Nick Davis

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> "Everyone falls in love with Nicholas, Bree. It's part of his insufferable charm" — Selwyn Kane, *Legendborn*
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> "What they did to his mother, his father's abuse... all of it was for a lie.” — Bree Matthews, *Legendborn*
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## Biographical Information

### Physical Features

* 6’4
* Tousled straw-blond hair
* Blue eyes

## Affiliations

### Family

* Martin Davis † (father)
* Anna Rheon (mother)
* Unnamed Paternal Grandfather
* Lorraine Davis † (ancestor)
* Paul Michael Reynolds † (ancestor)
* Samuel Martin Davis Jr. † (ancestor)
* Lancelot † (ancestor)

### Relationships

* Bree Matthews (girlfriend)
* Selwyn Kane (kingsmage)

**Nicholas Davis**, better known as **Nick**, is the Scion of Lancelot, second-ranked, but was believed to have been the Scion of Arthur.

## Biography

### Early Life

Since he was eight years old, Nick was trained to be the Scion of Arthur. His father, Martin Davis, pushed him with rigorous training and even homeschooled him, but his mother, Anna Rheon, disagreed with the training. So one night, she attempted to run away with Nick, but they were caught. She was taken and mesmered by the Regents. Afterwards, Nick spent years researching Merlins' mesmers trying to figure out how to break them. He learned that extracting a mother's child from her psyche is mesmerwork only a Master Merlin could do.

After his mother was taken away, Nick was Oathed to Selwyn Kane when the two were nine and ten years old respectively. The two did not get along. Nick thought Sel was cruel, and Sel thought Nick was entitled. Due to their bond, they took on the other's emotions as if they were his own, that was the first time they understood each other. Not long after Sel showed up, Nick began to see his father’s praise and attention as a zero-sum game. And since Sel was obedient, he received those things. As children they manipulate Lord Davis' regard, pulling rank and title to suit their whims. And that's outside of the sparring arena. Within it, they gave each other their share of bruises and black eyes and even broken bones. They both learned how to exploit their bond by finding the loopholes.

In high school Nick was popular and went through a rebellious phase, acting nothing like the “Scion of Arthur.” He drank vodka behind the bleachers with Onceborns, sometimes even studying while drunk. He entered the University of North Carolina Early College Program and is currently in his second year.

### Legendborn

After Bree gets caught at the Eno Quarry, Nick is assigned to be her peer mentor by Dean McKinnon. Unhappy with this arrangement, Bree ignores Nick's texts, but eventually, Nick tracks Bree down, and they walk back to her dorm. As they are talking, Bree sees a hellhound and runs straight toward it. Nick fights and kills the hellhound, but Bree is hurt. Nick rushes her to the Lodge for William to heal her. Unsure how much information each other knows, he convinces her to let Sel mesmer her again.

The next day, Bree ambushes Nick in his class, telling him she still has her memories. Nick tries to convince her to forget about what she saw, but she refuses. Later he finds out Bree is at the Lodge. Bree convinces him to take her into the Order. She tells Nick that her mom died in a hit-and-run accident and that at the hospital a Merlin disguised as a police officer mesmered her and her dad. She broke the mesmer yesterday when she broke the one Sel placed on her. She tells Nick that she has to know what really happened to her mom and why it was hidden from them. She asks Nick for his help. Upon his reluctant agreement to sponsor Bree as his Page, Nick gives her his knight's sigil, the Pendragon image on a silver coin strung on a necklace. When Bree comments on all the stares and attention he is getting, Nick tells her that as far as the people here know, he hasn't been to the Lodge since he was twelve years old and now he's suddenly returned to reclaim his title and sponsor a Onceborn.

After Bree and the other Pages take the Oath, they get attacked by an uchel and hellhounds. Nick get severely injured. After recovering from his injuries, Nick goes home. On Wednesday, Nick texts Bree to tell her that there's a dinner that night at the Lodge at six for all the Pages. He asks her to come an hour early so they can have some time to catch up and talk more. At dinner it is announced the tournament to be chosen as Squire will begin after the meal and that instead of taking months, it will only take six weeks. Nick and the other Legendborn watch the first trial. Immediately after the trial concludes, Nick is attacked by a hellsnake. He's wrapped head to toe in a coil of muscle. Sel climbs up the demon's body and thrusts his hands into the hellsnake's eyes, up to the elbow, killing it. William is able to heal his broken rib. While he recovers in his room at the Lodge, Bree is at his bed side and they fall asleep. On the walk to campus the next morning, Nick and Bree have their first kiss. They're interrupted by “Evan” and Russ who tease them. The next day, Friday, Nick invites Bree to come with the Legendborn to a downtown bar called Tap Rail. Before meeting her there, Nick drives his dad to the airport to fly to the Northern Chapter to meet with the Regents. They want to discuss the increase in Shadowborns and the hellsnake attack on Nick. That night, Nick and Bree stay up late talking on the phone while Bree tells Nick about her memory walk with Patricia Hartwood.

Saturday before the sun comes up, the second trial begins. It's a scavenger hunt on campus. Much to Nick's displeasure, Sel decides that he will be Bree's partner to monitor her progress. When Nick finds out that Sel had used the trial to ambush Bree because he remains convinced she's a goruchel disguised as a Onceborn to infiltrate the Order and kill Nick. When Nick finds out what happened, he punches Sel. He tells Sel he'd felt his desire to kill Bree through their bond and he begs Sel to leave Bree alone because of what it does to him. While Bree recovers from the second trial, Nick leaves her a note saying his dad called and he has to join him at the Northern Chapter. He tells Bree that he'll be back on Thursday for the third trial.

Upon returning to the Lodge after flying back from the Northern Chapter, he runs into a crying Bree who is trying to leave with Sel coming up behind her. She tells Nick that she and Sel discovered that her mom's accident was just an accident and she is leaving. Nick begs her to stay but she refuses, asking Felicity to drive her home. Bree avoids Nick and the rest of the Legendborn for a week. He is surprised and pleased to see Bree arrive at the Selection Gala. He asks her to dance. They are interrupted by Isaac Sorenson, his father's Kingsmage. Isaac tells Nick that Martin would like him to join him in the antechamber and Nick is forced to leave Bree with Isaac, giving her a warning look before going. After the dinner, the Scions officially make their selection of a Squire. Nick asks Bree to be his Squire. When she accepts, the parents at the Gala are so angry at Bree being picked to be the Scion of Arthur's Squire that they try to physically attack her. It takes Whitty, Greer, Sarah, and Evan forming a wall behind Sel who is carrying Bree to hold them back. Sel brings her to an empty room and goes to get Nick. Nick and Bree are interrupted while kissing by an attendant who tells Nick that his father needs him immediately.

Lord Davis leads his son to the Cave of the Dragon. That night Nick is forced to wield Excalibur, but Bree comes in wielding Excalibur. Later Nick sleeps next to Bree, but get kidnapped by his father and Isaac.

### Bloodmarked

Martin, Isaac, and Nick are in the run to stay in hiding from the Order. They eventually discover why Bree’s the Scion of Arthur. A month has passed since Nick's kidnapping. He first sees Bree in Arthur's memories when Bree is taking the Rite of Kings.

On the third bloodwalk, Nick tells Bree that he is at his cabin. When Erebus arrives he is still in his dad’s hold, until his dad and Isaac get distracted. Then Nick attempts to run. Erebus orders Max Zhao to kill Nick, but his father save his son. Zhao's construct spear goes through Lord Davis' chest, killing him. Nick and Isaac are both frozen in shock. Zhao tries to kill Nick once again, but Nick cuts off his head. In shock and grief, Nick runs away from Bree and Sel while Erebus and Isaac fight. During Bree's fourth bloodwalk, Nick tells Bree that he killed Zhao for himself, not his father. He tells her that he will find a way to end the Legendborn cycle.

Nick was in hiding until he felt Sel blood lust, immediately contacting Gillian. They picked him up near Sapphire Valley, and Lark called, going to the Northern Chapter. He finds Bree possessed by Arthur with the lead Morgaine, Ava, wanting to kill her. Nick attacks in full armor, forcing them all to stand down until they could get Arthur out. Nick and Sel got into Arthur’s dream by blood walking. Trying to convince Bree they are real, getting Sel to sacrifice his humanity in the process. Nick tells Bree they need to get out of there.

When Nick is watching Sel all of the sudden he his take. He goes to find Sel but sees Bree with the “Erebus” and runs towards her with his hand reaching out to her. Before he can get to Bree, “Erebus” transports himself and Bree away. Bree's last words to Nick are, “I’m sorry, please know that I-."

## Physical Description

Nick is 6'4" with a muscular build from years of training. He is seventeen years old. He has tousled straw-blond hair and incredibly blue eyes. He is very attractive. Bree describes him as someone who “looks like he belongs on the cover of the university brochure.” He has broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He has a dimple-edged smile, a tan, and broad hands. Nick is powerful and arena-ready. Sometimes Bree mentions he has stubble on his chin.

## Personality

Nick is friendly, kind, and open. He is well-liked by everyone. Nick is impossibly bright and cherry and has a warm, genuine laugh. Unlike many other members of the Order, Nick is not prejudiced or clique-ish. He is straight-forward. Even though he hates his position as the Scion of Arthur, he is willing to take it on so Bree can investigate her mom's death. Nick values fairness and justice to a high degree. He is determined and was raised to be a good leader. Despite seeming preppy and carefree at first, the responsibility of being the Scion of Arthur weighs heavily on him. So much so that he rejected, ran from, and rebelled against his title. He's uninterested in the glory and power that comes from being king. He likes to help people when he can. He is protective of those he cares about, especially Bree, coming directly to her defense whenever she experiences micro-aggressions or is put in danger by members of the Order. He is smart, attentive, and clever. He can be loose and charismatic but is also stern and noble. Sel tells Bree that “everyone falls in love with Nicholas, it’s part of his insufferable charm.” He also says that Bree is good for Nick. He elaborates by saying, "He's always been self-righteous, but now he has focus. Before you showed up, he defied his father to prove to himself that he doesn't care what the man thinks. Now he's actually considering the legacy he used to shove aside."

Nick describes himself as "great on paper." Darker parts of his personality can come through, particularly when it comes to Sel. For example, Bree is incredibly disturbed when Nick begins punching Sel, knowing that Sel can't fight back because of his Oaths. He also takes on Sel's negative feelings, especially his bloodlust, through their bond. They both exploited their bond on purpose, out of cruelty and spite. Between them lives all that they have done, all of the blows traded over and over again. All of the damage they leave behind. When Sel tries to kill Bree, his POV says “using the bond like this tarnish the part of him that was beginning to love this girl.” … “he would have to live with the memory of wishing her dead.“ In Bloodmarked it was revealed that Sel feels he poison Nick by making him have feelings and wanting somebody dead. Later it was revealed that Nick killed Max for himself not for his father.

Sel thinks Nick is a spoiled brat. Bree watches Nick frequently go through the same progression of emotions: anger, restraint, resignation. At first, he leaves the Order as a kid because he's tired of the Order's violence. Then he returns to the Order to help Bree and thinks he can reform it. After the betrayal of the Regents to the Crown Scion, Nick now thinks that the legacy of the Order is just violence, and it needs to be stopped for good.

Nick is blonde and blue eyes and people think of him a the stereotypical, golden retriever, the golden one, in the books and in the fandom. People forget that Nick is genuinely cares for Bree and he often gets angry. Nick is a fully fleshed out character as well as Bree and Sel, that Tracy Deonn created, he deserves more than the cookie cutter mold.

## Powers and Abilities

    Nick has trained in weapons and combat since he was eight years old. He is trained in fighting with a great sword so that he would be prepared if Awakened and expected to wield Excalibur as everyone believed he was the Scion of Arthur. As an Oathed member of the Order, Nick has Sight, which allows him to see aether and Shadowborns. Upon becoming the Awakened Scion of Lancelot, he gains his knight's super speed, enhanced vision, and ability to construct aether armor and duel swords.

## Relationships

### Bree Matthews

Bree and Nick meet when Nick is paired as her peer mentor by Dean McKinnon, or what Bree terms her “babysitter.” Bree and Nick are instantly attracted to each other. Bree describes feeling a connection with him, almost as if something is drawing them together. She repeatedly talks about the call and response of trust and loyalty she and Nick have with each other. Despite not knowing each other well, they implicitly trust each other. She feels jealous and contempt hearing about Nick’s refusal to connect with his dad, since she no longer has the opportunity with her mom. He tells Bree that when they first met, some part of him just trusted her. Their connection to each other is quite like their bloodlines’ knights, Arthur and Lancelot. Bree finds Nick to be a calming presence. Nick is quite flirtatious with Bree. He loves Bree without hesitation, reservation, or competition.

They begin dating during the trials, but events keep trying to keep them apart. After the first trial, Bree ends up spending the night in Nick’s bed. In the morning they share their first kiss until they’re interrupted by “Evan” and Russ. Before the final trial Nick gives Bree his room key saying, “We could talk after or not talk.” At the Selection Gala Nick chooses her to be his Squire and they kiss. Nick tells her, “You and me, B.” When Bree is possessed by Arthur and is forcing the Scions to kneel to him, Bree doesn’t want Nick to kneel to her. Nick stays with Bree until he is kidnapped. Bree discovers that she can conduct bloodwalks that allow her to connect with Nick after he’s been kidnapped. Nick is very supportive of her. In one of the bloodwalks Nick tries to say something, before getting interrupted. Bree’s last words to him before leaving with the Shadow King were, “I’m sorry, please know that I-.” It could be inferred that they wanted to say, “I love you.”

### Selwyn Kane

Nick and Selwyn have a very complicated and contentious relationship. They met very young. When Sel was brought to the Davis home to become Nick’s Kingmage. Neither boy had a choice in the matter. Nick despised and resented Sel because he was Merlin and the Merlins had just mesmered his mother, removing her from his life. Nick’s father was kind and generous to Sel, giving him praise and attention because he was obedient. Over time jealousy became anger which became resentment. The Kingsmage Oath means that Sel can feel when Nick’s in mortal danger and can’t do anything intentional to physically harm him. It also means that Nick can feel Sel’s murderous intents and bloodlust as if it’s his own. Nick would abuse their Oath by physically hurting Sel knowing that he couldn’t fight back. Sel would retaliate, by hurting Nick emotionally.

Bree’s first impression of their relationship is that Nick seems to despise Sel. Martin tells her that the boys are “oil and water ever since they were children.”Nick does despises Sel when he had a murderous intent on Bree. However, there are moments that they do seem to genuinely care for each other. And they work well together against a common enemy, especially fighting Shadowborn. After Nick is kidnapped, Sel tells Bree that “miss is not the word. It is deeper than that.” And when they reunite they seem more content with each other.

### Martin Davis

Nick and Martin have a complicated and tense relationship. Martin raised his child in a very harsh and cruel manner. He was willing to put Nick through intensive physical training from a very young age because he saw it as necessary for him as the Scion of Arthur. Sel tells Bree that before she showed up, Nick defied his father to prove to himself that he doesn’t care what Martin thinks. Nick resents his father and hates his upbringing. After Anna was mesmered and removed from their lives, Martin felt bad for Nick and began doting on him in every way possible. He gave in to his tantrums and fantasies, allowing the Order’s future king to turn his back on the Order. Nick does not want anything to do with his dad until he goes back to the Order with Bree. When Martin is killed by Max, Nick does cry for his dad’s death. In a bloodwalk with Bree and Sel, he tells them that he killed Max for himself not for his father.

## Appearances

* *Legendborn*
* *Bloodmarked*

## Etymology

The name Nicholas means "victory of the people." His middle name, Martin, means "warrior" or "warlike," after Mars, the Roman god of war. Davis is a last name meaning "son of David" and "beloved" in Welsh.It is confirmed here that Braun Davis from the Great King is a small inspiration for Nick.

## Trivia

* Nick had a pet cat named Rosie.
* Nick lives off campus.
* He picked Cricket Club for his required student activity because he knew it would upset his dad.
* Bree says he smells like fresh laundry and cedar, green grass on a warm summer day, the slight bite of metal.
* Nick had braces when he was about 9, shown in a family picture (including his mom) in Edinburgh during their summer vacation.
* Nick was first home schooled, then went to private school when he was 9. And then NCU at 16.
* Sel POV it is revealed Nick used the “Sel’ senses are losing acuity” card at the night of initiation ceremony. It is implied that Nick used to say that to his dad at a young age, to make Sel seem distrusting.
* Nick punched Sel twice in Book 1, because Sel tried to kill Bree.
	+ Before Bree did the oath of fealty Sel attack her and Nick was defending her.
	+ In the second trial Sel ambushed her, and made Nick feel his bloodlust.
* As a kid he played sports, it was never specified, but a guess from his sports equipment (shin guards, elbow pads, cleats), he played soccer and hockey.  He also played football (seen in the pictures of his childhood home). At some time Nick, went to a rafting trip, (probably was apart of a rafting team) and was in cricket club.
* When Bree and Nick first met, Nick said that he jumped the cliff at the Quarry, and at the end of Legendborn (Book 1) Bree also jumps.
* Scene meeting Bree, they have been in the same location: 9 days in Book 1; 4 days in Book 2.

## Notable Quotes

* "It's okay to be nervous, but please don't dismiss the idea that I like you, B." - *Legendborn*
* "You're a warrior, you're strong and you're beautiful and you're brilliant and brave. And I'd really like to kiss you." - *Legendborn*

## Fanart

Nick by RauvielNick by EranDrawsNick by Rynsruins
## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 *Bloodmarked B&N Special Edition*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *Bloodmarked*
3. ↑ *Legendborn*: pg. 354 - 356