The Witch Son
and a swift justice to those that got away with it
Thallea is petite and delicate looking, lithe and feminine. A slight tone to her upper body muscle structure betrays that she does in fact practice a little with regards to archery, but she’s not built like a shieldmaiden by any means. While her sword play is no better than average by the report of a generous tutor, her marksmanship is excellent. She and her ladies would amuse themselves by having mock duels when court wasn’t in session but alas, Thallea simply never took it very seriously. Besides, none of her ladies would face her seriously given her rank so she was inclined to give up after a while and stick to watching. Archery though, archery was a fair game that she could win at. While no particular emphasis was placed on combat training, every noble woman in Theren is at least taught a little of how to defend themselves. For as the saying goes: "While even though one may not know how to wield a sword, one may still die by it." It's a more traditional practice meant for courtly fun rather than battle however, and in fact women warriors are extremely rare. And they are called shieldmaidens. Only the truly exceptional are ever accepted in those ranks, rather than the lax regulations held for men who only need know how to swing to qualify. As Princess, who was absolutely never going to be given the chance to be a shieldmaiden, she is the shining image of royalty. Desirable in the fashions of Theren clothing, beautiful in both her features and mannerisms, and graceful in the way she moves and deals with others.
Unlike Thallea’s father her hair is blanche white and falls in waves down to her back, a feature considered odd to be sure but very comely. Her mother was a light blonde and so it is passable but still, very odd indeed. So odd in fact that it caused a great stir when she was born. It was thought of as a sign that she would not live long. In truth she was a perfectly healthy baby and her attractive face did much to make everyone forget their superstitions in due time. A few nasty rumors spread about it being an omen of some sort but speaking in such a way about the crown Princess out in the open would be treasonouse of course. The ladies in Theren tend to wear their hair in intricate braids, and in fact braiding hair is seen as a bonding thing between women and can also be seen as an intimate activity between men and women courting. Thallea’s eyes are alike her mother’s, a clear crystalline blue, her father wrote a few famous poems praising her mother's eyes, and so it was seen as good luck when Thallea inherited them. In Theren the fashions tend to consist of thick fabric due to the cold sleeping mountain. But in truth the castle itself can be surprisingly warm, due to being embezzled in the side of an inactive volcano. Day dresses are often high necked and long sleeved, heavily embroidered and beaded with design to make up for lack of interesting fabrics. Evening dresses have lower necklines but remain suitably modest, sleeves can be short or long depending on preference but all still embroidered. Colors tend to be muted and dark as far as clothes go but occasionally given enough money a noble, like the princess, can be seen in a deep red or gold. Overall, Thallea thus far appears to be everything a Princess should be, and Theren is proud of her, and she of them.
People expect a great deal when they meet Thallea of Theren, the diplomatic Princess, and they are rarely disappointed. The King of Theren makes those who oppose it fearful, while the Princess makes them fall in love- it is said. She is in stark contrast to her stern and serious father, and brings about his sense of humor, it is noted that since he began to have her present in meetings with his council or other diplomats, he is much better liked. This was always intentional, to both teach his daughter the manner of how things were done, and to take advantage of and grow her own talents for politics. While her talents are admired in this case, they are not unexpected, as she was born of not only a King, but a Queen. Thallea's mother, Agora, is responsible for much of Thallea, as it is from her that she learned. The King of Theren is considered truly lucky in his fortune of family.
What people seem to truly like about Thallea is that she is genuine in her warmth and kindness, sincere in her compliments and attentive to whom she gives her attention to. She is a clever and thoughtful conversation companion whose learned upbringing includes just about every subject you could want to discuss. She is very present in the current going-ons of the political world without seeming too cunning or deceitful, even though she is and can be. And even though she has not set foot outside of the castle she was born in, her books come from far and wide. Even though her home is hidden away high upon a mountain it boasts an impressive and old library.
Thallea appears not to judge any given man too harshly and makes them feel good about themselves, something just about every narcissistic noble can thoroughly appreciate. Her social skillset is as sharp as any warrior's sword and she wields it with just as much impressive mastery. Though much of her advantages with others probably stem from the fact that she is a Princess, she does not let them go to waste. Such is her pragmatic view of things. Her humanitarianism may seem idealistic to some, but she calls that notion lazy and sees her ideals as perfectly achievable if the right steps are taken. Anything is achievable if the right steps are taken, you need only analyze your problem and take whatever chances come before you, using all you have and being creative in its use. Her intelligent mind is keenly driven by whatever goal she takes up, and her persistence sees her through it. The problem is though, she has been sorely limited. She is no King, and Theren’s customs are locked tight. She had been afforded an education because of her mother, but in truth it is not regular for people and most of all women to be so well read or to have newfangled ideas about how society should work. She’s had to work within the confines of her environment, which are stifling.
While extremely likable, Thallea is not as submissive as those meeting her might expect, with the exception of to her parents whom she obeys in all things. Rather she is confident in herself and bold, and makes clear her own stance on issues when necessary, though diplomacy at times finds it more prudent to keep that hidden. People are so much more likely to be persuaded and favorable when they like you, and Thallea knows this well. But while that notion may seem to make her warmth insincere as a personality trait, rather it stands side by side with it. She is a deeply empathetic individual and does not seek malicious schemes or debauchery, but in order to be effective enough to do good you must take what tools are at your disposal and use them. And that is what Thallea wishes to do, to do good, both for her noble people and the common.
Thallea is the architect of a system in Theren court that has also gained her a great deal of loyalty amongst her lords and ladies. Should someone become banished from court, whether by angering the king or some other means, Thallea allows a short time to pass before welcoming them back in, after they pay a hefty sum to a fund that is used to be given to the peasantry. In order to build better homes and feed their bellies when they go without. It’s a charity, of sorts, and it’s bribery to be sure, but it’s effective and humanitarian in Thallea’s eyes.
Thallea was forced to grow quite a bit in the years of the war, both in maturity and in realizing the ugly side of human nature. The war has been hard on her, and the once bright and shining socialite Princess has grown dimmer and more solemn, prone to brooding and isolation. She has become riddled with anxiety at being unable to fix things due to lack of resources and cooperation, and has actually suffered panic attacks as a result. This is kept under wraps however. Thallea was left to manage the Kingdom in her father's absence, along with her her mother, and it was a struggle to keep everyone afloat. But by all accounts she did it with grace, and rallying the spirit of her people even when it looked certain that they would lose. It was during this time that she truly learned to be a leader, and what the balance between carrot and stick meant. At some point during the war she made an unpopular decision by evacuating the villages and having them retreat to the capital, housing the nobility left behind in the castle. This outraged the nobles but ultimately saved lives.
Theren is a traditionalist and proud nation, and its King mirrored this in personality. King Gaius of Theren was a proud, dignified man and experienced in the workings of court and political life, particularly when it came to maintaining his nation as a major power. His military was impressive, and the riches his land produced were traded with by all. He was a successful King until the war that took his life came about. It was however, unavoidable for him, as from the get-go, he had a rivalry with Beleth that bordered on animosity. His father and King before him had raised him to be wary of Beleth, some land dispute was between them that left a sore wound that just wouldn't heal. In his mind Beleth was a deceitful and pompous nation that sought to take all he held dear and overpower him and his people. Theren and Beleth would never be allies, not so long as he was King, and with this in mind the toxic relationship between the two countries only escalated.
It was in this tension that Thallea was born, her mother, Agora, had a difficult childbirth that almost resulted in her death. Thallea would be the only child they would have. But regardless, or perhaps because of this, they loved her dearly. It was with her mother that Thallea first confessed she had dreams, sometimes awake. But she was hushed and told to never speak of them ever again, and reminded that it was not possible to see into the future as her dreams suggested. So she kept them to herself and they quelled to fitful dreams in her childhood. Thallea was kept from the difficulties of court life until she was six, when her tutorship began and she was debuted to the court. She quickly became Theren's darling, and would grow up with other noble children her own age range. And eventually a gaggle of six girls were chosen to be her ladies in waiting. Despite whatever tensions would go on outside of Theren, court life was always jolly and pleasant. As she grew older however, she began to understand what was expected of her, and that she was to act in a way that befitted these responsibilities. She did, with little complaint. At around the age of sixteen she began attending council with her father here and there, and more seriously as she became older. She was supposed to be married by eighteen and many had sent delegates to vie for her hand but the King her father was reluctant to let her go. And by the time war broke out it was much too late to think of marriage.
The war raged on for a couple of years. They were gaining with extreme speed and attacking their trade merchants or food wagons. Thallea only imagined the worst of this tactic, and always had the food tested for poisons at multiple points. Just before the end of the war, the capitol was crowded with people who had been evacuated and Thallea was doing all she could to help her people keep their spirit. But the news of her father's death broke her resolve entirely, and when she heard of his merciless and undignified execution she screamed and vowed she would have revenge. Thallea was not allowed to grieve but in private, which was highly difficult, and wearing two faces that contrasted so much wore her very thin, and made her anxious. Finally she found a cool numbness with which she could better control herself, and be crowned Queen in. She struggled with what to do and searched for allies in those who had offered marriage in the past, hoping to buy grain from them or mercinaries. Hoping to solidify some sort of allegiance against her enemy by offering her own self in matrimony. Unfortunately, having made an enemy of Beleth, who was now very powerful, no other country would consider her hand, for fear of making an enemy they did not want. Time passed as though the castle and capitol were protected by the mountains they could not self sustain. They were starving. All seemed to be lost until a treaty from Beleth was sent to them, and in it was also an offer of marriage. Something entirely unexpected.
She knew she had no choice but to accept when her advisers told her of it, but that did not stop her from crying. Privately of course, all grief must be private, a royal could never show their weakness to those they ruled. It was all wearing her thinner and thinner.
Her mother, dowager Queen, knocked her back to her senses soon after sending confirmation of her acceptance. Thallea had to see this as an opportunity, not a death sentence. She had to make the King love her, and build Theren back up to the country it once was. She had to make herself indispensable and successful, and when the time was right, she could take her revenge if she wished for it. Thallea does wish for it. She wishes for it very much. The date is set, the preparations made, the dresses sewn. Thallea is coming for Beleth, for better or for worse, till death do they part.
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