Richard is Aliena’s younger brother and the son of Bartholomew, Earl of Shiring. After their father’s downfall, Richard loses the privileged life he was born into and becomes determined to reclaim his family’s position. He is a capable fighter and eventually becomes a knight, but his ambitions and dependence on Aliena create tension between them. Richard is brave and proud, but his obsession with restoring his family’s status often causes him to make questionable decisions.