Character Analysis
Tahl is a handsome young guy, and definitely pretty crush-worthy. He's also Alnor Ortahlson's grandson and one of the heirs of the Ortahlsons, who chat with the river up north in Northbeck—his full name is Ortahl Ortahlson, but everyone calls him Tahl. His dad died when he was young, so Grandpa Alnor took him in (3.161).
Tahl is "a slight, dark boy about Tilja's own age" (3.93). He and his grandfather look alike—both have "narrow, hooked noses and pointed chins" (3.93). He's really into some mixed-martial arts stuff called kick-fighting, but since his dad died and Alnor is old, no one has taught him yet (3.161), though a de-aged Alnor teaches him later in the story (16.112).
Mr. Nice Guy
Chatty and amiable, Tahl is outgoing and eager to make pals. At the Gathering, he sidles up to Tilja and befriends her:
Cross with the whole world by now, Tilja moved off to do as she was told, sipping the heady, sweet drink as she went. The boy strolled nonchalantly beside her, seeming to take it for granted that that was what she wanted. (13.141)
He even strikes up bonds with kids they meet on the road:
Tahl, who could make friends with anyone, had hit it off with a boy his own age whom he'd met while he was haggling with a dealer over a price for Alnor's horse at one of the way stations. (8.3)
Yup—this guy is friendly through and through.
Smarty Pants
He's also pretty perceptive—he realizes that Meena and Alnor's de-aging is like Asarta's reversal of time (16.91), and that Tilja is asking to rush home because she has a reason to do so:
"You know something you can't tell us, don't you, Til?"
She shook her head, not looking at him, but knowing the intelligent, questioning glance that would have gone with the words. (15.105-106)
Okay—so he's handsome, he's in tune with nature, he's super friendly, and he's bright and perceptive? Maybe Tahl is really short for to-tahl package. (Yes, that may be the worst joke we've ever made. Sorry/not sorry.)