A Day of Fallen Night

Tunuva Melim, also known as Tuva, is one of the four principal storytellers of A Day of Fallen Night and the primary narrative voice of the South, with much of her story occurring in the Priory of the Orange Tree and the cities of Lasia. She is a companion to Esbar and mother to both Siyu and Wulf. She is a caring and loyal individual who helps balance the rashness of Esbar, using her patience as an advantageous skill in both combat and interpersonal relationships. Tuva suffers, however, from the loss of her son, constantly pulled to the past by the tragedy: “A ghost brushed tiny fingers over her face. A ghost fed at her breast. A ghost cried in the dark vaults of her memory” (255). The pain she feels guides her through the narrative, making her determined to follow Siyu when she runs away, as well as making her susceptible to Canthe’s deceptions, as she offers information about her long-lost son.

As she travels across the continent, Tuva undergoes a transformation, as she seeks to finally heal with the recovery of Armul, or Wulf. Although their reunion is brief, Tuva feels peace knowing that he is alive and proud to be her son: “She would carry the pain of his loss, even if its weight was lighter” (735).