Khen
| Khen | |
|---|---|
| Species | Singer |
| Homeworld | Roshar |
| Universe | Cosmere |
“ I'm just asking, how this is any better. We were slaves under the Alethi. Now we're slaves under the Fused. Great. It does me so much good to know that our misery is now at the hands of our own people. ”
— Khen upon being conscripted by the Fused.[1]
Khen is a singer freed in Alethkar. She takes Kaladin captive when he surrenders to the singers. Later she fights with Moash in the Siege of Kholinar.
Appearance & Personality
Khen is a large, muscular singer with red and white marbled skin. Her only carapace runs along her forearms and juts out at her temples. She wears a slave smock tied at her waist by a belt and leather sandals on her feet. Khen speaks in a clear Alethi accent.[2][3]
She is passionate about her freedom and is gets frustrated with being given orders and being continuously oppressed by humans and Fused alike.
History
Khen was a slave in Sadeas's princedom. During the first Everstorm, when her identity was restored and she was freed from slaveform, she escaped. She gathered a group of singers, including Sah, and they traveled to Revolar under the guidance of Yixli, a voidspren. Along the way the group took Kaladin captive, when he submitted willingly. Kaladin freed himself from his bonds a few days later but stayed with the group and taught them how to survive while on the run. On the way to Revolar, Khen cut herself with Kaladin's knife whilst cutting firewood. Kaladin cleaned the cut and taught her how best to care for the wound to prevent attracting rotspren and infection. During an unexpected highstrorm, Khen and her group took shelter in a lighteyes' stormbunker after Kaladin struck a deal with the man. When inside, Khen promised Kaladin that she would speak for him when they reached the gathering.[2][4][5]
Once she reached Revolar, the group join the Voidbringer army gathering to attack Kholinar. Upon seeing the Fused, Kaladin left, revealing himself as a human spy. Khen's group was punished for harboring him and put to work hauling lumber where she met Moash. An overseer informed them they were building siege equipment for the attack on Kholinar and that Khen, Moash, and her group of singers would be fighting in the front line.[3][6] Khen, angry with their situation argued with Sah, stating that they were being unfairly treated by their own gods. She began to feel helpless, with no idea what to do. After Moash failed to convinced Leshwi to treat the group more favorably, he began training them in combat skills in preparation for the assault on Kholinar.[1]
During the battle in Kholinar Khen witnessed Sah's death by Noromin and killed him in turn. She witnessed Moash kill Elhokar.[7] After the Voidbringers won the battle, she was granted her freedom, but she decided to stay and help rebuild the city alongside Moash.[8]
Relationships
Moash
“We heard something. Made us want to be near you.”
—Khen speaking to Moash[8]
Moash traveled with Khen and her group from Revolar to Kholinar as slaves, where he earned some respect from them.[6] When the Alethi man heard Khen's frustration of their treatment at the hands of the Fused, Moash spoke with Leshwi on their behalf--disappointed that the singers were not kinder to their own than the humans. Afterward, he trained them to fight with spears so that they would not be defenseless in the coming battle at Kholinar.[1] They fought side by side in Kholinar Palace[7] and Khen was granted freedom after their victory, but decided to stay and help rebuild in order to stay close to Moash. When Moash received the name "Vyre" from Leshwi, Khen explained the meaning of the name to him.[8]
Sah
Among the group of singers that Khen traveled with after escaping, her closest relationship was with Sah. Khen often included Sah in her decision making, and expressed her frustrations to him regarding their treatment under the Fused.[9][1] She is angered by Sah's lack of emotional response regarding their situation. When Sah was killed by Noromin, Khen avenged his death.[7]
Kaladin
When Khen's party first captured Kaladin she voted to kill him in fear that he would escape and lead other humans to them; she emphasized that she would do the act herself if necessary.[9] After Kaladin escaped and began assisting her people, Khen's attitude towards Kaladin softened.[4] As they weathered the first highstorm in a bunker secured by the human, she promised that she would speak in his favor upon reaching Revolar.[5] When they arrived, she insisted that Kaladin was not their captive, and explained that he wanted to fight with the singers.[3] Despite Kaladin's betrayal, Khen seemed to harbor little anger towards him.[1]