The Nightingale

The Nightingale by Morbidlizard https://morbidlizard.tumblr.com/post/110836501362/old-old-sketch-of-the-nightingale-the-majour

## Physical description

### Hair color

*Unknown*

**The Nightingale** is a mysterious fae who forms from a mass of Mourner nightingales, trains at the School of the Staff under Olphix and Davix, and then travels to the underworlds, where he gains great power, before returning to the fae realm to wreak havoc. He is ultimately imprisoned in the underworlds by a group of powerful magic users. He is freed by Terho the Mouse-Lad, and returns to the fae realm, and ultimately wreaks havoc again in an attempt to form a Third Court, alongside Augus Each Uisge, until Terho and Gwyn ap Nudd help trap him once more.

#### Status

* Underfae
* ??? (something higher than Underfae, as Augus demotes him)

#### Species

Unknown (similar to a nightingale shifter, but unlike shifters, he can turn into hundreds or thousands of nightingales, which is not a shifter trait; he is also not like true shapeshifters)

## Appearance

The Nightingale in his human form is tall, slim, and bird-like, with grey-white skin. He has 'penetrating' red eyes, his mouth is charmingly slant, 'always ready to smile', but pinched at the corners, 'hinting at sadness or joy.'

The Nightingale hates to show any skin aside from his face, and wears gloves and many layers of clothing to make sure he cannot be touched. He also wears high-collared clothing.

He prefers to wear shades of black, white, grey, and sometimes accent pieces of red. He has been shown with a walking stick, though he doesn't seem to need it for anything other than violence.

## Personality

The Nightingale is a monstrous figure who has not been shown to have any capacity for empathy, remorse, or regret, and who seems to have only one goal - to create a third Court, presumably to attain world domination. He is shown to be cruel and merciless, though he also grows bored of his sadistic efforts (e.g., Augus' release seemed to be predicated on boredom). He is also curious, reckless, and charming.

The Nightingale does not like to touch others, and even when torturing Augus, he uses objects and other creatures that he controls with his mind, to torture Augus, rather than touch him personally. Pia said this is because he believes he is so superior to all other beings, he doesn't like to be sullied by them.

## Life

The Nightingale is born when all the Mourner nightingales of the fae realm suddenly leave their nests and roosts all at once to fly towards a single field, and over tens of thousands of years, they are all gathered, and together sing 'a cacophony of grief until the whirling of feathers and beaks and beady red eyes disappeared and in their place stood . . . the Nightingale.' The Nain Rouge adopts him, and teaches him how to feed and live.

'[T]hrough research, reading and spells' the Nightingale finds his way into the underworlds, 'blowing open a portal between worlds that would destabilise both'. Fenwrel the Mouse-Maiden implies that the Mages helped guide him there, and the Nain Rouge confirms that Davix and Olphix did so. The Raven Prince says that the Nightingale is the protege of Davix and Olphix, and the twins call the Nightingale their son.

After a long time in the underworlds, the Nightingale returns to the fae realm, 'aura bloated with power, having found magical ways of consuming underworld creatures and, it is suspected, a demigod or two. His nature warped beyond recognition, darkness staining his steps in a way that bothered even the Unseelie, he wreaked havoc upon the fae world all s he could feed his insatiable appetite for misery and grief.' A council of the world's most powerful mages gathers to stop him, including Davix, Olphix, Old Pete, and even underworld Mages. They force the Nightingale back into his weaker bird form, then seal that single Mourner nightingale into an enchanted cage down a forgotten corridor in the underworlds. The council combines their magic 'to make one hundred different doors, one hundred different magical and non-magical locks' to keep him there, and stop anyone from freeing him.

By chance, Terho finds his way into the underworlds, discovered the locked doors, and uses his innate ability to unlock any lock to break through them, and discovers the Nightingale. Terho doesn't know who the Mourner nightingales were, or who the Nightingale was, and thinks the beautiful lonely bird trapped in a cage must be good, so he spends a month working at the lock, becoming the bird's 'friend' in the meanwhile. Once Terho breaks the lock, for which he earns a life debt from the Nightingale, the flock of Nightingales flies to the fae realm, but returns to bring Terho back to the fae realm, as well.

The Nightingale befriends the Raven Prince, after a fashion. The Raven Prince sees him as a forerunner of the plans of Olphix and Davix, and begins to prepare accordingly. The Raven Prince sends Augus to the Nightingale, to delay things, weaken Augus, and encourage Augus to later come to the Unseelie Court. The Nightingale tortures Augus, and uses his body to reach parts of the underworlds that the Nightingale cannot.

Augus agrees to become King for the Nightingale in exchange for his freedom, though the Nightingale doesn't believe him. Afterward, the Nightingale becomes a regular presence at the Unseelie Court. During this time, Ash Glashtyn goes to the Unseelie Court to beg the Raven Prince for help locating Augus. The Nightingale greets him instead, consoles him about Augus' absence, and says things will be okay.

The Nightingale knows he owes Terho a debt for saving his life, but the Nightingale attempts to avoid paying it, and kidnaps Terho to the Nightingale's mansion. Isolated, Terho becomes dependent on the Nightingale, and the Nightingale feeds on his misery, planning to keep Terho there until he dies.

'The Nightingale wished to make a third Court. A Court that would bring underworld monsters and beings up into the fae and human worlds. A Court that would rule over humans, require obeisance from even the Seelie and Unseelie.' He begins the work in the human realm, reintroducing knowledge of the fae and causing chaos.

Terho finally escapes the mansion, but shortly returns, and the Nightingale imprisons him in a tower. The Nightingale then tears down the barrier between the fae world and the underworlds.

When Augus becomes King of the Unseelie Court, he demotes the Nightingale to underfae, weakening him. Augus used compulsions to trap him in a cave for a year. The Nightingale finally breaks free and returns to his mansion, where he occasionally speaks with Terho and rebuilds his strength.

Four years later, Augus offers the Nightingale a place on his Court.

Some time later, Terho uses the Nightingale's life debt to lure him to the underworlds, where Mages turn the Nightingale back into a bird, and Terho traps him in a cage and locks all the doors that had trapped the Nightingale there before.

## Special Abilities

The Nightingale is a powerful Mage, and trains under Olphix and Davix. Olphix gives the Nightingale the power of Consumption, which is the magical ability to take and eat the ether of the magic of others, sometimes permanently. The Nightingale can also manipulate shadows.

## Relationships

### Ash Glashtyn

The Nightingale torments Ash during the Nightingale's visits to the Unseelie Court while Ash is present. Ash has often said that since this was nothing in comparison to what Augus went through at the Nightingale's hands, it was nothing at all.

### Augus Each Uisge

Fenwrel believes that, in regard to Augus, the Nightingale 'was covetous and *jealous*, since he has always been a collector of fine things - all the more to *break* them'. The Raven Prince gives Augus to the Nightingale, potentially to delay the Nightingale's plans, and the Nightingale keeps and tortures Augus for some time. Among his other tortures and degradations, the Nightingale calls Augus 'pony'. Augus promises to become King of the Unseelie Court in exchange for his freedom. The Nightingale keeps Augus for a year, and his torture pollutes Augus' body, gives him PTSD, and 150 years afterward, leads to Augus using a memoryeater on the Raven Prince, and creating the Blight.

### Davix and Olphix

The Mages consider the Nightingale their almost son. The Raven Prince calls the Nightingale their protege. Davix and Olphix gave the Nightingale what he needs to enter the underworlds.

### Gwyn ap Nudd

Gwyn is crucial to the recapture and re-imprisonment of the Nightingale. Gwyn does not talk or think about his experience in the underworlds at all, except briefly in *The Court of Five Thrones,* when he learns that Augus has underworld poisoning. Gwyn senses the Nightingale's lingering presence in the untransformed Unseelie Court, and knows this is one reason the Court is unhealthy for Augus. Gwyn struggles to remove it when he transforms the Court.

### The Nain Rouge

The Nain Rouge often calls the Nightingale her 'younger brother.' She is the one one to initially find the Nightingale and teach him to feed and live. She distances herself from the Nightingale when he becomes close with underworlds creatures. She can sense him in the underworlds. She has fondness for him, but also claims not to miss him, likely due to his connection with the underworlds.

### The Raven Prince

The Nightingale is sent to the Unseelie Court to feed upon the Raven Prince's misery, and also as a warning for Olphix and Davix's plans*.* The Raven Prince redirects the Nightingale's attention to Augus, becoming directly responsible for Augus' imprisonment. However, this didn't stop the Nightingale from visiting his Court, and even once Augus is freed and a member of the Raven Prince's Court, the Nightingale continues to visit. The Raven Prince and the Nightingale often have tea together, and the Raven Prince even gifts the Nightingale land.

### Terho the Mouse-Lad

Terho loves and fears the Nightingale, deeply, and is terrified of the song of even normal nightingales. The Nightingale views Terho as a shiny bauble, and wishes to take Terho's powers for his own.

## Quotations

* The Nain Rouge: 'He’s the kind . . . that’ll eat your leftovers and then stare at your plate like a puppy – if the puppy was a psychopath – before stealing the plate too, and then he’ll look at you and wonder what your bones taste like.'
* *‘Are you already broken?’ the Nightingale said, laughing. Musical laughter. ‘Again? So easily? Did you know the old Each Uisge would never have let me do this? The reason we all left him in his lake was because he was so dangerous. A bit stupid, yes, but that seems to run through the incarnations, doesn’t it? I have to say, Augus, if you’re already broken, I’m going to kill you. Then your brother. Or wait…do you think this incarnation of the Glashtyn would have a high threshold for the underworlds?’*

## Trivia

* No one knows how to kill the Nightingale.

## Folklore/Mythology

The Nightingale isn't based on any known fairies. However, nightingales are richly associated in mythology and folklore with many different qualities, and Virgil uses the term 'lament of the nightingale' to describe the mourning of Orpheus. This may be connected to the Nightingale's habit of feeding upon sorrow and misery, despite always seeming charming in flashbacks.

## Image Gallery

Fanart of the Nightingale by MorbidLizard https://morbidlizard.tumblr.com/post/110836501362/old-old-sketch-of-the-nightingale-the-majourFanart of the Nightingale and Augus Each Uisge in the underworlds by justsomeperson1920 https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb6B1zZl1wd/?utm\_source=ig\_web\_copy\_linkArt of the Nightingale in his Mourner Nightingale bird form by Pia Foxhall https://not-poignant.tumblr.com/post/174460618847/would-you-ever-try-to-illustrate-one-of-your-ownFanart of the Nightingale and Terho the Mouse-Lad by suis0u https://suis0u.tumblr.com/post/626860791643111424/some-of-you-have-asked-about-terho-the-mouse-ladFanart of the Nightingale and Terho the Mouse-Lad by plintoon https://plintoon.tumblr.com/post/86057502907/ok-i-cant-finish-this-so-ill-upload-it-as-isArt of the Nightingale by Pia Foxhall https://faetalesresearch.tumblr.com/post/86791634737/the-nightingale-artwork-by-me-yeah-i-know-iFanart of the Nightingale in the underworlds by Hyacinthess https://hya-chan-art.tumblr.com/post/98149234341/i-drew-this-during-a-lesson-cause-thatsFanart of the Nightingale and Terho the Mouse-Lad by brenoftarth https://brenoftarth.tumblr.com/post/180085179309/do-you-ever-wonder-why-i-sing-these-love-songsFanart of the Nightingale by intheendlessbluewine https://intheendlessbluewine.tumblr.com/post/114151683859/nightingale-anyone-bringing-this-backFanart of the Nightingale by justjokering https://not-poignant.tumblr.com/post/87084834053/the-nightingale-most-dapper-villainFanart of the Nain Rouge and the Nightingale by Ravenemore https://raven-nemore.tumblr.com/post/150105937721/nightingale-and-nain-rouge-will-destroy-your-assFanart of the Nightingale by Ravenemore https://raven-nemore.tumblr.com/post/131658984521/the-nightingale-by-raesalander-okay-so-i-tried-myFanart of the Nightingale by CaramelRaven https://hotdamnfae.tumblr.com/post/138164999615/nightingale-by-magicaramel-aka-caramel-raven-the
## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 not\_poignant. "The Nightingale and Terho the Mouse-Lad." *The Fae Tales Verse, Archive of Our Own,* 5 May 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1571246.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 12 September 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/5045072. Chapter 9: Amends.
3. ↑ Not-Poignant. "I've always thought that your choice to make..." Actually A Little Bit Poignant. 17 Sep 2018, 8:34 PM. https://not-poignant.tumblr.com/post/178196234778/ive-always-thought-that-your-choice-to-make-the.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 6 February 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/7205945. Chapter 29: Classless.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 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.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 not\_poignant. "These Troubled Times." *The Fae Tales Verse - canon extras. Archive of Our Own,* 11 November 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/2601050/chapters/5793404. Chapter 1.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 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.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 22 May 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/8948719. Chapter 44: Nostalgia.
9. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 3 March 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/7625663. Chapter 33: Confession.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 2 January 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/6705320. Chapter 24: Listen.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 not\_poignant. “The Ice Plague: Book 2 - The Seething Seas.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 30 August 2019. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17959874/chapters/48516644. Chapter 13: The Glory of the House of Atros.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 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.
13. ↑ 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.
14. ↑ 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.
15. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 14 November 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/5830019. Chapter 18: Blood.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 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.
17. ↑ not\_poignant. “The Court of Five Thrones.” *The Fae Tales Verse. Archive of Our Own,* 4 July 2014. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1749290/chapters/4088631. Chapter 3: Disintegration.
18. ↑ not\_poignant. "There Are Flowers." *The Fae Tales Verse - canon extras. Archive of Our Own,* 12 January 2015. https://archiveofourown.org/works/3166064.