Rafe Carlyle

Rafe Carlyle is the middle sibling of the Carlyle family, and King Ademar's favourite cousin.

Appearance
Though they look alike, Rafe is said to be less attractive than both his brother Edmund and the King. He is described as having 'a mocking set to his mouth', which he attempts to hide with a mustache. His eyes are 'reptilian'. It is implied that he is much shorter than his relatives, which he is insecure about. When discussing Robert with the King, he calls Robert's height 'barbarian'.

Personality
Similar to the King, Rafe is cruel, and enjoys toying with people. This can be seen when he has dinner with General Balkas, and spends much of it taunting him about his sexuality. He is also shown gossiping about Robert with the King.

Rafe benefits significantly from his close relationship with the King. When discussing Rafe's reputation for being a skilled swordsman, Robert questions how much of that is a result of his closeness to Ademar.

History
At University, Rafe passed his Qual exam with highest honours. This earned him the longstanding reputation of being an egghead.

After Luca is gifted to the King, Rafe takes an interest in him. When Ademar tells him to stop, Rafe blames Luca for being a distraction.

In  'The Golden Bird- Part II', the King sets up a fencing match between Robert and Rafe. Rafe wins the first bout, but is ultimately beaten by Robert. He tells Robert that he will come to regret winning.