Roden, born Kelton Harlowe,[3] is the Carthyan Captain of the Guard. He first appears in The False Prince, where he competes for the Carthyan throne. He is described as tan, handsome, healthy looking with dirty blonde hair and is the strongest of all the other boys. Throughout The False Prince, he is slow with his words and is unsure of his future. However, eventually he is able to overcome his self-doubt and lead Carthya's armies as Captain of the Guard to defend Carthya. In the Runaway King, Roden tries to kill Jaron out of jealousy multiple times. However, Jaron sucessfully convinces Roden to return to Carthya as the Captain of the Royal Guard. Throughout the rest of the series, Roden serves as Captain of the Guard, and participates in fighting against the Prozarian Monarch.
Biography[]
Roden was originally from the same orphanage as Latamer, who was killed by Cregan as an example to the other boys of what the cost would be to lose Conner's favor. Latamer's death visibly shook Roden. Though he was unable to read or write, Roden was accomplished in sword fighting, as he had practiced sword fighting with an old soldier while in Benton.
He was desperate to be chosen for Conner's plan - even more so than Tobias. Roden threw himself into his studies and learned to read within two weeks. Often, he tried appealing to Conner, but his lack of education often made him seem foolish. He was often slow to explain himself, including when he mentioned pretending to lose when sparring with the old soldier in his hometown. Roden knew that when he beat the old soldier, he wouldn't be welcome to spar anymore, and chose instead to take a loss rather than cheat his future self of sword practice. Near the end of the competition, Conner decided that Sage and Tobias were not fit to be the prince, and picked Roden.
Later Roden betrayed Jaron, having formed an alliance with Cregan to get the crown. He challenged Jaron to a duel, but was defeated after Jaron pretended to surrender. Roden had his life spared and was ordered to leave, and so he did but swore to return. It was after Jaron's coronation that Roden found Agor and Devlin in Carthya, as told in Jennifer Nielsen's short story Roden's Revenge.
As a Member of the Avenian Pirates[]
Roden is one of the two antagonists in The Runaway King. After leaving since the previous book, he became a pirate with vengeful anger towards Jaron. As revenge for defeat, he planned to destroy Carthya and kill Jaron.
Roden was off at sea but returned when whispers of the name Jaron reached his ears. Roden challenged and killed the pirate king Devlin, thus becoming the new pirate king. He captures Jaron in exchange for Imogen's freedom and Jaron is put in jail. He has a plan for Jaron but is afraid that this daring king will escape the prison. He breaks Jaron's right leg but Jaron escapes the prison by scaling a cliff face with his newly acquired broken leg and challenges Roden as King of the Pirates. He asks Roden to become captain of the guard, and Roden agrees and surrenders, resulting in him and Jaron becoming good friends, with Jaron naming Roden Captain of the Carthyan Guard.
Renewed Friendship with Jaron[]
Roden and Jaron's friendship grew considerably. Roden first appears in the Shadow Throne as the new captain of the guard while arguing with Jaron in the throne room. Jaron publicly dismisses Roden, though he secretly goes to Half-Moon Pass with 40 of Carthya's best men to keep Gelyn from invading Carthya. Roden successfully holds the Carthya-Gelyn border, and returns to defend Drylliad when informed of Jaron's apparent death. However, Roden was captured and he volunteered to be sentenced to hanging with Jaron to spare Tobias. Fortunately, Jaron saves both of them and Jaron reveals to him that Rulon Harlowe is Roden's father.
Trivia[]
- Roden is the only one of the three boys whom Conner collected to have a living parent.
- He is the first character to have lost the title of Pirate King and then regain it again.