Maddy, on the cover of Runemarks.
"The Ash is exeedingly high and precious to men. With its sturdy trunk it offers a stubborn resistance, though attacked by many a man." By W- Anglo-Saxon runic poem, 9th century.
Maddy Smith, a village witch[]
Maddy Smith was the outcast in her village, Malbry. She's a dreamer and a teller of tales. She always gets blamed when something goes wrong, never plays with the other children, and has the rune Aesk (ay as in day -sh) on her hand. This runemark causes her much grief in her early life - however, it's quite useful and important to her as she grows older and moves on to more important things.
Early life[]
Maddy grew up with her sister Mae, and her father, Jed. Both of whom were dissapointed by her outcome, as she was neither very "good", nor very pretty. Her father was the town smith, so their house was attached the smithy. She was ostracized by the other children in the town, and made a long-lasting enemy of Adam Scattergood, son of her employer. He often bullied her and blamed her for the things he caused.
Magic[]
When Maddy was seven she met One-Eye on Red Horse Hill. She thought then that he was a traveller and story teller. He informed her that the rune on her hand was not a curse, but a blessing, and that her magic was not evil. He taught her about the time before the End, and taught her how to shape and control runes. Her Rune sign was not reversed, making Maddy very powerful, more powerful than the gods.
The Gods[]
Maddy was sent by Odin into Red Horse Hill where she met Loki,who called himself Lucky at the time. However, she soon woke Skadi, Idun and Freyja and they woke the other Sleepers. Later she also met Hel, Thor, Sif, Tyr, Balder and Frigg. At the end of the book she found out who her real father was - Thor. She also learned that her mother was Jarnsaxa, a giantess and that she might even have a brother or sister, but no-one is sure. In the second book it is confirmed that she has a sister, Maggie.
Destiny[]
In Runelight, Maddy is one of the three Riders of the Apocolypse. As prophecied, she is the rider of treachery, and her black horse, Jorgi, carries her in and out of dream.