Character Analysis
Tilja is a daddy's girl—she has a really close relationship with her papa, whom she calls Da. Da is the one in charge of the family, but he allows Tilja to come along with him to the Gathering (3.72). He's super-worried about her and not crazy about how magic has divided his family:
"I'd give my right arm for this not to be happening. All my married life I've had to accept this stuff. I don't understand it, I don't feel it in my bones, it means nothing to me, but I'm forced to believe in it. It isn't just your mother and Meena saying it's so—Anja too, now. It's because it works. Time and again. You found that when you lost the hand ax. Even when it seems pure nonsense—how can Faheel still be alive, for pity's sake? But the cedars say you've got to go and look for him, so you have to go, and I have to accept it. Accept it, though it means I may never see you again." (4.3)
We can't really blame the guy for having a hard time with all this magic stuff. After all—the stakes are as high as they get (hey there, life and death) and he's pretty powerless to sway the outcome. No dad worth his salt wouldn't struggle with this situation.
But Da is nothing if not a man of duty. He lets his daughter go off to make the Valley safer, and joins the army when he has to defend his home (19.65). When he returns from fighting, Ma insists that Tilja greet him first, since he's been especially worried about her (20.24). He's so emotional that he doesn't even speak, just picks her up (20.27). They don't chat much, but their emotions say it all, "his happiness echoing hers, so it was enough" (20.32). Looks like Tilja won't stop being a daddy's girl any time soon—and it looks like Da wouldn't have it any other way.