Tira

Tira
Tribe Plains
Home Noradz (formerly)
Physical description
Species Human
Gender Female
Hair colour Shaved (formerly) Dark
Personal information
Allies Lief Jasmine Barda
Chronological and political information
Affiliation Noradz (formerly) The Shadow Lord (formerly)
First appearance City of the Rats
Last appearance The Shadowlands

Tira is one of the inhibited people of Noradz, and a friend toLief, Barda and Jasmine. She was a servant of the Ra-Kacharz and later the Shadow Lord himself after being converted by theConversion Project. She was a slave in the Shadowlands during the second series, but was rescued by Lief, Barda and Jasmine when they undertook their quest to rescue the trapped slaves with help from the fabled Pirran Pipe. She later appears at Lief and Jasmine's wedding as a guest.  

History

City of the Rats

When Lief, Barda and Jasmine eat and drink water while staying with the Ra-Kacharz, she accidentally dropped food on the table, and began to scream, the Ra-Kacharz called her a criminal because of food spillage. Lief tried to defend her and said that he was guilty, Tira then tells them that he is a stranger and to forgive him. Tira later comes to the prison the companions are being held in and helps Lief, Barda and Jasmine to escape. Tira takes them to the kitchen, she explained that she wanted to help as thanks for them helping her earlier. She struck one of the Ra-Kacharz with a pan. Lief later asked her to go with them, she refuses and tells them that it was her home and she was needed there more.

Return to Del

Tira is briefly mentioned by Jasmine as a possible representative of the Plains tribe. However, Barda rightfully rejects this suggestion as Tira would never be able to leave Noradz without being seen and would be killed if she were caught trying.  

Cavern of The Fear

The Ra-Kacharz forced the people of Noradz to the Shadowlands, with Tira being among them. Lief, Barda and Jasmine were grief-stricken at the news, for they considered Tira a friend and wanted to free her people once the Shadow Lord was defeated. No one knew what happened to her. 

Once in the Shadowlands, Tira was selected as a candidate for the Conversion Project, and was one of the first to be perfectly converted. She became a servant of the Shadow Lord as a result, and was tasked with supervising the creation of Grey Guards in the Factory and the completion of the Conversion Project on the remainder of the slaves in the Shadow Arena.

The Shadowlands

The three companions first saw what Tira had become when they were sneaking through the Factory during one of Tira's inspections. They were saddened and horrified at Tira's conversion and the change in her. Near the end of the novel Tira supervises the completion of the Conversion Project on the slaves in the Shadow Arena, and attempts to convert Lief, Barda, Jasmine and Pi-Ban as examples. However, before it can happen Lief plays the Pirran Pipe, causing the worms in the Project to be repelled, and after Emlis takes over the playing he causes the Arena to flood and the Pirrans to arrive and help the slaves escape. In the commotion the worm leaves Tira's brain so she becomes herself again as she is ferried through the caverns and back to Deltora. She remembers nothing of the journey through the caverns, as it is with the rest of the slaves.

Physical appearance

Tira is a small and slight with dark hair. She typically wears the uniform of a serving girl: a black hat and suit with a whole apron. She has innocent blue eyes and a pale face from being indoors so much.  

Personality

Tira is very shy and inhibited due to how she was raised in Noradz. She is quiet, obedient, and restrainted, as she was taught to be from birth. As with all of Noradz, she has a deep-inlaid fear of anything furred and anything that could cause a rat-plague in the city. She is respectful and almost fearful of authority such as the Ra-Kacharz who rule Noradz before the Shadow Lord's defeat, though she was willing to defy them by helping Lief, Barda and Jasmine to escape the city and their imprisonment there.  

Tira is largely unaware of any way of living other than how she lives in Noradz, and is surprised when the companions express outrage at the waste of food shown in the kitchens in Noradz. She does not feel any curiosity at how life is like outside Noradz, for she has only ever known life in the city and is content to stay there. Because of her ignorance of the outside world, she appears to be naive, but she is more intelligent and observant than she looks. This is seen during the trial in The City of the Rats, when Tira is the only one to notice Reese, first of the Nine, put two of the same death cards in the Cup so that the companions will be executed. Tira also has a strong sense of compassion and right and wrong, which is shown when she chooses to help the companions despite the risks to herself, and her worries and horror when she realises that no Ra-Kacharz have been going to the cell to give the companions food and drink.   

After her conversion in the Shadowlands she develops more poise and seems more confident within herself. She becomes totally loyal to the Shadow Lord, and is willing to help convert her fellow countrymen to her state, expressing a fanatical devotion. However, once the worm leaves her she is herself again, and feels immense guilt and remorse at her actions and thoughts during that time; it feels as if she has awakened from a nightmare, as Amarantz of the Pottery points out in Isle of Illusion.