The Priory of the Orange Tree

These three trees recur throughout the text as sources of magic and immortality, but each has its distinct mythology. All three trees give extremely long life only to the first person who consumes their fruit; such people are known as “Firstblood.” The orange tree gave great life to Cleolind, and the mulberry and hawthorn trees did the same for Neporo and Kalyba, respectively. The three trees are also in different locations: the mulberry tree on the island of Komoridu, the hawthorn tree in the Inysh forest of Haithwood (“haith” being an archaic name for hawthorn), and the orange tree at the site of the modern Priory in the South. However, while the orange tree still thrives, guarded by the Priory, the other two trees have perished. The orange tree lives because the sisters of the Priory use their magic to defend the world from wyrms, which is the trees’ true purpose.

The trees are a source of “siden,” a term that Ead and the sisters of the Priory often use. Siden is terrene magic: the magic of fire and earth. It is implied that the trees draw siden from the earth’s core through their roots. The trees therefore symbolize the positive aspect of magic and the bounty of nature.