Difference between revisions of "Iskierka"

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Iskierka

A picture of Iskierka on the cover of the U.S. edition of Black Powder War

Character Profile

Biography

Iskierka's egg was purchased from the Turkish government along with two others. Temeraire's crew was sent to retrieve the eggs, but were denied access to them. Knowing that Iskierka's egg would soon hatch, they stole all the eggs and fled Turkey. Temeraire was given the task of "nurse-maiding" the two surviving eggs (one, an Alaman egg, slipped its holdings and fell off Temeraire to its death, along with a young crewman.). Iskierka emerged in the middle of another daring escape. She already knew about the hatching process (from Temeraire's teaching while she was still in the shell) and announced she would name herself.

A literal translation of 'iskierka' is 'a little spark'. In Polish, the use is rather affectionate. The song, from which the name was taken, is 'Bajka iskierki' (Little Spark's Fairytale). It is a very popular Polish lullaby. The author of the words is Janina Porazińska.

She was very feisty and not just a little bloodthirsty. She often caused trouble because she believed herself to be already a better fighter than she truly was, considering she was still just a hatchling. As she grew she had to be chained to stop her leaping into battle with full-grown dragons, and she had once even threatened Temeraire over a cow, something she quickly regretted as she was barely a day old at the time. She thoroughly enjoyed the chance to flame at several chasing dragons during the escape from Danzig.

She remained difficult to control upon arriving in Britain. Once she even stole a fisherman's ship, thinking to gain "capital" (after being told Temeraire got his breastplate from the prize money Laurence got from taking the Amitie). She is only brought under a semblance of control when Jane Roland appears before her authority as admiral and suggests that Granby will decide to go back to service on Temeraire if Iskierka does not behave. Horrified, Iskierka agrees to follow orders she doesn't like so long as she also gets to follow a few she does like now and again.

Granby is later pleased to learn that, even though she is not yet at her full growth, she could set targets alight from 80 yards (whereas a Flamme-de-Gloire can only do it from 40) and breathe fire for a full five minutes without stopping.

In time, Iskierka has learned how to aquire real "capital" for herself and her captain. With the help of ferals she patrolled the Channel, taking French ships as prizes. In this way she earned enough money to build herself a pavilion.

During the invasion of Britain she disobeyed orders and was captured by the French along with her captain. After the this incident Iskierka became more managable, but it ended with the invasion. She decided that her egg should be able to both breathe fire and use the divine wind, and followed Temeraire on his journey to Australia, taking Granby with her.

Iskierka's parents were two Turkish dragons, named Bezaid and Sherazde, who guarded the sultan's palace.