Charles Fairchild

Charles Fairchild
Biographical information
Full name:	Charles Buford Fairchild
Born:	1879
Age:	24 (as of 1903)
Kind:	Shadowhunter
Residence:	London, England Idris
Known relatives
Family:	Henry Branwell (father) Charlotte Branwell (mother) Matthew Fairchild (brother) Unborn sibling †
Affiliation
Partner(s):	Ariadne Bridgestock (fiancée)
Allegiance:	The Clave
Status
Status:	Alive
Physical description
Gender:	Male
Hair color:	Red

Charles Fairchild is the firstborn child of Charlotte and Henry Branwell, and is 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.

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.

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, 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.

In 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.

Weeks after the incident, Charles, was sent off to Paris to become the interim head of the Paris Institute for at least a year. Around that time, Inquisitor Bridgestock and his wife tried to set him up with their daughter, Ariadne. Charles entertained the idea and told Ariadne of his intent to spend time with her upon his return.

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 brought his sons and/or daughters with him.

Physical description

Charles inherited his father's red hair.

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 (will appear)

Gallery

Flower card

Trivia

• Upcoming

• Charles hopes to become the next Consul, and so his own father, Henry, gets along better with Christopher Lightwood; nonetheless, Henry is proud and supportive of Charles' dreams.
• He has an interesting relationship with his younger brother, Matthew; whereas Charles is rules-bound, Matthew is a rules breaker, and the pair do not get along.
• He is set to take over the Paris Institute at the end of Every Exquisite Thing.
• He is set to be very good friends with Alastair Carstairs. They are set to have met at the Paris Institute in 1902, while Charles was serving as the Institute's interim head.