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Lady Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama, called "Rue" for short, is the protagonist of The Custard Protocol series.

Prudence is scientifically considered a Metanatural, the offspring of a preternatural and a supernatural. Vampires call her a skin-stealer, and werewolves a flayer.

Appearance[]

Rue inherited her mother's Italian complexion, curvy figure and dark brown, curly hair. She also has her biological father's golden eyes.

As a wolf, Rue is brindled, like her father.

Personality[]

Much like her metanatural abilities, Rue's personality is changeable, becoming whatever is most useful to her at the time. Her strengths lie in creating discomfort, and she delights in doing so. She is a mastermind, prankster, stubborn, and rubs people the wrong way. She is wry and funny, loves to find things to be enthusiastic about, and lacks artifice. She is also very good at giving credit where credit is due, which makes her crew very loyal.

“No one would ever describe her as deadly attractive. She brightened a bit. Perhaps she could aspire to just deadly?” ~ Prudence

History[]

Rue was born in 1874 inside of the main chamber of an octomaton.

As a small child, Prudence was fascinated with technology, especially dirigibles. At the age of 16, she learned to fly Lord Akeldama's personal dirigible, Dandelion Fluff Upon a Spoon.

Relationships[]

In the books[]

Heartless[]

Rue was born during the events of Heartless, delivered by Genevieve Lefoux inside an octomaton's head, in the presence of Biffy and Lord Maccon.

Timeless[]

She traveled to Egypt with her parents, at the behest of Matakara, who wished to use Rue's touch to end her excessively long life.

Prudence[]

Rue goes on a super secret mission from her adoptive father: Lord Akeldama. With her newly gifted dirigble (the Spotted Custard), Rue and her friends take off for India in search of making a trade agreement to grow a new kind of tea. Along the way they meet new supernatural creatures and Rue brokers a deal on behalf of the empire.

Imprudence[]

Rue has reached her majority and, after the debacle at the end of Prudence, has her protection by the British government stripped from her. On top of that, her father (Lord Maccon) is finally succumbing to alpha madness. In the midst of a spat between Percy and Quesnel, Rue finds herself and the Spotted Custard under attack as they make their way to Egypt for her parents to start the new chapter of their lives inside the God-Breaker Plague zone. When the mysterious attacks continue, Rue suspects the unknown attackers are after the one and only known werecat: Tasherit. In an effort to make it to Tasherit's pride and warn them of the potential danger incoming, Rue makes a deal with the local Drifters for protection. After finding the pride and warning them, Rue realizes too late that it was never the werecats their pursuers were after. It was her.

Competence[]

Rue's ship sank momentarily in Singapore, accidentally abandoning Primrose on the wheystaion. When Prim rejoined, she brought with her helium to help refill the balloons. Rue then received a missive from her mother to go on a possible rescue mission to save vampires in South America (pishtacos). Their first encounter with the pishtacos was a disaster, but she then sent Prim and Percy to act as ambassadors and convinced them to move north to the United States. At the end, Rue and Quesnel announce that they are having a baby.

Reticence[]

The crew of the Spotted Custard, including their new crew member Dr Arsenic Ruthven, travel to Japan. By orders of Lady Maccon they are to look into reports about another kind of shapeshifters while Madame LefouxLady Kingair and "Aunt Softy" ask them to find their missing colleague Wallflower.

Trivia[]

  • Prudence has hated her name ever since she was a little girl, which is why she prefers to be called "Rue."
  • Lord Akeldama's nickname for Rue is "Puggle."
  • Rue doesn't like to submerge herself in water (she prefers a shower to a bath) and she cannot swim.
  • Rue describes the effect of the God-Breaker Plague on her as if being submered in a bathtub, or an extended touch from her mother.
  • Lord Akeldama made sure that Prudence knew how to shoot.
  • Rue joins the Parasol Protectorate in Imprudence under the moniker: Hot Cross Buns.
  • Is fond of shoes and has a vast collection.
  • In Prudence, Rue takes on a piece of her Aunt Evylin's personality. This implies that she has had some familiarity with this aunt. Nothing is ever mentioned of Aunt Felicity.
  • Rue has a fondness for floating which she gained from many summer's day in Lord Akeldama's personal aircraft, Dandelion Fluff Upon a Spoon. The drones taught her to fly when she turned sixteen.
  • Prudence has a strong dislike of pigeons.
  • Rue has a sweet tooth.
  • In Prudence, Rue is granted sundowner status. That is quickly revoked in Imprudence.

Extras[]

Quotes[]

  • "Half a day's intermittent rest had not improved the infant's appearance. She was red and wrinkly, and her face got all scrunched up when she cried." (Heartless, Chapter Seventeen)
  • "Lord Akeldama tilted the child in her direction. Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama had developed porcelain-white skin and a perfect set of tiny little fangs." (Heartless, Chapter Seventeen)
  • "In fact, the only person who seemed neither injured nor wet in any way was Prudence herself. The toddler was perched precariously on top of the mantelpiece over the fire, completely naked, with a very militant expression on her tiny face, yelling, 'Noth, Dama. Noth wet. Noth Dama!' She was lisping around her fangs." (Timeless, Chapter One)
  • "'Dada,' she said approvingly. Then she leaned forward toward his ear, as if to tell him a secret, and spouted a whole stream of incomprehensible babbling. Alexia figured this was Prudence's version of gossip. It was probably quite interesting and informative, had it actually been composed of words." (Timeless, Chapter Six)
  • "Prudence, of course, took to the new sky-high transport like a newly minted vampire to blood, springing about with little Anitra, who was her new favorite person in the world." (Timeless, Chapter Sixteen)
  • "Lady Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama was enjoying her evening exceedingly. The evening, unfortunately, did not feel the same about Lady Prudence. She inspired, at even the best balls, a sensation of immanent dread." (Prudence, Chapter One)
  • "...if I must be a baked good, at least make me a hot cross bun." (Prudence, Chapter One)
  • "The widely held theory was that Lady Akeldama would become the party were the party to be lifeless, invaded by undead, or otherwise subpar." (Prudence, Chapter One)
  • "At the card room door, Rue reached for a measure of her dear mother's personality, sweeping it about herself like a satin caplet. Personalities, like supernatural shapes, came easily to Rue. It was a skill Dama had cultivated." (Prudence, Chapter One)
  • "All her ball gowns had hidden pockets no matter how fluffy-or how pink, for that matter." (Prudence, Chapter One)
  • "Rue dear, your wreath has slipped to a decidedly jaunty angle. Trouble must be afoot." (Prudence, Chapter One)
  • "Given your birth parents, my pudding, I suspect subtlety will forever be beyond your ken." (Prudence, Chapter One)
  • "Rue had never entirely forgiven her mother for naming her Prudence. Despite a shared and inexplicable love for treacle tart, their relationship was contentious at best and combative the rest of the time." (Prudence, Chapter Two)
  • "May I kindly remind you that I am all grown up and perfectly capable of making my own tea-related decisions." (Prudence, Chapter Two)
  • "Nothing irritated Rue more than overprotectiveness. Except possibly flat champagne." (Prudence, Chapter Two)
  • "Rue was embarrassed to find herself actually clutching both hands to her breast like the heroine of a romantic novel, for there in the middle of the pitch was moored the most amazing airship she had ever seen." (Prudence, Chapter Two)
  • "Rue had an abhorrence of pigeons. Some childhood encounter involving a stolen sausage roll was to blame." (Prudence, Chapter Two)
  • "When all else failed-overwhelm with inanities." (Prudence, Chapter Five)
  • "No one would ever describe her as deadly attractive. She brightened a bit. Perhaps she could aspire to just deadly?" (Prudence, Chapter Five)
  • "For the first time Rue realised that beauty might also be applied with power, like a particularly stinky but highly desirable cheese." (Prudence, Chapter Six)
  • "Next time, think about your actions before you take them, all right? You don't have a werewolf or a vampire skin to fall back on. Up here in the skies, you're as mortal as the rest of us." (Prudence, Chapter Six)
  • "Werewolves. Interfering busybodies, the lot of them." (Prudence, Chapter Seven)
  • "Despite herself, Rue warmed to the enigmatic Sekhmet. She couldn't help it. She had a soft spot for the disgruntled. That's why she kept Percy around." (Prudence, Chapter Seven)
  • "One could not blame people for disliking vampires. Vampires were like brussels sprouts - not for everyone and impossible to improve upon with sauce." (Prudence, Chapter Seven)
  • "Rue wasn't certain why she felt it necessary to run a scheme-perhaps it was simply in her nature to enjoy chaos. Plus any chance to perform was not to be missed." (Prudence, Chapter Eight)
  • "Rue felt rather like the pudding course of a fancy meal, viewed with desire by some, suspicion by others, and discomfort by those who had already partaken to freely. She adored it of course, delighting in the engendering discomfort. It was, after all, her forte." (Prudence, Chapter Eight)
  • "Her best threat to any supernatural was her metanatural state. Few immortals could face the idea of being mortal, even for a short space of time. It was what made Rue's preternatural mother so universally despised." (Prudence, Chapter Nine)
  • "I must say, like most daughters, I resent being accused of emulating my mother." (Prudence, Chapter Nine)
  • "You are amazing frustrating. Has anyone ever told you that?' 'Frequently. It's part of my charm." (Prudence, Chapter Nine)
  • "Rue was a believer in experts. She felt it was always best to identify the expert and trust their abilities in the matters of shoe leather or embroidery work or opera singing. Quesnel had the reputation as an expert in the matter of seduction, so Rue committed herself utterly to his expertise." (Prudence, Chapter Nine)
  • "Growing up with parents like hers, she'd become accustomed to spontaneous explosions-of beauty products, parasols, or tempers, depending on the parent." (Prudence, Chapter Nine)
  • "Rue was reminded of that old saying: trying to get a straight answer out of a cat is like trying to find the soap in a bathtub." (Prudence, Chapter Eleven)
  • "Rue didn't know how to relate to a Quesnel who was over-emotional. She thought for one terrifying moment that he intended to kiss her again, right there on the poop deck in front of all the decklings and a visiting werecat. There seemed an equally good possibility that he might striker her." (Prudence, Chapter Eleven)
  • "Funny that even in my fantasies I lose arguments with my mother." (Prudence, Chapter Twelve)
  • "Rue tried to look apologetic. Only to find that it was very hard to do apologetic wearing a monkey face." (Prudence, Chapter Thirteen)
  • “Not a lot could stop an infantry in full march, but Rue supposed she was now one of the few to claim that dubious honour. If only some of the now conquered lands had known–naked aristocrats is all it takes.” (Prudence, Chapter Fifteen)
  • "Negotiations, Rue soon came to understand, required a great deal longer than fifteen minutes and were better suited to a personality not hers." (Prudence, Chapter Sixteen)
  • “Rue was a romantic. Her parents were a love match. Had to be, for there was no other possible explanation for them tolerating one another. Thus Rue held the very peculiar opinion that love made for a most agreeable form of companionship.” (Imprudence)
  • “A girl who can change into any supernatural creature she touches? Stability was never likely a companion personality trait.” (Imprudence, Chapter One)
  • “I should be wary of a man with nice legs, if I were you.’ Rue considered stretched buckskin meditatively. ‘They use them rather too readily.” (Imprudence, Chapter Two)
  • “Being a round, cheerful young lady, Rue was working on awe and discipline from deficit.” (Imprudence, Chapter Two)
  • “Rue wasn’t above using her assets for nefarious purposes.” (Imprudence, Chapter Three)
  • “Rue the wolf on her hind legs was about as tall as Rue the human.” (Imprudence, Chapter Five)
  • ”I’ve lost all my family in one night. Except Dama. Will he want me around with Mother and Paw gone?” (Imprudence, Chapter Six)
  • “But you’re all bubbly and enthusiastic. When you go charging into something, Rue, you go all in and that could be dangerous.” (Imprudence, Chapter Eight)
  • “You are bold and brash and very attractive, so I sometimes forget how innocent you are.” (Imprudence, Chapter Eight)
  • “High up-and-up miss toff-lofty who got herself a ship because her vampire daddy likes to give her big toys. You ain’t earned one splinter of this beauty and everyone knows it.” (Imprudence, Chapter Nine)
  • “Good old Rue, fun for a laugh, but who would want to marry that? No idea what kind of creature she might birth, or become herself. Bad bet. Not even human.” (Imprudence, Chapter Nine)
  • “I’m liminal to the aristocracy, just as I’m liminal to the supernatural set. Not quite a member, not quite on the outside either.” (Imprudence, Chapter Nine)
  • “I’ve a theory that each shifter, as a matter of course, is true to their animal spirit on the full moon. It seems to be part of the curse.” (Imprudence, Chapter Ten)
  • The world always seems a worse place when I am hungry.” (Imprudence, Chapter Ten)
  • “She didn’t know what to do with an earnest Frenchman.” (Imprudence, Chapter Eleven)
  • “Last I checked I was a national asset with permitted autonomy, not necessarily a British citizen with the privileges thereof. There’s some question, Dama said, of me even being considered human.” (Imprudence, Chapter Twelve)
  • “How often does one get to bed Rue’s ear without threat of interruption.” (Imprudence, Chapter Sixteen)
  • “The very notion that Quesnel properly loved her was slippery with impossibility, like an oiled ferret.” (Imprudence, Chapter Sixteen)
  • “Why didn’t you tell me I felt that way, for that matter?” (Imprudence, Chapter Seventeen)
  • Oh dear, thought Rue, they were after me all along.” (Imprudence, Chapter Seventeen)
  • “Rue believed in giving praise when due.” (Imprudence, Chapter Eighteen)
  • “Now, where was I?’ He kissed her again. ‘True I was there, but . . . oh, yes.” (Imprudence, Chapter Eighteen)
  • "Her darling Prudence was practical up to a point, about things that interested her, and then she was most decidedly not practical at all about anything else." (Competence, Chapter One)
  • "Well, it was hard not to like Rue, she was eminently likeable with all her vivacious enthusiasm. Percy had a suspicions it would be difficult to be evil when Rue was around making it very easy to have fun. Even if she was arguing." (Competence, Chapter Four)
  • "Leap first, everything else later was her motto." (Reticence)
  • "Prudence Akeldama was not an asset, she was a blunt instrument of chaos." (Ambush or Adore, The Beginning Ends)
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