the elven queen

Aurora Sorcha. Queen of Hodia. Wife. Mother.

[kingofthewintercourt-deactivate]

The Hunt || Irial & Aurora

An icy breeze slapped the faces of the party standing just outside the wickedly enchanted Winter Palace. The Winter King was among them, and they were all awaiting the arrival of their very special guest. The Queen Aurora of Hodia was due an moment now, a rather nerve-wracking scenario which Irial was aware made many of his men uncomfortable. It was no secret that the Winter Fae did not tolerate the elves (and vice versa), so there was bound to be a percentage of the population which did not disagree with Irial’s decision to allow her to come to their Court on a purely courteous, recreational and slightly friendly visit. Irial did not want the other Kingdoms thinking that his Court was still stuck in the olden days (meaning the war days) and so he had decided to prove to them that the WInter Fae too, could behave like proper people. 

The elven Queen had been invited to join Irial and his closest circle on a traditional Winter Hunt in his forest, and everyone was quite keen to see how she’d embrace the activity. He was very aware that there were several people who would pay good money to see her fall or otherwise embarrass herself in a severe manner, however that was not the motivation behind Irial’s courteous invitation. He did not have a particular knowledge about the Queen’s skills- wether she could ride or shoot or simply stand still and wait. Alas, he would have to observe them for himself.

The sky was a clear, light grey-blue color and several of his companions were staring at it out of sheer boredom. He looked around at the all the pale, serene faces surrounding him and hoped none of them would try anything stupid. They were only eight, including four women and six men. None of them had mounted yet, but all of their horses and gear (along with their stable boys) were to the group’s immediate right, also awaiting the arrival of the queen. They had even brought out a spare gelding for the elf when she arrived. Melrose, the youngest of the group had began to tap her toe impatiently against the glistening stone floor, but there was nothing Irial could do but stare ahead at the gates and wait for her arrival. 

[aurora-sorcha]

Hunting was not a sport the queen was particularly fond of. She was not opposed to the activity, whether for sustenance or pleasure, but she herself had never been very skilled with physical weapons. Even with her magical knowledge, which had been skillfully practiced  over the millenia, she knew little in the matter of killing. Based on this alone, one would have expected Aurora to kindly reject the Winter King's invitation to join him and members of his court on a winter hunt. But in truth, the queen felt honored to have been given an invitation, considering how unpopular the elves were amongst the Winter Fae. It would have been a great insult to have refused, and she was unwilling to risk the dangers that may result from such an insult. 

And so, Aurora had sent word of her approval and arranged to visit the Winter Kingdom for a short holiday. She had faith that her husband would be able to maintain stability in Hodia, not to mention keep their son in line, for a few days, yet she was still feeling rather anxious about her little visit. She felt that it was her duty to prove to the people of the Winter Kingdom that the elves had moved beyond hate (despite the fact many had not) and to further encourage peaceful, benevolent relationships between the two kingdoms. That was far easier said than done. And, truth be told, Aurora feared she would be unable to successfully meet her goals. Not that she would allow any of that to show, of course. 

No, as the queen's carriage turned down the road that led to the majestic Winter Palace, she appeared as calm and complacent as she always did. Her party was small, much smaller than her advisers had liked. Eight mounted royal guards rode with the queen's ensemble, four in front of the royal carriage and four behind the less grandiose luggage carriage that came behind it. Seated beside the queen was one of her ladies in waiting, and across from them was her personal sworn shield and another handmaiden. With the horsemen and squires, their party totaled to sixteen. It was rather miniature, but Aurora had thought this would be for the best. The less intimidating their group seemed, the better.

Despite the compact nature of the party, it had taken them some time to traverse the foreign roads of the Winter Kingdom. Still, Aurora did not seemed overly concerned by this. She was a queen, after all, and queens were never late. Therefore, as the carriage pulled through the opened gates of the palace, she did not give a second thought to the fact that King Irial's party might have been growing impatient. A young footman hopped down from the back of the carriage once it came to a halt and announced the queen's arrival with all of her formal titles. Then, the door was opened, and she gracefully guided herself to the icy ground. Immediately her eyes found Irial, and she offered him a goodnatured smile. "King Irial," she started, "It is good to see you again. I hope you are well. It seems as if you are all have been waiting to depart... Does this mean we will be off immediately?"

[ryhopes]

[disneysqueenscharacters-blog]

On Decent Terms || Mikael and Aurora

Mikael was uncomfortable. He was flanked by too many guards, way more than the standard - it was almost appalling. The young prince understood how imperative it was that he had them, but it didn’t change the fact that he didn’t like it. However, he was rather grateful. The amount of them almost blocked out the nasty glares the citizens of Hodia where shooting him. He was practically freaking out, the inner him was bouncing around the walls of his mind like a maniac. Nothing about being here made him feel even an ounce of calmness.

The rapidity of questions swarming his mind was giving him a headache. Did he do something wrong? Sleep with the queen’s daughter? Wait - she didn’t have a daughter, right? No, he didn’t think so. Did he break the treaty? Mikael didn’t remember doing such thing, but then again, he didn’t remember much about his late night affairs. Oh god, the queen was going to incinerate him. Could elves even do that? There was no logical reason for her to call him to the palace, a place where he was almost certain his whole family was banned from, for anything other than punishing him someway. He really should have told his father or Melody about this.

The castle was breathtaking. The sight of it was almost enough to take his mind off his worries. It wasn’t anything like his home. Less colorful, more delicate looking, but nonetheless it had the same a sight to behold air to it. The guards there glared at his kinsmen as his they sent their own daggers in return. The elves had the audacity to try checking him, but he practically snarled he was the prince, higher than any of them would ever hope to be. Mikael’s patience was dancing on thin ice. He had no time for it whatsoever. His nerves were fusing short. His mind was a chaotic mess.

It was just as unsettling entering the castle as it was walking to it. More infuriated gazes directed his way. It made him so uneasy, he never remembered a time where he was surrounded by so many people that hated him. No, despised him. The Hodian guards spoke of blindfolding him, but his own argued that was not happening any time in this century. Instead, they escorted to a lavish room where he was instructed to wait. Mikael instructed his guards to stay outside. He didn’t want his guards to watch the queen murder him alive - that would surely make them break any and all rules ever created.

When his icy cool eyes landed on the queen entering through the double doors, all of his nerves seemed to settle as he remembered something vital. He was the prince! He had an army of his own! And Queen Aurora was smarter than trying to kill him, or he desperately hoped so. In a smooth voice, he grinned up at her, “Queen Aurora.” Mikael greeted, letting his worries wash away. “I assume you invited me here for something other than tea and a nice chat. Unless you did.” He rose an eyebrow. “So if thats the case, you got lucky. I’m an excellent conversationalist.”

[aurora-sorcha]

It was a delicate matter - the relationship between the elves and the sirens. A millennium had passed, but that did not mean the deep wounds inflicted by war had been healed. A good number of the citizens of Hodia still held feelings of animosity towards their former enemies. Even her own son, who had never been subjected to the horrors of the Great War, loathed the sirens wholly. That had been something Aurora had been hoping to eradicate for centuries, yet she continually found herself at yet another blockade. Elves were stubborn creatures who did not forgive easily. And so, the queen found herself going to controversial lengths in order to try and help finally mend the tattered relationship between the two species.

During the Party of Lights, Aurora had made an effort to speak to the leaders of all the distinct kingdoms in the realm. Unfortunately, time had not been on her side, and on more than one occasion she had gotten carried away in pleasant chatter. Thus, she had been unable to greet the sirens properly or share words with the king. She had chastised herself greatly for making such a horrid oversight, since undoubtedly he was the man she needed to speak with the most. But alas, the winter and summer fae held great charm and an uncanny ability to make time fly. It was regrettable, and she knew she would have to make up for it. Perhaps not by requesting the company of the king; no doubt he was far too busy for trivial chats. But if she could arrange for a meeting with the prince, the heir to Glaeria, she might be able to make up for the time lost at the party.

And so, she had sent a messenger off to invite the prince to a pleasant tea time luncheon. She had trusted that her instructions to treat the young man with the utmost respect and dignity would be respected. After all, the last thing she wanted was to frighten him off, or worse, leave him with a foul personal impression of the elven royal family. She told the chefs to prepare the finest dishes that could be considered appropriate for light snacking, along with a generous variety of the best wines Hodia had to offer. Even a special ice wine from the Winter Kingdom, if the merman cared to be so indulgent. Aurora would not fault him either way; in her eyes he was as much of a child as Gale — they were close to the same age, after all. She simply wanted Prince Mikael's first official meeting with a royal elf to be memorable, and for pleasant reasons.

An overwhelming wave of irritation washed over Aurora when she saw the number of guards waiting in front of the closed doors behind the prince. She had to pause for a moment, inhale a sharp breath, and count to three before speaking. "Thank you, gentleman, for escorting Prince Mikael here safely," she purred in a voice only her familiars would recognize as dangerous, "But for the time being, your duty is done. If you wouldn't mind waiting outside and returning to your posts. Vehiron is all the protection the two of us will need." She inclined her head slightly toward the large guard who had followed her into the room - her personal sworn shield.

The guards looked at her hesitantly, but when Aurora raised her brow ever so slightly they quickly rushed out of the room. Only then did the queen seem to let her guard down with a content sigh. She smiled at the prince and even let out a short, but genuine, laugh. "I'm glad to hear that. I always appreciate good conversation," she replied, "But I must admit, carefree conversation wasn't the only thing on my mind when I invited you here. I was actually hoping to make up for my terrible misjudgement in time at the Party of Lights." The queen took a few steps forward and then gestured for the young man to sit on a fairly plush looking chair. It faced a small table and an identical seat that Aurora settled into a moment later. "I had planned on speaking to your father that evening, but I lost track of the time. I did not want your family or people to think it was a slight against you."

[aurora-sorcha]

Night Terrors || Aurora & Theon

[theonofhodia]

Sleep seldom came easily for Theon, even a thousand years after the war. There were too many memories lurking just out of reach, waiting to attack him in his most vulnerable hour, smothering him with their sickening sights and sounds that played in his mind as though they were the that which he saw before him. What is done cannot be undone, his father used to warn, and so it was so. It seemed he would never be forgiven of his past sins by the person who’s forgiveness was most important of all - himself. Try as his may, there was no mistaking what he had done, nor was there any chance of forgetting it. Such horrors would always haunt him and they would never go away, a dark truth that he had come to realize over the last thousand years of night terrors.

The evening was a pleasant one. Clear skies made for optimal stargazing and the distant chirp of crickets could be heard from the bedroom window that had been left ajar. A light breeze blew through the trees, making them sway and dance as if they could speak to one another without a sound. All was well, and with his wife curled up beside him, he felt safe and at ease. The past was far behind him, worlds away it seemed, and he was able to drift off into a comfortable sleep. That was when the nightmares claimed him. As if a hooded figure came and stole thence the peaceful tranquility of the room, he was plunged into darkness. His beloved Aurora was torn from him, and he dreamt instead of the war.

Knee-deep in siren blood, the stench of blood and sweat struck him and overpowered his senses, making him feel dizzy and sick. Around him, men were dying, good men, and he was helpless to prevent it. He heard cries of pain, cries for help and the cries of women. It all felt so real as if the sheer shock from it was what kept him from shaking his sleep. Overcome by the horrors what surrounded him, he fell to his knees, and in front of him he beheld the most terrible sight of all. A body lie before him, barely recognizable past the hideously scarred tissue and gory locks. Marred flesh and muscle clung to a pale skeleton, one which was indicative of a young elven soldier. The eyes were wide open, looking out without seeing, and Theon at last recognized the young man past his wounds. Gale. His only son, his beautiful boy, gruesomely scarred and mutilated by the hacking of a thousand swords. He was overcome by terror and guilt.

He had done this.

Letting out a sob that fell on the deaf ears of those shadowy faces in his nightmare, he was shaken from his frightful sleep by the concerned voice of his wife. The demonic shadows slipped away and he awoke in a cold sweat, his face blanched with telltale fear. “My son!” He gasped, bolting upright in his bed. His hands trembled as he covered his eyes and fought to catch his breath. “Gale! Is he alright?” He shook his head and combed a hand back through his hair, his mutterings inward and almost incoherent  “The war… the war is over. But I was there, and so was he.” Turning to her, he looked almost guilty, though fear remained the most prevalent emotion written on his tired face. “Did I wake you, my love?” He asked, trying to sound calm, although his still trembling hands gave him away.

[aurora-sorcha]

The sudden, unexpected change in Theon's position on the bed caused the queen's eyes to widen and her heart to skip a beat. Her momentary expression of shock made it obvious that she had not expected him to bolt upright with such swiftness. However, she soon got over that, and let out a quiet sigh of relief. At least he was awake now, no longer submerged in whatever dark images had plagued his mind. The sound of him calling out for their son sent a throb of pain through her heart. He had been dreaming about the war again. Seeing countless soldiers and civilians die - men, women, children - cut down or slaughtered. Though Theon was almost always able to put aside those dark memories when he was awake, and even mask his emotions so that no one would think they ever bothered him, Aurora knew better. He was still haunted by those traumatic events, even a thousand years later.

"Shh, he's perfectly fine," she cooed to him in a soft, reassuring voice, "He is safe and well." It almost made her feel guilty to know that she did not have such horrific recollections. Yes, she had seen the violence and gruesome realities of war, but not to the extent that a soldier would. She had lost her family and many friends, yet she had never been forced to watch comrades die in morbid battles. She had never been required to kill another living being, let alone kill countless enemies when in combat. Despite her losses, she had been blessed in that sense. But in truth, a part of her wished she was not, so that she might be able to better understand what her husband was going through. Or, even better, that she could take away his pain and place it upon herself so that for once he would be free again. Alas, neither of those wishes could be granted. She would simply have to continue trying her best to make things easier for him.

Aurora looked on as the king tried to regain his composure and accept that it had all been a  bad dream. He confirmed that his nightmare had been about the war, again, but this time with Gale present. She momentarily looked down at her hands, allowing him a few moments of freedom from her concerned gaze. Theon worried just as much for their son as she did. But unlike the queen, his fears about Gale would manifest in horrific, heart-wrenching dreams that went far beyond the imagination. At his question, Aurora lifted her head to look at him. A sad sort of smile pulled at her lips a little and she reached out to take hold of one of his shaking hands. "I am glad you did," she whispered, "I am only sorry that I had not been able to alleviate your suffering sooner." She gently squeezed his hand. Her free arm lifted up so she could gently push his sweat-dampened curls away from his face.

"I am so sorry, my love. More than anything I wish I could keep you from having such awful dreams. To see you suffering brings me pain I cannot express with words," she continued while scooting a bit closer to him, "Would you... Would you perhaps like to talk about it? Or would it be easier to try and forget it all?"

[aurora-sorcha]

Night Terrors || Aurora & Theon

There were countless ways in which Aurora was blessed. She had a wonderful husband whom she loved dearly along with a strong and healthy, albeit rather disobedient, son. She was the reigning queen of a grand kingdom and thus never had to fear for lack of funds or sustenance.  And though her family had been lost to the war, she had been spared from many of its horrors. Even a millennium later she retained her good health. For all of these reasons and more, she was incredibly fortunate. But there was another way in which the queen was lucky – one that many would likely overlook. This was, quite simply, that she found peaceful slumber without difficulty. It was an easy thing to look past when an outsider considered the wealth and power a monarch held, but Aurora herself was frequently reminded of that particular blessing.

On that night the queen had joined her husband in bed, curling up close to him as she had always done. It might not have been very regal behavior, but Theon was the one person she allowed to see her in such a light. The two had conversed for a short while in hushed voices until Aurora felt her eyelids become heavy. With that, she had whispered a few affectionate words and fell fast asleep. What happened next, and even in the hours that followed, was a mystery to her. She was far too engrossed in her own tranquil dream world. That is, until her companion began to toss and turn in bed beside her.

On nights when Theon’s sleep was peaceful, the queen would often find herself in very nearly the same position beside her husband that she had fallen asleep in. However, on nights such as this, his movement was violent, and her subconscious mind would push her body to move further and further away from him. Therefore, whenever he tossed to one side just a little too violently, shaking Aurora from her sleep, she was close to the edge of the bed. Her body was faced away from him, and for a few moments she remained dazed and motionless. Slowly her light eyes cracked open to see the vague, dark shapes of their bedroom. It was only when she heard a soft half-growl, half whine fill the air that she realized what had woken her up.

It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence, but no matter how many times she had woken up to find her beloved in such a state, she was never quite prepared. Nevertheless, Aurora quickly pushed herself up so that she was sitting in the bed. Her hands came up to gently rub the sleep from her eyes before she looked down to see Theon’s silhouette beside her. There was an expression of anguish on his face and his entire body seemed tense. The sight caused her heart to heave. Fear and worry etched into the queen’s features. Without hesitation she reached out to rest her hand on her husband’s shoulder and gently shake him. “Theon,” she whispered quietly, leaning down a little closer to him, “Theon, my dear, wake up. It’s only a bad dream. Theon?" She continued to whisper his name and urged him to wake up. But with each word that fell from her lips, her voice became louder and her tone more anxious and concerned.

[cerseil]

[kingofthewintercourt-deactivate]

Cordiality is Key || Irial & Aurora

[kingofthewintercourt-deactivate]

Irial didn’t even show a twitch in response to her words, in which he could sense a manipulative undertone. Instead, he offered her a small, polite smile and made a quick gesture with his right hand. Immediately, a dainty little Winter girl procured a respectable chair for her in front of Irial. Before waiting for her to sit down, the girl was back again, this time with a shiny silver platter holding two goblets of expensive wine. The goblets were made of platinum and enchanted ice- a magical subtance only to be procured in the land of the Winter Court, and extremely dangerous if mishandled. 

“I assure you, we are all quite well,” he said. “Although I do thank you for your concern” he said slyly, and reached for one of the goblets. He tilted his head and raised it a few inches (albeit both bothering to clink with her) before taking a drink and turning it in his hand. “The evening has been quite a merry success, if I may say so myself.” He said, then gently cleared his throat. “Your girls seem to be in agreement with me” He purred, nodding in the direction of an intoxicated group of young elves, who were stumbling around, tripping over each others gowns. Irial took another swig of the wine, but this time mulled it in his mouth as he thought.

The Winter Fae had always regarded the Elves as over-emotional creatures who thought with their swords and were far too obsessed with what people might think of them- they always had to appear humble. They were not as emotional as the Summer Fae, but still, they were so easily set off. In all honesty, Irial did not know what to say to the Queen. He was aware that she had only come to him as a formality, not as a friendly visit or in need of an urgent discussion. No political agreement existed between the two lands or the two monarchs, but Irial did not think for a second that there should be one. The more connections the Winter Court had, the more  it owed to others and the more worthless business he had to deal with. In his opinion, the less his Court was tied to, the better. However, he couldn’t help but wonder what the elven Queen thought of the matter. So, he took another sip of wine and waited for her to speak. 

[aurora-sorcha]

The queen raised one eyebrow ever so slightly when she saw the chair that had been brought forth. It was not that she disapproved, simply that she had not expected Irial to invite her to sit with him. All the same, she nodded her head as a sign of acquiescence. Aurora then moved gracefully to take her seat. The goblet she was presented with was gorgeous, particularly to the queen. She had always had a fondness for the cold beauty that thrived within the kingdom. Of course, she wasn't willing to let the king know that. So, instead she simply picked up the goblet and took a small, polite sip of the wine. She allowed Irial a small smile of approval, but that was the extent of her acknowledgment.

"Oh, that is good to hear," Aurora cooed to him in response. She considered him for the short period of silence he allowed to pass. Irial was particularly good at keeping his emotions hidden; a quality she considered of vital importance for any leader. Though the winter fae were not particularly fond of the elves - as the elves were not fond of the winter fae - the queen herself held nothing against the race. She had, of course, forgiven the sirens only a short while after the war had ended, so the fact that her beloved husband had met the men of Irial's predecessor on the battlefield meant very little to her. She was far more curious about the man himself; his leadership skills, his style of ruling, how he handled problems in his kingdom. It was always in her best interests to know what to expect from the other monarchs, or so Aurora believed.

It did, however, annoy the queen ever so slightly when Irial made a comment on the behavior of a group of young, female elves that were falling over themselves nearby. It almost seemed as if he was trying to indicate that this was commonplace behavior for all elves. Still, she quickly shrugged it off and hid any irritation she had felt. Aurora simply rolled her eyes and smirked almost playfully. "To be young and careless, without a reputation to uphold," she mused in a lofty voice while gesturing off towards nowhere in particular, "I'm sure their state has everything to do with the loveliness of your people; those young ladies cannot resist making fools of themselves." She gave him a rather amused look and then shrugged her shoulders.

"In any case, I am glad you have enjoyed a merry evening. Your kingdom interests me, despite how very odd that may seem. I suppose it has something to do with the fact I have not visited the Winter Realm since I was a girl. And as far as I can remember, it was very different from all the others. Perhaps you should hold a party of your own sometime soon, hmm? Then we can all have an excuse to wear our furs and cloaks."

[kingofthewintercourt-deactivate]

Cordiality is Key || Irial & Aurora

Dressed in their dark furs and leathers, with their fair hair and pale, glassy eyes; the Nobles of the Winter Fae sat motionless and slightly agitated in their seats (uncomfortable knock-offs of what were supposed to be icy thrones, in their pretentious opinions). Although the heat in the air decreased as the evening aged, they still felt a bit out of place among the agonizingly joyful crowd filled with a multitude of different species that which composed the life of the evening. Irial shifted in his seat- the grandest of all and leaned in to lend his ear to the fae on his direct right.

The mousy, relatively older man hastily whispered a collection of shaky sentences into the King’s ear before bowing his head in respect and drooping into his seat. Irial suppressed a deep sigh and sat up straight, then began to scan his surroundings. Apparently, the Queen Aurora intended to head their way for a formal greeting, and in all honesty, Irial had not been looking forward to this inevitable moment. Irial was a very, very young King when he had fought against Hodia alongside the Sirens during the Great War, and tension could still be felt between him and the daughter of the man who died in the hands of his army. Although this was a celebration of peace, Irial did not have a doubt in his mind that certain individuals had dragged along excess bitterness with them to the party.

He stared blankly as the Hodian Queen came into sight, surrounded by very few guards, although he supposed that was meant to be a gesture of trust. He did not bother to change his expression- he was known for being stern and cold, and he didn’t mind it being that way. He began to tap a single gloved finger against the ornate arm of his throne, cooling his mind down of it’s dread as she got closer and closer. It wasn’t her she was afraid of- it was himself. Although he hardly cared for anybody outside his own court, he did not want to embarrass his people by being the first to start a fight or ruin a non-existant relationship. He took a final breathe and controlled his emotions, willing himself not to comment on the ridiculous form and design of the Queen’s dress, or insult her in any possible way.

“Aurora, how becoming of you to fall by us on this evening of festivity” Irial spoke on behalf of his court as the elven Queen bowed in respect before proceeding further. His voice was as icy as the blue of his eyes as they stared at the woman with a hungry curiosity. Irial had no idea what intentions she had brought with her, but he was partial to finding out.

[aurora-sorcha]

It was to be a celebration, a party to revel in the centuries of peace that had passed since the end of the war. Aurora could faintly remember when she had last been invited to one of the Party of Lights thrown by the nymphs. It had been closer to two millennia since she had been witness to the spirituals' magic-centered celebration, and she truly wanted to enjoy it. However, for a queen like herself that was far easier said than done. Aurora feared what her son might do or say to ruffle the feathers of other guests, or worse, truly offend someone. She had spent the first half of the evening watching Gale, half holding her breath and gripping tightly to the arms of her chair. It was unpleasant, to say the least.

So, to prevent herself from becoming positively paranoid, Aurora decided to make her rounds visiting the other monarchs who had graced the party with their presence. It wasn't exactly a task she looked forward to, but it was something she viewed as obligatory. She highly doubted any of the other nobles would purposefully set out to speak with a representative from each and every kingdom. They seemed perfectly content remaining segregated. Therefore, as far as Aurora was concerned, the task fell onto her shoulders. She would have to play nice with the other leaders present and hope above all hope Gale didn't tackle some poor creature while out of her sight.

Since she truly had no preference as to what order she visited the rulers in, Aurora decided to base her decision on proximity. And, as fate would have it, the closest group of nobles to the elves were the Winter Fae. They certainly were not the most friendly of creatures, especially towards her own kind. Nevertheless, as the queen approached the table where the ice-like lords and ladies sat she kept her expression as pleasant as can be. She even offered the king a small smile after bowing politely. His words twisted her smile into a rather amused looking smirk and she nodded thoughtfully.

"It would not do for me to sit amongst my brethren all night when there are so many other guests I do not have the pleasure of seeing very often," she replied in a calm but good-natured tone. Her eyes traced over the faces of the nearby fae before moving back to look at the king. She found it quite humorous that they all appeared so stoic while in the midst of a rather delightful party. Still, she kept this to herself. "Are you fairing well, Irial?" She asked, "I know it has a bit warmer than usual these past few weeks in Hodia. I imagine it has been much the same here. I do hope it hasn't put a damper on your evening."

[darklands-rp]

AURORA SORCHA ❖ TAKEN

2756 years of age

Elf - Hodia

Queen of Hodia

FC: Lena Heady

Aurora was born in a time of peace, when the species did their best to live in harmony despite their differences. Even so, she never allowed anyone to walk over her. Raised to succeed her father as the next ruler of elves, she grew up being trained by the best, and learning about every aspect of her kingdom. Unlike most, Aurora insisted she’d learn the proper way to do magic, and values and respects it even more than physical strength. An uncommon trait for elves, she is known for her ability to act diplomatically and has vouched to keep the peace and respect between her species and their enemies after the war.

When the battles came, the woman lost many loved ones. Her younger brothers, her father and, afterwards, her mother, were all taken by a war that, to her, seemed senseless. Once she rose to the throne, in the midst of the destruction and chaos caused by the Great War, Aurora introduced the idea of the peace treaty to her councilmen. Then, the fae had already pulled themselves out of the battles, and the nymphs were about to do the same. There was no other choice if they wanted a chance to save themselves and their lands, so they complied. Differently from most elves, Aurora does not hate the sirens, in spite of all she’s been through. They are creatures, such as herself, who do what they have to in order to survive.

After the war, the queen finally married the one man she has ever truly loved: Theon. The general of her armies is someone she met before all of the battles started, but they did not dare to try and be together until after they ended. Despite their scarred hearts, the two have a happy marriage, and together had only one son: Gale, with whom Aurora is constantly worried. Due to the fact that the boy gives too much importance to fighting, the Queen is afraid that he might bring the treaty to its end. In order to prevent this from happening, she and her husband have planned to betroth him. They think that having a wife might give him a better sense of what’s truly important.

+ strong, courageous, motherly

- overprotective, demanding, concerned