Tarah

Tarah
Biographical information
Ethnicity	Alethi
Nationality	Alethi
Gender	Female
Status	Unknown
Occupation	Dress-maker
Appears in	The Way of Kings (mentioned), Words of Radiance (mentioned), Oathbringer (mentioned)

Tarah is somewhat of a mystery in Kaladin's past. It is assumed that she too is/was an Alethi darkeyes. Kaladin referred to her as ‘his first real romance.’

Tarah coaxed Kaladin out of his single-minded determination in training with the spear due to his guilt over Tien's death. She claimed that it would burn him out.

Kaladin has referred to her some few times in The Way of Kings and in Words of Radiance.

When Adolin speaks with Kaladin about Shallan, Kaladin's advice is for the heir to be frank with Shallan about his feelings. He then thinks about Tarah and the mistakes he made with her.

Later, when Kaladin and Shallan are in the chasms and they are huddled together for warmth, he realises that this is the closest he's been physically to any woman since Tarah.

Appearance

She is a darkeyed Alethi, slightly plump, with a round face and firm build, and her beauty is a subtle thing.

Quotes

“	" ... I let Tien die, I failed my spearmen, the slaves I tried to rescue, Tarah ... ." He hadn't thought of her in some time. His failure with her had been different from the others, but was a failure nonetheless.'	”
–Kaladin, while thinking on those he failed.

“	What would have happened to him, if Tarah hadn't coaxed him out of his single-minded dedication? Would he have burned himself out, as she'd claimed?	”
–Kaladin, while viewing Bridge Four training with the spear.

“	In a flash of light, he saw her eyes as she looked up from where her head had been resting against his chest, beads of water on her eyelashes. With his hands around her waist, hers around him, it was as close as he'd held a woman since Tarah.	”
–Kaladin, and Shallan, as she tells him of her past.