Ahi'aorina Culatha is a queen of Fairie within the Old Wood.[1] She is known by many names. She is spring.
Background[]
She is known for bringing spring to the kingdom of Daventry, the Old Woods, and the surrounding lands[2]. She is the wife of Quilli'ehennan, and mother of Eleni'iulena. As long as there was Ahi'aorina there was spring.[3][4]
She was once abducted by the giant Dunstan which caused winter to continue in the kingdom. After Graham rescued her she became known as Culatha alimehenii, She-Who-Was-Rescued-By-A-Human.
She protected Rosella and Farquhar from two mischievous fairies, Iiliian and Elioesii, who were about to put a faery sleep spell on them.[5]
Years later Alexander met her on his journey to retrieve his father's soul from Telgrin. However he didn't know Culatha's connection to his father, and neither her him. Since Telgrin threatened not only Daventry but also the Old Wood she gave Alex the gift of the green fairy wallet, and bid him on his way safely through the woods.[6]
Personality and traits[]
She was in love with Graham, and offered to take him away with her as another husband/lover. Graham was too devoted to Valanice to accept her offer.
Titles & nicknames[]
- Ahi'aorina
- Culatha
- Queen of the Old Wood
- Queen of the Wood
- Queen Culatha of Faerie
- Spirit of Spring
- Spring of the Wood (oelevanor'li'ahimaseia)
- She-Who-Was-Rescued-By-A-Human (Culatha alimehenii)
- Your Majesty
- Lady
Behind the scenes[]
Culatha appears in See No Weevil, described as the white faery but left unnamed. She is a woodland faery who saved Rosella from two troublesome faeries. She told Rosella that she was an old friend of King Graham. The other faeries have deference to her, calling her 'mum'. She is also described as wearing white, and having silver hair. In Kingdom of Sorrow, Ahi'aorina is described as having silver hair at one point, and her handmaidens call her mum. Culatha is described as being 'white' in The Floating Castle and pale in the KoS as well.
While Graham met two other faery characters including a sprite, and Ahi'aorina's daughter, Graham mostly had contact with Culatha long enough, for them to have time to build a friendship. The white faery also seems to command respect of the faeries, and does seem to be in charge of them.
As the Spirit of Spring, and Spring of the Wood. Ahi'aorina is similar to Ceres, the Lady of Spring.
She maybe inspired and based on the unnamed, Fairy Godmother that has been watching over Graham for decades.
The full extent and influence of the queen's power is not known. It at least extends to Daventry, the Old Woods, and some surrounding lands, it also seems to extend as far as the base of the Glass Mountains, and possibly to the mountains beyond. However, this maybe because Graham is following the path of Ahi'Aorina was being carried by the imps (and her influence was being carried with her as she went). Towards the end of the story she even spreads her influence to the Glass Mountains (or at least convinces the mountains to become warmer place on their own). Its suggested that her powers also extend to surrounding lands, or lands that are located nearby Daventry. If this includes places such as Zakizga, or Cumberford it is not known. According to the story summary, the winter is mostly affecting Daventry, and immediately beyond the boundaries of Daventry, it is spring.