History
Taramis was born together her twin sister Salome. They were the daughters of Queen Ialamis, ruler of Khauran. But Salome had the mark of the witch on her skin. So, Salome was declared dead for the people and also for her sister, who always believed her dead. Instead Salome was secretly brought into the desert and abandoned to her destiny, then saved from a Khitan wizard.
When Taramis was young, a woman, Mishi, and her brother were hired by Lord Arkhaurus to assassinate her. Mishi seduced Conan and, by his recommendation, was made handmaiden to Princess Taramis, while Khashtris volunteered Conan and Shubal as bodyguards for Taramis. Conan was bored from standing watch outside Taramis' door as she played and subsequently napped. Mishi drugged Conan and sent her brother to kill Conan and then Taramis, but Shubal came by in time to slay the brother and save Conan and Taramis, while Mishi was slain by agents of Arkhaurus to prevent her from revealing his involvement; she nonetheless shared the information with Conan before dying. With the aid of the Eye of Erlik, Conan and Shubal exposed Akhaurus and his alliance with Sergianus, a suitor of Queen Ialamis, but Ialamis then took her own life, unwilling to return to her lonely existence bereft of a lover. With her dying breath, Ialamis asked her faithful councilor Acrallidus to council and guide Taramis, and she voiced some hope for Taramis and Acrallidus' son, Krallides, although she died before she could explain it fully. Young Taramis was made queen of Khauran, while Conan left the city behind.[1]
At least 20 years after her birth, Conan became Queen Taramis' Captain of the Guards. Taramis trusted Conan, and showed to him the secret passages under the buildings and the city walls. She also trusted Krallides her best counselor. An exiled mercenary, Constantius, allied with Salome to conquer the throne of Khauran. Constantius approached Khauran with his army of Shemite mercenaries, faking heading to Turan. He arranged to speak to Taramis. He asked for her hand, but she refused. She accepted to let the army pass through Khauran but she had Constantius confined in the southern tower, until his troops had passed the borders with Turan. That night Salome, impersonating her sister, had the Shemite mercenaries enter the town. She also freed Constantius from his prison. In the night, Taramis was awoken by Salome. She learnt of her sister's history, after which Salome allowed Constantius to rape her. Salome, impersonating Taramis, accepted Constantius' marriage proposal and released the Khauran army. A short battle followed, led by Conan. Conan was captured. Many Khauran soldiers died. Marcios, a young soldier was wounded but fled. Taramis learned from Salome that Conan had been crucified and that many persons dear to Taramis had been tortured and killed. Taramis was also tortured, physically and mentally. Khumbanigash, general of the mercenaries, also raped her. A night seven months after Salome's arrival, the Witch showed to her sister the head of Krallides, Taramis' most faithful counselor. Marcios, a soldier who had never believed that Salome was Taramis, learned about the real fate of Taramis and organized her liberation. A week later, Conan, survived to the cross and now leader of more than 11,000 Zuagir warriors, headed to Khauran with his nomads, plus a secret battalion of 3,000 Khauran Hyborian knights. A battle was fought outside the town. The Zuagirs and the Khauran defeated the Shemites mercenaries. Before the end of the battle, Conan and some soldiers used the secret passages under the city walls and reached the prison where Taramis was kept. But some minutes after, Salome and Zinn slew all the soldiers but Conan and kidnapped Taramis with the purpose to give her to Thaug, a demon. Conan followed the two, Zinn left Taramis to Salome. The Witch tried to kill Taramis but Marcios arrived from behind and stabbed her with his sword. Taramis was taken outside the Temple by Conan who had to defend her from the arrows of some Shemites led by Constantius. Then Salome appeared, she called Thaug and died. Conan and his Desert Wolves killed Thaug. Taramis was the Queen again. She offered to Conan to become Captain again and also to become her counselor, but Conan preferred to be the leader of the Zuagirs; then Taramis claimed Marcios new Captain of the Guards.[2]