Meg Maddison: Difference between revisions
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| image = Head_Meg.jpg | | image = Head_Meg.jpg | ||
| race = Earth | | race = Earth | ||
| aka= Margaret<br>Calida (Bestia name) | | aka= Margaret<br>Calida (Bestia name)<br>Kahlo | ||
| born = 2009 | | born = 2009 | ||
| died = | | died = | ||
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Meg Maddison is one of the four [[Maddisons|Maddison]] siblings who enter Altierra in the novel ''[[The Snow Beyond the Wall]]''. She is the third eldest of the group and is 16 years old when she first enters the world. Her | Meg Maddison is one of the four [[Maddisons|Maddison]] siblings who enter Altierra in the novel ''[[The Snow Beyond the Wall]]''. She is the third eldest of the group and is 16 years old when she first enters the world. Her captivity and eventual rescue form one of the novel's central arcs. She forms a close friendship with fellow slave Toia and is mentored by the older Bestia Brisa. | ||
==Appearance== | ==Appearance== | ||
Meg is sixteen years old with pale blonde hair — a feature noted as rare in Altierra and one that makes her conspicuous; Valdez remarks on it with fascination. | |||
Her hair changes significantly across the story. It begins in a ponytail; Brisa braids it at Rocosa; and it is ultimately cut short as punishment by Maricella at Sometria — when Susan first sees her through a doorway at the laundry yard, she is a novice "with short, pale blonde hair," prompting Susan's shocked reaction: "What have they done to her lovely hair?" | |||
Before her capture she wears modern clothing — a designer sweatshirt with rolled sleeves and jeans. As a Bestia captive she is given standard slave garments: a white chemise with a belt (brown as a Baja), and sandals. At Sometria she wears a thicker winter chemise and boots. Her hoop earrings — a special sixteenth-birthday present — and a ring on her right hand are confiscated during the purification ceremony. | |||
The photos show long pale blonde hair; hazel-brown almond eyes; a heart-shaped face with high cheekbones; a fair complexion; full lips; a slim, athletic build. | |||
Very pale blonde hair, almost as tall as her sister [[Susan Maddison|Susan]]. When she first entered Altierra, her hair was in a ponytail. In [[Rocosa]], [[Brisa]] made her hair into braids to make her look older and less vulnerable. At [[Sometria]], she removed the braids as a statement of independence. | Very pale blonde hair, almost as tall as her sister [[Susan Maddison|Susan]]. When she first entered Altierra, her hair was in a ponytail. In [[Rocosa]], [[Brisa]] made her hair into braids to make her look older and less vulnerable. At [[Sometria]], she removed the braids as a statement of independence. | ||
| Line 26: | Line 34: | ||
==Character== | ==Character== | ||
Meg is defined by a quiet, resilient core that emerges under extreme pressure. Initially the least assertive of the Maddison siblings — reluctant, hesitant, and described by Luke as "shallow, never thinking of the important things" — she reveals hidden reserves of courage and determination that surprise everyone, including herself. | |||
She is captured by soldiers and interrogated under torture — six strokes of a cane — yet resists revealing the portal's location. She even lies to Valdez about its appearance, claiming it is in a cave, to protect her siblings. This quick thinking under pressure shows a survival instinct that becomes central to her character. | |||
She endures the brutal purification ceremony and subsequent abuse with a composure that Brisa, her mentor, explicitly praises: "She's shown great courage and strength... She is still Meg." She is willing to put herself in degrading or dangerous situations to protect others — most strikingly, she asks to take Toia's punishment herself, accepting four times the strokes for each mistake Toia makes. When the Iniciador Farago tries to assault her, she fights back, hitting him rather than submitting. | |||
Her loyalty to friends is fierce and self-destructive. At Sometria, when the rescue party finally reaches her, she refuses to leave without her friend Toia — "Do you think I'd leave her to die?" — even though escaping alone would be straightforward. She insists on going back into the school to fetch Toia herself, showing a bravery that borders on recklessness. When Maricella kills Toia during the escape attempt, Meg is devastated, screaming for her fallen friend as Luke and Susan drag her away. | |||
Luke captures her essential nature with a story from their childhood: Meg stole his favourite sweater for a friend who had no fancy clothes for a party. "She'll do something bad, but she'll do it for the right reasons. A crazy, mixed-up girl." Beneath her superficial exterior is someone who acts on compassion, often impulsively and at personal cost. | |||
She is pragmatic about survival, adapting to Bestia conditioning while maintaining her inner identity: "I'm learning to look like I'm learning to think like a Bestia" — a sardonic acknowledgment that compliance is strategy, not surrender. Yet the conditioning takes its toll; when rescued she is subdued, drained of energy, and instinctively waits for permission to eat. Her recovery is slow, aided most by Emily's quiet companionship. | |||
She carries deep fear of re-enslavement. When the siblings discover they have returned to a ruined, far-future England, Meg is the most uncertain about going back to Altierra: "I thought I'd finally got away from them," and "I couldn't be a slave again. I think I'd kill myself first." She ultimately agrees to return, choosing the known dangers of Altierra and the community there over an alienating future England. | |||
In summary: reserved, compassionate, quietly brave, loyal to the point of self-sacrifice, pragmatic in survival but carrying deep scars. She is less commanding than Susan but possesses a stubborn moral core that cannot be trained out of her. | |||
On Earth, she was dramatic and sarcastic, interested in fashion. She has a streak of independence as shown by her attempts to retain her own personality when made a Bestia (changing her hairstyle and rearranging her belt). | On Earth, she was dramatic and sarcastic, interested in fashion. She has a streak of independence as shown by her attempts to retain her own personality when made a Bestia (changing her hairstyle and rearranging her belt). | ||
| Line 32: | Line 57: | ||
==Speech== | ==Speech== | ||
Meg's natural register is modern British English — more measured and reserved than Susan's direct, commanding style. She is less likely to take charge of a conversation and more likely to question or express uncertainty. She is honest about her limitations: "I don't think I could be a good Bestia" is a frank self-assessment, not false modesty. | |||
She uses mild profanity — "bloody hell", "dammit" — and, when pushed to breaking point under intense pressure, erupts with stronger language: "Oh, shut the fuck up, Toia!" This outburst is rare and marks extreme stress rather than everyday speech. British colloquialisms and fillers ("I bet", "like") appear in her casual register. | |||
She can be dryly sarcastic. Commenting on the unchanging Mrs Navarro, she observes: "I bet nothing's changed since the last century – including Mrs N". Her sardonic wit surfaces most in moments of self-awareness: "I'm learning to look like I'm learning to think like a Bestia" layers irony over a painful truth about her situation. | |||
During her captivity she learns to address Altierran superiors correctly — Doncella, Domina, Doña, Sirviente — and becomes more compliant in speech, learning to hold her tongue and ask permission. This conditioned deference lingers even after rescue; she waits for permission to eat, a small but telling sign of how deeply the training has taken hold. When speaking naturally with her siblings, however, the deference drops away. | |||
Her speech becomes more assertive when protecting others. When refusing to leave Toia behind, her language shifts from hesitant to determined: "I'll stay here alone rather than let Toia die" and "Do you think I'd leave her to die?" — short, firm declarations that echo Susan's decisive register but are driven by loyalty rather than command instinct. | |||
A representative line that captures her voice: "I'm learning to look like I'm learning to think like a Bestia." — sardonic, self-aware, and quietly defiant beneath the compliance. | |||
Rarely swears and rather embarrassed when she does. | Rarely swears and rather embarrassed when she does. | ||
* "Gruesome" | |||
* “Fuck” | * “Fuck” | ||
* “Miffed” | * “Miffed” | ||
| Line 43: | Line 81: | ||
When made a Bestia, she was given the name of "Calida". This has three syllables unlike other Bestia names which are one or two, perhaps indicating that she was not a regular Bestia. | When made a Bestia, she was given the name of "Calida". This has three syllables unlike other Bestia names which are one or two, perhaps indicating that she was not a regular Bestia. | ||
== | ==Timeline== | ||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
! Year !! Age !! Event | |||
|- | |||
| 2009 || - || Born | |||
|- | |||
| 000 0 || 00 || xxxx | |||
|- | |||
| 2025 || 16 || Entered Altierra | |||
|} | |||
After the end of the Snow Beyond the Wall, Meg stays on at Elisal for a while. She begins to preform little acts of defiance against the Priestesses. When the risk to Elisal grows too great, she leaves, heading into the [[Heartwild]] to form a rebel band. She tells Susan that, if she ever needs to find Meg, she should search for the the name "Kahlo" as a code word (from Frida Kahlo). | |||
==Images== | ==Images== | ||
| Line 54: | Line 106: | ||
| [[File:Meg_shorn.jpg|thumb|left|250px|''Meg as a Bestia with her hair shorn'']] | | [[File:Meg_shorn.jpg|thumb|left|250px|''Meg as a Bestia with her hair shorn'']] | ||
| [[File:Meg_rebel.jpg|thumb|left|250px|''Meg as a rebel leader'']] | |||
|} | |} | ||
Latest revision as of 15:51, 11 August 2026
| Meg Maddison | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Race | Earth |
| Other names | Margaret Calida (Bestia name) Kahlo |
| Born | 2009 |
| Age in “Snow” | 16 |
| Age in “Sequel” | 20 |
| Occupation/rank | Schoolgirl |
| Family | Luke (brother) Susan (sister) Emily (sister) |
Meg Maddison is one of the four Maddison siblings who enter Altierra in the novel The Snow Beyond the Wall. She is the third eldest of the group and is 16 years old when she first enters the world. Her captivity and eventual rescue form one of the novel's central arcs. She forms a close friendship with fellow slave Toia and is mentored by the older Bestia Brisa.
Appearance
[edit]Meg is sixteen years old with pale blonde hair — a feature noted as rare in Altierra and one that makes her conspicuous; Valdez remarks on it with fascination.
Her hair changes significantly across the story. It begins in a ponytail; Brisa braids it at Rocosa; and it is ultimately cut short as punishment by Maricella at Sometria — when Susan first sees her through a doorway at the laundry yard, she is a novice "with short, pale blonde hair," prompting Susan's shocked reaction: "What have they done to her lovely hair?"
Before her capture she wears modern clothing — a designer sweatshirt with rolled sleeves and jeans. As a Bestia captive she is given standard slave garments: a white chemise with a belt (brown as a Baja), and sandals. At Sometria she wears a thicker winter chemise and boots. Her hoop earrings — a special sixteenth-birthday present — and a ring on her right hand are confiscated during the purification ceremony.
The photos show long pale blonde hair; hazel-brown almond eyes; a heart-shaped face with high cheekbones; a fair complexion; full lips; a slim, athletic build.
Very pale blonde hair, almost as tall as her sister Susan. When she first entered Altierra, her hair was in a ponytail. In Rocosa, Brisa made her hair into braids to make her look older and less vulnerable. At Sometria, she removed the braids as a statement of independence.
On Earth:
...saw her leaning against the door frame, pale blonde hair in the familiar ponytail, hooped earrings peeping out beneath. She had tight jeans just like her elder sister although they bore a designer label, and her sweatshirt sleeves were rolled up to her elbows. An assortment of bangles dangled from her wrists.
In Altierra as a Bestia, she turned her belt so that the buckle is at the side, again as a statement of independence.
Character
[edit]Meg is defined by a quiet, resilient core that emerges under extreme pressure. Initially the least assertive of the Maddison siblings — reluctant, hesitant, and described by Luke as "shallow, never thinking of the important things" — she reveals hidden reserves of courage and determination that surprise everyone, including herself.
She is captured by soldiers and interrogated under torture — six strokes of a cane — yet resists revealing the portal's location. She even lies to Valdez about its appearance, claiming it is in a cave, to protect her siblings. This quick thinking under pressure shows a survival instinct that becomes central to her character.
She endures the brutal purification ceremony and subsequent abuse with a composure that Brisa, her mentor, explicitly praises: "She's shown great courage and strength... She is still Meg." She is willing to put herself in degrading or dangerous situations to protect others — most strikingly, she asks to take Toia's punishment herself, accepting four times the strokes for each mistake Toia makes. When the Iniciador Farago tries to assault her, she fights back, hitting him rather than submitting.
Her loyalty to friends is fierce and self-destructive. At Sometria, when the rescue party finally reaches her, she refuses to leave without her friend Toia — "Do you think I'd leave her to die?" — even though escaping alone would be straightforward. She insists on going back into the school to fetch Toia herself, showing a bravery that borders on recklessness. When Maricella kills Toia during the escape attempt, Meg is devastated, screaming for her fallen friend as Luke and Susan drag her away.
Luke captures her essential nature with a story from their childhood: Meg stole his favourite sweater for a friend who had no fancy clothes for a party. "She'll do something bad, but she'll do it for the right reasons. A crazy, mixed-up girl." Beneath her superficial exterior is someone who acts on compassion, often impulsively and at personal cost.
She is pragmatic about survival, adapting to Bestia conditioning while maintaining her inner identity: "I'm learning to look like I'm learning to think like a Bestia" — a sardonic acknowledgment that compliance is strategy, not surrender. Yet the conditioning takes its toll; when rescued she is subdued, drained of energy, and instinctively waits for permission to eat. Her recovery is slow, aided most by Emily's quiet companionship.
She carries deep fear of re-enslavement. When the siblings discover they have returned to a ruined, far-future England, Meg is the most uncertain about going back to Altierra: "I thought I'd finally got away from them," and "I couldn't be a slave again. I think I'd kill myself first." She ultimately agrees to return, choosing the known dangers of Altierra and the community there over an alienating future England.
In summary: reserved, compassionate, quietly brave, loyal to the point of self-sacrifice, pragmatic in survival but carrying deep scars. She is less commanding than Susan but possesses a stubborn moral core that cannot be trained out of her.
On Earth, she was dramatic and sarcastic, interested in fashion. She has a streak of independence as shown by her attempts to retain her own personality when made a Bestia (changing her hairstyle and rearranging her belt).
She shows courage when lying about the appearance of the portal.
Speech
[edit]Meg's natural register is modern British English — more measured and reserved than Susan's direct, commanding style. She is less likely to take charge of a conversation and more likely to question or express uncertainty. She is honest about her limitations: "I don't think I could be a good Bestia" is a frank self-assessment, not false modesty.
She uses mild profanity — "bloody hell", "dammit" — and, when pushed to breaking point under intense pressure, erupts with stronger language: "Oh, shut the fuck up, Toia!" This outburst is rare and marks extreme stress rather than everyday speech. British colloquialisms and fillers ("I bet", "like") appear in her casual register.
She can be dryly sarcastic. Commenting on the unchanging Mrs Navarro, she observes: "I bet nothing's changed since the last century – including Mrs N". Her sardonic wit surfaces most in moments of self-awareness: "I'm learning to look like I'm learning to think like a Bestia" layers irony over a painful truth about her situation.
During her captivity she learns to address Altierran superiors correctly — Doncella, Domina, Doña, Sirviente — and becomes more compliant in speech, learning to hold her tongue and ask permission. This conditioned deference lingers even after rescue; she waits for permission to eat, a small but telling sign of how deeply the training has taken hold. When speaking naturally with her siblings, however, the deference drops away.
Her speech becomes more assertive when protecting others. When refusing to leave Toia behind, her language shifts from hesitant to determined: "I'll stay here alone rather than let Toia die" and "Do you think I'd leave her to die?" — short, firm declarations that echo Susan's decisive register but are driven by loyalty rather than command instinct.
A representative line that captures her voice: "I'm learning to look like I'm learning to think like a Bestia." — sardonic, self-aware, and quietly defiant beneath the compliance.
Rarely swears and rather embarrassed when she does.
- "Gruesome"
- “Fuck”
- “Miffed”
- “Bloody hell”
- “Fucking shut up, Toia!”
Notes
[edit]When made a Bestia, she was given the name of "Calida". This has three syllables unlike other Bestia names which are one or two, perhaps indicating that she was not a regular Bestia.
Timeline
[edit]| Year | Age | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | - | Born |
| 000 0 | 00 | xxxx |
| 2025 | 16 | Entered Altierra |
After the end of the Snow Beyond the Wall, Meg stays on at Elisal for a while. She begins to preform little acts of defiance against the Priestesses. When the risk to Elisal grows too great, she leaves, heading into the Heartwild to form a rebel band. She tells Susan that, if she ever needs to find Meg, she should search for the the name "Kahlo" as a code word (from Frida Kahlo).
Images
[edit] |
 |
 |
 |