They cover more distance by traveling in a caravan with a witch and her caged bird, who is really the enslaved woman from the market and Tristran’s mother. Tristran and Yvaine slowly make their way to Wall. However, she kills him with a bite from a poison serpent. Meanwhile, Septimus is forced to avenge Primus’s death by the rules of his family, so he goes after the witch-queen. They’re rescued by a passing lightning ship and spend the next few weeks as part of the crew. He uses a magic traveling candle to get himself and Yvaine to safety. Tristran realizes what’s happening, but he arrives too late to save Primus, as the witch cuts his throat. Yvaine has already arrived and is being cared for by the witch. Along the way he meets Primus and rides with him until they arrive at an inn, which the witch-queen has spelled into being a trap for Yvaine. Tristran receives a message that Yvaine is in danger and tries to follow her. When Tristran stops for provisions, Yvaine escapes. The eldest of the Lilim, the witch-queen, goes in pursuit of her. They plan to cut out her heart so they can use it to restore their youth. Elsewhere, three witches known as the Lilim have discovered the star’s existence.

Tristran finds the star and is surprised to see that she’s not a lump of rock, but he remains true to his quest and chains them together so he can take her to Victoria. Shortly after, Septimus kills Tertius with a poisoned bottle of wine. The necklace hits the star, a young woman named Yvaine, and causes her to fall to earth. To decide their fate, the Lord of Stormhold throws his royal topaz necklace out the window and tells them whoever retrieves it will rule. Meanwhile, the Lord of the kingdom of Stormhold is dying, and the three remaining of seven sons are vying for the crown: Primus, Tertius, and Septimus. Tristran tells his father that he’s going to cross the wall to retrieve the fallen star, and Dunstan understands that his son is going home. Victoria promises to marry Tristran if he goes to collect the star for her. One day, he and Victoria see a falling star. As a teenager, he has a crush on a local girl named Victoria Forester. Dunstan’s son, Tristran, grows up in Wall without knowing who his true mother is.

He and the woman spend the night together and have a son, who the woman sends over the wall to live with Dunstan. One year, Dunstan meets a young woman who is enslaved by a witch. Every nine years, a market fair is held in the meadow between worlds. This study guide uses the 2012 hardcover edition from William Morrow.ĭunstan Thorn is a practical teenager living in the small English village of Wall, which sits alongside a long stone wall that separates the human world from Faerie.

Stardust by neil gaiman