Mirabel

Mirabel by Miss-Pannacotta on deviantart

The painter

Fate

A scar behind her ear, about an inch long

Dorian (almost murderer)

Eleanor (mother)

Simon Keating (father)

Allegra Cavallo (mother figure)

Rhyme (friend)

> “This is the rabbit hole. Do you want to know the secret to surviving once you’ve gone down the rabbit hole?”
>
>
> Zachary nods and Mirabel leans forward. Her eyes are ringed with gold.
>
>
>
> “Be a rabbit,” she whispers.
>
> Book II: Fortunes and Fables, Zachary (10)

**Mirabel** is one of the secondary protagonists of *The Starless Sea*, and she is the fierce, pink-haired painter who teaches Zachary Ezra Rawlins about the world of the Harbor and the Starless Sea as a whole. She enjoys drinking champagne in fancy dresses, and she is the current incarnation of Fate.

*Proceed at your own risk if you have not yet finished the Starless Sea.*

## Appearance

Mirabel's most distinguishing feature is her pink hair, which is described to range from shades of "pomegranate to ballet slipper". She has multiple ear piercings, and wears likes to wear hoop earrings. She also wears layered necklaces, such as the one that Zachary noticed which drew him to New York City in the first place, which has three chains, one with a bee, one with a key, and one with a sword. Her other necklaces have more keys, a compass, and something that resembles a bird skull cast in silver.

Mirabel is most often wearing more casual clothing, such as jeans, boots, and a woolly cream sweater that "looks as though it spent as little time as possible in the transition from sheep to clothing", though she also seems to have a flair for the dramatic in her clothing choices, as in Zachary (16), Zachary finds her tucked in the corner of a ballroom wearing a black dress that "could probably be described as slinky if it wasn't so voluminous". Mirabel also often wears an almost-smirk, which Zachary describes as being reminiscent of classic film stars.

## Personality

Mirabel is often very sarcastic, and has little patience for people who don't understand her point quickly. She doesn't very much care what people think of her, and is clearly at ease in crowds and in authority positions. Considering she was born in the Harbor, she's somewhat of an expert on it (as much as one can be an expert on a place like that), and she does her best to explain it to Zachary (though another side effect to growing up in the Harbor is vagueness and poetic languageso sometimes her point doesn't quite come across). Even though she can be blunt, she is easygoing and not difficult to be around.

Mirabel is firm, but reassuring, and though her presence might not be motherly per se, she is definitely protective. She has the sort of relationship with Zachary that a fun aunt might have with her nephew. He clearly trusts her and feels safe around her, but knows she won't coddle him. She is not opposed to crime, as is demonstrated in Zachary (12) when she burns down the Collector's Club after rescuing Dorian.

She seems to be masking a little bit of her true personality, or at least dampening, it, which becomes evident in Zachary (25) when Zachary asks what she is. The following passage is taken from that chapter:

> Mirabel’s smile vanishes. She takes a step toward him, standing too close. Something changes in her face, as though she was wearing an invisible mask that has been removed, a personality conjured from pink hair and snark as false as a tail and a crown from a faraway party. Zachary tries to remember if he has ever felt the same nameless ancient presence from her that he felt with the Keeper and somehow he knows it was always there and that the vanished smile is older than the oldest of movie stars. She leans in close enough to kiss him and her voice is low and calm when she speaks.
> “I’m a lot of things, Ezra. But I am not the reason you didn’t open that door.”
>
> Book V: The Owl King, Zachary (25)

## History

### Early Life

As herself, not much is known about Mirabel's early life, but as Fate, she has had many incarnations, all of whom have been involved with The Keeper. Some of her past incarnations include Sivía, Lin, Grace, Asha, and Étienne, Sivía being the latest before Mirabel.

Mirabel was born to Eleanor and Simon, in a room without time. Eleanor was not very present in her life, even having to turn to the Kitchen to name her, and disappearing when Mirabel was five (presumably to look for Simon). Allegra was always more of a mother figure to Mirabel, raising her after Eleanor left. Allegra was the one who taught her how to paint, and then *she* left when Mirabel was 14. Mirabel's early life seems very lonely, and marked by those she loves abandoning her.

## Trivia

* Mirabel is known to carry around stories in the shape of candies
* She always has a book on her.
* When asked whether her alias 'Zelda' was in reference to the princess from the video game Legend of Zelda or Zelda Fitzgerald, she says that it is a mix of both.
* Her order at the Stabucks is an earl gray tea with soy, honey, and vanilla.
* It is implied that she may be able to feel the doors, but this is not confirmed.

## Relationships

* Zachary Ezra Rawlins-
* The Keeper-
* Dorian-
* Eleanor-
* Simon-
* Allegra-
* Rhyme-

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Book II: Fortunes and Fables, Zachary (9)
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Book II: Fortunes and Fables, Zachary (10)
3. ↑ Book I: Sweet Sorrows, Zachary (4)
4. ↑ Book III: The Ballad of Simon and Eleanor, The naming of things, part II
5. ↑ Book V: The Owl King, Zachary (24)
6. ↑ Book II: Fortunes and Fables, Zachary (12)