Minerva Jovanovik

Youth

  Minerva is the second oldest of her siblings, and the oldest still living of the four of them. When she was born she became incredibly close with her elder brother Rupert Jovanovik despite the four year age gap. She became used to his protectiveness over her as he protected her in the traditional way an older sibling would as well as his duty to protect the heir to the throne of Dredaria. In her youth she was given everything one needed to succeed as an heiress and political leader with the best education and finery one could afford. As the first born daughter she was given far more privileges and teachings than her other siblings as she was taught combat and horseback riding from an early age as well as other languages, history, military tactics and politics, as well as diplomacy.

By the time she was a young teen she could hold her own against nearly any warrior or knight in all of Dredaria, bested only by her own mother and her teachers. She had already been driven to be the best Empress Dredaria would ever see but the assassination of her brother Rupert drove her past even what she expected she could do and handle. As she grew her mother instilled a deep vengeance within her heart as they were unable to ever locate his murderers and she was often brought with her mother on her conquests and captures in the pursuit. Living in this state of mind led her to being molded into the Empress she is today, and coincidentally also introduced her to her husband, Konstantin Maximovich. He had been a squire at the time, five years her junior and maybe ten or eleven at most mostly going and fetching things for the knight he was under or cleaning up after the horses and taking care of their gear. The knight had been a particularly high ranking member and part of her mothers retinue so they traveled together for the years during her mothers conquering of the other kingdoms.

Despite her mothers insistence that she wait and settle down with somebody after she took the throne she did what any good teenager did and immediately disobeyed her mothers orders. Her mothers personal retinue of body guards and knights had a good number of handsome squires and servants that she had of being courted by. Her mothers several year search for the assassins turned up empty with the Empire acquiring many more kingdoms along the way, the search was called off and everyone returned to their respective homes and holds. Within a month of being home she realized that she was with child but unsure of who the father may have been. Having no feelings towards any of the men she had known during the battles she decided to have her alone and remarkably had a daughter her own heir being born. Her daughter, Margerie Jovanovik, was immediately swept up and given the same treatment she had gotten being cared after be a retinue of nannies, teachers, nursemaids, and servants who made sure she would grow up along her family as a proper heiress.

 

Adulthood

  As she began to grow in a young adult her mother allowed her to have significantly more power as she trained her for the title of Empress. Her mother had her making political decisions and leading battles against any who rebelled within the Empire as she finally began to search for a husband. Many balls and galas were held in the capitals palace, inviting all high ranking nobles, knights, and other power holders so that they might have the chance to meet and court Minerva. One such person was the squire she had spent so much time with years ago, Konstantin Maximovich, now a powerful knight in his right. His families noble ties were well used as he was able to purchase all the finery a knight may need, the strongest armor and weapons and the fastest steed. He had grown up well from the gangly and awkward child she had known and they remembered each other fondly. Minerva ignored all other suitors in lieu of spending her time with Konstantin who had fallen head over heels in love with her child Margerie treating her like his own even though they were not an official couple. Shortly after their newfound romance began she discovered she was with child and before she began to show she was wed in a grand ceremony to Konstantin giving birth to her second child, Lorenz Jovanovik, later in the year.

She officially was crowned Empress of Dredaria in her early twenties as she raised her children with the love of her life. Becoming a mother did nothing to cool her hot temper when it came to battles and stories tell of a glowing Minerva leading her army in a glorious battle against marauders when she was pregnant with her twins Josephina Jovanovik and Kazimir Jovanovik. None stood in her way and she took after her mother Dowager Magdalena Jovanovik in more ways than one taking after her beauty, intelligence, quick wit, and overwhelming strength in battle, though she also was far different in many ways. Where her mother had instilled fear, she inspired courage and strength, where her mother had brought suspicions and secrets, she brought a sense of pride and nationality. The people of Dredaria were proud to call Minerva their Empress, and the rebellions that often spread like wildfire from the past few Empresses died down to a few here and there during her rule. She was strong, determined, kind, but as fierce a lion and as dangerous as a viper. Now she focuses on raising her children and keeping her country well maintained and comfortable while only occasionally looking beyond the borders of their kingdom.