Prelate Annalina
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Prelate Annalina Aldurren is a main character in The Sword Of Truth series written by Terry Goodkind. Often referred to as Ann, by the characters. Ann has been the Prelate of the Sisters of the Light for nearly eight-hundred years. She directed them in the ways of The Creator and secretly worked with Nathan Rahl on matters of prophecy. Ann is a Sorceress of rare power and is close to one thousand years old, after living under the spell at the Palace of the Prophets.
[edit] Characteristics
Ann is a short, stout woman who looks to be in her seventies. She wears plain, black or grey wool dresses, which marks her as the leader of the Sisters of the Light. Despite her short stature, Ann has the inherit ability to cause a persons knees shake with a single look. Ann is a kindhearted woman who loves all of the Creator's children. Ann is extremely knowledgable in matters of prophecy and is perhaps the only sorceress that Nathan would ever allow to assist him on such matters, though he remains confident that it is not a sorceress's place, but a wizard's.
Some people see Ann as something of a meddler, though it is certain that she only does what she deems will be in the best interests of the world. Along with Nathan, Ann manipulated events, using prophecy, to bring the world to the events that take place during the series. Because of this, Kahlan Amnell sometimes feels that Ann is responsible for the war between The New World and The Old World. Ann often tries to force Richard Rahl, whom prophecy dictates will be the leader of the The New World, into doing things the way she perceives they must be done.
After a confrontation with Kahlan, about her role in bringing the world to its present situation and her treatment of Richard, Ann begins to seriously re-think the actions she had taken. She comes to the conclusion that she must allow Richard to follow his free-will and that she must help and advise him. Ann, despite her controlling ways, is a trusted friend and confidant of Richard's.
[edit] Life as the Prelate
Ann became Prelate upon the death of the former Prelate, 791 years before Blood of the Fold. She directed the Sisters on all matters and was the supreme authority at the Palace of the Prophets. The Sisters saw rulers come and go, but never bowed to any of them. The Sisters take orders only from the Prelate and sometimes the Creator. No one sought to change this as the Sisters are all Sorceresses and could easily take down any wayward ruler. Ann then saw to the detaining and comfort of the Palace's prophet, Nathan Rahl, who was imprisoned behind magical shields of incredible power.
As her time as Prelate grew longer, Ann learnt to control the Palace and its occupants in every way. She was the balance of power and an almost mythical figure. Only the Prelate could authorize any business or financial ventures of the Palace, though Ann allowed her administrators to handle this.
Five-hundred years before the birth of Richard Rahl, his distant ancestor Nathan Rahl, alerted Ann to prophecies pertaining to his birth and role in the future war. Nathan identified Ann as a central figure in this and trusted her to help him in his quest to help Richard when he is born. One such prophecy is one that high-lights Verna Sauventreen as a central figure in the up coming war. Verna then became the only Sister trusted by Ann, though Verna did not know it. Ann knew that Verna alone of all the Sisters was definitely not a Sister of the Dark.
