Derfel Cadarn

The narrator of The Winter King, Derfel, is a tall, dull, flaxen-haired Saxon, captured with his mother by King Gundleus of Siluria and Gundleus' Druid, Tanaburs. Derfel survives being sacrificed in the "Death Pit," and is adopted by the Druid Merlin along with Nimue, who survives a shipwreck. Each feels that their survival shows that the Gods specially value their lives. Merlin's scribe, Gudovan, teaches Derfel to read and write, while Hywel, Merlin's steward, once a famous warrior, teaches him to fight. Arthur's disfigured sister Morgan is in overall charge of the two wards.

After Gundleus destroys the Thorn and kills Norwenna—but fails to kill the infant King Mordred—Derfel, bearing the sword that he calls "Hywelbane" (named for his late teacher), joins Arthur's spear men. When Arthur is too tied up in warfare to honor his promise to defend Ynys Trebes in Normandy...