Dymphna

Creation

Dymphna was created by writer Bronwyn Carlton and artist Peter Gross in The Books of Faerie issue 1, in 1997.

Major Story Arcs

Dymphna grows up in the faerie high court as a child, and is friends with Obrey and Huonnor. She has a crush on Obrey and he may have felt the same about her.

Auberon Finds a Friend

Dymphna and Bridey become caretakers of a young Auberon, her nephew, who is in hiding. Auberon's parents--Dymphna's sister and her husband--were killed.

One day Auberon finds a strange-looking but friendly creature that he names Gyvv. They let him keep it.

That night they unintentionally leave the house unprotected by spells, and powerful wood goblins try to enter. However, Gyvv grows in size and destroys them.

When Dymphna and Bridey find the remains of the goblins the next day, they realize how lucky they were, and how powerful Gyvv is.

Auberon's Tale

King Magnus is killed, and a successor must be determined. Auberon is one of the most likely successors. Obrey comes to find him out in rural Faerie where they are hiding. He does seem to actually care for Dymphna, but at the same time he wants the power that would come from being the boy’s mentor. Dymphna, in any case, is excited to see him.

They come back to the court and Obrey and Auberon fight for his rights against the other contestant, Huonnor.

Dymphna and Bridey visit the battlefield to give Auberon his father’s sword. She also just wants to see Obrey.

Later, Obrey asks Dymphna to marry him. She is overjoyed; Bridey clearly sees something amiss, although she does believe they care for each other. This increases Obrey’s power, because he is now the official regent while Auberon is young, and he is also now the boy’s uncle through marriage.

However, Amadan has Huonnor, who was captured, killed. Auberon can tell he is in danger as well, and he runs off into hiding for many years. This leaves Obrey, as regent, fully in charge.

The Books of Faerie

Obrey eventually takes the title of the King of Faerie, and is often out fighting wars against Auberon. Dymphna is now Queen.

Dymphna finds a young girl, Maryrose, in the woods. She and her fairies help trick her into coming to Faerie, and show her magic. They delight in her, and are happy to have her with them.

Dymphna mostly likes to hang out in her garden and appreciate beauty and magic. She starts to call Maryrose “Rosebud.”

Through the machinations of Amadan, Maryrose is set up as a romantic companion to the King as she gets older. Amadan also manipulates things so Maryrose wears Dymphna’s magic necklace.

Dymphna is unable to have a child. She takes herbal remedies and uses spells to stay barren.

Obrey enchants her into becoming an oak tree due to her loyalty to Auberon and her lack of children. There is a rhyme that goes with this transformation: “When the truth is plainly seen, Queen Dymphna’s oak is full and green.”

Obrey pretends Dymphna has been taken by their enemies. It turns out that he was in alliance with Amadan in manipulating the two women. Maryrose marries Obrey and becomes Queen Titania.

Obrey is later killed in a battle of succession with Auberon, who finally becomes king.

Auberon marries Titania to make peace. Titania is often left at home. Once, when wandering the woods, she says the prophecy-rhyme in front of Dymphna-as-a-tree.

After Titania has a baby (who will presumably grow up to be Tim Hunter, based on the theories of his parentage at this time), she gives him to Bridey to take away, because he is a human boy, the offspring of her and Tamlin.

Later, a bunch of fairies, including Julie the Dancing Bear, dance under the Dymphna-oak and remember the rhyme. The tree is barren of leaves, but they sense that someone will soon know the truth.