| “ | If I become Consul, I could do so much good for the Clave, as well as for you. My mother is too sentimental, but I can make our people strong again. It is what I have wanted all my life. | ” |
–Charles to Alastair Carstairs, Chain of Gold | ||
Charles Fairchild is the firstborn child of Charlotte and Henry Branwell, and the older brother of Matthew Fairchild.
Biography[]
Naming[]
Charlotte Branwell discovered her pregnancy with Charles in late August of 1878. During this time the Branwells were being investigated for the problems at the London Institute due to the Magister. When Charlotte revealed that she was indeed pregnant, Charles's father, Henry, and the rest of the London Institute were overjoyed.[3]
For months, Charlotte and Henry bickered over a name. Henry wanted the child named Buford, an apparently traditional Yorkshire name as well as his father's, but Charlotte found the name horrible. Finally, after Charlotte became the Consul, they settled on Charles Fairchild. However, Henry still insisted on Buford and the couple settled with at least making it his middle name. He was given his mother's maiden name, Fairchild, as she was the Consul. For that Christmas, his mother's good friend Sophie Collins knitted him a baby blanket with the initials CF in the corner as a present.[2]
For a few years, Charles and his family lived in the London Institute before Charlotte felt ready to move their family to Idris, where she needed to accomplish her duties as Consul.
Aspirations[]
At one point in his youth, Charles took an interest in Charlotte's work,[1] eventually developing aspirations to one day become Consul like her. Charles grew to become a serious-minded but reliable man, who would sometimes point out in exasperation that Matthew, already at fifteen years, should finally grow up. Their family moved back to London in 1900.
Sometime prior to January 1901, Charles was told that Charlotte was pregnant with a third child, making him occasionally snap at Matthew when he bothered her. Matthew misunderstood the common, seemingly distracted behavior from the three and thought that their parents were separating. When Charlotte suddenly collapsed one morning during breakfast, Charles panicked and thought that it was due to exhaustion from Portaling back and forth between London and Idris. He and Cook then left to call for a Silent Brother. Charlotte, Henry, and Matthew later learned that she had suffered a miscarriage.[1]
Months after the incident, Charles was asked to go to Paris to become the interim head of the Paris Institute for at least a year. Around the time of his departure, Maurice Bridgestock and his wife tried to set him up with their daughter, Ari. Charles entertained the idea and told Ari of his intent to spend time with her upon his return.[4]
During his time as the head of the Paris Institute, Charles fell in love with Alastair Carstairs, who reciprocated his feelings. Not wanting to jeopardize his dream to become Consul, Charles and Alastair agreed to keep their relationship secret. Charles promised that his engagement to Ari would be temporary, but he had planned to follow through with the wedding, while still remaining to keep his relationship with Alastair on the side.
A couple of years later, during a crisis in London that resulted in a lock-down on the city, Charles was made acting Consul, as his mother was stuck in Idris. Thrilled to have a chance to live his dream, Charles did all he could to command the Enclave and properly quarantine them while looking for the demon responsible for the attacks that were infecting and killing Shadowhunters.
However, also during this time, as his fiance Ari was unconscious and dying of demon poison, Charles publicly renounced his engagement to her and announced his new fiancée Grace Blackthorn. The change prompted Alastair to end their secret affair as he believed it to be proof that Charles cared little for his feelings and never planned to make their relationship public. Heartbroken, Charles attempted to change his mind but upon further rejection, decided to get drunk at Cordelia Carstairs and James Herondale's engagement party and make a fool of himself.[5]
In December of that year, Charles was away on business matters. On the day he came back, he was attacked by Belial, who had possessed Jesse Blackthorn's body, Matthew, James, Lucie, and Cordelia were able to save him before Belial could strike the deadly blow. He was later taken to the infirmary of the Institute, where he asked for Alastair.[6]
Charles recovered in a matter of days, though his demands often annoyed Alastair. When Maurice Bridgestock called a Council meeting in regards to Tessa Gray's blood lineage to the Prince of Hell, Belial, Charles voices his support on Bridgestock. It was revealed that Maurice had been blackmailing Charles into helping him discredit the Herondales so that he may take over the London Institute. Matthew, Thomas and Alastair confronted him about it. When Grace unexpectedly shows up at the London Institute, Charles furiously takes her into the library to meet the others. She informs them that the Silent City has been invaded, and Charles gathers a troop to investigate. Indeed, the place has been taken over by an army of Watchers—dead Silent Brothers and Iron Sisters whose bodies were taken over by Chimera demons. Furthermore, the entire city of London has been overtaken by demonic magic that brainwashes mundanes and Downworlders alike while preventing all contact with the outside world. After Belial declared he would spare all Shadowhunters who leave London through a portal down by the River Thames, the London Enclave had a long discussion that eventually resulted in the whole group conceding to Belial's wishes. Charles is among the first to step through the portal that brought them to the outskirts of Idris. In Alicante, Maurice continues to accuse the Herondales of aligning with Belial until Charles confesses Maurice's machinations, which results in his own confession to being sexually attracted to men. His testimony against Maurice helps in dethroning the Inquisitor. When the Clave receives mysterious messages telling them to travel to the Iron Tombs to make their way back into London, Charles joins the troops in their fight against the Watchers. He had since relocated to Idris to assist the new Inquisitor, Kazuo Satô.[7]
Later life[]
Years later, in 1937, Charles was present at Will Herondale's deathbed because the Fairchilds were like family to the Herondales. While there, he is assumed to have brought his sons and/or daughters with him.[2]
Personality[]
| “ | James liked Matthew's older brother well enough, and they were practically family, but he had only one interest—Shadowhunter politics. | ” |
Charles is a serious individual with an interest in his goals and ambitions. For that end, he would sacrifice personal relationships if it means putting his goals in jeopardy, including his relationship with Alastair Carstairs. His stern personality puts him at odds with his younger brother, Matthew, who appears more flamboyant and carefree.
Physical description[]
Charles inherited his father's red hair and has green eyes.
Relationships[]
| “ | I have realized that you will never care half as much for me—or for anyone—as for your career. | ” |
–Alastair to Charles, Chain of Gold | ||
Romance[]
| “ | Do not forget, Alastair, that whatever I do, it is with the thought of you ever in my mind. | ” |
–Charles to Alastair, Chain of Gold | ||
Charles's secret ex-partner. The pair fell in love in Paris while Charles was acting as interim head of the Paris Institute and Alastair was on his travel year there. They decided to keep it hidden as to not jeopardize Charles's political career. Hoping that once he became Consul, they could publicly be together.
When he became engaged to Ari, Alastair accepted it; believing it to be a temporary political engagement that would not follow through. Though he was still not happy with the arrangement, despite knowing Ari was also gay and had no true feelings for Charles.
When Charles publicly renounced his engagement to Ari, and announced his new one to Grace Blackthorn, Alastair realized that no matter what Charles said, the two of them would never be able to actually be together. He ended the relationship through letter and when Charles showed up at his home to try to change his mind, had Risa tell him he was not home. At Cordelia and James's engagement party, he tried to confront Alastair again but he made it clear he was not interested in rekindling their relationship. Heartbroken, Charles promptly got drunk.
Charles's ex-fiancée. The two agreed to the engagement as a political move for Charles, and so that Ari could please her parents. Both of them being gay, they knew they would never have romantic feelings for one another but thought it was a good match nonetheless. Because of this, Ari knew and was okay with his affair with Alastair.
Still, Charles did seem to genuinely care for Ari. During the attack at Regent's Park, Charles threw himself in front of her to protect her and fight off the oncoming demons. When she was injured regardless of his efforts, he rushed her to the Institute without another thought and stayed by her bedside while the Brother's looked over her.Charles's fiancée. When she moved to town the two began talking and after only a week, she asked him to marry her. Charles, influenced by her power,[8] agreed and dumped Ari while she was still unconscious and dying.
Family[]
Charles has a bit of a strained relationship with his younger brother. They do not get along and often fight. "They both keep secrets, and both withdraw from family because of it. Charles has a lot of classic traits of the “older child” — trying to be perfect, trying to please everyone, frustrated that, in his view, his younger sibling gets away with everything and doesn’t follow the rules/work as hard as he does."[9]
Charles hopes to become Consul after his mother steps down. For this reason he accompanies Charlotte to Idris a lot in order to advance his political career and often tries to shadow her or otherwise help her with her work.
Appearances[]
- Clockwork Prince (first mention)
- Clockwork Prince: Manga (mentioned only)
- Clockwork Princess (mentioned only)
- Clockwork Princess: Manga (mentioned only)
- Nothing but Shadows (mentioned only)
- Cast Long Shadows
- Every Exquisite Thing
- Chain of Gold
- Chain of Iron
- Chain of Thorns
Gallery[]
- See more here
Trivia[]
- He is gay.[5]