Darby is an adviser to Queen Bitterblue in the years following her father's death and previously serving as one of King Leck's advisers. His is a Graceling with the Grace of never needing sleep.
Appearance[]
Darby is in his sixties. As a Graceling, he has two different colored eyes. One is yellow and one is green. He is bright eyed.
Personality[]
When he is sober, Darby is always wide awake and full of vim. He has become a drunk and is frequently unable to fulfill his duties. Bitterblue describes him as someone who "runs around like a manic apparatus designed for dispensing paperwork" and an "odd bird."
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Darby says that he had family once, but no longer thinks about them. About forty-some years ago, before King Leck came to power, Runnemood, Thiel, Darby, and Rood were brilliant young healers. When Leck made himself king, he made them part of his advising team. Darby and his fellow advisers wrote medical pamphlets that ended up in the castle's library. They were considered to be stellar prospects, despite their very young age.
Bitterblue[]
Darby is Queen Bitterblue's adviser and secretary. He is a drunk. Darby's jurisdiction includes preparing reports for Bitterblue. His census reports are organized neatly by district, with maps, showing statistics for literacy, employment, population numbers, and more. Along with her other advisers, Darby has supported the philosophy of forward-thinkingness. They have passed a blanket pardon for all crimes committed during Leck's reign. They have also passed a charter provision that allows towns to break free of their governing lords and rule themselves. They have blocked off Leck's old living chambers, taken down his animal cages in the back garden of the castle, and burned his belongings.
When Bitterblue asks Thiel about the four missing gargoyles on the castle's east wall, he asks Darby to investigate. Darby claims that there were never four gargoyles on the east castle wall, something Bitterblue knows is not true. She doesn't understand why Darby is lying to her.
After Runnemood's crimes have been discovered, and Thiel has been fired and sent to his rooms, Darby is threatened by Thiel. Darby then begins to show up more regularly at work. He looks ill and is repeatedly throwing up. Bitterblue asks about this, and Rood informs her that since he and Darby are her only advisers at the moment, Darby is attempting to quit drinking and is going through withdrawal.
When Runnemood's body is brought back to the castle, Rood is inconsolable, and Darby tries to comfort and support him. Rood and Darby claim to believe Runnemood died of suicide. In the hours after Runnemood's body is discovered, Darby becomes erratic in his gait and speech. Hava witnesses Darby and others assist Thiel in taking human bones from Leck's hospital and throwing them in the river. Before committing suicide, Thiel reveals the truth to Bitterblue. Leck would watch while making the four advisers cut and rape the women and girls in his "hospital." Leck made them enjoy it. After Thiel's death, Bitterblue confronts Darby and Rood. Darby tells her that Thiel and Runnemood were more culpable of the suppression they were carrying out, and that it wast their idea. Bitterblue has Darby and Rood arrested and put in prison. That night, Darby hangs himself in his cell.
Abilities[]
Darby is Graced with sleepnesses. In his case, this means that he can function like a regular human despite the fact that he does not sleep. Because of his Grace, sometimes the only way for him to switch his mind off is to make himself blind drunk.
Trivia[]
- Death discovers that the medical pamphlets written by Runnemood, Rood, Thiel, and Darby have gone missing from the castle's library.