SPOILER WARNING May contain plot details |
Prince Dain, was the third-born child to the High King Eldred Greenbriar, he led what was known as the Circle of Falcons.
Prince Dain also led an undercover organisation called the Court of Shadows.
Physical Description
Dain is tall and lean like most fey. He has pointed ears and golden curls. Like all of King Eldred’s children, Dain has an animal feature; his torso and below are the hind legs of a deer.
Personality
At the beginning of The Cruel Prince Dain seems nice and generous. As if he wants to help Jude. Later on in the book, a darker, crueller side is revelaed prooving that he is not who he seemed to be.
Biography
Early Life
Dain had was having an affair with one of his father’s consorts, Liriope. She ended up bearing his child. A child, that if born, would ruin Dain’s chances for the throne. He sends one of his spies, the Ghost, to poison Liriope in an attempt at getting rid of both her and the child. Dain beleives the child is dead, but Oriana had saved him and raised him as her own.
The Cruel Prince
Although Dain is the third-born child, he has always wanted the crown and is willing to overcome all obstacles so that he may sit on his father's throne. The Court of Shadows is believed to have been created for the sole purpose of exploiting his brother Balekin's ambitions to overtake. Dain believes that he is the most loved and respected amongst his siblings in the eyes of his father. Dain gets Jude to swear to him, in exchange, he puts a geas on her so she may resist enchantment. He uses Jude and the Court of Shadows to make sure his siblings and rivals stay in line so he may receive the crown. Dain is then killed by his eldest brother, Balekin, along with his sisters as Balekin has also been scheming for the throne.
Relationships
Jude Duarte
During The Cruel Prince, Dain appears to Jude as someone who wants to help her. He offers her a position in his Court of Shadows, and although that wasn’t what Jude wanted, she accepts the offer and the geas he gives her to resist enchantments. At one of their following meetings, in which Dain is mad at her for attacking Valerian and he makes her stab her own hand, her feelings for Dain darkened. After his death and when she discovers all the things he did and then covered up, she is convinced that she wasn’t following the right person.
Oak
Dain is Oak‘s father. He wanted Oak dead due to the fact there was a prophecy that said that Dain’s child would lead to his death. Dain attempted to kill Oak by poisoning Liriope with Blusher mushrooms. However, even though Liriope died, Oriana managed to save Oak by cutting him out of Liriope’s womb. To Dain’s knowledge, Oak didn’t survive Liriope’s poisoning and believes Oak has never been born.
Balekin
Dain is Balekin's younger brother who he often spies on. Dain claims that he and Balekin never got along well. Towards the end of the book, Dain is killed by Balekin in his own attempt for the throne.