The Oak King

## Quercus

Quercus, or **The Oak King**, was a Seelie dryad who served as King of the Seelie Court following the reign of Queen Titania, and promoted Gwyn ap Nudd to succeed him. Quercus became a tree to get around his debt to Olphix and Davix.

## Appearance

When in human form, Quercus is 'thick' and 'imposing', with 'bright green eyes the colour of new oak leaves . . . above a bushy beard and moustache that hid acorns and twigs that grew from his very flesh.'

During the Summer Court, Quercus would wear a mask like the Green People, 'with faces of oak leaves and smiling mouths, now extinct'.

He's currently an oak tree.

## Personality

One notable difference between Quercus and Gwyn is that while Gwyn does not take prisoners while serving as King of the Seelie Fae until Augus Each Uisge's capture, Quercus uses the Seelie Court dungeons to keep prisoners and perform interrogations. Displays, such as the one Gwyn holds with Augus during Augus' capture, occur during Quercus' time, and are, according to Gwyn, 'barbaric'. Quercus' preferred method of execution is beheading.

Augus says that Quercus isn't much 'better' than Gwyn in temperament, implying that Quercus is a little awkward, but that Quercus is simply more 'jovial'. Gwyn calls Quercus, 'a coward who didn't want to deal with an alien threat' who 'simply didn't want to reign during a time of extreme conflict.' Gwyn also thinks that Quercus is smart, and should not be underestimated.

Marika says that Quercus, 'ruled justly, [but] played favourites. He played us against each other to make sure our loyalties were to him and not each other, to make sure they were fierce, devoted, that we were always plying him and his Court with favours'.

The Raven Prince says that Quercus is 'boorish'.

## Life

At some point, Quercus comes to owe Olphix and Davix a debt for something.

Quercus later succeeds Titania as ruler of the Seelie Court. He calls the current fae era the 'Season of Turning', which many fae think, 'would be a time of positive change, of growth'. At some point during his reign, Rhiamon ferch anFnwy serves as one of his agents. Crielle ferch Fnwy manages the social affairs of his court for some time, and Quercus has Crielle and Lludd Llaw Eraint spend 'their entire lives wining and dining some of the most secretive and hidden creators of wealth' in the fae realm. Gwyn also serves as Quercus' War General.

Quercus' reign is 'beloved'. Zudanna calls Quercus' reign part of a golden age.

Gwyn says that during the early years of the Quercus' reign, the Raven Prince's reign, and Titania's reign, Seelie and Unseelie intermingle. Gwyn, and many other fae, believe that Quercus was not-so-subtly trying to 'destroy the Unseelie Court completely' during his reign, which is likely why inter-alignment communities are rarer after the early years of Quercus' reign.

During his reign, Quercus tries to outmaneuver the Nightingale, the School of the Staff, and, in particular, Olphix and Davix. Olphix and Davix intended to use the debt to eventually gain access to the power of the Seelie Court, but Quercus engineers his retirement to leave the debt unpaid, and Albion makes the problem moot.

Quercus transfers the Kingship to Gwyn by vote without Gwyn's say-so, or Gwyn's apparently even being aware that Gwyn is under consideration, which 'wasn't illegal, but it also wasn't considered appropriate'. Gwyn thinks this might be because 'the Oak King knew all along that Gwyn would say no otherwise'. Crielle is the only one who votes against the promotion.

After retiring from Kingship, the Oak King goes somewhere unknown and turns into an oak tree.

## Relationships

### Albion

Quercus knows that Albion is, 'an exceptional underwater fighter', but 'excellent aboveground as well', which is why Quercus often brings Albion up to consult with Gwyn on strategy. Albion considers Quercus' promotion of Gwyn to King as 'high praise'. Albion disproves of Gwyn calling the Oak King a coward for running from his Kingship.

### Amaley Manytrees

Amaley 'had spoken of him fondly even though Aur dryads and Seelie dryads didn’t often have much to do with each other.'

### Crielle ferch Fnwy

Quercus knows that Crielle is a poisoner, and that she manipulates him, and wants to make use of her poisons and power. Gwyn states that Quercus knew that she glamours him. Crielle likes Quercus better than Albion because Quercus is easier to control, possibly without glamour. Crielle states in her journal that if she'd decided to kill Gwyn herself, she'd have to explain it somehow to Quercus.

### Davix and Olphix

Quercus becomes indebted to Olphix and Davix before taking the throne, and knows that the debt would be used to steal the power of the Seelie Court, so Quercus machinates his way out of being King before they can collect.

### Gwyn ap Nudd

Gwyn seemingly has a caustic relationship with Quercus. They were once close enough to the point that Gwyn had his 'ear' and knew his agendas. Nonetheless, Gwyn is made King without being asked, which Gwyn tries to not view as an insult. Gwyn considers Quercus a coward, and lacking his respect for leaving the 'hard work' to the 'equivalent of *children*'. Gwyn still compares himself to Quercus, wondering what Quercus might have done better, though he also feels disappointed by Quercus, as Gwyn used to worship the man. Gwyn says that Quercus taught him 'the ins and outs of betrayal'.

### Lludd Llaw Eraint

'Crielle and Lludd had spent their entire lives wining and dining some of the most secretive and hidden creators of wealth on behalf of the Oak King'.

### Mikkel

Mikkel is 'poached' as a Reader during Quercus' reign. He says Quercus didn't like him, but still trained him.

### Old Pete

Old Pete is Storykeeper during Quercus' reign.

### Ondine

Ondine serves as a diviner during Quercus' reign. He woos her into the role, out of fear of her power, but Ondine says he would have turned on her if she'd refused his offer.

### The Raven Prince

The Raven Prince doesn't seem to have a high opinion of the Oak King, though it seems they do spend some time together over the years, at least to the point that Quercus accidentally reveals his debt to Olphix and Davix.

## Quotations

* 'You know very well that alongside honour, duty, beauty, love, the Seelie fae are also canny military strategists. One cannot rule the world on love alone, that’s a certainty. If you’re killing off villages, I believe I’d like to add those poisons to our arsenal so that we might further weaken the Unseelie; plague that they are upon us.'
* Gwyn: 'I did what was asked of me. I defeated those who needed to be defeated. One of those an evil so great that the Oak King retired rather than confront it on his own.'
* Gwyn: 'They’re not the ones standing here, Augus. Not the Oak King, nor the Raven Prince. They left the equivalent of *children* – as they think of us – to do the hard work for them. If they wanted my respect, they should have stuck around to earn it.'
* The Raven Prince to Augus: 'name me one King or Queen who hasn’t met a tragic end? Quercus doesn’t count. He fled his Court to become a tree, he had tens of thousands of active, jolly, repulsive years in him left. Now, name me *one monarch* who hasn’t met a tragic end, Augus?’

## Trivia

* In *The Court of Five Thrones*, it is stated that the Oak King retires from the Seelie Court less than five hundred years from when the Raven Prince leaves the Unseelie Court.

## Folklore/Mythology

'The Holly King and Oak King are personifications of the winter and summer in various folklore and mythological traditions. The two kings engage in endless "battle" reflecting the seasonal cycles of the year: not only solar light and dark, but also crop renewal and growth. During warm days of Midsummer the Oak King is at the height of his strength; the Holly King regains power at the Autumn equinox, then his strength peaks during Midwinter, at which point the Oak King is reborn, regaining power at the Spring equinox, and perpetuating the succession.'

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 24 October 2019. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17959874/chapters/50374646. Chapter 17: Just Like You.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 not\_poignant. "The Curse.” *The Fae Tales Verse - canon extras.* Archive of Our Own, 4 August 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/2034456/chapters/4527081. Chapter 2.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 5 June 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/9186013. Chapter 46: Masque.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 7 November 2019. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17959874/chapters/50852635. Chapter 18: Long Past Due.
5. ↑ not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 17 August 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/1809886. Chapter 4: Clean.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 13 September 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/1894662. Chapter 11: Abandoned.
7. ↑ not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 25 January 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/2338138. Chapter 38: Underfae.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse.* Archive of Our Own, 29 November 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/2132476. Chapter 29: Corporal.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 13 March 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/7780169. Chapter 35: Assertion.
10. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse.* Archive of Our Own, 12 December 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/6186821. Chapter 21: Fracture.
11. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 5 July 2019. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17959874/chapters/46372144. Chapter 9: Lies of Omission.
12. ↑ not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse.* Archive of Our Own, 24 January 2016. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/13378381. Chapter 1: Prologue.
13. ↑ not\_poignant. "The Curse.” *The Fae Tales Verse - canon extras. Archive of Our Own,* 28 July 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/2034456/chapters/4416066. Chapter 1.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse*. Archive of Our Own, 9 January 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/6826832. Chapter 25: Heat.
15. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 20 February 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/7438151. Chapter 31: Rupture.
16. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 5 September 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/4957257. Chapter 8: Court.
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 10 April 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/8227330. Chapter 39: Want.
18. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 14 May 2020. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17959874/chapters/58235365. Chapter 32: The Dual-King.
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 24 September 2013. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/1928111. Chapter 14: Aftercare.
20. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 26 June 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/9517437. Chapter 49: Battle.
21. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 3 - The Ice Plague.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 16 September 2021. https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/84324043. Chapter 15: The Enemy of My Enemy.
22. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 12 June 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/9291202. Chapter 47: Redirection.
23. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 19 June 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/9397818. Chapter 48: Exploration.
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 6 March 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/7672370. Chapter 34: Absolution.
25. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 29 May 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/9068368. Chapter 45: Service.
26. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 17 October 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/5474447. Chapter 14: Pearl.
27. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 20 June 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/3901096. Chapter 2: Orphan.
28. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 7 August 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/10279800. Chapter 55: Refuge.
29. ↑ not\_poignant. “Game Theory.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 21 March 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296/chapters/2808781. Chapter 46: King.
30. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 27 March 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/8003448. Chapter 37: Explosion.
31. ↑ "Holly King and Oak King". Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly\_King\_and\_Oak\_King. Accessed 29 May 2021.