Vai
| Vai | |
|---|---|
| Parents | Sah |
| Species | Singer |
| Homeworld | Roshar |
Notes
Vai is Sah’s seven-year-old daughter. She is one of the younger parshmen girls in their traveling group.[2]
Appearance and Personality
Like the other young female parshmen children, Vai probably wears her hair loose rather than tied or in a braid like the boys. While bearing a resemblance to her elders, she did not have quite the same armored Parshendi appearance. The children’s carapace tended to be a light orange-pink.[2]
Vai doesn’t wear shoes, which causes her feet to be covered with scratches and scrapes despite them being tough from calluses. She appears timid at first when dealing with Kaladin, but he soon realizes she is not timid, just nervous.[2]
History
Meeting Kaladin
Vai was cared for by her father, Sah, after her mother was sold because she was considered good breeding stock. They traveled with Khen and a group of fellow parshmen following the yellow spren. After they captured Kaladin, Vai ran and took the hand of her father as he led Kaladin from Hornhollow to Revolar. While Sah played cards, with Kaladin coaching him, Vai tugged on Sah’s arm and pointed. After a whispered response from Sah, Vai ran on her tiptoes towards a patch of flowering rockbuds. She squatted and waited for each to open and then she snatched one with each hand, giggling as she did. She returned, giving Kaladin a wide berth as she did.[2]
As she returned, Kaladin realized they weren’t monsters, just slaves. The comment upset Sah, who confessed that he spends each night clutching his daughter wondering how long they would be trapped in the shadows. He asked Kaladin if he truly understood what it was like watching your family being torn apart and being completely unable to stop it. Sah dropped Kaladin and picked up his daughter, holding her close as he ran to catch up with the others. As Kaladin was pulled along, he inadvertently stepped on Vai’s flower in haste.[2]
“Why can’t they just let us go? Could you go back and tell them? We don’t want trouble. We just want to go away.”
—Vai’s plea to Kaladin [2]
Kaladin offered to help the parshmen, but Sah questioned whether or not he really just wanted them to get caught. As Sah walked off to confer with the other parshmen, Vai walked over to where Kaladin sat, bringing him a waterskin. She then backed away, but didn’t flee as Kaladin reached for the waterskin. When he thanked her, she asked if they would chase them, why they couldn’t just let them go. She asked Kaladin if he could go back and tell them that they don’t want trouble. Kaladin apologized, but he told Vai they will come. They are considered “a resource” they can’t ignore.[2]
Vai sniffled and asked why, that they never tried to hurt them, they were nice. She even promised that she never hit anyone when she was mad. Kaladin explained that he didn’t mean her, but Vai’s ancestors. However, he trailed off as he didn’t know how to explain slavery to a seven-year-old. He tossed the waterskin back to her and she ran back to her father.[2]
“ No. We’re nice. We’ve always been nice. I never hit anyone, even when I was mad. ”
— Vai to Kaladin [2]
Revolar
When the parshmen and Kaladin approached Revolar, Sah carried Vai on his shoulder so she could have a better view. She held onto some wooden cards, clutching them like another child might carry a favorite stuffed doll. As they walked, Sah told Kaladin that he’d dreamed of the parshmen having their own city and here it was. Kaladin asked if that was what this was all about, conquering the kingdom, destroying humankind. Sah said he didn’t know, but he could not be a slave again and he would not let them take Vai and imprison her.[1]
Unfortunately, Vai was taken from her father when Sah, Khen, and the other parshmen were sent along with Moash to lead the assault on Kholinar, ultimately leading to Sah’s death.[3] Kaladin slumped to his knees after his death, recalling how all he ever wanted was to protect his daughter.[4]