Yashra
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Yashra or Aunt Yashra is a fictional character in the novels Crystal Mask and Dark Quetzal by Katherine Roberts. Yashra is one of the major characters within the second novel, Crystal Mask and plays the baddie in the tale, snatching children and using them as slaves for labour. She has a relationship with Frazhin, sworn enemy of The Echorium and becomes pregnant with his baby.
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[edit] Character introduction
Yashra is the main enemy of The Echorium throughout the novel. She travels around with her companion Frazhin most of the time. Yashra has an interest in khiz crystals and wishes to mine them from the Sunless Valley, where she builds a palace of khiz named the Khizalace. Yashra appears numerous times throughout the book playing one of the large parts within the plot of the story.
[edit] Character sketch
[edit] Motivations
Yashra uses human and centaur slaves to mine khiz crystals to build a palace from the crystals and to make her a mask that has ultimate power of the children's minds. Yashra wants domination over children, centaurs and The Echorium. She is a sworm enemy of The Echorium and will do anything to destroy them; Frazhin was rejected by The Echorium in the past and Yashra wants revenge on them as they left Frazhin in a poor state, injured for life. Yashra also carries Frazhin's child and is under influence by the khiz mask and Frazhin, they both influence her to do extraordinary things.
[edit] Goals
To achieve domination over children, centaurs and The Echorium using the khiz mask, and herself and Frazhin's power to defeat them. She mainly wanted revenge for her companion Frazhin; revenge against The Echorium for their crimes.
[edit] Conflicts
As well as enemies with The Echorium she unintentionally aggravates the Kalerei who ally with The Echorium to defeat herself and her Khizalace. She is also enemies with the centaurs as she stole their foals from their tribe.
[edit] Minor irritations
She has no control over the nagas who are unpredictable and untrustworthy at times. Yashra has problems watching over the entrances to the Sunless Valley as there is a secret underwater route. The nagas were offended by the poisoning of their environment from the khiz crystal mining and became enemies of Yashra and Frazhin, ultimately killing Frazhin.
[edit] Epiphany
Yashra in the end admits defeat and is offered new life as she is pregnant. The Echorium offer her a place in the birthing house to live her life until she gives birth. After, she would be treated to Yehn (death song) from the singers. She realizes she is defeated in the end and her companion is dead and there is no other options left for her. She is carrying a child and she accepts the alternative option to execution for the sake of her child.
[edit] Biographical summary
[edit] Prior story
Yashra led a quiet life before the start of her campaign. She was a member of the Harai; a renegade tribe of the Purple Plains. She and her companion Frazhin became friendly and worked together to form a kingdom for theirselves in the Sunless Valley hoping for success and domination. Yashra discovered Frazhin along the foothills of the Purple Plains; Frazhin was rejected by The Echorium. They made the khiz masks so they could communicate with each other as Frazhin had sustained an injury that was irreparable.
[edit] Actions in "The Crystal Mask"
Yashra and Frazhin built an empire of khiz crystal using children and centaurs as slaves which they plundered from Southport and the Dancing Canyons. They smuggled them out of Southport telling the children they were being offered a new life with all the luxuries they wanted. Yashra was eventually found out by Shaiala and Erihan and her plans were foiled.
The Echorium, The Kalerei, and The Centaurs all attacked Yashra's palace of khiz (Khizalace). Yashra kidnapped Kherron and Renn but Renn escaped and broke the crystal at the top of her tower, and freed Kherron. Yashra attempted to block them inside the Khizalace but failed as Renn broke the gate that was enclosing them in with his voice. She also attempted to take Erihan as a hostage but also failed as he broke free.
Yashra was captured when she knew her companion had died trying to tame the nagas to his advantage. She admitted defeat for the sake of her child and The Echorium took her back to The Isle of Echoes.
[edit] Relationship with other characters in "The Crystal Mask"
Frazhin - Yashra had an intimate relationship with Frazhin whom she was pregnant with his baby. It is unknown whether Yashra had any family at all. Yashra and Frazhin became close to each other through the khiz mask as it enabled them to communicate whenever they wanted. Yashra had helped Frazhin get back on his feet when The Echorium had outcast him away from the Isle of Echoes. Yashra gave him a new life with the Harai.
Imari, Laphie and the other captured children - Yashra had a falsified relationship with the children. She used the mask to manipulate the childrens' minds into thinking that Yashra was telling the truth in all see said. They referred to her as "Aunt Yashra" and believed she was going to take them to a place of ultimate delight.
Yashra's enemies were:
- The Singers
- The Centaurs
- The Nagas
- The Kalerei
- Southport and Rivermeet (towns)
Yashra went out of her way to make enemies with these sects and communities. The beginning of the story describes how the Harai ransacked the centaurs camp and took their foal. Yashra also wanted revenge on The Echorium and the Singers. She polluted the Nagas water and habitat by mining the khiz crystals and she stole the Kalerei's Lord's son.
[edit] Major themes
Yashra is a domineering, intimidating, aggressive figure. She is rash and thoughtless most of the time and shows emotional feelings at some points. She is very unfriendly and brutal to the centaur community and is sworn enemies with The Echorium. She is very quick to change her mind and uses people to achieve her goals.
