Xena Eilline Draewynn

History

The relationship between Valentine and Princess Xenissa Eilline Draewynn began when Valentine was assigned as a personal maid to the princess. Over time, this professional relationship grew into a bond of trust and mutual respect. Valentine, having been with the princess for several years, has seen her through various stages of growth and development, from a sheltered young girl to a more mature and poised princess. Their relationship is rooted in the daily routines of royal life, where Valentine not only attends to Xenissa's needs but also offers her quiet support and guidance.   Princess Xenissa Eilline Draewynn values Valentine as more than just a servant; she sees her as a confidante and someone she can rely on in the often overwhelming environment of court life. Valentine, in turn, holds the princess in high regard, appreciating the young royal's kindness and intelligence. Despite the difference in their stations, their relationship is characterized by genuine care and loyalty.

Relationship Reasoning

The relationship between Valentine and Princess Xenissa Eilline Draewynn is grounded in mutual respect and the roles they play within the royal household. Valentine is responsible for the princess’s daily care, ensuring that she is properly dressed, groomed, and prepared for her various duties. However, their bond extends beyond mere duty. The princess values Valentine’s presence as a calming influence in her life, especially when the pressures of royalty become overwhelming. Valentine, on the other hand, finds purpose and pride in serving someone as promising and genuine as Xenissa.   Their relationship is also shaped by the expectations placed upon them. Xenissa is aware of the need to maintain appearances and fulfill her role as a princess, and Valentine’s support helps her navigate these challenges with grace. Valentine’s loyalty and discretion are crucial, as the princess often confides in her about personal matters that she would not share with others.

Commonalities & Shared Interests

While their roles in the royal court are vastly different, Valentine and Princess Xenissa Eilline Draewynn share a few key interests that help to strengthen their bond. Both have a deep appreciation for the quieter, more refined aspects of life. They enjoy spending time in the palace gardens, where Xenissa often reads or studies while Valentine tends to her duties nearby, occasionally sharing in conversations about books, poetry, or the arts.   Additionally, both value the importance of duty and loyalty. Xenissa’s commitment to her family and kingdom resonates with Valentine’s own sense of responsibility toward the princess. This shared understanding of duty creates a strong foundation for their relationship.

Shared Secrets

Over the years, Valentine and Princess Xenissa Eilline Draewynn have shared several personal moments and confidences that have strengthened their bond. One such secret is their occasional, secretive indulgence in games of chance. Despite the princess’s delicate and proper exterior, she enjoys the thrill of these games, and Valentine is often the only one present during these moments of indulgence. Valentine keeps this side of Xenissa's personality private, understanding that revealing it could undermine the princess’s carefully cultivated image.

Legal Status

Employer-Employee

History

Xeric Draewynn first understood his bond with his elder sister Xena not through gentle words or sibling play, but in silence—the quiet moment when he realized that, among all the twisted and cunning faces within the Draewynn household, hers was the one presence he sought instinctively to protect. As children, she alone showed him neither fear nor revulsion, even after his darkest moments. From that subtle kindness, an intense, unspoken loyalty blossomed, one that he preserved like a blade kept sharp and hidden beneath his sleeve. Xeric rarely engaged her openly, instead shadowing her steps with an assassin’s silent vigilance. He endured her attempts at warmth with quiet resignation, ever watchful for threats she herself might never perceive. Court whispers painted him as her cold guardian, but to Xeric, protection was never about warmth—it was about precision. His loyalty remained unwavering, even if his expression never betrayed the depth of that hidden devotion.

Nicknames & Petnames

Xeric offers no affectionate nicknames openly—such things were never in his nature. Yet, within the confines of his private thoughts, he names her “the Glassblade,” for in her fragile elegance lies a hidden sharpness that he respects profoundly. Publicly, he addresses her simply as “Sister,” a term delivered with formal precision and stripped of emotion, intended to conceal the depth of his loyalty beneath layers of courtly etiquette. Xena, in turn, addresses him warmly as “Brother,” unaware of how each gentle word carves deeper into his guarded heart. The nickname "Glassblade," though never spoken aloud, symbolizes his view of her as both delicate and potentially lethal—someone deserving vigilant protection at all costs. To those observing, they are siblings bound by protocol; to Xeric, the silent labels he grants her represent far more than mere words.

Relationship Reasoning

Xeric’s devotion to Xena stems from an internal code of duty, born of subtle kindness he never expected to receive and an intense sense of responsibility shaped by blood and honor. She is his anchor, the one person who makes his grim existence bearable, and he would protect her not out of affection, but from a deep, nearly sacred commitment. Xeric’s philosophy is simple yet uncompromising: threats to Xena’s well-being must be eliminated without hesitation or mercy. He believes himself uniquely capable of understanding the darkness of the world—and thus uniquely equipped to shield her from it. For Xeric, loyalty is action; he needs no reward or acknowledgment beyond the quiet satisfaction that comes from keeping her safe. She is his purpose, his responsibility, and the justification for every ruthless act he commits.

Commonalities & Shared Interests

Though outwardly different, Xeric and Xena share a profound commitment to loyalty and duty to the Draewynn name, each manifesting it in their distinct ways. They both appreciate quiet moments away from courtly noise, finding solace in libraries or secluded gardens where silence offers clarity. Xeric respects Xena’s intellectual pursuits and subtly supports her by ensuring she has the peace necessary to study or reflect. Each admires strength in its varying forms: Xena in diplomacy and subtle manipulation, Xeric in direct action and precise violence. Occasionally, their interests overlap in the study of historical battles or strategic texts—Xeric views these moments as subtle opportunities to remain close, quietly absorbing knowledge that might one day aid him in protecting her. Beneath the surface, their shared values of precision, vigilance, and responsibility form a hidden bond of understanding, though neither openly acknowledges its depth.

Shared Secrets

A dark secret binds Xeric closely to Xena: his covert elimination of a minor noble who had begun whispering damaging rumors about her lineage. Xeric acted swiftly and without hesitation, dispatching the threat before it could reach her ears or the court’s cruel tongues. Xena remains blissfully unaware of this intervention, yet Xeric carries the knowledge as both burden and duty, another layer of the quiet protection he offers unseen. Additionally, Xeric alone suspects Xena’s hidden devotion to Sparrow, quietly ensuring no evidence reaches their more judgmental kin. These unspoken acts of safeguarding and silent complicity form the foundation of Xeric’s protective loyalty, unseen threads binding him irrevocably to her side.

Shared Acquaintances

Instructor Velan Cray, the veteran lancer who tutors both Xena and Xarter, serves as the reluctant intermediary between Xeric and his elder sister. Cray, sensing Xeric’s hidden intensity, often subtly redirects him to tasks near Xena’s vicinity, quietly allowing the prince opportunities to watch over her without overt interference. To Xeric, Cray represents a trusted facilitator, someone who intuitively understands the delicate dance of protection he performs daily. Through Cray, Xeric receives indirect updates on Xena’s progress and well-being, strengthening his silent guardianship. Though Cray never openly discusses Xeric’s protective instincts, his deliberate positioning of the prince near Xena confirms a quiet acknowledgment of the bond that Xeric is determined never to openly reveal.

History

From the moment nine-year-old Xara learned that the porcelain-pale girl at court was her elder by only a season—and her step-sister—she began treating their every encounter like a tactical exercise. She trailed Xena through corridors the way a hunter follows fresh prints, mapping the princess’s habits with quiet fascination, storing patterns the way others collect jewels. Xena’s poise repelled most children, but it intrigued Xara; here was someone who wielded silence like a blade rather than a shield. Yet whenever the older girl’s serene courtesy sparked envy in surrounding courtiers, Xara felt a hot, possessive pride—that calm is partially mine; our bloodlines share a corridor of fate. Publicly she tested Xena’s patience with barbed questions and sly pranks, earning a reputation for petty cruelty; privately she guarded the princess’s secrets as fiercely as her own. Those dual masks explain the ledger the scribes keep: Xara’s actual regard sits deceptively positive, while her displayed barbs register as open disdain. In a court where honesty is weakness, she has decided that loving her sister in the dark is safer than praising her in the light.

Nicknames & Petnames

Inside her journals, Xara calls Xena “Glassblade,” admiring how something so fragile in appearance can still draw blood when wielded with precision. To Xena’s face she often scoffs “Snowdrop,” a feigned insult about wilting flowers that masks the same admiration. Servants whisper the younger princess is a “shadowbell,” forever chiming behind Xena’s every step—Xara pretends not to notice, though the name secretly delights her.

Relationship Reasoning

Xara believes alliances must be chosen, not inherited, and she is determined to choose Xena—even if that choice is veiled beneath mischief. Xena embodies the courtly grace Xara’s mother will never teach her, so studying the princess feels like stealing coin from Georgette’s own vault. Each successful prank proves that perfection can crack; each shared secret proves that cracks can be mended with trust. Xara resents anyone who misreads Xena’s composure as weakness and has poisoned more than one rumor to keep predatory nobles at bay. Meanwhile, she savors the fact that Xena’s official record shows no feeling toward her at all, for indifference is safer than affection in the Draewynn ledger. One day, Xara hopes those blank numbers will flip—public trust for private devotion—but she can wait; patience is another lesson the Glassblade teaches.

Commonalities & Shared Interests

Both sisters worship patterns: Xena in treaties and etiquette, Xara in spell-work and hidden passages. Evenings find them in opposite corners of the same library—Xena annotating trade agreements, Xara levitating quills just out of reach of bored scribes—each pretending not to watch the other. Neither enjoys loud revels, preferring the controlled tension of a chessboard or the hush of garden labyrinths at dusk. When Xena rehearses diplomatic greetings, Xara times her breaths to the bow, testing how long the older girl can hold composure under silent sabotage. They share an unspoken disdain for those who mistake kindness for permission. Both are children who learned early that knowledge is currency; together they mine it from unsuspecting adults with complementary finesse. In those moments, rivalry curls into camaraderie like twin snakes around one staff.

Shared Secrets

On the third night of the Frost Festival, Xara caught Xena sneaking sugared plum wine from the royal cellar; rather than tattling, she swapped the bottle for watered cordial and kept the key. In return, Xena now overlooks the faint violet glow that seeps from beneath Xara’s door when her telekinesis lessons go awry—no questions asked, no alarms raised. They bury any contraband in a hollow behind the south-garden sundial, agreeing that whoever breaks the pact must dig it up alone. Xara also guards a copy of Xena’s shadow-fund calculations, stolen from the princess’s desk and memorized before being burned; leverage, she reasons, is love wearing armor. For her part, Xena once slipped Xara a silk patch to cover the empty socket where Father’s blade took her eye, promising beauty need not bow to brutality—Xara has worn it beneath war-paint ever since. Their secrets are mismatched puzzle pieces, yet they fit because each girl refuses to snap them together for anyone else. Thus, in silence, they practice a loyalty the court cannot quantify.

History

Xarter Illian Draewynn remembers the moment he first understood that the bright-eyed girl who called herself his sister was, in truth, the sun by which his strange little world revolved. He had woken from stillborn darkness into candlelight and panic, but it was Xena—tiny, serious, already regal—who pressed a ribbon into his trembling fist and promised he would not drift back into shadows. From that day, he measured time in her footsteps: the soft pad of courtyard slippers, the deliberate tap of lesson-hall heels, the rare, reckless sprint when she thought no tutors watched. He learned early to follow at a distance, content to lurk behind pillars and tapestries, catching only the echo of her laughter and the comfort that it existed at all. When nightmares clawed at him, he imagined her voice reciting lineage tables and treaty dates, pushing the bad dreams aside like unwanted scribbles in a ledger. Court whispers insist that Xena barely notices him, but Xarter keeps a catalog of seven smiles she has given him over eight years; that ledger is the only math that ever calms his heart. In a life built from resurrected breath and corridors full of knives, Xena is the one variable he trusts never to turn against him.

Nicknames & Petnames

Xarter is too shy to coin grand titles, so he calls her Star-Sister inside his head, a name he would die rather than speak aloud. Instead, when courage flickers, he addresses her simply as “Xena,” lingering on the e the way others linger on prayers. She, perfectly polite, uses “Brother” when required, though once—after he fainted during a heraldry lecture—she knelt and whispered “Little Flame,” because even a guttering ember is still fire. Xarter keeps that phrase folded like scripture beneath the lining of his coat, tracing the words when panic swells. Servants tease Xarter with “Moth Prince,” claiming he circles any corridor where Xena’s lantern might pass, and though the jest stings, it is not entirely untrue. In his private journals, he responds by sketching moths with crowns of starlight, convinced that even insects may carry grace if they orbit the right glow. The king’s guard, unaware of these softer monikers, refer to the pair as “Ink and Quill”—Xena the poised quill, Xarter the blot of ink that follows, ready to reveal unseen shapes.

Relationship Reasoning

Xarter loves Xena because she is proof that beauty can exist without cruelty—and that kindness, when paired with steel, need not dissolve. Her presence hushes the voices he hears beneath every conversation, the unspoken hungers that cling to nobles like frost on stone. He believes that if he stays close enough, her calm will bleed into him and silence the dread for good. Protecting her is beyond his courage, so he settles for cataloging threats: noting who glances too long, who bows too shallow, who sharpens rumors like razors. Each observation he tucks away, certain a day will come when Xena reaches for an answer only he can provide. Xena, for her part, accepts his hovering the way one accepts background music—not always noticed, yet strangely missed when absent. That acceptance is the single thread keeping him from unraveling, and so he guards it with priest-like devotion.

Commonalities & Shared Interests

They share a quiet obsession with patterns: Xena traces them in diplomacy, Xarter in the flight paths of butterflies and courtiers alike. Both enjoy the hush of the royal archives—the only room where his tremors cease and her composure softens. She pores over treaties; he catalogs dead beetles between parchment leaves, each labeled in meticulous hand. When she looks up to test a clause in some ancient pact, Xarter answers with the precision of a boy who has spent a lifetime listening to words never spoken. Neither enjoys tournaments’ roar or banquet pomp; instead, stolen twilights on the battlement, charting constellations and the shifting lines of torchlit patrols, bind them. They differ in courage but agree on caution, believing that survival is an art written in margins and footnotes, not banners and cheers. In those margins they meet, two quiet scribes writing different verses of one long, cautious hymn.

Shared Secrets

One winter, Xarter confessed that he hears intentions the way others hear music—low, discordant notes beneath every greeting—and Xena, rather than recoil, pressed her forehead to his and whispered, “Then we will teach you the melody.” She keeps that confidence unbroken, intercepting physicians who would pry and priests who would brand him cursed. In return, Xarter safeguards Ledger Leaf Seven, a page she once tore from a forbidden account book; only he knows where it lies, stitched into the lining of his moth-eaten cloak. Together they buried a jar of his dead insects beneath the Heart-Oak in the Moon Court, promising that if palace intrigues turned murderous, they would dig it up and flee east. They alone know the oak’s roots glow faintly with arcane ink—proof that even secrets can bloom. Every month they visit under guise of night study, counting leaves, ensuring no one has disturbed the soil. The jar remains sealed; loyalty, likewise.

Shared Acquaintances

Instructor Velan Cray, the lancer who teaches Xarter breath-work, also tutors Xena in poised stance for court audiences, and thus becomes their unlikely bridge. Cray speaks in measured tones that soothe Xarter’s tremors and sharpen Xena’s already lethal composure. He tells Xarter that courage is not loud, it is consistent, and tells Xena that empathy can strike deeper than any blade—lessons each sibling repeats back to the other in secret drills. When palace gossip swirls, Cray directs both to the same exercise yard at dawn, knowing shared silence can weld stronger than shared words. He studies Xena’s glide and Xarter’s flinch and smiles, seeing two halves of a spell the kingdom doesn’t yet understand. Rumor claims Cray once saved the king’s life; Xarter suspects the veteran now spends that life earning interest through them. For their part, the siblings trust him like a well-balanced spear: deadly in wrong hands, priceless in right, and always pointed at the future they hope to survive.

History

From the start, Caelia and Xena shared a bond forged by that tender moment when Caelia first cradled her newborn half-sister, but their closeness has gradually eroded under palace intrigues and personal pride. In Caelia’s eyes, Xena remains someone of importance—linked by shared blood and early memories—yet she harbors a gnawing sense of betrayal, convinced Xena isn’t always honest in her reactions or loyalties. This leads Caelia to display a prickly, often mocking attitude (“Shrimp!”) that hints she cares but struggles to trust. Meanwhile, Xena sees Caelia as a more trivial figure in her life—someone she must occasionally rely on but never truly embraces. Xena’s subversive stance emerges whenever Caelia’s rebellious ways conflict with the royal code: she’ll quietly undermine Caelia’s authority or snub her advice in deference to King Xaverius, prompting fresh friction. Despite fleeting moments of genuine cooperation—particularly when family interests align—resentment simmers on both sides, preventing them from rekindling the mutual warmth of their earliest days.

Nicknames & Petnames

Caelia’s most notorious nickname for Xena is “Shrimp,” a leftover from babyhood memories that drives her younger sister to tears whenever it resurfaces. Meanwhile, palace staff, reluctant to show open disrespect, quietly refer to Caelia behind her back as “The King’s Annoyance,” nodding to her brash disregard for royal protocol. Some guardsmen, impressed by her lance work, have taken to calling her “The Young Lance” in recognition of her battlefield potential. Within the family, however, Queen Aillsa occasionally calls her “Little Spear,” recalling Caelia’s determined grip on that first child-sized weapon. Caelia herself refuses any pet names, quick to quash attempts to soften her image, though she’ll occasionally respond to teasing banter with a guarded smirk. All these epithets highlight how contradictory perceptions swirl around Caelia: simultaneously admired for her martial grit and resented for her provocative defiance.

Relationship Reasoning

Caelia views her bond with Xena through a mix of sisterly protectiveness and bruised pride, a dynamic rooted in both their shared blood and the friction of palace politics. She treasures the memory of cradling Xena when she was newborn, yet later struggles to trust what she sees as Xena’s eagerness to please King Xaverius—an allegiance that Caelia interprets as disloyal to their sibling connection. Meanwhile, Xena, though occasionally deferential, subtly undermines Caelia’s rebellious image in court and privately deems her sister’s brashness more trouble than it’s worth. Both resent the other’s perceived betrayals: Caelia balks at Xena’s readiness to side with royal authority, whereas Xena views Caelia’s unrestrained nature as a liability. Despite fleeting efforts at closeness (often sparked by necessity rather than sentiment), old wounds and differing loyalties repeatedly drive a wedge between them. Their relationship remains tethered by familial obligation but riddled with suspicion, leaving each sister guarded and quick to doubt the other’s intentions.

Commonalities & Shared Interests

Both Caelia and Xena quietly share a penchant for refined aesthetics—though it manifests differently: Xena admires regal dresses and polished protocol, while Caelia’s taste leans toward sleek, well-crafted armaments. Beneath these differences, they harbor a common fascination with Varanthia’s rich history, occasionally swapping insights about past conquests or heroic figures. They also share a keen devotion to their mother, Queen Aillsa, albeit expressed in contrasting ways—Xena through dutiful loyalty, Caelia through martial prowess. In rare moments of calm, they can bond over stories from their childhood spent on the fringes of palace life, discovering that neither fully fits the mold of pampered royalty. Where courtly pomp exasperates them both, they’ll unite in silent eye-rolls at endless etiquette sessions or superfluous ceremonies. Ultimately, while their values often clash, these subtle commonalities underscore an undercurrent of mutual understanding they seldom acknowledge.

Shared Secrets

Despite their rocky dynamic, Caelia and Xena once conspired to cover up a midnight escapade gone awry, sealing an unspoken pact of discretion. In their early teens, they slipped out of the palace to watch a traveling gladiator troupe perform in a hidden courtyard—an outing strictly forbidden by both Aillsa and King Xaverius. When a guard stumbled upon the scene, they hid together in a supply cart, narrowly escaping detection. Though they parted with little more than a nod of mutual relief, that brush with danger became their unmentioned bond: they swore never to tattle on each other. Even now, in moments of sharp discord, each knows the other still holds that secret. The memory is a quiet testament that, beneath the bickering, they can keep each other’s confidences when it truly matters.

History

Solenne and Xena first crossed paths five years ago at a large-scale forging exhibition where various noble families displayed their metalwork. Xena’s calm, unassuming presence somehow drew the crowd’s admiration without her having to do much, while Solenne practically shouted her triumphs from the rooftops. Enraged that her carefully choreographed demos received less attention, Solenne marked Xena as a rival on the spot. Even then, Xena seemed barely aware of the contest declared, politely commenting on Solenne’s creations yet never engaging her bristling hostility. That one-sided challenge planted the seeds of a stubborn feud that Solenne refused to let wither. Onlookers couldn’t help but notice how Solenne’s glare followed Xena wherever she went.   In the months that followed, every major event or festival became a stage for Solenne’s attempts to one-up Xena. Sometimes she challenged Xena to small duels, sometimes she unveiled a flashy new forging technique “guaranteed” to surpass anything Xena supported. Much to Solenne’s frustration, Xena frequently garnered praise for her subtlety and the practical strength of her projects. Whenever Xena triumphed—often by complete accident—Solenne stormed off, convinced the outcome was unfair or rigged by the audience’s bias. Nevertheless, she never gave up, returning at the next gathering with louder boasts, shinier armor, and an ever more dramatic flair. Each failure only fed her desire to prove she wasn’t simply second best.   Over the years, their encounters almost came to define certain social circles. Courtiers learned that wherever Xena silently excelled, Solenne would soon appear to loudly claim a rematch. Interestingly, Xena remained polite but distant, neither dismissing Solenne nor acknowledging her as a true threat. This constant mismatch of energy fueled Solenne’s agitation; each time she expected a high-stakes clash, she got a fleeting nod from Xena instead. Some witnessed comedic moments, like Solenne’s forging demonstration backfiring into a localized explosion while Xena quietly averted further disaster, making Solenne’s efforts look reckless. Despite the embarrassment, Solenne only deepened her commitment to beating Xena next time.   Little has changed in their relationship dynamics—even after five years of thwarted rivalries, Solenne persists in her crusade to overshadow Xena. Publicly, she declares her forging and martial abilities destined to eclipse every one of Xena’s “lucky breaks.” Privately, she chafes at how Xena never seems flustered by her aggressive challenges. Whenever the two cross paths, bystanders tense up, waiting for Solenne’s grand announcement of a new plan to finally claim victory. Yet time and again, Xena’s calm efficiency undercuts Solenne’s thunder, leaving the self-appointed rival to fume in frustration. It’s a cycle of lopsided competition that shows no sign of stopping, as Solenne stubbornly believes the next challenge is sure to be her triumph.

Nicknames & Petnames

Among courtiers, Solenne’s flamboyant forging demos and fiery outbursts have earned her a handful of nicknames—“The Flaming Feather,” “Featherhead,” and “Heiress Showstopper” among them—all reflecting a mixture of amusement and sarcasm. She alternates between hating these monikers and flaunting them to assert her uniqueness, insisting any nickname proves she’s memorable. Ironically, Xena remains largely indifferent, never coining a pet name for Solenne or even bothering to use the ones others created, leaving Solenne’s self-proclaimed rivalries entirely one-sided in terms of attention.

Relationship Reasoning

Solenne’s fixation on Xena stems from a seething mix of envy and indignation—time after time, Xena effortlessly garners favor and triumphs without the bombast Solenne deems necessary. As Solenne sees it, someone who can “win” without announcing every move must be outdone at all costs, even if Xena herself appears indifferent to the contest. Meanwhile, Xena views Solenne’s ceaseless challenges more as a nuisance than a genuine threat, leaving Solenne bristling at the thought that her greatest rival barely acknowledges her. This lopsided dynamic keeps Solenne constantly plotting another grand spectacle to gain Xena’s recognition, but only stokes her frustration when Xena quietly prevails yet again.

Commonalities & Shared Interests

Despite their constant friction, Solenne and Xena share a surprising appreciation for finely made weaponry—both love seeing clever craftsmanship, even if Solenne uses it to show off and Xena admires it with understated respect. They’ve also been known to enjoy the occasional strategy game, albeit for entirely different reasons: Solenne seeks the thrill of boasting, while Xena appreciates the quiet mental challenge. Oddly enough, both can be found reading up on lore or history in rare, unguarded moments—Solenne hunts for the next big forging revelation, and Xena gleans context for Varanthian culture. When tasked with resolving a local danger, each has proven they care about protecting bystanders, even if Solenne’s motive is partially to earn praise. Lastly, they each display a certain poise in public events—Solenne craves center stage, Xena navigates gracefully, but both end up shining in their own way.

Shared Secrets

Their only real shared secret arose when a minor magical mishap forced them to collaborate unexpectedly: Solenne triggered a forging enchantment that threatened to collapse part of a market stall, and Xena stepped in to stabilize the structure without embarrassing her further. They never openly spoke about it, but both quickly left the scene, knowing it could’ve been a public scandal for Solenne if word spread. That brief mutual cover-up remains unmentioned yet lingers in their minds—a fleeting moment of cooperation. While Solenne won’t admit gratitude, she’s vaguely aware Xena saved her from harsher ridicule, and Xena prefers not to publicize her assistance, unwilling to stoke Solenne’s wounded pride.

Shared Acquaintances

A seasoned blacksmith named Olivan Tarvos counts both girls among his protégés, albeit on very different terms. He’s worked with Xena to refine her sword technique in tandem with forging basics—admiring her calm focus—and occasionally tolerates Solenne’s impetuous demands to experiment with flashier methods. Tactful yet direct, Olivan navigates between them without choosing sides, offering honest critiques while politely deflecting Solenne’s more outlandish ideas. Both Xena and Solenne respect Olivan’s skill, which spares him from Solenne’s usual scorn or Xena’s detached politeness. He’s one of the few who sees the real potential behind their rivalry, sensing they push each other—if only Solenne’s pride would let her see that benefit, too.

History

Xena was born too early, too small, too soft—and yet she survived. That alone earned Aillsa’s respect. In the beginning, Aillsa didn’t know what to do with her: here was a child with no thirst for steel, no joy in training, and yet a will as steady as mountain stone. Over time, Aillsa saw that Xena's strength wasn't forged in muscle, but in poise—she could command a room with her eyes, deflect a threat with a phrase. So Aillsa adjusted. She taught her daughter how to stand tall, how to speak with weight, how to listen like a commander. Where Caelia is a spear, Xena is a snare—and both, Aillsa believes, are essential to securing their family's future.

Nicknames & Petnames

Aillsa calls her “Little Command” when they are alone—a term of endearment that doubles as a reminder of her expectations. In the presence of others, she refers to her formally: “my daughter,” said with a warrior’s pride. She will never call her soft names, never reduce her to a doll or darling, because to do so would be to deny the sharp mind Aillsa sees behind those bright eyes. Once, after a successful negotiation, Aillsa called her “Steel-Voice,” and Xena beamed like she’d been knighted. That smile lingered with Aillsa for weeks.

Relationship Reasoning

Aillsa does not need another version of herself—she already has Caelia for that. What she needs is someone who can walk into a court full of knives and make allies out of threats. Xena is that child. She can play the political games Aillsa despises, speak with honey where Aillsa would bark, and maneuver through lies without ever breaking stride. Aillsa trains her in different ways: not with sparring, but with questions, scenarios, and moments that test her daughter's insight. She doesn’t always understand Xena’s choices, but she respects them—because the girl never chooses weakness. Not truly.

Commonalities & Shared Interests

They both value structure, precision, and control—just in different arenas. Aillsa finds it in formations and battlefield command; Xena finds it in diplomacy, etiquette, and social leverage. Both loathe waste—of time, of motion, of potential. They walk through the palace like tacticians, each appraising their domain. While they rarely share hobbies, Aillsa secretly enjoys listening to Xena recite court poetry or political verse; she says nothing during the readings, but stays longer than necessary. And both believe in loyalty—not just to family, but to purpose. That bond ties them tightly, even when silence fills the space between them.

Shared Secrets

Aillsa once showed Xena an execution order before it was carried out—a signature moment in trust. It was a noblewoman who had betrayed the court, but Aillsa wanted Xena to read the charges, to understand the weight of judgment. She asked her daughter: "Would you let her live?" Xena said no. That moment changed everything. Since then, Aillsa has occasionally slipped her red-sealed reports, letting her daughter glimpse the ugly machinery behind Varanthian elegance. Xena doesn’t flinch. And so, Aillsa trusts her more than anyone realizes.

Shared Acquaintances

Lady Veyra Thorne, Xena’s etiquette mentor and former court tactician, is the one woman Aillsa allows near her daughter without suspicion. Veyra once led negotiations during the Abyssalith siege and now trains Xena with equal rigor. Aillsa watches their sessions from the gallery—unnoticed, uninvited, but ever-present. She trusts Veyra to temper Xena’s courtly instincts with a warrior’s mind, to keep her sharp in silk as well as steel. The queen has told Veyra only once: "If my daughter dies from words she wasn’t taught to dodge, I’ll hold you responsible." Veyra understood. So did Xena.

History

Xena Eilline Draewynn was born too early, too small, and too soft—but she lived, and in that quiet defiance, King Xaverius saw something precious. He named her “Doll,” but not in mockery; it was a private term, offered rarely and only in the moments between war councils, where she sat still and listened like a courtier born of silence. Where others were forged with blood and fire, Xena was cultivated—placed in rooms full of scrolls and ledgers, surrounded by archivists, tacticians, and whispering priests. Her father didn’t teach her to kill; he taught her how to outlast. Their bond was never loud, never dramatic, but it endured like the weight of a sword worn too long to notice. She learned early that affection from the king was measured in access, not embrace—and so she measured her own worth in how many secrets he let her carry. In a court built on blood, Xena was the only child trusted to carry the ink.

Nicknames & Petnames

King Xaverius calls her Doll, a word that might sound delicate in other mouths but from him means porcelain—fragile, beautiful, dangerous if cracked. In public, she addresses him as Father-King, the title neatly separating love from loyalty; in private, she sometimes reverts to Papa, spoken only in whispers when the room is empty. The name is hers alone—none of her siblings would dare it, and none would be indulged for trying.

Relationship Reasoning

Xena does not love her father blindly; she loves him with purpose. She sees him as the map of Varanthia itself—layered, brutal, brilliant—and if she can just learn enough, maybe one day she’ll rule without shaking. For her, his praise is gospel; one nod from him is worth a thousand cheers from the court. Xaverius, meanwhile, does not believe in sentiment—but he believes in utility, and Xena has proven herself quietly indispensable. She is the diplomat Aillsa never wanted, the daughter who can smile while bleeding out truth. If Varanthia is to survive beyond the blade, it will need a voice like Xena’s to whisper between wars. And for that, the king protects her more fiercely than he admits—even to himself.

Commonalities & Shared Interests

Father and daughter are strategists of differing tempos—he a hammer, she a scalpel—but they play the same game. They often spend dusk hours hunched over sand tables or dissecting the language of treaties no one else reads. Neither has patience for fluff or nobles who mistake volume for value. When others feast, they confer in low tones beside quiet hearths, weighing troop placements against tax ledgers. She adores his precision; he respects her restraint. Both keep their hearts hidden behind their eyes, and both find comfort in the sound of ink scratching onto parchment. If love exists in Xaverius, it looks like the quiet hand he lays on her shoulder when the reports are grim—and the way she never flinches.

Shared Secrets

Xena alone holds the key to the Ledger of Shadow Funds, a treasury annex so deeply buried even the court treasurer pretends it doesn’t exist. She balances those numbers in silence, never asking why; he never explains. They also share a more delicate thread—Xena’s whispered devotion to Sparrow, the trickster god of the veiled. Xaverius knows. He’s never mentioned it. But he watches her a little more closely when luck seems to favor her. In her prayers, she asks Sparrow to keep her father alive. In his silences, Xaverius calculates how that faith might one day tilt a throne.

Shared Acquaintances

Archivist Selden Rhys bridges them like a crumbling tower still bearing weight. To Xena, he is mentor and mirror—sharp of mind and blunt of mouth. To Xaverius, Selden is a ledger in human form, useful because he remembers everything and forgets nothing. When father and daughter cannot speak plainly, Selden speaks for them. He taught Xena how to translate troop movements into tax predictions, and taught the king to listen when his daughter said nothing at all. Neither fully trusts him. Both rely on him anyway.

History

Prince Xanzir Fulbert Cross has always observed Princess Xena Eilline Draewynn from a measured distance, viewing her as an enigma whose every move carries layers of quiet strategy beneath a porcelain facade. From the moment Xena first stood in court, Xanzir saw not just a younger sibling, but a careful player—someone quietly maneuvering amid the shifting tides of royal politics. Unlike his other siblings, who openly flaunted strength or brutality, Xena intrigued Xanzir because her strength lay in subtlety and intellect rather than overt force. Though never openly affectionate, Xanzir found himself quietly protective of her—not out of warmth, but out of respect for the careful way she navigated the Draewynn household. Over the years, he observed her interactions closely, noting how she deftly sidestepped confrontations, her delicate appearance masking an ironclad resolve. His quiet guardianship, never openly acknowledged or sought, became a personal duty he accepted without question, one shaped by recognition of her unspoken strength rather than familial sentiment.

Nicknames & Petnames

Xanzir never adopted soft nicknames or affectionate terms for Xena, preferring instead to simply call her "Xena," a name spoken plainly but respectfully. In rare moments of private contemplation, he thought of her as "the Porcelain Strategist," recognizing how her gentle exterior concealed a mind honed by the Draewynn court’s cold precision. He used this name only to himself, acknowledging her subtle influence without ever uttering it aloud. Publicly, he maintained respectful formality, never allowing others to suspect the depth of his silent observations or the underlying esteem he quietly afforded her.

Relationship Reasoning

Xanzir’s reasoning behind his watchful guardianship of Xena was rooted in cautious admiration rather than overt affection. He saw clearly the value of her quiet diplomacy, understanding that she balanced the violent impulses of their siblings with thoughtful restraint—an essential counterweight in the turbulent Draewynn court. Though his loyalty was not sentimental, it ran deep, born from the realization that Xena's survival and success subtly reinforced stability within their precarious household. Protecting her thus became less an emotional choice and more a calculated measure to preserve one of the few truly strategic thinkers among his siblings. In Xanzir’s eyes, Xena’s value lay precisely in her quiet strength, an asset he deemed crucial to maintaining a fragile balance in their chaotic family.

Commonalities & Shared Interests

Both Xanzir and Xena shared a deep, unspoken commitment to strategy and subtle manipulation over brute force. They each navigated the royal court with quiet intention, recognizing strength in subtlety, precision, and careful diplomacy. Though they rarely collaborated openly, Xanzir respected how meticulously Xena approached her duties, noting the careful planning behind each of her actions. Their shared interest lay in the subtle arts of observation and influence—both preferred careful consideration over rash action, valuing stability and security above fleeting triumphs. In their rare interactions, typically silent nods or brief exchanges of information, Xanzir glimpsed a quiet reflection of himself—a cautious player forced to carefully navigate a perilous game.