Malcolm III
Malcolm III, King of the Highlands, was the last monarch of that place before it became part of the United Kingdom of Wonderland. He is most famous for the demand he made of Frieda Jacobs before consenting to unification. “Defeat me in single combat,” he said, “cut off my cursed head, and only then will the Highlands be yours.”
Born on the campus of Yesterland Academy in 238, Malcolm was the firstborn son of Duncan and the elder brother of Donalbain. When he was two years old, his father moved the family back to their ancestral home in Connor’s Gob and that was where Malcolm would spend the rest of his life.
Aside from the three years he spent on the run from murderous Macbeth, that is.
Upon Macbeth’s death in 261, Malcolm was installed as the new King of the Highlands—taking back the throne which the regicidal Lord of the North had stolen from Malcolm’s father. For two years, he did his best to restore order to the country—all the while hearing whispers that Frieda Jacobs was seeking to fulfill the prophecy which said a descendant of the Seven Queens would unite the kingdoms of Wonderland under one banner. And given that Malcolm’s father had been killed because of another prophecy, these whispers of Jacobs’ intent only served to enrage the king.
Some scholars argue that, had there been no prophecy involved—had Frieda Jacobs sought to annex the Highlands under any other pretext—Malcolm would have gone along with it peacefully. But once divination and destiny and all of that were involved? Nah. Malcolm wasn’t giving in to that shit without a fight.
As for how the duel turned out, well, that would be a spoiler for The Blood of Seven Queens #9, so we think we’ll keep that a secret for now.
Can there only be one? There can only be! Or not to be!
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THAT is the question.