Tome of the Rutherns | The Queens of House Ruthern

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THE QUEENS OF HOUSE RUTHERN

“By Bones and Barrows”

 

 

ISSUED BY

FIRRESS VIORICA BARROW

On the 1st day of Grona ag Droba of 444 E.S.

 

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SANGKRUV I RUTHER,

 

Since the Rites of Worth were recently bestowed unto the kin of House Ruthern, I spent a year tirelessly researching the Queens of our lineage, scouring libraries across the realm for information about their lives, their achievements, and so on.

 

In doing so, I sought to honour my family’s strong bloodline by granting each Queen hailing from House Ruthern a proper biography, in accordance with the trial I’ve recently undertaken, the Trial of Wit. 

 

Their biographies, in chronological order, have been documented and compiled below for all to read.

 

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ADELAJDA OF METTERDEN

1584 - 1620 

 

Adelajda of Metterden was born to parents Demetrius Ruthern and Sophia Amador in the year 1584, twin to Aleksandra Abrielle and sister to three brothers Tuvya, Boris, and Viktor. Reportedly, she was quite close to her sister growing up and was very well-mannered as she grew up within the Royal Courts. Because of this, Adelajda gained substantial knowledge in courtly affairs, priming her for her eventual queenship as a result.

 

As soon as the prospect of marriage to the King arose, however, the sisters’ relationship quickly soured as they both plotted against the other to win the King’s heart. Much to Aleksandra’s dismay, the Crown Prince favoured Adelajda first, and thus, she would consequently ascend to the role of Queen-consort through her marriage to King Marius I of Haense. 

 

Since the start of her reign, Adelajda’s perception amongst courtiers was seen only as negative. Her wedding gown alone had cost the crown a fortune and would prove to be a turning point in history. Adelajda was known to leave the court unattended often and when she was present, she lacked the proper etiquette and regality for a woman of her station. 

 

For many years it was of no surprise that Adelajda’s relationship with her husband grew loveless as most political marriages do. Because of this, her popularity within her court grew thinner each year. Once the battle to Courland was lost, Adelajda’s exile seemed to be a relief to the kingdom as the unliked Queen was finally gone from court. From then on, Adelajda’s history is quite unknown, though it is presumed that she grew ill in her exile which then lead to her death, rumoured to be surrounded by loved ones as she passed. 

 

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TATIANA OF METTERDEN

1630-1688

 

Tatiana of Metterden was raised within the County of Metterden to a loving family who provided the young lady with a fruitful childhood. Full of learning and scholarly interests, Tatiana seeme dto prefer books to people, oftentimes coming off as quiet and unsociable. Once it came time to wed, the details of her relationship with King Franz is rather murky, though their wedding was considered a humble one amidst the turmoil that was occurring within the realm. 

 

For the short month she was queen, Tatiana put her scholarly talents to use in administrative affairs of the Haeseni government where she notably excelled. Once the untimely death of her husband occurred, Tatiana was not cast aside to retirement just yet. Long after his death, she continued to work within the government, devoting her mind to the efforts of the Kingdom of which she loved. 

 

Despite her efforts, rumours within the courts circulated that she and the man she appointed for the position of Lord Palatine, Karl of Rothswood, were forbidden lovers. Growing dissent between the nobility and the government brewed further as common folk were appointed to government positions. Consequently, Karl was executed as Sigmar I made his way into the capital one fateful day. Tatiana was spared, though she was banished from the Kingdom, subjected to living out the rest of her days in a nunnery. It is presumed she died peacefully in her sleep due to an unknown illness, though not much else is known about the circumstances of her death.

 

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ELIZAVETA OF VIDAUS

1665-1707

 

Elizaveta of Vidaus, raised by her grandfather Rhys var Ruthern and twin to Demetrius Ruthern, had a rough childhood compared to most ladies of her time. Being sickly in her youth, Elizaveta lacked the ability to walk for many years, leading to her frail and limping frame in her adult life. Growing up, Elizaveta was close friends with the young King Robert and his sister, Princess Theodosia. The trio were all mentored under the watchful eye of Swithun Aldor. 

 

As she grew into a refined young lady, Elizaveta’s feelings for Robert grew, inevitably noticed by the Princess Theodosia who deemed Elizaveta as a sister. In her efforts to contribute to the kingdom, Elizaveta worked tirelessly to help remodel the Theodosian library, working herself into a sickness reminiscent of her childhood. It was when the sickness subsided did Robert officially ask Elizaveta for her hand and thus her reign began. 

 

Elizaveta was known for not having a costly wedding gown, even going so far as to dismiss luxurious colours and fabrics such as white, for a more available green hue which suited the queen-to-be perfectly. Throughout her reign, Elizaveta was dearly loved by the people of the kingdom, her main efforts focused on educational reforms and diplomacy, eventually taking up the position as the Crown-Representative for Haense within the Empire of Oren. 

 

Unlike the traditional perspective on elven nation so commonly adopted by Haeseni monarchs of the time, Elizaveta kept her focus broad, finding an interest in the other descendants and their cultures. As she continued her diplomatic work, the department of diplomacy flourished under her caring guise. Tragically, however, Elizaveta was assassinated by an unknown assailant, leaving behind a loving legacy which will be remembered for generations to come. 

 

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VIKTORIA OF METTERDEN

1751-1802

 

Viktoria of Metterden, the daughter of Konstantin and Katherine Ruthern, grew up in a rather large generation of Rutherns, being the eldest sibling of four. From the beginning of her life, Viktoria was always seen as disconnected from her family, seemingly looking to find her own path in the world. In her youth, the young Queen would be known for wearing bright colors, mainly opting for floral patterns in her every-day wardrobe which was a new style amongst the traditionally muted colors of the Haeseni courts of the time. 

 

As a young lady, Vikotoria was picked at random by Queen Maya to serve under her as a ward of which she excelled at. Known to have little friends at court and in life, Viktoria was focused primarily on her studies which Queen Maya provided. Aside from her wardship, Viktoria chose a more uncommon activity for a lady of her standing, that being swordsmanship and axe-wielding. Many saw this as unusual, although Viktoria payed no mind to such thoughts and opinions.

 

To the surprise of the Kingdom, hours before the coronation of King Sigismund II, Queen Maya arranged his marriage to Viktoria, setting the stage for the future Queen. Yet another surprise came that evening when Queen Maya was assassinated, changing the course of Viktoria’s life in an instant as she would inherit the title upon her wedding day which came rather quickly. Her dress, reminiscent of her childhood fashion choices, was a white charmeuse gown with lace and a floral cloak. 

 

As soon as she was made Queen, Viktoria jumped into action, using her many years of courtly education to begin her own reforms of the Haeseni courts. Viktoria created a Chamberlain system and the Koenas Curation in order to keep her court informed of happenings within the Kingdom, although it fell dormant once the Scyfling Invasion arrived. During such turmoil within the Kingdom, Viktoria refused to be let out of meetings, making her presence known within the courts and the council of her husband. 

 

Because of the target upon her back as Queen, Viktoria commonly opted to wear hunting clothes and armour opposed to  traditional gowns. This, alongside her activity within the HRA of whom she fought side by side, she was dubbed “The Warrior Queen.” Moreover, Viktoria readily accepted those around her as equals despite their status, leading troops to defend her home of Metterden. During such fighting, Viktoria received many battle scars, contributing even more so to her moniker. Because of her continuous efforts to remain involved in the government, she was awarded the title of Deputy Palatine. 

 

Upon the untimely death of her husband due to suicide, Viktoria was officially made Queen-Mother, although she maintained her title of Deputy Palatine under Konstantin Baruch, aiding her son, King Josef I during his reign subsequently. In her last years of her life, Viktoria accomplished much. Saving Theodora Helvets from being stabbed by her own father, Viktoria suffered a heart attack shortly after such an ordeal, an evident consequence of her age. Following a successful effort to wed her sister to the Archchencellor of Oren, Viktoria suffered one last heart attack during a training session, ending her life with her sword resting upon her palm. 

 

 

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DRUZ GJERNZ AG GRYVNZ, 

Firress Viorica Barrow

 

Spoiler

shoutout 2 @Madyyy for helping me write! and a big shoutout to the writers ( @Eryane@yopplwasupxxx @Zanthuz )  of this post, since it helped me a ton :) a lot of this information from this handy post comes from here: