Arin

Arin is a Herrani slave whom Kestrel bought at an auction. They eventually fall in love, though their relationship is complicated by the mutual hatred between their respective countries. He is noted to be able to sing very well. He had a sister and parents who died when Valoria waged war on Herran. Arin's house was claimed by Lord Irex, a Valorian man, but Arin reclaimed it during Herran's revolution.

It is suggested at the end of The Winner's Kiss that he and Kestrel get married.

Biography
After the Valorians seized Herran, Arin was left orphaned and forced into slavery. His only known surviving family is his cousin, Sarsine.

Role Throughout Trilogy
Arin is a Herrani slave who is a prominent member of the Herrani revolutionaries. He and Kestrel are engaged in a romance that frequently faces trouble throughout the trilogy.

The Winner's Curse
Arin is first seen at a slave auction by Kestrel. She eventually buys him after hearing of his singing talent, for a high price, though she never does hear him sing until much later on. He works as a blacksmith at the villa and collects information to feed to the Herrani revolutionaries. Kestrel always chose him as her escort, and this caused rumors about their relationship throughout the city. He eventually falls in love with Kestrel which makes him feel conflicted towards where his true loyalties lie. Kestrel doesn't know that Arin is working with the auctioneer named Cheat, to overthrow the Valorians. Arin was supplying Cheat with information about the Valorians from within the Trajan household. He plays a key role in the Firstwinter Rebellion: when many Herrani slaves rebelled against the Valorians residing in conquered Herrani territory. They poisoned the wine and easily overpowered the Valorians at the Firstwinter Ball. Many of the Valorians were killed or severely injured. The Herrani take over the houses, and Arin takes Kestrel to his old home, Lord Irex's former estate. There she stays until she hears that the Valorian army (led by her father) will be coming to invade and take back the city/state. There was a very brutal battle at the mountains, with many casualties on both sides, but a victory for the Herrani. When Kestrel hears that they might break down the wall, she sneaks out, and takes a boat to the Valorian continent. There she makes a truce with the emperor: she will marry his son Verex if he stops the battle at Herran. This agreement makes Arin governor and gives the Herrani their homes back (temporarily). Kestrel gives this to Arin at the end of the book.

The Winner's Crime
Arin remains in love with Kestrel (albeit slightly bitter), despite thinking that she brought the military to fight the Herrani. He goes to the capital to confront Kestrel about her engagement to the prince and frequently corners her, although she continues to lie to him. She does feed his spymaster Tensen valuable information regarding the Valorian army's movements (though Arin was unknowing). He leaves the capital after hearing that Kestrel ordered the poisoning of the easterner horses, which ended in the mass killing of many Easterners. He heads east to make allies against the Valorians. He needs allies because his people are weak, which he later finds out is because the water they drank was poisoned. He returns to the capital after finding out that she has been a spy for the Herrani from inside the capital but after she denies it he leaves again for Herran. She was caught off-guard in her music room, where there was an adjoining room that her father was in to listen to her play. She tried several times to discreetly tell Arin that she was lying, or wanted to tell him somewhere else, but he was angry and demanded answers. She had to deny her love for him, his suspicions for her reasons for signing the treaty, and her loyalties towards the Valorian empire/him and the Herrani. After he stormed from the room, she wrote a letter explaining everything and gave it to Tensen. Later that night, Tensen was murdered by General Trajan and the captain of the guard. Kestrel was trying to sneak into Tensen's quarters, and finds the emperor, her father, the captain of the guard, and a dead Tensen. She is accused with treason and is shipped off to the brutal, backbreaking work camp of the North, where she is forced to mine sulfur.

Appearance
He has light brown hair that is known to be quite long at the beginning of the first book, but that Kestrel will order to be cut. His skin is bronzed from outdoor labor and he is muscular. His eyes are stubborn but valiant (and the color is grey). He is also described to be very handsome. In the second book, Arin is left with a scar crossing his brow and running down his cheek after he is attacked while in the capital.

Personality
Arin has had a very hard childhood. Even though he was a slave for ten years, he kept a stubborn and arrogant attitude. He is shown to be quite honest. He is also shown to be selfless and to care deeply for his loved ones (for example, he was very worried that Kestrel would try to kill herself after the Herrani rebellion, so he made sure that she wouldn't have any access to knives or anything of the sort.)

He is shown to be a good leader, and to be very agile.