Merlita Darvalis or Lita was the Dean of the Bardic Collegium and the Head of the Bardic Circle during the reign of King Kiril. She grew up in a family of drovers and had experience driving wagons and caravans.[1] She was often exasperated with the Bardic students and their egos, and the amount of paperwork her job entailed.
She and the Herald Jakyr were once in a romantic relationship but Jakyr broke it off. After that, they verbally sniped at each other at every opportunity. She shocked Mags and Jakyr when she turned up as part of the larger group of Bear, Lena and Amily that accompanied the Heralds to The Bastion. Lita's excuses were that she wanted to give Bard Purchel, her successor as Dean, a trial and also to prevent Jakyr from ruining Lena.
It was implied she still had feelings for Jakyr as she kissed him before he made a suicidal attempt at calling for help when the group was trapped in The Bastion by Sleepgivers. Jakyr confessed to her why he drove her away and they reconciled. It is not stated whether the pair resumed their romantic relationship, but they were on friendlier terms in later years.
She is described as "an ordinary middle-aged woman, handsome rather than beautiful, dark-eyed, with dark, graying hair."[2]
In the series[]
Lita appears in the following works:
- Foundation, Collegium Chronicles, volume 1
- Changes, Collegium Chronicles, volume 3
- Bastion, Collegium Chronicles, volume 5
- Closer to Home, Herald Spy, volume 1
- Closer to the Chest, Herald Spy, volume 3