Prince Cam Aaric Graycastle Tauri, better known by his pseudonym Aaric Graycastle, King Tauri's third son and a first-year rider at Basgiath War College.
Biography[]
Iron Flame[]
Cam lies to his father, who believes that his son is on a tour across the whole kingdom to celebrate his twentieth birthday. Instead, Cam joins Basgiath, where he sees Violet Sorrengail, who instantly recognizes him as they were childhood friends.[1] When she confronts him, he lies by calling himself Aaric Graycastle in order to hide his true identity. After successfully crossing the parapet he becomes a first year cadet. He is quickly determined to be a good fighter, though his Assessment Day match against Sloane, who is not a trained fighter, was not a fair match.[2] Aaric's true identity as the king's son is the first secret Violet shares with Rhiannon.[3]
It is noted that Aaric stands in front of Violet on Conscription Day after the first-years are sorted into formation, which suggests that he is in Flame Section, Fourth Wing.[4]
During Threshing, he manages to bond to a Blue Clubtail. Later on, Violet meets up with Cam and pulls him through the wards in her room, where she asks him for his help, as they need him to be able to access the Archives' vault due to his royal heritage. Cam refuses to help, especially after he faces Xaden, who isn't sorry for killing his brother Alic, describing him as a craven, murderous prick. However, they finally convince Cam to join them after explaining that he will be stealing from his father, who Cam despises more than he despises Xaden, if he were to help them out.
They successfully make it to the vault, where he has to hold Violet's hand to push her through the archway that is sealed by magic to stop anyone from directly entering. They retrieve the journals of Warrick and Lyra and making it out in time before the gates close. His hands are badly blistered by the wards, but he is not found to be an accomplice thanks to medicine.
He is present in the Wardstone chamber in Basgiath when Violet, and then General Sorrengail, are imbuing the wardstone with power. General Sorrengail recognizes him, and mentions his father is looking for him. He protests that he is a bonded rider, and she brushes him off to continue to the wardstone.[5] When General Sorrengail begins using Sloane to imbue the wardstone, Aaric pulls Violet off of the stone. She fights him, but is too weakened to resist. He apologizes to her, but doesn't release her until Lilith Sorrengail is done sacrificing herself.[5]
Physical Description[]
Cam has a muscular build, a strong chin, and square jawline with light brown scruff.[6] He is taller than Dain, shorter than Xaden, and five inches taller than Sloane. His hair is sandy-brown and he has distinctive green eyes. He stands with impossibly perfect posture. He has long legs.
Personality[]
Aaric is confident in himself, with the same arrogance seen in his brothers and his father.[1] Despite his confidence he does not see being in the Riders Quadrant as fun, as most cadets do.
Power and Abilities[]
Powers[]
Lesser Magic[]
As a rider whose dragon is channeling through them, Aaric is capable of performing lesser magic. With this channeling, Aaric is able to do things like locking and unlocking doors without touching them, moving with preternatural speed, manipulate mage lights, and power ink pens. Lesser magic also allows Aaric to place runes.
Signet[]
Unknown (Not yet manifested)
Abilities[]
Relationships[]
King Tauri[]
He has a bad relationship with his father and hates him more than he hates Xaden.
Halden Tauri[]
Eldest son of King Tauri and therefore Cam's oldest brother and Crown Prince of Navarre. When asked about why Cam chose to join the Riders Quadrant instead of becoming king, he says; "It's Halden's destiny to be king. Not mine."[8]
Violet Sorrengail[]
Childhood friends that used to spend time together because of their parents' political meetings.
Dain Aetos[]
Dain and Aaric grew up together as childhood friends, along with Violet Sorrengail, because their parents frequently worked together.
Xaden Riorson[]
Aaric despises Xaden for killing his elder brother Alic during Threshing. Alic had bullied Garrick during their Threshing causing Xaden to attack and kill him, which he admits in a letter to Violet as well as telling Aaric that he wasn't sorry for doing so because Alic was a "craven murderous prick." This causes his initial refusal to assist in stealing the books from the Archives when asked to help by Violet.
Quotes[]
"She's right. And if I have to choose between her life and yours, I choose yours." - To Violet, in the Wardstone chamber[5]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The first name he uses at Basgiath, Aaric, is his real middle name.[1]
- Violet tells Rhiannon his true identity while he is crossing the Parapet.[1]