Queen Mallow

(Spoilers)

Queen Mallow, whose original name was Maud Elizabeth Smythe, is the former ruler of Fairyland. She grew up on a tomato farm in the human world. Her mother, a seamstress, died when Maud was young leaving her alone with an abusive father. One day, Maud walked through a dresser in her attic and found herself in Fairyland. She learned magic of several kinds and befriended a sorcerer named Mr. Map, who she later fell in love with. Ashamed of her ordinary name, she eventually told him instead that her name was Mallow. After living happily in Fairyland for a while, she defeated the current King and became Queen, and was known as Good Queen Mallow. She married Mr. Map, and was pregnant when she was pulled back into the human world, a child again.

Upon her return, she found that years and years had passed in Fairyland, and nobody remembered what she had looked like as a child. All of her friends had grown old and died, though she had been away for only a year in the human world's time. She became furious at Fairyland, believing that it had thrown her away when it was done playing with her. She claimed that she had killed Mallow and became the queen again, this time calling herself the Marquess.

Good Queen Mallow was a benevolent queen, known for her kindness and wisdom. She was said to have 'put a pot of cocoa on every table' in Fairyland during her reign. She is, as she says herself, a practical girl.

The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland For a Little While

Mallow lived happily at her house outside of the village of Winesap and studied dry magic with the help of her friend, a sorcerer. She enjoyed magic, and enchanted everything in her house to be alive. The people of the village admired her and found her interesting. When she first came, they brought her food and gold and asked her to be part of town society. However, Mallow said that if any trading was to be done, books would be her coin. She was happy to live quietly with her books, but wanted to learn other types of magic besides dry.

She, along with the other inhabitants of Fairyland, where ordered by King Goldmouth to come to Pandemonium for the Tythe. Mallow was excited, as she saw it as a chance to learn new kinds of magic. When she arrived at the carriage station, she traded a pair of mittens to a fairy boy in exchange for his textbook. However, there was no space in any carriage for her. Finally, a man named Mabry Muscat offered to take her in his carriage, which he was testing for the inventor Belinda Cabbage. As they traveled, he told her the story of his love, who left him 'for a cat and a cloud'. He asked Mallow if he might kiss her, though she declined. He also explained to her that the Tythe was a blood price that had not been payed in a thousand years, and offered to take her to a place that he knows to have wet magicians within Pandemonium.

When they arrived in the city, Mallow was struck by how it was falling apart; though made of precious metals and plants, it seemed to have gaping holes in it. Mabry took her to a tent, where she met the Winds, as well as their cats. She discovered that the Green Wind, a girl called Jenny Chicory, was Mabry's lost love. She also met Imogen, the Leopard of Little Breezes and Iago, the Panther of Rough Storms. She rode on Iago and had a nice day.

That night, she heard something and crept out of the tent. She witnessed King Goldmouth eating the soul of an inhabitant of Pandemonium. As he ate the soul, parts of the city crumbled. Mallow realized that the reason that the city was falling apart was because Goldmouth was eating it, bit by bit. She discussed it with the Winds, who agreed that it was awful.

The next morning, the people of Fairyland gathered for the Tythe. Mallow realized that the Tythe was not what she had expected. The Tythe was when the life blood was drained from another world, and then the people of Fairyland drink it and gain great power from it. Horrified, Mallow attacked Goldmouth, with the help of the Winds. Jenny Chicory is injured, and Mabry Muscat dies in an attempt to save her. Goldmouth loses his arm, and Mallow sows him up into a baseball. Jenny Chicory loses her status as a wind and is replaced as the Green Wind by Mabry Muscat. Mallow becomes Queen of Fairyland.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

Angry that she was cast aside, Mallow ruled Fairyland as the evil Marquess. Her former reign is mentioned throughout the book, and Lye mentioned how she loved Mallow and doesn't know what to do without her. Mallow, as the Marquess passed many awful laws, for instance chaining down the wings of the inhabitants of Fairyland. She manipulated September throughout the book, leading her to the lonely Gaul, where she tried to trick September into separating the worlds so that she would never be forced to return to the human world. September realized that Mallow was trying to trick her and Mallow revealed the truth. Then, when September tried to turn back her clock to send her back to the human world, Mallow fell asleep, knowing that by staying still she could prevent her return to the human world.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There

During this book, Mallow was revealed to still be asleep in a tourmaline coffin in the Springtime provinces. Her shadow has adventures with September in Fairyland Below.

The Boy Who Lost Fairyland

Because of the magic of a dodo's egg, Mallow was summoned to the Briary, where she woke up from her sleep. She was riding on Iago, and accompanied by her son, Prince Myrhh.

The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home

Mallow shared a look 'both dark and bright' with September. She also was ridiculed by the other rulers of Fairyland for having chosen a boys name 'The Marquess,' to which she responded that people give power to boys, 'fear a king and hope a queen will show them mercy.' She later bragged to them that she knew what the Heart of Fairyland was (in this case, she was bluffing.) She was challenged by Charlie Crunchcrab and replied that he was only a ferryman who abandoned his boat, continuing to tell him that his boat had sunk and causing him to cry.

She arrived late on the day of the race, and got Aroostook as her steed.

Later, September found her fighting with Ell and Blunderbuss. Mallow repeatedly asked Ell to give her a book, which she claimed was hers. Before Ajax Oddson could call a duel, September shot her with the rivet gun, attaching her shadow to her, and brought her back to the House Without Warning. Upon their arrival, Mallow explained that the book had been one of the few things that she had brought with her when she first came to Fairyland, and that she loved it. Ell gave it to her. Then, Lye asked her to hug her, and she did. Lye then washed her anger. Afterwards, Mallow informed September that her hourglass was nearly out. Iago convinced her to help September, and so Mallow broke the hourglass, making it so that September could never return home.

When they were faced with a 'Battle Royale' in Runnymede Square and Tanaquil tried to attack September, Mallow prevented her, using her oldest magic, No magic, to counter the Fairy's attempts to hurt September. Later, Tanaquil forced her bag with a stream of diamonds.

Blunderbuss mentioned that Mallow would not be attending her first law making ceremony.