•
Melkorka is the beautiful fifteen-year-old daughter of a wealthy Irish king,
Myrkjartan. Proud and having lived a sheltered life of privilege, she is unprepared when she and her sister are suddenly abducted by slave traders. In response, she takes a personal
vow of silence no matter what happens to her, causing her to become an object of fascination to her captors, who think she might be an enchantress. Melkorka's silence protects her from being sold until she catches the eye of a wealthy Icelandic chieftain, Hoskuld, who buys her as a concubine. Although Melkorka initially hates and fears him, he is kind to her, and over the course of the story, Melkorka learns to love him. When Melkorka learns she is pregnant, she resolves to speak to her child, and decides to accept her fate in Iceland. •
Brigid is Melkorka's younger sister, who is more perceptive and daring than Melkorka. She teaches Melkorka that for an animal to trust you, you must be silent. "Hush," she says. This is what gives Melkorka the idea to be silent towards her captors, for they are animals. Brigid is captured alongside Melkorka, although using her wits, she is able to escape at one point. However, her fate afterward is unknown - Melkorka never learns what became of her sister. •
Maeve is an Irish slave on the ship that Melkorka and Brigid are brought abroad when they are abducted. Melkorka believes her to be mad, as Maeve refuses to comply with her captors and fiercely endures against punishments in order to protect herself. However, Melkorka realizes over time that Maeve has been sold multiple times, gaining a great deal of knowledge of the world beyond Ireland. An astute woman, she advises Melkorka to maintain her silence, as it gives her a measure of protection by intriguing and frightening her captors. •
Clay Man is the head slave merchant, who captured Melkorka and Maeve. Melkorka's absolute silence frightens and intrigues him, especially after his repeated attempts to force a sound from her fail. However, his uncertainty around her is why he does not sell her after a number of his other slaves are sold and he sets a high price on her, despite her apparent muteness, when Hoskuld expresses an interest in her. His true name is Gilli, though Melkorka does not learn his name until she is sold to Hoskuld and knows him as "Clay Man" because of the clay marking his body and clothing from the weights he creates for payment. •
Thora is a Norse slave owned by Clay Man. She becomes Melkorka's guide after Maeve and the other slaves on Clay Man's ship are sold. Melkorka soon regards her a friend and is broken-hearted at the thought of separating from her after she is purchased by Hoskuld. •
Hoskuld is a wealthy Icelandic chieftain with long red fiery hair, who is twice the age of Melkorka and is quite large. He has a wife and family at home and buys Melkorka as a concubine. He treats her lovingly, finding her to be an endless source of fascination, but is unable to interpret her silence. ==Historical note==