Althea Vestrit
Althea Vestrit is the youngest daughter of Ronica and Ephron Vestrit and the younger sister of Keffria Vestrit. She seeks to regain the family liveship Vivacia, which she considers her birthright, from her brother-in-law Kyle Haven. Althea is stubborn and fiercely independent. She clashed often with her mother and sister during her youth. After a blood plague killed the three Vestrit sons, Ephron raised Althea as the heir to Vivacia. Althea grew up on Vivacia's decks and developed a bond with the ship, and when Ephron chooses to pass the ship to her sister, she is much dismayed.
Ship of Magic[]
At her father's death, Althea is shocked to learn that her mother has given Vivacia to Keffria's husband Kyle Haven. Kyle, a Chalcedean who believes women have no place aboard ship, removes Althea from Vivacia and installs his son Wintrow Vestrit, whose schooling as a priest Kyle has interrupted for this purpose.
Althea with her father on board Vivacia when she was young
Kyle soon makes his plans known to make Vivacia a slaveship, to Althea's and the rest of the family's horror, as a liveship will not tolerate so much human suffering. Keffria and Ronica begin to question their course to install Kyle as captain, despite Kyle's assurances he will treat his slaves gently.
Althea, meanwhile, holds onto Kyle's angry promise that if she can earn the approval of even one reputable ship's captain, he will give her Vivacia. She joins the crew of the Reaper, a slaughter ship, alongside Brashen Trell under the name "Athel." There, she realizes she is not as good a sailor as she thought herself to be, having only had the experience of the captain's daughter and not an actual working crew member. She regains her confidence, however, after discovering that she has a talent for skinning. Later, she sleeps with Brashen. Although they both have feelings for one another, Althea and Brashen decide it would be best that they not be together, and leave each other on bad terms after Althea admits her gender to the captain of the Reaper and is thrown off the ship.
Althea then joins the crew of the liveship Ophelia and becomes the object of the affections of Grag Tenira. She sails home.
The Mad Ship[]
After reuniting with her family in Bingtown, Althea does her best to help slow the Vestrits' decline in fortune along with her mother and sister, now reconciled with her. She develops a friendship with the beadmaker Amber. Upon learning that their family liveship has been stolen by King of the Pirate Isles, Captain Kennit Ludluck, Althea, Amber, and Brashen concoct a plan to rescue Vivacia by sailing out to her on the mad ship Paragon, which Amber funds the reconstruction of.
Althea sets off on Paragon, serving as second hand. Although she performs well, the crew is opposed to her on account of her gender. However, after one sailor's attempt to rape her and Althea's subsequent beating of him and almost throwing him overboard, she earns the crew's respect and eventually rekindles her relationship with Brashen, now captain.
Ship of Destiny[]
Althea becomes first mate after Lavoy mutinies. She is protective of Clef and close friends with Amber and Jek, and still single-minded in her pursuit of the Vivacia. Eventually, the Paragon finds Vivacia and the two ships engage in battle that results in the capture of Althea and Jek, who believe the crew of the Paragon dead, and vice versa. Taken prisoner, Althea finally sees Wintrow again, whom she disdains since he now follows Kennit.
Kennit locks Althea in Wintrow's room (formerly Althea's own room), forbidding his crew to see her. He himself visits her regularly, bringing meals laced with a sleeping drug. Kennit desires Althea, perhaps because she strongly resembles her nephew Wintrow, who reminds Kennit of himself. Kennit later rapes Althea, believing he is passing his trauma on to her. Though in a drugged haze, Althea remembers the event and, thinking Brashen dead, falls into despair. Vivacia manages to revive her and break free from Bolt's control as well, reestablishing the bond between Althea and her ship.
When Althea recounts her rape to Kennit's crew, she is believed only by Etta, who in turn convinces Wintrow and Vivacia, although they are both torn by love for Kennit. Althea eventually reunites with her niece Malta when she and Satrap Cosgo are captured by Kennit, and the three Vestrits share what has happened to them since they each left Bingtown all the way back in Ship of Magic. When the Paragon once again does battle with Vivacia, resulting in the death of Kennit, Althea reunites with Brashen and witnesses the death of Kyle Haven, her once-nemesis, now mad and pitiful.
After Kennit's death, Althea has a claim on Vivacia, but gives it up in favor of Wintrow so that she can stay with Brashen aboard Paragon. Still suffering from the trauma of Kennit's rape, Althea struggles to become intimate with Brashen once more, but when Paragon helps take the pain of the memory away, she and Brashen are able to finally love one another without restriction.
Dragon Keeper[]
Althea is living happily aboard Paragon with her husband Brashen and their son Boy-O. She welcomes Alise and Sedric onboard when they book passage from Bingtown to Trehaug.
Blood of Dragons[]
After the dragons win the war with Chalced, the Paragon and crew meet up with Tarman in Trehaug to transfer cargo of seeds, plants, and to Paragon's utter disgust, livestock, to bring to Kelsingra.