The talented fantasy writer, Maria V. Synder, successfully wrote about the relationship between Yelena and other people in the castle. It surely difficult to a prisoner like Yelena to find out who was on her side. Through Yelena’s friendship, we can see the conditions and backgrounds of a person affected one’s behavior in different situations. Such characteristics shown in Poison Study by Rand, the Commander, Magg and Irys. As a matter of fact, those characters appears to have both characteristics which are friend and foe of Yelena.
Rand is the most unexpected character in the story because of his transition from an innocent friendly cook to a betrayal. In the beginning of the story, Rand was described as a person who have gambling problem but a good friend to everyone in the castle. “You just won me a week’s wages”, he begin the conversation with Yelena. Throughout the time being a food taster, Yelena was taken care by Rand. When she was injured, Rand gave her the “magical” glue that invented by him to heal the wound. He was worried as he couldn’t find her in the fire festival, “What’s wrong” he asked with a “full of concern” eyes. Suddenly, the beautiful friendship of Yelena and Rand has been destroyed since she witness Rand was selling her information to Star. The gambling problem of Rand destroyed the friendship between them. However, in the end when Rand saved Yelena from the arrow. She forgave for all the mistake that Rand did to her. Rand is a kind of friend who has a background that prevent him from having a good friend. Even though he basically a nice person but it was the debt that not only kill his friendship but also himself.
The Commander appears as a tough but inside him is a weakness that only Yelena knows.