| Name | Eris Vanserra |
|---|---|
| Age | 500+ |
| Species | High Fae |
| Status | Alive |
| Court | Autumn Court |
| Rank/Title | Heir of the Autumn Court, General of the Autumn Court’s force |
| Eye Color | Amber |
| Hair Color | Red |
| Family | Beron Vanserra, Lady of the Autumn Court, Lucien Vanserra (half-brother), 3 Unnamed Brothers, 2 Unnamed Brothers † |
| Love Interests | Morrigan (former fiancé) |
| Appears in | A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Wings and Ruin, A Court of Frost and Starlight, A Court of Silver Flames |
Contents
Biography / History
Eris and Morrigan: The Broken Betrothal
Keir attempted to secure an alliance with the Autumn Court by offering his daughter, Morrigan, in marriage to Beron’s eldest son, Eris. Before the wedding could take place, Morrigan fled and chose to lose her virginity to Cassian, ensuring that she could not be forced into the arranged match. When Eris learned this, he publicly rejected the betrothal, claiming she had been “sullied by a bastard-born lesser faerie,” shattering the tentative alliance between their families.
In retaliation, Morrigan’s family tortured her, stripped her naked, and abandoned her at the Autumn Court border. A note was nailed to her womb declaring that she was now Eris’s problem. When Eris and his guards came across her, he ordered them not to touch her—knowing that if they did, Autumn law would trap her there in a life she never chose. Though they hesitated, his guards obeyed. Eris then left her where she lay.
Azriel later found Morrigan in the woods and brought her to Velaris, where she recovered under the care of the Inner Circle.
A Court of Wings and Ruin
Eris first appears when he and several of his brothers intercept Feyre and Lucien as they flee the Spring Court. He binds Feyre with fire—without fully harming her—and attempts to capture her, but she escapes and injures him before Azriel and Cassian arrive, overwhelming the Autumn Court princes. Feyre orders that Eris and his brothers be spared.
Later, Eris approaches the Night Court through a political alliance. Ambitious for power and resentful of Beron’s cruelty, he strikes a private bargain with Rhysand: Eris will help persuade Keir of the Court of Nightmares to ally against Hybern; in return, Rhys will support Eris’s claim to the Autumn throne if he ever moves against his father.
Eris reveals a significant history involving Lucien and Morrigan:
- He refused to participate in the torture and murder of Jesminda, Lucien’s lover, and was imprisoned and tortured by Beron for his disobedience.
- Knowing Beron intended to kill Lucien, Eris secretly ensured Lucien reached Spring Court borders safely, allowing Tamlin to intervene and save him.
- He ended his engagement to Mor because he knew she did not want the union, forcing himself to appear cruel to survive Beron’s scrutiny and maintain his position as heir.
At the High Lords’ Meeting, Eris publicly clashes with Beron over the newly developed antidote to faebane. His interest in the antidote and his open defiance of Beron reinforce his willingness to depart from his father’s tyranny.
When Beron later hesitates to join the war against Hybern, Tamlin drags him to the battlefield, ultimately bringing the Autumn Court’s armies and Eris into the fight.
A Court of Silver Flames
Eris acts as a covert political ally to the Night Court, meeting repeatedly with Cassian to share intelligence about Beron’s movements and the schemes of Briallyn, the resurrected mortal queen. He first contacts Cassian near the human lands, asking whether Vassa, Jurian, and Lucien know anything about his vanished patrol, later revealing Briallyn took them.
Throughout their interactions, Eris deliberately provokes Cassian with jabs about his birth and station, even as they maintain an uneasy working relationship. He also openly flirts with Nesta, hinting at deeper motives and telling her to “see how real Fae play” once she tires of Cassian.
During the Hewn City gathering, Eris receives one of Nesta’s Made daggers as a political gift, recognizing its power. He then asks Rhysand for Nesta’s hand in marriage, offering “anything” in return, stating he has his own reasons, though he refuses to elaborate.
Later, investigating his missing soldiers, Eris is captured by Briallyn and placed under the influence of the Crown. He unknowingly lures Cassian and Azriel into a trap; Azriel manages to rescue him while Cassian is captured. After recovering, Eris meets with Cassian again to explain that he never revealed their alliance to Beron. He admits he survives Beron’s torture by mixing truth with lies, and becomes defensive when Cassian shows sympathy, hinting that Mor knows the fuller truth behind his past actions.
Appearance
Eris has:
- Long, red hair often worn loose, described as a “silken drape” over his clothing
- Amber eyes
- Pale skin
He is consistently depicted as striking and elegant in appearance, with his unbound hair noted during his meeting with the Inner Circle in A Court of Wings and Ruin.
Personality
Eris is shaped by the brutal politics and violence of the Autumn Court, projecting cold confidence while concealing far more complex motives beneath the surface.
Key traits
- Arrogant and polished:
Eris carries himself with the entitlement expected of Beron’s heir. He presents a cool, composed, often superior demeanor in political and personal interactions. - Ruthless and calculating:
Growing up under Beron’s cruelty and surrounded by scheming brothers has forced Eris to embrace a strategic, sometimes harsh persona. Much of his brutality appears tied to survival in the Autumn Court. - Perceptive and politically shrewd:
Eris reads people and situations well, often playing a role—much like Rhysand—to navigate dangerous court politics or achieve long-term goals. - Capable of hidden compassion:
Despite his reputation, Eris reveals moments of unexpected decency. He admits he did not participate in Jesminda’s execution and even warned Tamlin to protect Lucien. He also ended his engagement to Morrigan because she did not want it. These glimpses suggest he is capable of empathy, even if he rarely shows it. - Shaped by trauma and environment:
His harshness, loyalty to appearances, and willingness to act ruthlessly seem to stem from a lifetime spent under an abusive High Lord and constant threats from his brothers, rather than innate cruelty.
Powers & Abilities
Made High Fae
As a High Fae of the Autumn Court and heir apparent to Beron, Eris possesses the natural abilities of his kind, including:
- Immortality
- Enhanced strength, speed, and senses
- Standard High Fae magic, such as
- Winnowing
- Faelight
- Glamours (general High Fae capability, not unique to him)
Autumn Court Magic
- Fire Magic: Eris can summon and wield fire, a signature ability of the Autumn Court’s ruling bloodline.
Relationships
| Beron Vanserra | Eris’s relationship with his father, Beron Vanserra, High Lord of the Autumn Court, is deeply dysfunctional and rooted in fear, cruelty, and political manipulation. Beron is notorious for his brutality—both toward his court and his own family—and Eris grows up under that constant threat of violence. As the eldest son and presumed heir, Eris is forced to navigate Beron’s volatile temper while protecting himself from his ambitious younger brothers, who repeatedly scheme to kill him. Much of Eris’s ruthlessness and emotional detachment is implied to be a direct result of surviving Beron’s household, where power is maintained through intimidation, punishment, and secrecy. Despite Beron’s expectations, Eris quietly rejects some of his father’s worst cruelties. He later reveals he had no part in Jesminda’s execution and even warned Tamlin to protect Lucien—acts that defied Beron’s narrative. Eris’s decision to end his betrothal to Morrigan, honoring her wishes, also contrasts sharply with his father’s values. |
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