Merik Nihar

Art: @NipuniDraws

Prince **Merik Nihar** is a Windwitch, the captain of the *Jana*, and the Admiral of the Royal Nubrevnan Army in *Truthwitch*. He signs a contract with Safiya fon Hasstrel's uncle, Dom Eron, to open trade with the Hasstrel lands to help his poisoned and starved kingdom. In return, he must bring Safi to a port in Lejna, a ghost town, without spilling a single drop of blood. He is the titular character of *Windwitch*, the second installment of the Witchlands series.

## Biography

### Background

He is the prince and former admiral of the navy of Nubrevna. His father, Serafin, is the king of Nubrevna, though he is sick; he gives the title of admiral to Merik. He has an older sister, Vivia, who initially appears to be cunning, cruel and will do anything, even resorting to piracy, to feed her country. His mother, Jana died when he was very young and his paternal aunt Evrane Nihar, is a Carawen Monk. Like his sister, Merik is a witch, but though he is royalty, his Windwitch ability is weaker than one would expect.

### Truthwitch

Merik is trying to control his temper at the Continental Truce Summit. However, after he sees too many people waste food, Merik uses his Windwitchery. He takes Guildmaster Alix's leftovers and walks out.

Merik arrives at the *Jana*, his ship, thinking about his meeting with the Gold Guild and how he might be able to help the sinking Nubrevna. Once aboard, he runs into his Threadbrother, Kullen Ikray, who informs him about an Aetherwitched miniature ship that has arrived for Vivia. Merik realizes she intends to resort to the pirate fleet, the Foxes, and calls for Hermin Layhar to contact Vivia's Voicewitch. However, a cleaving Tidewitch draws Merik's attention and he takes flight towards it.

He meets Safiya fon Hasstrel and Iseult det Midenzi while fighting the cleaving Tidewitch-without a shirt on. Merik kills the Tidewitch by blasting air through his brain, but is quickly accosted by Safi. They have an argument before Merik returns to the *Jana*.

Merik and Vivia are connected via Voicewitch, and they are having an argument. However, they are interrupted by Ryber Fortiza, Kullen's Heart-thread and a member of the crew, who informs them that Eron fon Hasstrel wants to talk about trade. Marik makes a deal with Vivia-if he can establish one line of trade, she'll stop her piracy.

Merik then appears at the ball where he then meets with Safi, a Domna. The two of them share a dance and Merik is surprisingly embarrassed but also delighted to share the dance with her. After the dance, he and the rest of the Nubrevenans leave the ball.

Later, Merik comes across Safi and Isuelt again as they are being chased by Aeduan and fellow Carawen Monks. Merik immediately comes to their aid and saves them from the Bloodwitch and they sail as part of a trade agreement with the Hasstrels. Merik then has a conversation with Evrane Nihar, the Waterwitch Healer. Evrane helps him realize that it is his responsibility to make sure that the girls are okay and to protect them from any harm that may arise. However, Merik becomes very angry at Evrane, when she tells him that he acts just like his sister.

When Merik refuses to take the *Jana* ashore to get Iseult the Firewitched healing she needs, he and Safi get into a fight on the boat. After she loses, Merik chains up Safi.

Merik comes to his senses and talks to Safi, telling her that he cares about her. He then becomes an ally to Safi. He appears and sympathizes with her that he understood where she was coming from and that he would do anything to protect his Threadbrother as well. The two of them then reveal how they met Isuelt and Kullen and the two realize that they are similar to each other. However, when Merik mentions her chains, Safi gets mad at him.

Kullen leaves to check out the Dalmotti ship. Merik and his Tidewitches are sailing peacefully, but soon Kullen returns with the news that the trade ship is actually a Marstoki naval ship, loaded with Firewitches and weapons.

Merik goes over to the ship where he sees Vivia. Merik tears into her and orders her to stop. Before the two can continue their conversation, Kullen interrupts, bringing Merik to the mast. After the explanation, Merik realizes Vivia was ambushed.

Four more ships are coming into view demanding Emperor Henrick's betrothed. When Merik realizes it's Safi, the world slows down, although he orders her to be handed over anyway. Before he can carry it out, Vivia has taken his Tidewitches and sailors. She leaves for Lovats with the Marstoki ship. Merik heads back to the *Jana*. Hermin tells the Marstoks they can have Safi, but they refuse, saying they want their ship back.

All of the ships are attacked by sea foxes, but the *Jana* holds them off with flaming chum. Kullen propels the *Jana* towards Nubrevna.

Merik is angry at Safi for endangering his crew and puts her in irons. When Evrane objects, he puts her in the irons too. However, once he sees Safi drinking rainwater he releases her.

He, Evrane, Isuelt, and Safi go ahore, where they are ambushed by Master Huntsman Yoris, who takes them to the village of Noden's Gift. Merik and Safi share a moment in the ship by the river before Safi goes to the Water Well.

Merik accompanies Safi to Lejna and the two share a kiss. Right after, they are interrupted by knowledge that the Bloodwitch has almost caught up. Safi returns to Evrane and Isuelt while Merik heads to the *Jana*.

Kullen brings an Airwitched storm to Lejna, while Merik chases after him. Hweover, he realizes that Kullen is cleaving and there is nothing he can do to stop it. A building falls on him and he passes out, though he is saved by Iseult pulling the wreckage off of him.

When he returns to the *Jana*, Ryber is gone. He discovers that Safi changed the Hasstrel contract. Now, Merik has trade with Cartorra-and the Marstoks want to negotiate as well.

### Windwitch

Merik is revealed to be stranded on Lovats after an explosion of the Jana. However, he Survives but he meets a girl named Cam and the two work together to return to Nubrevna. Meanwhile, he is being presumed dead by the Nubrevans, causing Safi to promise to take revenge while helping Vaness, the empress after beginning her new life and Merik is disappointed to see that his sister has been claimed queen of his land due to his father's illness and ultimately blames her for the explosion of the Jana.

Merik thinks about Kullen and Ryber as they both disappeared and that Kullen sacrificed himself to save him as things has became worsened now that his friend Cam is missing. However, he finally finds the boy in a strange underground city beneath Lovats and comes face to face with the shadow monster: his Threadbrother: Kullen Ikray. He learns that Kullen Ikray's past lives awakened inside him, the loudest of which was the original Fury—a Paladin from a thousand years ago who seeks revenge for a betrayal also from a thousand years ago.

At the same time Merik learns this, Vivia learns that the raider-stolen ship filled with seafire has reached the city. It is headed straight for a dam that, when destroyed, will flood all of Lovats and kill everyone. She sets off to stop it, while Merik sets off to stop Kullen, who has destructive plans of his own, since he too works with the Raider King.

While Merik tries to catch Kullen in the skies, Vivia tries to stop the ship filled with seafire from hitting the dam. She fails and is thrown off the towering water-bridge where the ship sailed and into the valley below. Merik sees this, and he decides that rather than chase after his Threadbrother, he will save the sister he now realizes he has misunderstood all along. He catches her just before she hits the valley floor, then together—and with more witches to join them—they repair the dam before it can decimate Lovats. Later, Merik, with Cam at his side as well as the Sightwitch Ryber—Kullen’s Heart-Thread, set off as well into the Sirmayans to try to find a way to rescue Kullen Ikray from the past life that has claimed him.

### Bloodwitch

Merik has finally reached the Sightwitch Sister Convent, Ryber Fortiza and Cam at his side, when the Fury catches up to them. In an attempt to protect his friends, Merik sends Ryber and Cam ahead and turns to face his transformed Threadbrother. His attempt to fight Kullen fails, however, and he loses consciousness.

When he comes to, he is no longer in the Sirmayans, but instead in the crumbling, abandoned city of Poznin. He is a captive of the Puppeteer. Merik is then a prisoner to Esme the Puppeteer, who wants to understand why he and Kullen Ikray are magically bound—and why Merik can’t seem to die. She sends him on various errands for her while also tormenting him over their mental connection. He has become one of her puppets—one of hundreds in Poznin, except that unlike the others, he is fully aware of what’s happening.

Merik is later sent on errand after errand for the Puppeteer discovers one of her Cleaved (a Northman) has managed to heal and become un-Cleaved, giving him hope that he and Kullen Ikraycan recover as well. Kullen himself arrives shortly thereafter, demanding that Esme find someone using her Weaverwitch powers—but she cannot.

Merik, then tried to trick Esmeinto turning on the Raider King, but in the middle of his failing attempts, the Northman who’d healed from cleaving returns and stabs Esme in the back. Merik sees his chance, and with the Northman, they flee. Esme sends her army of Cleaved after them, but they manage to find a secret magic door in the heart of the crumbling capital. Stepping through leads them to the inside of a giant, cavernous mountain where magic throbs and pulses.

Merik, hoping to keep Safi and Nubrevna safe then comes to Safiya fon Hasstrel's aid and lures Kullen away, toward the ice tombs where Sightwitches sleep. He draws Kullen Ikray into one, freezing himself in the process. Right before they are both pulled into a magically frozen slumber, Kullen Ikrayreturns to his mind and apologizes to Merik for all that has happened; the Fury’s past lives inside him have been too strong.

Merik along with many other emerge in the Empire of Cartorra, near Safi’s childhood home—and Safi has the wild scheme to offer herself up to the Emperor in hopes of rescuing her now imprisoned uncle.

### Witchshadow

Merik awakes to a howling dog. He opens his eyes to see blue everywhere, except for three shadows - two human shapes, and one hound. The two girls have a quick conversation with Merik, telling him that he will have to be the dog's master and giving him the task of finding the Raider King. Both girls leave. As ice begins to encase the puppy, Merik uses a thousand tiny slices of wind to free himself from it. He sees that the puppy is a storm hound. She races ahead, but Merik hesitates, looking back at where Kullen is trapped in the ice. He promises he'll be back before exiting the cavern with the storm hound, whom he names Aurora.

## Personality

Merik Nihar has a quick temper and is easily angered, which is a trait that runs in all of the Nihar family. Though quick tempered he is steadfast and loyal to his crew. He is tough on them when he needs to be but still understanding. Merik is also selfless, going above and beyond to provide for his people and his friends.

## Witchery and abilities

### Witchery

* **Windwitchery**: Merik is a Windwitch, which means he can control air currents.

## Appearances

* *Truthwitch* (First appearance)
* *Windwitch*
* *Sightwitch*
* *Bloodwitch*
* *Witchshadow*

## Trivia

* If Merik went to Hogwarts, he would be sorted into Gryffindor.

## References

1. ↑ *Truthwitch*, Chapter 7
2. ↑ *Witchshadow*, Chapter 56
3. ↑ *Truthwitch*, Chapter 4
4. ↑  Susan Dennard (@stdennard) on Twitter: "Fun Fact: if the #Witchlands characters were in HP Houses, I'd say..." (2018-01-27).