Abbess Marjoram was a middle-aged, female mouse who was the leader of Redwall Abbey during the reign of Vilaya the Sable Quean. She had a long-standing friendship with the traveling hedgehog Oakheart Witherspyk; to him, she was "Marjy", while she called him "Oakie". She was also good friends with Friar Soogum, Lord Brang Forgefire, and Skipper Ruark.
Marjoram ruled the Abbey with a firm but kindly paw. She did not take kindly to squabbles or disruptions of any sort - when the Bard of Redwall contest organized by Granvy Shtuckle erupted in a fight, she immediately cancelled the competition until her creatures agreed to behave in a more orderly manner. Also, in the absence of Log-a-Log Jango, she took it upon herself to punish a Guosim shrew named Divvery when his disobedience caused sentries to abandon their duties on the walltops; she had Sister Fumbril put him on a strict cleaning duty.
When Globby the stoat invaded Redwall's Kitchens, Marjoram was among the group of Redwallers that captured him and sentenced him to serving cleaning duty under Friar Soogum; however, he managed to escape to the dormitories about the same time that the Dibbuns Guffy and Tassy mysteriously went missing. Realizing that Globby might have information on the disappearance, Marjoram tried to coax him out of his hiding place, swearing he would not be hurt. However, Globby refused, and in the ensuing fight to get to him out both he and Brother Tollum were slain. Marjoram questioned Globby as he was dying, and the young stoat finally gave her information about the Sable Quean.
It was shortly after this incident that Buckler Kordyne arrived at the Abbey with a gift from Lord Brang to Abbess Marjoram - namely, two new tolling ropes for the bells, to replace the ones the Badger Lord had accidentally broken on a previous visit. Marjoram welcomed Buckler warmly, and gave him all the assistance she could when he agreed to help rescue the little ones from the Sable Quean and her Ravagers. Her skill in dealing with obtuse personalities came to the fore when Buckler's friend Axtel came down with an attack of Bloodwrath during a fight with the Ravagers; she boldy confronted the nearly inapproachable mole, and managed to talk him into leaving behind the fight and getting himself to safety.
Marjoram was with some other female beasts in Great Hall when Zwilt the Shade barged in with four other Ravagers. They were nearly attacked, but Buckler Kordyne dueled the sable, allowing them to escape. After the Ravagers were finally defeated, Marjoram congratulated all the fighters that had protected the Abbey, and had Friar Soogum make a feast in their honor. Once all the excitement had finally calmed down, she wrote a letter to Lord Brang, thanking him for sending Buckler and the bell ropes.
Trivia[]
- Marjoram is a herb often used in cooking.