Special Sub-Topic: "Red River": Books 1 & 2 Click Here To Play: "Red River": Books 1 & 2

What is the main character's real last name?

Suzuki. She tells her real name at the very beginning of the story. After the second book, however, she goes by the name Yuri Ishtar after the goddess of beauty, love, and war. Most citizens just call her Ishtar. Mursili is Kail's last name, Higarashi is Kagome's last name from the series "Inuyasha", and Iwamoto was the name of one of the teachers from "Yu Yu Hakusho".

What order were the Hittite princes born?

Suri, Rois, Kail, Zannanza, Mali, and Juda. Suri Arnuwanda was the crown prince. Rois Telipinu was the second prince, but born to a low class mother. Kail was the third prince and Zannanza was basically born around the same time by one of Kail's mother's servants. Mali Piyasili and Juda Haspasrupi were the two youngest. Juda was the youngest and the evil queen was his mother.

Where was Yuri when she first noticed something amiss in her world?

In her kitchen. The first time Yuri saw water acting up, it was in the glass of water she went to get her father. The next day, when she was at school, she felt hands grab her from the water in the fish tank. She was trying to convince herself it was just her imagination while she was bathing and again she was almost taken by arms coming out the the water. Finally, she was captured on the street when she walked through a puddle.

Who transported Yuri to Anatolia?

Queen Nakia. Queen Nakia wants nothing more than to kill off the other princes of the Hittite Empire so that her son, the youngest, would become the king. She summoned Yuri to Anatolia so that she can sacrifice her in order to place a curse amongst the other five princes. Ironically, this causes her ultimate downfall.

Who is the first to die in the series?

Tito. Tito was good friends with Yuri. She felt a special connection to him since he resembled her younger sister Eimi. Nakia tries to use him to kill her, but Kail prevents that. Yuri saves him when the people want to kill him for attacking Yuri and in exchange, Tito is killed protecting Yuri from Nakia at the end of the first book. They find his body at the beginning of the second book.

Yuri has trouble understanding the people of Anatolia when she first arrives.

True. We don't know what is said between the people when Yuri first arrives from the well since the words are in cuneiform. It was only after Kail kissed her that she could understand their words.

Who is the boy Yuri called out for when Kail was attacking her?

Satoshi & Satoshi Himuro. Her cries for Satoshi is what makes Kail stop. This proves that Kail is a good guy since he didn't force himself on Yuri after he learned that she was in love with someone else. As time goes on, she seems to forget all about Satoshi and falls in love with Kail.

What god is Queen Nakia using Yuri as a sacrifice to?

Teshub: God of storms. Yuri was brought into the Hattusa through one of Teshub's spirit springs. The queen used that fact to trick the king into allowing her to sacrifice Yuri to Teshub, but not to help the empire, to help her kill off the other princes.

What power does Kail have?

Controls the wind. The evil queen Nakia controls water and that was how she brought Yuri. Kail controls the wind which is just as strong as Nakia. Only problem is, Kail almost never used the power, maybe two or three times in the whole 28 book series. This is because he wants the people to respect him for his humanity, not fear him for his power as they do Nakia.

What time period is it in the Hittite empire?

14th century B.C.. Kail lives in the 14th century B.C. in Hattusa, the capital of the Hittite empire. Today, it is in the central part of Turkey. That is a long way from Yuri's home, Japan 1995!

What was Yuri given as a gift from the Mayor of Alinna?

A horse. The horse was supposed to be a gift for Kail but the horse was too unruly for him. During the battle between the Hittites and the Kashugas, Yuri rode down the cliff on the back of that very horse, scaring away the Kashugas. It turns out, he was only tame with Yuri and never allowed anyone else to ride him (unless Yuri asked him to).

Who is the leader of the Kashugas?

Zuwa. Ryui, Shala, and Hadi are the older sisters of Tito who later become Yuri's handmaidens and her closest friends. Zuwa is the leader of the Kashugas, the band of barbarians plaguing Anatolia.

The queen's messenger give Hadi, Ryui, and Shala a potion called White Water to kill Yuri. What did the messager test the potion on to show how powerful it was?

A goat. The goat only drank one drop of the potion and it almost instantly killed the animal...or so they thought. That night, the girls stormed into Yuri and Kail's room and forced it down her throat. A doctor was brought in and he informed Kail that she no longer had a heartbeat.

Where was Yuri brought after her "death"?

The Great Temple. Yuri was not only Kail's woman, but she was also seen as the incarnation of a goddess. After she was pronounced dead, she was taken and placed in the Great Temple. She was covered in a sheer sheet and surrounded by hundreds of flowers.

Who is it that stops Yuri from fleeing Zuwa at the end of book 2?

Talos. Talos is Tito's father. Yuri manages to escape from Zuwa long enough to get away but Talos stops her, holding an ax to her throat. At the end of book two, it is unclear whether Talos wants to kill Yuri or leave her to be killed by Zuwa.