THE ETERNAL PRINCESS

DRAMATIS PERSONAE   Elvira's Line:

• Annira, Queen of Onderon, Aedin's twin [half-blood]
• Aedin, Prince Royal of Onderon, Lord Regent, Annira's twin [half-blood]
• Talin Tykrana, House of Goral, High Prince of Onderon [Onderian]
• Aera, Princess of the Second Rank, disputed Heir to the Throne (Elvira's line) [quarter-blood, human dominant]
• Tallus Tykrana, House of Goral, Captain of the Praetorian Guards [Onderian]
• Tarin, Prince of Onderon [quarter-blood, Onderian dominant]
• Ywain, Prince of Onderon [quarter-blood, Onderian dominant]
• Vice-Chancellor Emilyn Tylena of the Grand Chamber, Archon of the Greater House of Tylena [Onderian]
• Lady Etta Nan Wei, House of Kallys, Commander General of the Eastern Samara Army [Onderian]

Ilana's Line:

• Eleny, Princess of the First Rank, disputed Heir to the Throne (Ilana's line) [Onderian]
• Leonys, Prince of Onderon, Eleny's son [Onderian]
• Chancellor Danae Volsca of the Grand Chamber, Archon of the Greater House of Volsca [Onderian]
• Lord Hektor Belleron, House of Vasilus, Commander General of the Western Elva Army [Onderian]
• Elder Livia Balasich, Archon of the Greater House of Balasich, Emeritus Chancellor of the Grand Chamber [Onderian]
• Kai'leen, Great Mother of Herne, Native Representative to the Chamber [Ney'shi]

Other:

• Chief State Councilor Tacitus, Head of the Grand Secretariat [Onderian]
• Shadow Master, Head of the Shadow Legion [Onderian]
• Director-General of the Royal Investigation Bureau [half-blood]
• Yela Yuvin, Grand Prince of Yeling [Mar'Kaa]
• Lian Yujin, Emperor of Da'Lyan [Mar'Kaa]
• Saagen Rylandar, King of the Humans [half-blood]
• Kayra Astier, Chief Advisor to the King [Human]
• Clan Prince Mir Stryver of Nordea, Regent [Human]

  Against the advice of many, Annira, Queen of Onderon, chose to recognize the claim of Eleny as a Princess of the First Rank, a descendant of Ilana, whose throne was stolen by Elvira, Annira's grandmother. Eleny and her son, Leonys, were presented to the Court and the Chamber by then Vice-Chancellor Danae Volsca and later patronized by the newly remade Lord Hektor Belleron, Commander General of the Elva Army, Kai'leen, the Greater Mother of Herne, and perhaps most surprisingly, the incumbent Chancellor of the Grand Chamber, Archon Balasich. However, Annira's recognition of Eleny's claim was made based on a condition - that the claim of Aera would be carefully considered alongside Eleny's in the debate of who is the rightful Heir to the Throne.   PROLOGUE   Elvira, Princess of the Second Rank, and her bosom friend and supporter, Martia Nerus, House of Enyallus, then Vice-General of the Northern Silva Army ambush Ilana, Heir to the Throne (the only daughter of Maeve the Peacemaker, Queen of Onderon) and her newborn son. Unbeknownst to them, Ilana is accompanied by her childhood friend, Archon Balasich and his newborn son.   In the resulting ambush, Ilana, her son, Archon Balasich, and their guards are presumably killed. Only the Balasich heir is "rescued" in time by Elvira and Martia (remember, they plotted to put the blame on the Mar'Kaa) and returned to his Greater House. However, we later see that Ilana's newborn son was actually not dead - he is later rescued by a kind metalworker husband and wife who had lost their child to the Sleeping Sickness. They named him Vitus. It is Vitus' only granddaughter, Eleny, who is found by Danae Volsca. Believing herself to be far superior to her unambitious and "alarmingly normal" brothers and cousins, Eleny is convinced to stake her rightful claim to the Onderian Throne.   A DAGGER AND A FIST   We are introduced to Annira, Queen of Onderon, who is furiously arguing with Chief State Councilor Tacitus, Head of the Grand Secretariat. He blames her for the current issue with succession, as well as for the general bipartisan state of the government. She never should have agreed to recognize the claim of Eleny. She also should have told the truth about who was responsible for current ill health - Kai'leen, the Great Mother of Herne who now not only lobbies for Eleny but is also supported by Chancellor Volsca to be the Herne Representative to the Grand Chamber. Annira insists on protecting Kai'leen - she feels she owes her and the Ney'shi too much for what happened during the Last War with the Mar'Kaa. Although Annira has spent her entire life fighting for peace between the Onderians and Mar'Kaa, she does not want the price to be the relationship between the Onderians and the Natives of Herne. Tacitus warns Annira that the Ney'shi have rapidly militarized in the past decade, most likely through the help of Lord Hektor Belleron, House of Vasilus, the Commander General of the Western Elva Army - another Eleny supporter. Annira reminds Tacitus that Hektor Belleron knows gratitude - he will eventually remember that it was she who reinstated him to the position, despite the (rightful) furor from the Mar'Kaa. Tacitus scoffs, "Hah! Yet another regretful mistake! Everyone knows Hektor Belleron is the Chancellor's right-hand." Annira asks Tacitus if he will truly remain neutral on the succession issue - Tacitus replies that he is loyal first to the people of Onderon - the stability of the kingdom is paramount, not who gets to rule.   On the other side of the palace, the Shadow Master (head of the Shadow Legion, also known as the Queen's dagger) and the Director-General of the Royal Investigation Bureau (aka the Bureau, also known as the Queen's fist) observe yet another annual scholarly debate over who should inherit the Throne after Annira's death, which most suspect to be impending. On the Elvira lineage side, we see scholars argue for Aera, Princess of the Second Rank and on the Ilana lineage side, we see scholars argue for Eleny. This hearing is being overseen by Aedin, the Prince Royal and Lord Regent of Onderon. Eleny, Princess of the First Rank, points out that Aedin is Aera's father and should not be presiding over this debate.   Through the conversations of the Shadow Master and the Bureau DG, we learn of Aera's and Eleny's merits and demerits as claimants to the Onderian Throne. Aera is severely disadvantaged due to 1) her quarter-blood status - she is 3/4 human and 1/4 Onderian and 2) the fact that even at the age of fourteen, she has not yet displayed any inclination towards an ability, whereas both Eleny and her son, Leonys, as well as all other members of Eleny's family descended from Vitus (they are not present in Aurain) have recorded abilities - Eleny is an illusionist while Leonys is a sun-based light-bringer. However, where Aera precedes Eleny is that her birth is certain and most illustrious - she is, after all, the blood of the Children and has been raised her entire life in the palace setting. Eleny, on the other hand, has lived a different sort of life, though her side claims that the past decade in Aurain has adequately prepared her for rulership.   The Shadow Master asks the Bureau DG if Eleny's claim really is as strong as the Ilana line makes it out to be. The Bureau DG laments that it is the truth - after all, it was the Bureau (led by himself) that investigated the claim and found it to be likely. Of course, it is not 100% and between Eleny and Ilana, there are two males whereas between Aera and Elvira, there are one female and a male (a stronger claim). The Bureau DG asserts that he is on the side of Aera and the current Queen for he is of mixed blood like they are, and he believes Eleny will simply be a puppet of the Chancellor's. The Shadow Master is a lot more circumspect about his allegiances. He laments that at the end of the day, it will be people like him and the DG who suffer the most, being pulled to two different directions. The former Queen, Adeline, would never have allowed this to happen were she still alive.   Prince Leonys grew up with Tarin, Aera, Ywain, and twins, Arik and Aren. He is fond of them despite his mother's warning and discouragements to not spend time with them or grow too attached to them. Leonys is especially envious of the cousins' close bond given that he and his mother are seen as outcasts by their family, who chose to stay behind in their village town instead of accompanying Eleny to Aurain. Like Leonys (a light-bringer who can temporarily absorb the glare of the sun into his palms), Tarin is also an elementalist - he is able to cause tremors with a tap of his staff. Ywain has the gift of hyper-sight (his eyes can see far and wide). Only Aera has shown no abilities, preferring to spend her time reading in the shadows.   Leonys manages to have a conversation with Aera where they discuss the issue of the throne. Aera reveals that she only seeks the throne because it will make her human mother's sacrifice worth it. Her mother abandoned her (aka sent her to live with Aedin) after childbirth and Aera hasn't really forgiven her for this. She wants the throne to show up her mother - that this achievement of the Throne was only possible because she did not live as her mother's daughter (in Ryland). As for Leonys, he is also not interested in ruling - he only supports his mother because he doesn't want her to be alone. She has always been heartbroken by how his father left her when Leonys was still young and now even her own family isn't inclined to support her. Eleny only has Leonys to depend on. It is later discovered (through the Shadow Master and his shadow legionnaires) that Leonys has a male lover. If his mother becomes Queen and he becomes the Prince Royal, he will absolutely have to marry to produce a female heir which he is not inclined to do so. Therefore, Leonys is supporting his mother ver halfheartedly.   In the midst of this succession crisis, another disaster occurs. The High Lady Ephedra Corvus, House of Ga'as, the Supreme Commander of the Onderian Royal Armed Forces has died. The Elvira and Ilana alliances scramble to put forth their own candidates to replace her, with the former offering up Lady Etta Nan Wei, House of Kallys, the Commander General of the most powerful and experienced Eastern Samara Army while the latter offers by Lord Hektor Belleron, House of Vasilus, the Commander General of the Western Elva Army.   Chancellor Volsca meets up with Eleny, Leonys, Hektor, and Kai'leen. She expresses her worry about Etta becoming SC - the Samara Army is mostly composed of soldiers either hailing from the House of Tylena (an obviously ardent Elvira lineage backer) or soldiers who were trained by those hailing from the House of Tylena, such as Lady Etta, a direct mentee of the deceased High Lord Arik Caelian, House of Tylena. In addition, the Commander General of the Southern Meikha Army is not only bosom friends with Lady Etta (and thus will probably support her claim) but also a direct mentee to the High Lord Caelian. Hektor and Kai'leen think they can get the CG of the Northern Silva Army on their side. What about the Aerial Legion? TBD but Chancellor Volsca is optimistic given that many of the higher-ranking officers investigated in the Last War with the Mar'Kaa (due to Cassander's corruption) might still hold grudges against Adeline and her blood.   From this meeting, we are able to observe and understand the dynamics of the members. Eleny is brusque and a little absurd and is obviously controlled by Chancellor Volsca. Chancellor Volsca and Kai'leen are united in their hatred of the Mar'Kaa - the first thing they want to do after Eleny is crowned Queen is to rip up the peace treaty with Reborn Da'Lyan and wage war. Hektor and Leonys are the most reluctant members of this crew. Day by day, as the stalemate in government and court progressively becomes worse, Hektor starts to regret his actions, especially his decision to side with Chancellor Volsca and abide by her commands. He wonders often if Elder Luka would disapprove of his decisions thus far but also feels that he is in too deep to turn back. He is also confused as to why the Queen reinstated him a decade ago so easily.   There is, of course, the dangers of the Da'Lyan Empire and the Rylandar kingdom to Eleny's claim. The King of the Humans is the full-blooded sibling of the current Queen Annira. It would obviously benefit him most to have Aera sit on the Throne instead of Eleny, not to mention that Aera's birth mother is his right-hand woman. Over in Das'Vengar, the much esteemed Grand Prince of Yeling, an adopted son of Adeline and thus foster brother to Annira and Aedin, is the Emperor's most trusted advisor and beloved brother. And of course, the Commander of the fearsome Puyang Army is none other than Annira's bosom friend - he is, after all, also the godfather of Prince Ywain. Chancellor Volsca worries that if the scholars decide to place Eleny on the throne, the Mar'Kaa and Human armies would not sit still.   Chancellor Volsca comes up with a scheme to strong-arm Annira into basically promising not to call for help from the Mar'Kaa or the Humans if a succession decision that she does not like (aka Eleny gets it) is made. Annira promises she will not seek help from "outsiders". From the shadows, the Shadow Master's disappointment in Annira's handling of the situation deepens - he feels she is clearly out of her depth. When she fails to recruit Tacitus to their side (Tacitus stubbornly insists on remaining neutral), Chancellor Volsca seeks the help of Emeritus Chancellor Livia Balasich, Archon of the House of Balasich. Livia Balasich is a good candidate to act against Elvira's lineage for two reasons: 1) Annira had previously shot down Livia's attempt to extend the term limit of Chancellor 2) it was, after all, Elvira and Martia Nerus who killed Livia's grandfather, the Archon Balasich who was accompanying Ilana in the carriage on the day of the ambush (Livia is the first-born of the Balasich heir who was brought back by Elvira and Martia Nerus to her house).   A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS   Annira meets with the Shadow Master. She is quite frank with him and tells him that she knows that he doesn't think very highly of her, at least not in comparison to her mother. She acknowledges that she lacks Adeline's ruthless, calculating edge but she does not regret it. Annira asks the Shadow Master what it will take to get him on her side - what it will take for him to reveal all that he knows to her, for she is certain he knows more than he's letting on. The Shadow Master wants to know if Annira was being serious about her promise not to call from help from her brothers in Ryland and Da'Lyan. He states that if it was Adeline, she would promise one thing but would pivot when necessary (aka she wouldn't hold onto a promise that would not benefit her). He points out that this entire succession crisis is entirely and easily solvable/decidable had Annira not made it overcomplicated. No matter how cunning Chancellor Volsca is or how rightful Eleny's claim may be, there is no match for the brute force and number of the Human and Mar'Kaa armies. All Annira needs to do is break her promise and ask for help. We do not see the rest of their conversation.   Annira greatly surprises Hektor when she comes to visit him directly. He becomes angry when his subordinates do not treat her with the respect she deserves - he tells them that she is the Queen, no matter who is to succeed her. Annira uses this opportunity to have a "heart-to-heart" conversation with Hektor, asking him directly why he still insists on the path despite obviously having doubts about it. Does he really still hold a grudge against the Mar'Kaa for the death of Elder Luka? Has his death not already been avenged? Annira reminds Hektor that if not for her mother Adeline, Raedin would have killed Hektor for what he did. Hektor explains the reasoning behind his allegiance (will elaborate later). He asks Annira why she reinstated him when she knew what he was up to. Annira reveals that it was the dying wish of Arik Caelian who had always felt guilty for Luka's death. It was Arik who convinced Adeline to spare Hektor's life and to simply dishonorably discharge him from the military (instead of imprisoning him for life). It was also Arik who convinced Annira to give Hektor a second chance by reinstating him. Lest not Hektor forget, Elder Luka was also Arik's mentor - perhaps Arik felt that he was doing Luka favor by laying a path of return for Hektor. With that, Annira leaves Hektor in deep thoughts.   Next, Annira visits Kai'leen and tries to convince her and the Ney'shi to stand down. Kai'leen still hates that Annira chose the Mar'Kaa over the natives of Herne, despite what Annira promised to do all those years ago on the Isle of Mokoa. Kai'leen asks if Annira does not hate her for the kidnapping - after all, Annira is in this condition because of that event. Annira thinks of her failing health as penance for the betrayal she delivered to Kai'leen, and for abandoning the natives (or at the very least, prioritizing peace with the Mar'Kaa over all else). Kai'leen hates how Annira tries to play the good guy until the end.   Lastly, Annira meets with Emeritus Chancellor Livia Balasich, who is also the Archon of the Greater House of Balasich still despite many in her family pressuring her to hand off the title to her son due to her advanced age. Livia is really annoyed that she was forced out of the Chamber and is now being forced out of her own House before she was ready to leave both. Annira reminds her that her term limits as Chancellor were up and that's why she had to leave. Livia asks her why Annira didn't allow the bill to extend Chancellor term limits, wondering if Annira was worried that she (Livia) was too domineering and power-hungry. Annira replies that she knows Livia cares for the people of Onderon as well as the peace and stability of the kingdom. She believes that Livia wanted to hold onto power because she was worried that there wouldn't be an adequate replacement for her. After all, many Heir Apparents to the Archons were killed in the war with the Mar'Kaa. At the end of the war, the Archons had to replace their long-designed Heir Apparents and the replacements were not very good. Livia, herself, lost her eldest daughter and Heir Apparent in the war and does not believe that her son is worthy of the Heir Apparent title. Livia is vaguely confused - if Annira understands all this, then why did Annira block the bill to extend the Chancellorship? Annira explains that her fear is Livia making herself irreplaceable unintentionally. The longer Livia holds onto power, the less responsibility her contemporaries or her juniors will have. Good for the short term reconstruction period perhaps, but bad for long term. She understands that the current Heir Apparents were not "trained" to the degree that the deceased Heir Apparents were but she believes they need to have the opportunities to prove themselves. Although Livia understands where Annira is coming from, she reveals that Chancellor Volsca has promised to reinstate Livia as Chancellor while Danae Volsca would move into Tacitus's Chief State Councilor position. What can Annira promise her? We don't see Annira's reply.   From these scenes, we are to wonder which one of these four conversations will turn the tide in Annira's favor. The Shadow Master, Hektor, Kai'leen, and the Emeritus Chancellor - which of these individuals holds the key to the Kastus Throne?   BLOOD OF MY BLOOD   A Court of Thorns   Over in the Imperial Court of Das'Vengar, the capitol of the Da'Lyan Empire, there is a raging debate over whether the Mar'Kaa should "interfere" in the succession crisis of Aurain. Of course, Yela Yuvin, the Grand Prince of Yeling who is also the Prince Honorarius of Onderon and the adopted brother of the current Queen Annira, argues fiercely for Mar'Kaa support of the Elvira claim. If Eleny were to inherit the throne, she would be but a puppet of Chancellor Volsca and Kai'leen, the Great Mother of Herne, both of whom desperately seek to reignite the flames of war between the Onderians and the Mar'Kaa. However, there are many court officials who have no desire to interfere in the affairs of another sovereign nation. Furthermore, the Queen of Onderon recently announced that the succession crisis is an internal affair - a signal that she will not be asking for external help from her brothers in Ryland or Das'Vengar. The Mar'Kaa armies cannot enter Onderian territory without the direct permission from its ruler. In other words, if Annira does not ask them for help officially, the Da'Lyan armies cannot make a move without risking war and breaking the peace treaty. The Emperor, though sad to disappoint his brother, agrees that they should not provide military support if the Onderian Queen does not ask for it.   Later on, Yuvin and the Emperor have a private chat about the Onderian succession crisis. They know that Onderian agents loyal to the Ilana claim have been (not so secretly) lobbying Mar'Kaa court officials to argue for non-interference. Both do not believe Chancellor Volsca's claims of not desiring war - even if she does not attack Da'Lyan outright, she might put in place policies (aka tax over trading) to force Da'Lyan to break the peace treaty to save their economy - this would give the Onderians excuse to restart the war. However, the Emperor is adamant that they can't send help if Annira doesn't ask for it.   Viper's Nest   In Ryland City, the capitol of the Human Kingdom, the same debate is being waged between the government officials. The difference? The king is absent from the Continent. Saagen and his escort army have been on a year-long campaign on Istar fighting to liberate cities that have fallen under the rule of the Pirate King XX. Unfortunately, Saagen has gone missing on Istar - his whereabouts are unknown. He and the small force he was leading were ambushed by the Pirate King and now, the court has no idea where he is, whether he's alive or dead or captured by the Pirate King. In his stead, Clan Prince Mir Stryver of Nordea rules as Regent in Ryland City. Saagen's MIA status opens up old wounds in court - he is unmarried and fatherless - if he was actually dead, who would inherit the Human Throne?   The obvious answer is, of course, his older brother, Aedin, the Prince Royal and Lord Regent of Onderon. Half of the court wants to summon Aedin while the other half thinks that's really stupid given that Aedin is himself mired in a succession conflict in Onderon over his daughter's claim. The uncertainty over Saagen's condition leads to fighting between the Principalities. Kayra Astier, the Chief Advisor to the King, who is the birth mother of Aera, wants to send the remainder of the Human armies to Onderon. She argues that it is what Saagen would want, if he were conscious. However, her identity as the unmarried birth mother of Aera (the worst kept secret) causes only scorn and derision to be thrown at her, given the rigid nature of human society. Many think that Saagen made her Chief Advisor to appease his brother. Mir defends her as best as he can but thinks that they cannot afford to send the Human army to Onderon for the army is busy breaking up conflicts and skirmishes between the Principalities. He thinks the solution to their problem is to find the missing Saagen!   The Viper Queen is the leader of the Human Intelligence Forces. She believes that her Onderian counterpart, the Shadow Master of the Shadow Legion, has some ideas about where Saagen is and is only refusing to give her this information because he fears that should Saagen be found and returned, Saagen would immediately come to the aid of his siblings in Aurain.   Annira sends the Eastern Samara Army to help Mir keep peace and order in the human lands while the Aerial Legion goes off to find Saagen on Istar. This means that the Southern Meikha Army is responsible for guarding the twin cities AND Pylos.   EYE OF THE STORM   Annira falls into a coma. The scholars are given a month deadline to figure shit out. Week after week, scholars and officials furiously debate the merits and demerits of each claimant as government offices stand still and paralyzed. To maintain impartiality, all military and security forces, which include the field armies, InSec, the Shadow Legion and other special interest groups, are forbidden from aligning with either side. Tacitus, the only remaining high-enough ranking official who is "neutral" in the succession debate, is given temporary authority and control over the military and security forces - a most rare instance of a non-Royal holding such power.   Unbeknownst to the Elvira lineage, Chancellor Volsca manages to get some blackmail material on Tacitus and strong-arms him into siding with her and the Ilana lineage. As he holds the temporary authority over the military forces, he is able to legally order the Field Armies, as well as the Aerial Legion (in the end, they chose to remain loyal to Annira) in Pylos, to stay in place while moving the combined Elva-Ney'shi force to Aurain.   In desperate straits with Annira still unconscious, the High Prince and the Prince Royal command the Director-General of the Royal Investigation Bureau, the only offensive party that still remains loyal to the Throne (the security arm of the Onderian Guard is a purely defensive force and the Shadow Master's allegiances remain unknown), to ask Yuvin and Saagen for help. Unbeknownst to the pair (and literally everyone else), the Bureau DG is the former lover of Eleny and thus the father of Leonys. He left Eleny all those years ago due to his ambitions - he thought staying with Eleny and their son would not advance his career. Leonys is really upset when he finds out and tries to convince his mother not to trust his father but Eleny, who still has feelings for the Bureau DG, convinces the Bureau DG to side with her. In return, he would be the High Prince - there is no higher status for an Onderian man. This is the only reason the ambitious DG is helping Eleny. The Bureau DG makes sure the official asks for help do not reach Das'Vengar or Ryland City.   HEIR TO THE THRONE   The Western Elva Field army, led by Hektor, and the Ney'shi Army, led by Kai'leen head for Aurain. They are accompanied by Eleny and Leonys. In Trykan, the Grand Chamber meets to discuss the current power grab by Eleny - they think it is "illegal". However, Chancellor Volsca, aided by Archon Balasich, essentially takes the Archons hostage, forbidding them from leaving the Chamber for their "safety". The Southern Meikha Army is informed too late (due to Tacitus' machinations) that the Elva and Ney'shi Armies, led by Eleny, are heading to the capitol. They rush to defend Aurain, but are engaged in the South by the Northern Silva Army which has chosen the Ilana lineage. This leaves both Pylos and Silva's Forest wide open.   While Annira is unconscious, Talin and Aedin prepare (with their meager force) to defend Aurain from the encroaching Eleny's army. Annira wakes up on the eve of battle. She wants her sons to escort Aera out of the capitol to Mt. Palatine in the Small Ranges, where the Greater House of Bloodwolf, forever loyal to the House of Kastus, stands strong. Aera can easily leave by ship from Mt. Palatine - the plan is to get her to Ryland City from there.   Annira commands Tallus to go with Aera but he refuses - as the Captain of the Praetorian Guard, his duty is to her, the Queen regnant, and no one else. He has already committed the mortal sin of outliving one Queen (Adeline) - he cannot do it again. Annira tells him that she will have the Argenti (Drag and Ali) with her but Tallus replies that it is not the same. Annira knows that her days are ending and she will not survive the coming battle - therefore, Tallus must protect Aera, the future Queen of Onderon, on her and Aedin's behalf. However, Tallus still resists - he gets onto his knees and begs her to allow him to stay by her side... He was present for her birth - he saw her come into this world with his own eyes. How could he not be present when she leaves it? Annira shocks Tallus when she kneels before him and begs him in return, her head pressed to the ground (a shocking act for a Queen regnant - no Queen would ever kneel before her subject). She recognizes that unlike her parents who left her when she was still young, Uncle Tallus was by her side all along. What he has sacrificed for duty, for two generations of Kastus Queens of Onderon, is beyond words, beyond repayment in this life. Unfortunately, Annira must ask this one last thing of him - he still has the duty to abide by her commands. Tallus sighs and thinks to himself that it is his fate to outlive those closest to him. He accepts Annira's command and goes with Aera, Tarin, Ywain, and the twins to Mt. Palatine with the Onderian Guard. Eleny sends Leonys, the DG, and the Shadow Master after Aera.   In the Palace, Annira meditates. She finds the last of her strength and after a decade, decides to wield her lightwhips again. Eleny, the Elva Army, and the Ney'shi attack Aurain while Talin and Aedin defend. Eleny and Kai'leen manage to get into the Palace - Eleny wants to kill Annira but Kai'leen wants to simply imprison her. While defending Annira, Drag and Ali face off with Eleny. Kai'leen faces off against Annira one on one. Leonys' force catches up with Aera and her crew. Though unwilling to fight Aera, Leonys is egged on by his birth father who disparages Aera for her lack of abilities. Tarin and Ywain defend their cousin.   From the Grand Chamber's viewpoint, it looks like the Elvira heritage is losing this civil war. Chancellor Volsca is very triumphant. Eleny kills Drag and Ali and finds Kai'leen and Annira battling out in the Throne Room. Kai'leen gets the upper hand on Annira, as Eleny eggs her on to kill her former friend. However, it turns out Ali wasn't actually dead - just injured. He runs into the room and tackles Eleny. The sight of her former protector shocks Kai'leen a little bit and she stops right as she's about to run a sword through Annira. However, the battered Ali is soon killed (for real this time) by Eleny. The Elva Army and the Ney'shi have finally broken into the Crater City. Talin and Aedin look at each other, thinking all is lost. Hektor tries to convince them to give up but to no avail.   Just as it looks like the Elvira lineage is done for, a loud horn is heard. Suddenly, a spear, grazing Hektor's arm, lands right next to him. The fighting pauses. On the horizons, we see a lone young woman on horseback. As we approach closer, we see that the young woman bears the telltale signs of a Mar'Kaa. She is none other than Puyan Ni, the Tiger Cub, the Young Marshal of the Mar'Kaa Puyang Army. A'Ni is soon flanked by her father, General Puyan Jun, the Commander of the Puyang Army and Yela Yuvin, the Grand Prince of Yeling who has come to rescue his foster siblings. Both Kai'leen and Eleny are shocked at the sight of the Mar'Kaa.   In a flashback scene, we see the Prince of Yeling enter the Imperial Throne Room to inform his younger brother, the Lian Emperor, that he is left with no choice and must go to Aurain to defend his siblings, despite knowing that he will probably die there (assuming, of course, the Mar'Kaa will not interfere in the succession crisis/cannot assist the House of Kastus without a formal ask). There is silence. The Emperor slowly approaches his Imperial Brother (wangxiong) and to everyone's shock and surprise, kneels in front of the Prince of Yeling. He grabs his brother's elbows and raises him up so that they are eye-level. The Emperor says to Yuvin, "Da Ge, you may have other siblings besides me but I only have one and that is you. How could I face Imperial Father in the afterlife if I let you march off to certain death?" Yuvin turns around to see that Puyan Jun and his daughter, the Tiger Cub of Das'Puyang, waiting behind him in silence.   In Trykan, Chancellor Volsca is shocked by the turn of events. Before she can act, Archon Balasich suddenly imprisons Chancellor Volsca and reveals to the Grand Chamber her true allegiance - she is an Elvira loyalist. Archon Balasich deputizes Archon Tylena to watch the Grand Chamber while she takes Chancellor Volsca away into imprisonment. Chancellor Volsca asks her why she chose Annira.   Leonys and Aera face off. She finally reveals her abilities - she is a Shadow-weaver. She easily defeats Leonys, though spares him from death. The DG is angry about his son's defeat and seeks to kill Aera, unbeknownst to her. In the nick of time, Kayra Astier (on horseback) saves her daughter from certain death. Aera is shocked that her mother is here. How could this have happened? It turns out that the Humans found Saagen and their naval force has finally arrived at Aurain's port, led by the bearded King Saagen. They are escorted by the Aerial Legion as well. Saagen and his force are no match for Leonys' force. The DG is shocked by this turn of events - we see a dagger enter his chest from the front. Who is the killer? It is none other than the Shadow Master himself! The DG can't believe that the Shadow Master chose the Elvira lineage. The Shadow Master replies that he chose Annira, not the Elvira lineage.   The truth of the plot is revealed. From the series of conversations that Annira had, we learn that the true lynchpin of her plan was the Shadow Master himself. He had discovered that after a certain incident on Mt. Palatine involving Aera when she was but 8 years old, she had spent 3 months every year after in Das'Vengar, Ryland City, and the Port of Monglar. The Shadow Master deduced that Aera had discovered her gift long ago, but Annira, foreseeing the succession crisis ahead, decided to hide Aera's abilities to draw all the hidden Ilana supporters out. Those three months Aera spent in the varying cities for 6 years, she spent training with XX, the oldest Shadow-weaver alive. Annira reveals her true, longhand plans, a decade in the making, to the Shadow Master. Since the day she ascended to the Throne, she had always known that there was more to her kidnapping that meets the eye. Annira wanted to draw out all the villains (e.g., Chancellor Volsca, the current Commander of the Northern Silva Army, even Tacitus) in one fell swoop, but also give some chance to change their minds and turn back on the path they were on (e.g., Kai'leen, Hektor), especially the Ney'shi to whom Annira still holds such guilt towards. Unfortunately, the situation is that no matter if Kai'leen loses or wins this coming battle, there can be no peace in Herne. If Eleny ascends to the throne, Kai'leen and Chancellor Volsca will wage war against the Mar'Kaa, disrupting the sixteen years of peace between the two species. If Aera ascends to the throne, the Ney'shi will revolt. Since the result is still the same, Annira has decided that she cannot give in any longer, and must fight for Aera's right to the Throne. The Shadow Master is a little shocked to say the least to have finally learned the breadth and depth of Annira's calculations. He remarks that she is more alike her mother than she would admit. Annira laments that she hated all ten years she was on the Throne (all the scheming and calculating) - her life's work will be determined by her time as the Heir to the Throne, as the First Princess of Aurain, - her time as Queen of Onderon is merely to protect her achievements from then. The Shadow Master pledges his allegiance to Annira.   The Shadow Master is able to negotiate with the Viper Queen - he reveals the location of their imprisoned Human King (he knew all along where Saagen was but didn't reveal it sooner because Saagen was in no real danger and the Shadow Master knew that once Saagen returned, it was "game over" for the Ilana lineage for surely Saagen would send his army to support his siblings) and sends the Aerial Legion to rescue Saagen. In return, Saagen would immediately come to Aurain in aid of Annira (which he did). The Samara Army is sent to Ryland under the guise of helping the Humans. The Shadow Master correctly predicted that the Northern Silva Army, which had remained neutral up until this point, would show their true colors and side with the Ilana lineage that they thought to be the clear winners. The Northern Silva Army heads south to pin the Southern Meikha Army in place, which leaves both Silva's Forest and Pylos open for the Puyang Army to literally glide onto Onderian territory without being detected by the Ilana spies. We see in the South that the Northern Silva Army has been defeated by the Southern Meikha Army and the returning Samara Army.   But how did the Shadow Master manage to get Archon Balasich to fold? This is the same question the imprisoned Chancellor Volsca has for Archon Balasich. What exactly happened in her conversation with Annira and the Shadow Master? With Annira's permission, the Shadow Master reveals to Archon Balasich that he knows the truth about who she is. Eleny is not the true descendant of Ilana. In the ambush of Ilana and Archon Balasich by Elvira and Martia, the two newborn children had been accidentally switched. The Balasich child that Elvira and Martia brought back to Trykan was, in truth, Ilana's son (the Prince Royal) while the Vitus, the other child that had survived was the Balasich Heir. Archon Balasich is actually Ilana's heir, not Eleny. Of course, the DG of the Bureau had discovered the truth (and hence, this was how the Shadow Master found out) but hid it for his lover's sake, even from Chancellor Volsca. Archon Balasich has known this all along (that Eleny is a fraud) but reveals to Annira that she has no desire for the Throne - what she wants is the Grand Chamber. Annira is able to negotiate a deal with Archon Balasich. With Chancellor Volsca leaving the Trykan forces (which includes the scouts that would have seen the Puyang Army entering Onderian territory) in Archon Balasich's hands while she coordinates the coup led by Hektor and Kai'leen, the Puyang Army was allowed to sail right into Aurain without Chancellor Volsca finding out.   In the Throne Room of the Palace, Annira reveals the truth as well to Kai'leen and Eleny. Eleny is overcome by shock, as she has spent her entire life thinking she was the real deal. Annira is able to defeat Kai'leen while Eleny is distracted though she finds herself unable to kill Kai'leen. At the gates, Talin races back to the Palace to defend Annira - he is escorted by Puyan Ni. The Prince of Yeling and General Puyan Jun help Aedin defeat Hektor and the Elva Army. Hektor surrenders to them and in absolute disgrace, kills himself out of shame for what he has done.   Eleny is now angry at the deception but resolves to keep fighting for the Throne, despite knowing she has no rights to it. She won't give up. Through her illusionist powers, she forces Annira to relive her imprisonment (by Kai'leen) which causes Annira to go into shock. However, at the last minute, Annira is able to break free of the illusions and kills Eleny. The last words Eleny hears from Annira before she dies are, "I am the child of Fire and Earth, the blood of the Allfather, the heir of Kastus. And you? You are but the dirt at my feet." Annira then snaps Eleny's neck and passes out. Talin finds her and cradles her in his arms, knowing that she is near death.   Outside the Throne Room, we find a heavily injured Kai'leen. She kneels in front of Drag's and Ali's bodies and regrets all the damage and hurt she has caused. She remembers that it was through the combined efforts of Anny, Drag, and Ali that she was able to survive the Khitar slavery order on Isle Mokoa. She owes them her life, yet now, she is the cause of their deaths. Kai'leen comes face to face with a murderous Puyan Ni, whom she recognizes as the Mar'Kaa child she once took as hostage to threaten Annira. Kai'leen half-heartedly apologizes to Puyan Ni for what she did to an innocent like her, but tries to excuse her actions by stating that she did what she had to for the sake of her people - Puyan Ni wouldn't understand. This is ironic, because while the Khitar Tribe did enslave the Ney'shi, the Mar'Kaa had been in turn enslaved and subjugated by Elvira and the Onderians. Puyan Ni only replies to Kai'leen very calmly that she is still young and was born in the time of peace and thus knows not of the worldly matters Kai'leen speaks of. All she (Puyan Ni) knows is that because her birth mother died young, Annira is the only mother she has ever known and Kai'leen used her (Puyan Ni) to cause untold suffering to Annira ("Gugu"), who was never the same again after the ordeal. And that, Puyan Ni will not and cannot forgive. Puyan Ni slits Kai'leen's throat.   THE ETERNAL PRINCESS   Saagen and the Human army escorts Aera and her crew back to Aurain. After Hektor's and Kai'leen's deaths, the Western Elva Army surrendered to Aedin and the combined Aurain-Puyang forces. However, the Ney'shi did not - they fled, presumably to the Forests of Herne. Aera is welcomed back and is formally addressed, for the first time, as Her Royal Highness, the Heir to the Throne.   Annira is on her deathbed. She says her farewells to Aedin, Saagen, Yuvin, and Puyan father-daughter duo. Puyan Ni thanks Annira for "being the only mother she has ever known". Annira then summons Aera and her sons. She implores Aera to be a just and good Queen (a just Queen can only be good if she has a forgiving heart), to always retain the hope of forgiveness in her heart, for even the worst of villains were born and will die as her subjects. For her sons, she tasks them to aid Aera in her endeavors as Queen and apologizes that she could not see them to adulthood. Lastly, she is alone with Talin - she asks that he live a long, happy, and peaceful life of true joy and freedom after she is gone - may the chains of duty no longer bind him. All the dreams he put on hold to accompany her the past two decades, she wishes Talin to seek after she leaves.   Annira dies. Aera walks to the front of the Royal Palace where she is greeted by the citizens of Aurain (with bows) as the next Queen of Onderon. At another corner of the Palace, we find a lonesome and very mournful Tallus who is met by the Shadow Master. The Shadow Master is able to console Tallus by pointing out that Annira disliked her time as Queen and with her death, she is now free from the physical, mental, and emotional constraints that marked her reign and is able to go back to being the righteous and honorable burning flame she was in her youth, during her tenure as the Heir to the Throne. Annira never had the temperament, heart, or desire to be Queen, and now she doesn't have to pretend any longer.   PARTING   A short time later, we see Aera being formally greeted by Leonys, whose life she spared. This is presumably right after Aera's coronation for she is adorned in the coronation dress and Leonys addresses her as "Your Majesty". From their conversation, we learn that it is not made public the truth of Eleny's heritage/claim to the Throne, for such information would reveal the truth of Archon Balasich's lineage as well. What is made public though is the "death" of Leonys, clearly at his request. Leonys laments the trajectories of his father and mother, and wants to seek a life of carelessness and freedom with his lover - perhaps somewhere in the Merchant Cities of the South or on Istar. Aera asks if Leonys regrets "his death", for it would prevent him from being able to go back to his maternal family. Leonys replies that the day he and Eleny left with Chancellor Volsca was the day he lost his family - there was no going back. He remarks that Aera was crowned Queen due to the strength of her family (how her family basically went to bat for her), while Eleny lost because her family didn't support her and thus she could only depend on people like Chancellor Volsca who only meant to use her to their ends. As Leonys delivers his parting bow, Aera reminds him that he still has family - in Aurain.   As Leonys leaves, the Shadow Master appears from (guess where) the shadows. He still thinks that Leonys should be killed but Aera absolutely forbids it. She also acknowledges that the Shadow Master supported the Elvira claim not because of her, but because of Annira. Aera thanks the Shadow Master for six decades of service to Queen and country and releases him from his position as the head of the Shadow Legion. Addressing him by his name for the first time (this is a reveal because he has only been addressed as Shadow Master before), she tasks him to "go forth" and "live his sunset years in peace, in the light". The Shadow Master thanks her and leaves, thinking how ironic it was that it took a girl of shadows to pave his path back into the light.   Kayra comes to meet her daughter. They discuss Aera's decision to release the Shadow Master. Aera decided to let him go because she knows that she (as well as the Shadow Master) would remain uncomfortable should he continue in service for they both would know that his true allegiance was not with her. The Shadow Master knew that once he revealed his true intentions to Annira he would not remain in his position after Annira's death. Aera remarks that while her aunt (Annira) could rule with subjects/courtiers who were not entirely faithful to her, she does not want to. A clear heart is what she will prioritize. From the mother-daughter conversation, we learn that Aedin is currently at the Port of Aurain to say farewell to Talin and his sons, who are leaving Aurain along with Saagen and the Human party. Aera thinks that her mother will leave too, but to her surprise, Kayra reveals that she will stay with Aera and Aedin in Aurain, since they need her more than ever (especially Aedin who has lost his other half). Saagen has finally also released Kayra from her position as Chief Advisor so that she can be with her family. Aera is shocked, "But you worked so hard for that position!" Kayra admits that she will never regret her decision to send Aera to her father (due to Aera's differential status in the two societies), but does regret not going with her because she thought her presence in Aurain (as Aera's human mother) would tarnish Aera's claim to the Throne. Now that Aera is on the Throne, she doesn't have to worry about that anymore. Kayra acknowledges that there is a great deal of distance between Aera and her, but hopes Aera will give her a chance.   At the docks of Aurain, we see Talin and his four boys being sent off by Aedin, the Puyan father-son duo, and Saagen. From Aedin's conversation with Talin, we learn that Talin and the four boys are headed off on a family vacation with Maidenport (the seat of the Greater House of Goral) being their first stop and Kalinga Bay as their second. Saagen will be dropping them off at Maidenport on his way back to Ryland. Afterwards, Tarin will join A'Ni and Puyan Jun (who will stay in Aurain to accompany Aedin for a while, Yuvin has already left) for Das'Vengar, while Ywain will return to Aurain (Ywain and Aera are really close). Talin and the twins will then go to stay in Ryland City to stay with Saagen for a while. At that moment, Saagen walks by the pair and insists that it's only fair for him to get his fair share of family members at court...   Talin apologizes to Aedin if it feels like he and the boys are straight up abandoning Aedin and Aera. However, Aedin tells him that he knows, as Annira did, that Talin had never been fond of Aurain and the stifled life he lived as the High Prince of Onderon. Annira would surely only wish freedom on the seas for Talin, who had given it up to stay with her. Talin tasks Aedin with watching over Aera and the kingdom of Onderon. The two look up and on the cliffs, see the faint figures of Aera and Tallus watching them. Talin gives a full bow, as one befitting of a subject to a sovereign Queen, and Aera nods in return.   Talin leaves to join his family and Saagen who are already on the ship waiting for him, while Aedin, A'Ni, and Puyan Jun watch them from the mainland. As he is about to board, Talin turns around one last time to take a look at the docks. Inwardly, he thinks that he had always disliked this city. He doesn't think he'll ever return here.   The last scene we see is a memory of Talin's. Sixteen years ago, he was about to similarly embark on a long sea journey at Elvinport and Annira was sending him off. At the last minute, Talin had changed his mind and returned to land - he had chosen Anny over the sea. Annira asks him if he's sure of his decision, if he won't regret the choice he makes now. He could have freedom, but he would willingly choose to live in a cage? We don't hear Talin's reply but we do see the two of them hand-in-hand walking back to the city of Elvinport, and away from the sea.