The Unicorn Hunters

Katherine Arden

The Unicorn Hunters

Katherine Arden
57 pages1-hour read
Fiction
Novel
Adult
Published in 2026

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Anne is the young duchess regnant of Brittany, fiercely protective of her vulnerable homeland. Recognizing that foreign powers view her solely as a political asset to be claimed, she uses a facade of naive frivolity to disarm her adversaries. Beneath this carefully maintained image, she operates as a cunning strategist willing to sacrifice her personal freedom for the survival of her people.

Key Relationships

Magical Adversary of Julien Moreau

Developing Connection to Louis of Orléans

Older Sister of Isabeau of Brittany

Older Half-Sister of Henri, Baron of Avaugour

Proxy Wife of Maximilien of Austria

Political Target of Marguerite of France

Protector of Elesbed

Julien is a mysterious diviner who served under the name Miravi centuries earlier. He arrives in Anne's court with an ominous message from the king of the korriganed and displays a disturbing mastery of shadow magic. His charming demeanor masks a manipulative and dangerous ambition tied to ancient Breton folklore.

Key Relationships

Dangerous Suitor of Anne of Brittany

Manipulator of Isabeau of Brittany

Secret Ally of Marguerite of France

Threat to Elesbed

Louis is a pragmatic nobleman and former political prisoner who previously fought alongside the Bretons. Hardened by war and captivity, he initially acts on behalf of the French crown to secure Anne's submission. However, his respect for the young duchess complicates his loyalties as he witnesses her courage firsthand.

Key Relationships

Political Prisoner of Marguerite of France

Distrusted by Isabeau of Brittany

Marguerite is the powerful former regent of France and sister to King Charles. She operates as a cold, calculating imperial strategist focused entirely on the annexation of Brittany. She views Anne strictly as a political asset and utilizes intimidation and political leverage to enforce her will on the Breton court.

Key Relationships

Older Sister of King Charles

Political Oppressor of Anne of Brittany

Employer of Louis of Orléans

Secret Ally of Julien Moreau

Commander of Guillaume de La Trémoille

Supporting Characters

Isabeau is Anne's younger sister, characterized by her youthful impulsiveness and fierce devotion to her family. While she understands the necessity of political sacrifice, she lacks Anne's strategic patience, often acting on raw emotion. Her desperation to save her sister leads her into dangerous bargains with unpredictable magical forces.

Key Relationships

Younger Sister of Anne of Brittany

Younger Half-Sister of Henri, Baron of Avaugour

Close Friend of Elesbed

Manipulated by Julien Moreau

Henri is Anne and Isabeau's loyal half-brother and a steadfast protector of the ducal family. While he lacks Anne's aptitude for complex statecraft, he provides unwavering physical bravery and practical support. He readily participates in his sister's covert schemes and stands as a reliable guard in her chaotic political life.

Key Relationships

Older Half-Brother of Anne of Brittany

Older Half-Brother of Isabeau of Brittany

Drinking Companion of Wolfgang von Polhaim

Comrade in Arms of Louis of Orléans

Jean is Anne's counselor and officially appointed guardian, deeply protective of his royal ward. His approach to politics is defined by extreme caution and conventional thinking, making him highly anxious about Anne's bold, magically-inclined strategies. He consistently prioritizes known, worldly threats over unpredictable supernatural dangers.

Key Relationships

Guardian of Anne of Brittany

Protector of Isabeau of Brittany

Elesbed is a practical and resourceful orphan who joins the ducal household as a companion to Isabeau. Having survived the harsh realities of war, she possesses an instinctive understanding of danger and Breton folklore that the highborn characters often lack. She quickly proves herself to be a brave and deeply loyal friend.

Key Relationships

Companion of Isabeau of Brittany

Owner of Butter

Suspicious of Julien Moreau

The Korrigan-Queen is an ancient and powerful faerie who acts as a mysterious, challenging mentor figure to the Breton duchess. She guards the deeper magic of the Lost Lands and operates by logic wholly alien to human politics. Her guidance is often cryptic, designed to test the resolve and motives of those who interact with the faerie world.

Key Relationships

Mysterious Guide to Anne of Brittany

Enemy of Julien Moreau

Guillaume is a French envoy and general tasked with forcing Breton submission. He is an avid, passionate hunter, a trait that Anne actively exploits by fabricating a mythical beast hunt to distract him from his political duties.

Key Relationships

Subordinate to Marguerite of France

Political Adversary of Anne of Brittany

Maximilien is the heir to the Holy Roman Empire, selected by Anne for a secret proxy marriage to protect Brittany. Though politically advantageous on paper, his reliability is compromised by his deep, haunting grief over his deceased wife.

Key Relationships

Proxy Husband of Anne of Brittany

Employer of Wolfgang von Polhaim

Wolfgang is the Austrian envoy sent by Maximilien. He acts as the legal proxy for his master during the clandestine wedding ceremony in Brocéliande, performing the bizarre legal requirements to finalize the union before returning to Flanders.

Key Relationships

Representative of Maximilien of Austria

Proxy Groom to Anne of Brittany

Secret Guest of Henri, Baron of Avaugour

Butter is a magically astute cat found by Elesbed following the mysterious events in Brocéliande. The feline possesses an uncanny sensitivity to supernatural threats and invisible shadows, often acting as a guide and protector when otherworldly dangers approach.

Key Relationships

Pet of Elesbed

Helpful Guide to Anne of Brittany

Charles is the King of France, a monarch more interested in the romanticized pursuit of mythical beasts than the tedious realities of military campaigning. He views the acquisition of Brittany—and its young duchess—as a personal prize rather than a strategic necessity.

Key Relationships

Younger Brother of Marguerite of France

Unwanted Suitor of Anne of Brittany

Calyx is the court diviner for Brittany. He provides crucial magical intelligence for the ducal council, though attempting to read the movements of ancient, faerie magic takes a heavy physical toll on his frail body.

Key Relationships

Court Diviner for Anne of Brittany

Gralon Meur is a legendary human king who married a korrigan princess and ruled the enchanted city of Keris before it vanished. He lives a solitary existence in the magical woods, content to see his wife for a single moment each dawn.

Key Relationships

Father of Ahèz

Ahèz is the cruel, petulant queen of Keris who perpetuates an endless, riotous nighttime festival. She prioritizes her own selfish desires over the needs of her people, maintaining absolute control through magical obstacles and stagnation.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Gralon Meur

Adversary of Anne of Brittany

Hawiz is a trusted nurse and lady-in-waiting in the Breton court. She attends to the personal needs and secrets of the duchess, maintaining the daily functions of the royal bedchamber amidst political turmoil.

Key Relationships

Confidant of Anne of Brittany