Bring in a Virgin . . .

In my novel The Sorceress of the Northern Seas, Terra is a ferocious young woman who sees her sister executed, sees her come back from the dead, assists Lybecca, the main character of the novel, in overcoming an evil sorceress named Guldutha and, as reward, is appointed queen of a large and spacious kingdom. She is eighteen years old and has never ruled a land, but she has Roman support. Terra is also a virgin, and this constitutes an important element in the tale.

In past ages, if you were a girl from the upper classes this was usually true of you. Girls from the lower classes had a chance to sneak off to the woods or out behind the barn, but if you were from the nobility or the wealthy citizens who wanted to climb the social ladder, your family kept close tabs on you. The nobility cared about blood lines. The wealthy citizenry who wanted to marry their daughters off knew noble families expected the bride to be chaste and pure.  And young women who were savvy and sharp also knew how to play this to their advantage.

Even with an arranged marriage, a young woman would have some influence with her parents. Who was going to get what she had to offer?  The man who was best looking, who could offer the largest dowry, who had land, good looks, and seemed like he would treat her well. Her condition of chastity made her powerful. It was a chip she could play in the card game of status, power, influence, and place.

Once she is crowned queen, Terra is immediately set upon by suitors. Not knowing what to do, she hits on a brilliant plan and publically declares that she will entertain no suitors for the next five years. She will remain a virgin and cloister herself away from men so she can rule without distraction. At the end of that time, she will decide whether she wants to marry or make it permanent.

Her reasoning on the matter:  On the one hand, virgins are considered naïve because they are uninitiated to the mysteries of sex, childbearing, intimacy with men, and the management of a household. On the other hand, when a virgin woman is secure and confident, she can evoke a kind of awe. I had seen this in the way people treated Sky when she was a priestess and in how worshippers regarded the senior priestesses and the abbess of her order. They showed deference and respect that amounted almost to fear.

This facet of her characterization lends intrigue to the plot. Will she marry? Will anyone dare approach her? How will the kingdom react to her choice? How will she function as queen now that she has freed herself from the distractions of marital negotiations? Was her decision wise or foolish?

So don’t be afraid to bring a virgin on board. They make fascinating characters.