This article needs maintenance and organization, as it may have become cluttered or confusing. Its heart is in a good place, it's just a little special. Won't you please help out an article in need? This template will categorize articles that include it into the Clean Up task category.
Nuala is a fairy from the Seelie Court, born in The Fair Lands.
History
She is at the service of the kings, Queen Titania and King Auberon with his brother, Cluracan.
Titania
As it happens once in a while to most of the court of Titania, she meets the disfavor of the Queen, for some unknown reason, and is given as a gift to Dream of the Endless as a show of good faith, so he would give to the Seelie court the keys to Hell, that were at the time in possession of Lord Morpheus.[1] Dream found it hard to accept her as a gift, but to avoid creating a conflict between Titania and Nuala, he accepted that she stays in the Dreaming, with the condition to stop using her 'glamour', which she accepted nervously.
Once in the service of Lord Shaper, she started working wherever she felt was useful, but was rarely asked to do something. She just did what she felt was right.[2] During this time, she was of service to a woman in the Palace of Dreams, who later left the Dreaming, leaving Dream heartbroken. The woman gave Nuala a pendant, that she later used to focus her magic, as fairies are known to do.[3] This became her glamour stone.
When the time came when Titania pardoned Nuala, the Queen asked Cluracan to recover Nuala from the service of Dream. At this time Nuala has created feelings for his master, but never expressed to him or anyone openly. When Dream accepted the petition of Cluracan, she was surprised that he didn't oppose and just left her go. Nevertheless, Dream gave a boon to Nuala, and infused her glamour stone with the wish that if Nuala would desire it, he would come wherever she is just for once.[4] This would later prove a fatal mistake for Dream.
The Kindly Ones
Now, residing again in Faerie, she found her new life a fake, as every fairy uses glamour and do not show how they really are. Revealing against the customs of the fair folk, she appeared in a party without glamour in front of the Queen, who could had taken immediate action against her, if not by his brother, who makes of the incident just a jest from her part, knowing what Nuala really meant with this action. Told by Robin Goodfellow, she learned of the danger that the Kindly Ones posed for Dream, and to be sure of his safety, she used the boon given by Dream to her, forcing him to venture outside the Dreaming. This action alone made him vulnerable to the Kindly Ones, and so, Nuala signed his death, unknowingly.
Heartbroken and discontent with the direction that her actions took, she confronts Titania for one last time, and try to leave the Fair Land without the Queen's blessing. Finally the Queen grants her permission, and she leaves to travel the realms, and seek the motivation that the Fair Land with their acting does not provide her, and she knew in the Dreaming along the Lord Shaper. Traveling, she feel asleep and attended at the wake of Dream of the Endless.[5]
Travels
Main article: The Dreaming Vol 1
Later she traveled around the walking world, and found different jobs to sustain her, as she forbid herself to use magic to obtain what she desired. His old friend from the Dreaming, Lucien usually visits her from time to time, trying to convince her to return with him to the Dreaming, but she refuses. It is implied that Lucien may have feelings for her, but she is oblivious of the matter. At this time, she leaves her glamour stone in the Dreaming, still trying to forgive herself for the death of Dream.
With time, she found that the walking world is not that much interesting as she thought it would be, and misses her old magic, but is unable to regain it, as she left it all inside the glamour stone that was left on the Dreaming.
She becomes the target of the Unseelie court, who found that the piece of Sapphire that contains part of the Fey is in her possession. This piece is called 'Breacadh', and she lost it some time before the Unseelie came for her. This was not enough information for the Unseelie, and tortures Nuala to get any information that may point them into the right direction of the stone, or at least, to have some fun.[6] After been rescued by Cluracan, and Cluracan's Nemesis, she learned that Breacadh is really her own glamour stone, that was given to her by Thessaly, while serving for Dream of the Endless, and when abandoned in the Dreaming, became in possession of a human girl, Madeleine. The girl is confronted for the stone by Queen Titania, and Thessaly, but Nuala convinces Madeleine to return the stone to her. Once again with the stone in her power, Nuala destroyed it, freeing not only her magic allowing her to regain her glamour, but also freed half the magic that compose the Fey. With all her abilities recovered, she felt good enough to defy Titania once again, and tells her 'to say good by to lord Auberon, and that she will always remember the night when he brought her fireflies and thyme'. By it true or lie, it didn't matter, as the intention was to just upset the Queen.
After this adventure, Nuala left with Lucien to live to the Dreaming. There she observed the civil war that the Nightmares made against the Dreaming, but didn't participate. It was while the war was raging, that finally she could let go her sentiments for Dream, and let herself love again, this time been the object of affection Lucien, who loves her as well.[7]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Magic: As a fairy, she has somewhat of magical power innate from her, but its way far from other of her species, such as Titania.
- Glamour: She can change her appearances with help of her Glamour stone, to appear always desirable.
Weaknesses
- Ancient Rules: As all of the inhabitants of mystic realms, Nuala is bound to a complex set of rules and customs that limit her actions.
Paraphernalia
Equipment
- Glamour Stone, Breacadh: This special Glamour stone is part of a two piece set, that formed a perfect sapphire, containing the essence of the Fay. The other piece is called Sholas, and while this represents the dawn, the Unseelie, the other represent the twilight, the Seelie. It is unknown the extents of the magics that are contained inside this stone, but also contains the magic of Nuala that allows her to change her appearance, and for sometime, the boon of Dream of the Endless.
Recommended Reading
Related
- 37 Appearances of Nuala (New Earth)
- 2 Images featuring Nuala (New Earth)
- 4 Quotations by or about Nuala (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Nuala (New Earth)
Footnotes