lord Wilstan and thinking of Ead. Margret always told him to marry Ead, but they’re just friends. He’s never been in love,...
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Chapter 17
Ead finds Margret making the bed in the Royal Bedchamber. Margret shares what her mother wrote: her father...
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Chapter 22
In the morning, Roslain, Katryen, Ead, Margret, and Linora enter the Royal Bedchamber as soon as Aubrecht is gone. Sabran shares that...
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Chapter 24
...hall later, Ead watches with the other ladies as the royal couple snuggles and kisses—and Margret notices Ead looking stricken. During the feast, Katryen informs Ead that Sabran will soon start...
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Chapter 28
...to Chassar’s estate in Rumelabar. At the Place of Doves, Loth posts a letter to Margret and then lets the ichneumon lead him to a boardinghouse. Near the house, Loth notices...
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Chapter 30
...Aubrecht’s body waits to be taken back to Mentendon. A few days after Aubrecht’s death, Margret catches Ead in a hallway and reveals that Loth sent a letter to a playwright...
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Chapter 37
...hiding in the kitchen. Tallys shows Ead a way to escape, and Ead races for Margret’s quarters.
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Letting herself in, Ead barely has time to tell Margret what’s happening before a Knight of the Body knocks on the door. Ead hides under...
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Chapter 50
Ead sends Loth to hide in Margret’s quarters and sneaks into the palace through the Sanctuary Royal. People are at their evening...
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Taking a weapon from Loth, Margret leads Loth and Ead through a secret passageway. Ead conjures fire to light their way,...
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Ead looks out a window and sees Lintley, Loth, Margret, and other Knights of the Body fighting Igrain’s guards below. She sends Draconic fire into...
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Chapter 52
...founder of the Beck family. They decide Ead will visit Goldenbirch, the Beck estate, with Margret.
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Sabran insists that, since there are no ships to take Ead and Margret to Goldenbirch tonight, they and Loth must come to the Feast of High Winter. Loth...
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Chapter 53
As Ead is dressing for the feast, Margret knocks on the door. Margret shares that Sabran made her a Lady of the Bedchamber....
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Later, Ead and Margret stand near the wall. Ead is jumpy and keeps thinking she sees a Red Damsel’s...
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...and gets up early. She doesn’t wake Sabran as she leaves to pack and find Margret. They discuss Margret’s upcoming wedding to Lintley, and Margret asks Ead to give her away....
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Chapter 55
Ead and Margret’s ship docks at noon. They mount their horses and ride through the countryside toward Serinhall,...
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Margret and Ead go to change. Ead is anxious, knowing that Damsels will come to kill...
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When dinner is finally over, Ead accompanies Margret to visit Clarent. He’s thrilled to see Margret and asks Ead if she’s married Loth...
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Margret and Ead set out on horseback with shovels for an evening ride. Once they reach...
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Ead and Margret ride to the edge of the haithwood. They hike in on foot until Margret identifies...
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Ead and Margret carry Ascalon back to their horses. They hear or see something ahead, and disturbed, they...
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...take Sabran’s place, since they look the same. Kalyba asks again for the sword. When Margret and Ead refuse, she transforms into the White Wyrm, grabs the horse in her jaws,...
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Chapter 56
...to behead Igrain. Lady Nelda Stillwater enters, proclaims her loyalty, and shares that Ead and Margret have reached the nearby port.
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...garden, where Ead introduces Sabran to Aralaq. Aralaq bows low and pledges to protect Sabran. Margret gives Loth a brief update on their parents, and then they join Ead and Sabran...
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...but Ead notes that the Six Virtues and Eastern religions alike fear the Nameless One. Margret adds that “the enemy of the enemy is a potential friend.”
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...firm: the East will talk to them. Sabran asks to speak to Ead alone, leaving Margret and Loth. Loth grumbles about Ead’s plan, but Margret admits she’s been questioning everything the...
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Then, Sabran asks what Ead and Margret are keeping secret about their visit to Goldenbirch. After deliberating, Ead tells Sabran what she...
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Chapter 57
...publicly drawn and quartered. A small group gathers to watch her execution, including Roslain, Loth, Margret, and Sabran—even though royals usually don’t attend executions. When it’s time, Igrain says she isn’t...
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Later, Loth, Margret, and Sabran sit with Ead while Dr. Bourn examines her. Loth says the poison is...
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Chapter 66
...comes to, feeling as though someone lit a light inside of her. She wakes to Margret nursing her. Margret immediately sends people to let Sabran know and, once Ead has drunk...
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...Sabran insists on announcing the alliance to her subjects in two days. A while later, Margret appears at the door with the news that Southern rulers have arrived.
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Chapter 67
...generations will know the truth. Kagudo and Ead bow to each other before parting ways. Margret rushes up and explains she’s postponing her wedding again. That evening, Sabran announces the news...
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Chapter 69
In the ship’s staterooms, Ead lies awake next to sleeping Sabran. She thinks of how Margret asked for leave to go work as a nurse. Sabran sent Lintley to go with...
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Chapter 70
...is over, Loth, Sabran, and Ead go to Sabran’s cabin and embrace happily. Ead reveals Margret’s whereabouts. Loth feels sick.
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Chapter 72
...dead, and nobody knows if the Donmata Marosa is alive. Loth, though, is here for Margret. He finds her in a tent, caring for Lintley. The siblings embrace, and Loth tells...
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Chapter 74
...assume his role as the Earl of Goldenbirch, even though he’d rather be at court. Margret brings him wine and remarks on how unfair it is: Loth loves court and must...
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