Flora Bridgestock is a Shadowhunter in Edwardian London. She is the former wife of Maurice Bridgestock and adoptive mother of Ari Bridgestock.
History[]
When Flora Bridgestock and her husband had gotten too old to have their own child,[1] they decided to adopt an orphaned Shadowhunter child, Ari.
In 1901, their family was staying in London when they ran into Gabriel and Cecily Lightwood of the London Institute and invited their family to dinner at their home. After the dinner, Ari and Anna Lightwood became quite close and decided to start training together. When Anna arrived for a training session just as Charles Fairchild, the son of Consul Charlotte Fairchild whom the Bridgestocks hoped for their daughter to marry, was sharing a moment with Ari, Flora took Anna aside to give them more time together and told Anna about their understanding.[2]
A couple years later, Ari was attacked and poisoned by a Khora demon. She and her husband were distraught with worry and stayed by her bedside. She eventually recovered, several days later, thanks to Christopher Lightwood's antidote. While Ari had been unconscious, Charles had publicly broken his engagement to her daughter and engaged himself to Grace Blackthorn. To save face and make the separation seem amicable, Flora agreed to take Grace in after her mother had been arrested.[3]
Over the following months, she tried to make Grace feel comfortable in her home. She invited her out with them and at meals tried to talk with her. However, Grace was nonresponsive; the conversations were strained and Grace spent most of her time alone in the room they had provided her.
In December 1903, she attended James Herondale and Cordelia Carstair's wedding ceremony.
A few weeks later, she was present in the crowd at the London Institute when a suspect in the recent murders had been apprehended by her husband. Moments after the interrogation the next morning, the Institute was attacked by Leviathan, who was trying to enter the world. She was among those who held glowing witchlight from windows for the fighters in the courtyard to be able to see.
After the battle she went to the Enclave meeting, where she was crowded with the Pouncebys, discussing the attack. When James revealed how Tatiana Blackthorn had preserved her son's body, making it the perfect vessel for a demon to possess, she inquired if Grace may meet the same fate. Ari countered her, stating that Grace was born a Cartwright and thus had the protection spells put on her at birth by her parents. It was then decided that Tatiana should be questioned as there was no reason to believe she was oblivious and not still dangerous. That night, she was seen crying as she felt Maurice shouldn't have gone alone to the Adamant Citadel after Tatiana.[4]
Abilities[]
- Nephilim physiology: Being Nephilim, Flora possesses a myriad of enhanced physical and mental abilities granted to her by the blood of Raziel in her veins and also by the angelic Marks of the Gray Book. This includes enhanced strength, agility, stamina, coordination, and many others which improve over time and practice.
- Runic magic: Due to the angel Raziel's blood in their veins, all Shadowhunters are able to apply runes on their skin without any real danger. These Marks, in turn, give varied effects that serve to benefit the wearer.
- The Sight: As a Shadowhunter, Flora is able to easily see through most magical illusions and layers of glamour over reality.
- Use of heavenly weapons: As a Nephilim, Flora is also able to handle heavenly weapons with effect, since this would normally not work for other species. In particular, these are weapons made of adamas and forged by Iron Sisters, such as seraph blades.
Appearances[]
- Every Exquisite Thing (first appearance)
- Chain of Gold
- Chain of Iron
- Chain of Thorns