SPOILER WARNING: This article has important plot information. Caution is advised! |
“ | Tarquin was summer incarnate in turquoise and gold, bits of emerald shining at his buttons and fingers. A crown of sapphire and white gold fashioned like cresting waves sat atop his seafoam-colored hair—so exquisite that I often caught myself staring at it. | ” |
Tarquin is one of the seven High Lords of Prythian. He rules the Summer Court.
Quick Answers
Who is Tarquin in the context of the Summer Court in ACOTAR?
What is the significance of Tarquin's role as a High Lord in the Summer Court?
How did Tarquin come to power in the Summer Court?
What was the impact of Amarantha on Tarquin and the Summer Court?
What are the power dynamics within the families of High Lords in ACOTAR?
History[]
Early Life[]
Each Court is ruled by a High Lord. When a High Lord dies, the position is occupied by his strongest son, not the firstborn, that is why in the families of High Lords there are always disputes for power.
When Amarantha began to frequent the Courts of Prythian after the Treaty with the humans was signed, the Summer Court was no exception, so Nostrus, the previous High Lord, lost most of his powers and was left at her mercy by being condemned to live Under the Mountain until Tamlin found a human who hated the faeries with all her heart but loved him.
When Amarantha took over he had been thirty years old.[1]
The then High Lord of the Summer Court, together with the High Lords of the Day and Winter Courts rebelled against Amarantha and she killed them, so new substitute High Lords were put in place, including Tarquin, who was Nostrus' cousin.
A Court of Thorns and Roses[]
Tarquin, like the other High Lords, is Under the Mountain and there he witnesses his cousin Brutius being caught trying to escape through the cave that led to the Spring Court. When Amarantha has Rhysand read his mind, he sees that Brutius is trying to recruit allies to start a revolution against Amarantha planned by Tarquin but was caught before he could get out of the place.[2] Rhysand makes up the story he tells Amarantha and when Amarantha tells him to destroy his mind Rhysand kills him out of compassion, much to the anger of the High Queen.
When Feyre successfully finishes the third trial set by Amarantha, she becomes enraged and tries to kill her by breaking all the bones in her body. When Tamlin is free from the curse thanks to Feyre, all the other Courts are free as well, so when Feyre is dying as a token of gratitude, Tarquin, along with the other High Lords bestow a piece of magic, and Made her a High Fae.
A Court of Mist and Fury[]
Rhysand, Feyre and Amren visit the Summer Court in search of the half of the Book of Breathings found in Prythian. There they are received by Tarquin and the princes of Adriata: Cresseida and Varian, in their palace.
He seems to have been attracted to Feyre from the start as he never takes his eyes off her and constantly invites her out for dinner and walks around the city. Tarquin occasionally flirts with Feyre, and she with him. Also, when she asks him, he shows her the treasures of his court and gifts her one of his precious family heirlooms after she admires his ideals of equality.
When he asks Feyre if it is true that she has run away from the Spring Court because Tamlin had locked her in the manor and if the Night Court had rescued her, and she says yes, he tells her he won't tell Tamlin about her being there.
After Feyre steals half of the Book of Breathings from his court and flees back to the Night Court with Rhysand and Amren, Tarquin sends them three blood rubies, one for each, which mean that they are now mortal enemies of the Summer Court and that their heads have a price. This greatly affects Rhysand as he believes Tarquin could have become his friend, something no other High Lord had attempted, and furthermore Rhys supports Tarquin's initiative to eradicate social differences between High Fae and Lesser Faeries.
A Court of Wings and Ruin[]
Facing the impending war against Hybern, Rhysand, the High Lord of the Nights Court send letters to all other High Lords, including Tarquin, to schedule a meeting.
Tarquin initially gives no news that he is going to attend but according to Cresseida, he is contemplating the idea.
Days later, Varian, the Prince of Adriata, sends a message to Amren, Rhysand's second-in-command, telling her that they are being invaded by Hybern and telling her that they are on alert. She tells Rhysand that they should go help and he along with his Inner Circle, accompanied by a legion of Illyrians went winnow to Adriata to help.
Right after the battle at Adriata, Morrigan and Feyre meet Tarquin in his dining room, who is still angry about their previous visit to his domain. He thought that they had come to help Hybern finish him off and his court. When Feyre says that they have the same dream, he asks if that justifies stealing from him. Rhysand then shows up and defends her, mentioning that they're mates as well. Tarquin accuses them of letting his court be attacked, because of how Feyre destroyed the Spring Court, therefore letting Hybern's forces dock there and then sail to Adriata. Rhysand flinches at the accusation but says his army will stay until Tarquin deems the city secure. Feyre tells Tarquin to tend to his wounded, to which he says not to give him orders. She tells him that they are at his disposal and walks out with Mor while Rhys tries to explain about stealing the Book of Breathings. Tarquin commands him to get out and take the Illyrian legion with him. Rhys asks him to come to the meeting with the High Lords, and Tarquin again tells him to get out and to tell Feyre not to give High Lords orders. Rhysand says that since she's High Lady of the Night Court, she may do as she wishes. Tarquin lets out a bitter laugh and says that Rhysand always did love to spit on tradition.
After several comings and goings the High Lords agree to hold the meeting and the event is at the Dawn Court Palace, the residence of Thesan, the High Lord of the Dawn Court, since it is the closest place to the Middle. The meeting is attended by the seven High Lords with their delegations and after several discussions and altercations they agree to join forces against Hybern, with the exception of the Autumn Court who leaves after Feyre shows that when they revived her each of the High Lords gave her some of their power unknowingly.
Tarquin tells Rhysand and Feyre that because they have been the only ones to come to his aid when he needed it, the blood rubies he had sent to them are of no effect and that he will join them in the war and that he doesn't care that Feyre has a flake of his power.
He then offers asylum to the people of the Spring Court in his court, since the former is overrun by Hybern. With Tamlin acting as a spy, Hybern invaded the Summer Court across their shared border but are defeated by the combined armies of the Summer and Night Courts. At the end of the battle, Rhysand allows Tarquin to do what he considers best with them as they are in his land and Tarquin drowns them all. He then moves his and Rhysand's army to the Winter Court, where Hybern's next attack will take place.
After the final battle he attends the meeting called by Feyre in the ruins of the Archeron's Estate to renegotiate a new Treaty between faeries and mortals.
Appearance[]
Tarquin has white hair, turquoise eyes, and rich brown skin. He often wears blue clothes with an accent of gold.
Personality[]
Tarquin is kind, compassionate, and thoughtful. He is not trained like other High Lords and seems to always speak his mind out of not being trained in court scheming and everything that comes with it. He wants to unite the High Fae and lesser faeries and desires to see both working and existing together as equals.
Trivia[]
- Tarquin possesses a crown of sapphire and white gold fashioned like cresting waves.
- Before he became High Lord Tarquin served as a prince in another city.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 A Court of Mist and Fury: Chapter 33
- ↑ A Court of Mist and Fury
Characters | ||
---|---|---|
Main Characters | Feyre Archeron · Rhysand · Nesta Archeron · Cassian · Azriel · Elain Archeron · Tamlin · Lucien Vanserra · Morrigan · Amren · Amarantha · King of Hybern | |
Supporting Characters | Alis · Andras · Beron · Bogge · Bone Carver · Bron · Cerridwen · Clare Beddor · Cresseida · Drakon · Devlon · Emerie · Eris · Graysen · Gwyneth Berdara · Feyre's Father · Hart · Helion · Ianthe · Isaac Hale · Isaac Hale's Wife · Jurian · Kallias · Keir · Koschei · Mercenary · Miryam · Mortal Queens · Mrs. Laurent · Naga · Nuala · Unnamed Summer Court Faerie · Tarquin · Suriel · Thesan · Tomas Mandray · Varian · Vassa · Weaver | |
Mentioned Characters | Aunt Ripleigh · Dark Mother · Feyre's Mother · Mother · Rhysand's Father · Rhysand's Mother · Rhysand's Sister · Nostrus · Queen of the Black Land · See more... |
High Lords and Ladies of Prythian | ||
---|---|---|
Current | Tamlin · Tarquin · Beron · Kallias · Thesan · Helion · Rhysand · Feyre | |
Former | Tamlin's Grandfather · Tamlin's Father · Nostrus · Silene's Father-in-Law · Silene's Husband · Silene's Son · Rhysand's Grandfather · Rhysand's Father |
Summer Court | ||
---|---|---|
Characters | Tarquin · Nostrus † · Varian · Cresseida · Alis · Alis's Sister † · Alis's Brother-in-law † · Alis's Nephews · Brutius † · Blue-skinned faerie † · Water-wraiths · Alis's Cousin · Advisers | |
Locations | Adriata · Adriata Palace · Adriata Treasure Chamber · Pleasure Barge · Temple |
Under the Mountain | ||
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Characters | Tamlin (former) · Feyre Archeron (former) · Lucien Vanserra (former) · Amarantha † · Jurian (former) · Rhysand (former) · Beron Vanserra (former) · Lady of the Autumn Court (former) · Eris Vanserra (former) · Lucien's Brothers (former) · Tarquin (former) · Cresseida (former) · Varian (former) · Attor † (former) · Middengard Wyrm † · Helion (former) · Kallias (former) · Thesan (former) · Nuan (former) · Amarantha's Daemati · Brutius † · High Fae of the Third Trial † · Female High Fae of the Third Trial † · Bron (former) · Hart (former) · Unnamed guards |