Spoilers for "Daughter of Ranisia"

Daughter of Crown King Emeric Syllorel and King Consort Varis Syllorel through the surrogacy of Lady Senen Maelisar, Crown Princess Arabella Syllorel ended up being the only child the Crown King and King Consort ended up having. And as the sole heir to Emeric, she was also the default Crown Heir.

Those who've known Arabella since her birth often say she was "born knowing the title she was given". Even as a baby, it was uncommon for her to cry or fuss. She often was quiet and simply watching the world around her with her big eyes.

As she grew up, this trait never dimmed or faded. She'd watch and listen to every lectures and lessons her tutors, fathers, and other mentors gave her. In her younger years in public, she was often either quiet or spoke softly, preferring to listen to others and wait until she understands what is happening around her before she spoke up. In private, however, the more playfully affectionate nature surfaced.

From the stablehands having to tell the Kings and Arabella's Royal Guard Captain that she had, again, fallen asleep in the stables with the horses to Arabella sneaking away to play with the other kids, noble and non-noble alike, these small moments showed the Arabella beneath the crown. These small moments grew more rare as time went on, however. When Emeric and Varis confirmed they would not have any more children, it became an unspoken fact that Arabella would be Ranisia's sole heir, and the default Crown Heir. With this knowledge, a different weight settled over not only Arabella but the rest of the Inner Court.

As Arabella was the only heir, her safety and health became an even higher priority. Ranisia could very well fall into instability if she were to pass from disease, injury, or, Mother Goddess forbid, murder. This reality subtly changed how the Inner Court and Ranisia as a whole viewed and treated Arabella. Being the only heir and her genuinely kind and caring personality, the Ranisian people grew to adore their yet undeclared Crown Princess. Before her crowning, Arabella was already being called "Daughter of Ranisia" or "Ranisia's Daughter".

The weight of Arabella being the sole heir manifested in different ways. For Emeric and Varis, they often struggled with balancing treating Arabella as their daughter and training her to become the Crown Royal. For better or for worse, if push comes to shove, they will always pick treating Arabella as their daughter first if it comes into conflict. They are her fathers before they are her Kings. That still didn't mean they didn't argue about how best to raise their daughter. Possibly the biggest fight anyone had seen the Kings in was about Arabella's self defense training.

Arabella was barely 8 years old when Ilyana found her trying to wield a sword. The Crown Princess’s Royal Guard Captain took this as a sign that it was time to start Arabella’s non-magical self defense training. That was something Varis agreed to when Ilyana brought this to him. It was only when Ilyana said she believed it best that Arabella be trained similar to a squire did Varis know this would be an argument. Varis agreed with Ilyana since, having experienced this training first hand, he knew the benefits and knew it would better prepare and protect Arabella in the future. He also knew, however, how intense the training can get, not to mention how different the training of a standard squire is to a Crown Heir’s training would be.

Varis decided it would be best if he brought this up to Emeric instead of Ilyana, hoping the words from a spouse and lover would soften the idea to the Crown King. It did not go as well as the King Crowned had hoped. Emeric had shot down the idea instantly and with an intensity that startled Varis. This led to the first large fight between the two kings, the first majority of the palace have ever seen or experienced. This tension and argument lasted a week, the longest anyone had seen the two angry at each other. Eventually, cooler heads prevailed and both the fathers realized they were both trying to do what was best for Arabella. Emeric agreed to Varis and Ilyana’s plan for Arabella’s training, with the condition that Emeric and Arabella’s personal Healer are able to stop and/or pause the training at any point.

As Arabella began her training fully, Emeric’s fears eased from him. To his relief and Varis’s utter joy, Arabella loved her training. People would joke that it was “Varis’s side” coming out in Arabella. This lead to not only her fathers but Arabella learning that Arabella loved being active. Sparring, training, gardening, assisting in the stables, anything that had her moving and contributing somehow filled a part of her. Gardening and being outside in general became a favorite pastime for the Crown Princess. It soothed and fulfilled the Nature Birth Magic running through her veins.

But the reality of the crown was never far from Arabella’s mind. The weight grew even more real when, shortly after Arabella’s 12th birthday and with no other children of Emeric being born, Arabella was “officially” named Crown Princess of Ranisia, the Heir to the Bull’s Throne. The Crowning Celebration lasted days, the Rosinve people celebrating their beloved (now officially ranked) Crown Princess. Many previous Crown Heirs had found the weight and celebration overwhelming but, as a small mercy, Arabella was almost used to it now, thanks to the knowledge this was likely her life’s destiny.

Only a year later brought one of Arabella’s greatest joy. Her Bonded Mare, Tempest, was born to her Papa’s Chosen Mare, Invictus, whom was the daughter of Emeric’s Bonded Mare. The announcement of Invictus’s pregnancy came a mere few weeks after Arabella’s Crowning Celebration. As expected, Arabella was involved in Invictus’s pregnancy. Perhaps a bit more involved than expected. Those closest to Arabella had lost count how many times she was found early in the morning, sleeping in Invictus’s stall with her head on the pregnant mare’s belly. She was there for every check up, hand feeding Invictus (with the Healers and Stablehands’ permission), and personally making sure the mare had everything she could even hope to have. That was much of how Arabella spent her 12th year of life.

Only a month before Arabella’s 13th birthday, Tempest was born. Fitting of her name, the filly was born during a storm. Arabella and Emeric were at Invictus’s side during her labor, pampering, praising, and making sure she was comfortable. Under the Healers’ watchful eyes and guidance, it was Arabella herself that helped bring Tempest into the world. From that moment on, Arabella spent as much time with her Bonded Mare as possible.

She trained Tempest under the guidance of the Stablehands and Palace Mount Trainers, was at each check up (much like during Invictus’s pregnancy), and often personally made sure Tempest was cared for. In return, Tempest grew attached and loyal to Arabella. It’s a running joke amongst Arabella’s Royal Guard that when Tempest is around, the Crown Heir’s Royal Guard is not needed, as the mare is fiercely protective of her rider. A few nobles learned of Tempest’s protective nature first hand, being on the receiving end of nips and near misses of hooves when they bothered Arabella too much for the mare’s liking.

Tempest quickly became a source of peace and calm for Arabella throughout her later years of adolescence. Whenever the crown became too heavy or her heart to worn down, the Crown Princess would go to her Bonded Horse. Sometimes they’d go for a ride, clearing Arabella’s head with the wind in her face. Other times they’d just walk the pastures, Tempest a silent but listening companion as Arabella bore her heart to her. And still other times, when rest and sleep alluded the Crown Princess, she’d find her way to Tempest and somehow, would also be fast asleep soon after, curled into Tempest’s side.

Besides Tempest, her Fathers, and Ilyana, Arabella had friends and confidants in her Royal Guard and Handmaidens. These people see her at her lowest, most vulnerable and were always quick to comfort her and be someone she can lean on when the Crown Princess felt weak. Of her handmaidens, Oriana and Lilia are some of her longest handmaidens and dearest friends. She learned the finer details of Court from both of them, especially learning the benefits of gossip from Lilia. Both of her handmaidens are loyal to Arabella and would do anything in their power and skills to keep her safe.

Arabella’s life continued in relative peace. Shortly before she turned 18, Arabella met Ceri Bivin, a brilliant young low noble woman who captivated Arabella the moment she met her. Ceri had been welcomed to being an apprentice for the Palace's engineers in hopes her mind would be noticed. It was a mere month after Ceri arrived that she was, indeed, noticed by the Syllorel family. When Arabella had gone with her fathers to talk with the engineers about a recent project, it was the first time the two met and Arabella's heart fluttered in ways she hadn't felt before.

In the next months, Emeric and Varis saw much of their own early relationship in the ways Arabella and Ceri interacted. The excuses and reasons both made to spend more time together, the little gifts they left when they thought no one would notice, the looks they gave that they thought others were oblivious to. It came to no surprise to either of the Kings when, shortly after Arabella turned 18, she privately told her fathers she was courting Ceri. They still wanted things to be kept quiet but it quickly became an open secret.

But with the courtship becoming more official, cracks both Arabella and Ceri had been trying to ignore became more glaring. Ceri joined more court and political functions as Arabella invited her. Each time, Arabella could tell how purely unhappy her lover was despite Ceri’s attempts to reassure Arabella she was fine. While they still greatly enjoyed the moments alone they were able to catch, Arabella frequently had to put being the Crown Princess above being Ceri’s partner. Something that Ceri found harder not to feel hurt by once they officially started courting.

The final straw was Arabella learning Ceri had been requested to attend Hordh’s College of Engineering but she hadn’t responded in the month’s deadline. Upon learning this, Arabella confronted Ceri, asking why she hadn’t replied, that the College was the best in Ranisia, and that Arabella knew it was Ceri’s dream to be accepted. Ceri argued back that it was far away and would require a large portion of her time and energy that she couldn’t then be with Arabella. It was during this argument that the reality neither of them had truly wanted to accept.

Sometimes, loving someone was simply not enough. Arabella loved Ceri but she also knew how unhappy her lover had been with just a glimpse of what would be expected of her should she become Queen Consort. Ceri wasn’t sure if the ache in her heart would ever easy if Arabella always had to pick Ranisia over herself. And Arabella knew she’d never forgive herself if she kept Ceri’s wonderful mind from the rest of Ranisia. So, after spending one more night together and forgetting what the morning would bring, Arabella wrote to the College to ask that their invitation to Ceri be extended once more. A week later, Arabella kissed Ceri’s lips for the last time before her lover entered the carriage that would bring her to Hordh.

Arabella allowed herself the mourn for a few days before she threw herself back into being Crown Princess. A small mercy for herself was the fact that her 19th name day celebration was arriving in just little over 2 months. Soon, she was wrapped up in the planning and arrangements and the ache in her chest eased. She knew she’d always hold a place in her heart for Ceri but Arabella also knew the most loving thing she could have done was let her love go. She still kept each letter Ceri sent in a box under her bed.

For the most part, by the time Arabella’s name day celebration arrived, she was back to the self most knew her as. Happy, adoring, working to be the best Crown Princess she could and eager to see what the future held. But fate had another plan.

On the last day of Arabella’s name day celebration, an assassin managed to sneak into Arabella’s chambers through the balcony. They attacked the sleeping Crown Princess with fire magic in her own bed. It was only by the speed of Arabella’s Royal Guard and the Palace Guards, the skill of the Healers, and the blessing of the Mother Goddess that Arabella managed to survive. Though it wasn’t until after a few days in a coma and it wasn’t without scars. The expanse of her back was scarred from the burns and the fire magic within the injury was prone to flaring up. It took the Crown Princess days to regain her strength enough to sit up on her own and weeks after that to be able to walk once more without assistance.

Possibly one of the very few good things to come from the assassination attempt was the reaffirmation of Ranisian’s loyalty. The whole kingdom went into a sense of mourning and grief as the news spread. The Speakers of the Zuunari Temples were somewhat overwhelmed by the sudden influx of those seeking comfort or simply a communal place to pray. Underlining the grief and sorrow was anger and fury. Someone dared harm their Crown Princess. When news also spread that the assassin was still at large, there was possibly no eyes that weren’t peeled for unfamiliar faces. It was the small town of Avon that apprehended the assassin not 3 days after the attempt, the townspeople banding together to safely subdue the man until King Crowned Varis himself and a unit of knights came to take the man back to Inbhir.

Despite their best efforts, the assassin gave no names of who he worked for. Justice was delayed as Emeric and Varis wanted Arabella to be involved in the decision but would not rush their healing daughter. When the time finally came, it was the first time many had ever seen the hatred side of their Royals. The assassin stood trial before the Ruling Royals, Court, and the Ranisian people. He never gave names but he also never gave remorse nor regret for what he did or tried to do. It was said that his guilt was determined the moment he stepped foot into the room. And for the first time in decades, the call for blood from the Ranisians arose. However, it was only after their spymasters confirmed the man had no known family that would suffer that Arabella approved of the man’s death. No one would mention it but almost everyone could see the relief in the Royals’s faces once the assassin’s head rolled.

Things changed after the assassination attempt. Arabella tried to go back to how she was before but the fear and pain was always a shadow over her. She was hesitant to go anywhere without her Royal Guard, unable to sleep unless she knew one of her Guard was either in the room or right outside the door. Ilyana started a nightly routine, checking all of the Crown Princess’s windows, doors, and ensuring the balcony doors were firmly shut and locked. While Ilyana would say it was for her own peace of mind, Arabella knew her Royal Guard Captain also did so to ease the Crown Princess’s mind as well. For a few months after Arabella settled into her new room, Ilyana herself slept in Arabella’s room. Arabella knew the guilt her dear friend felt despite her constant assurance that Ilyana was not to blame. Arabella felt her own guilt each time she saw the gloves that covered Ilyana’s hands.

The scars upon her back also changed things for Arabella. During and after her recovery, the fire magic embedded into the wound would flare up, raging hot and making the Crown Princess feel as though she was being burned once more. The first few months of these flare ups were the worst as the Healers struggled and scrambled to find any sort of cure or simply relief for her. Eventually, by some blessing, the Healers found a salve combination that could ease the flare ups. Unfortunately, it could only soothe the pains after the flare up began and unable to prevent it. It was a few years later that the Healers would find a salve that lowered the chances of a flare up, though Arabella would openly admit hating to use the salve as it felt as though she was dunked into a frozen lake in the middle of winter.

The physical scars weren't the only scars the assassin left. The Palace Mind Healers did their best to help Arabella process and heal from the trauma but some things aren’t so easily healed. Even years later, Arabella still grew tense and panicked at the sight of fire magic. Fire, magic or natural, made her shy away, even in the coldest months. Arabella was certain she would have spiraled further, even with the Mind Healers and her Fathers’ helping her, if Evara hadn’t come along.

Arabella was always against having adolescent servants and handmaidens, wanting the children to have a childhood and not working. So when Lilia showed up with Evara (without telling anyone first), she was ready to tell her dear friend to send Evara back to her family. That was until Lilia told her about Evara’s family and their plan to arrange a Union as soon as Evara was legally allowed. It was not a question after that. Evara became one of Arabella’s handmaidens (with the expectation that Evara would still receive a proper education and plenty of time to still be a young girl).

Evara’s bright spirit and infectious personality soothed something in Arabella’s soul. Perhaps she saw herself in the young handmaiden or she just appreciated the light Evara brought around, it didn’t much matter to Arabella. She slowly began to relax once more, opening up to people outside of her close friends and family, and even began to go out with less of her guards. The first time she was able to go out for a ride with just her Fathers without a panic attack led to her happily crying and hugging her handmaidens for a good hour afterwards.

What healed her further was seeing Ceri once more. When the College had sent some of their Engineers to offer assistance should the Royal Family require it, Ceri had been one of the first to volunteer. Seeing Ceri again, with a bright light in her eyes and a concerned look on her face, healed something in Arabella’s heart she hadn’t noticed was hurting. Proof that they had made the right choice. And though Arabella’s heart ached when realizing another of the Engineers was Ceri’s girlfriend, it was quickly taken over by the joy at seeing her friend so happy once more.

Eventually, Arabella found her new normal. The scars on her back and mind would always be there but she found a way to heal and cope with that reality. She was healing well, even attending Ceri’s wedding a few years later. Then, there was another attempt on a Royal’s life, when Arabella was 23 years old and shortly before she turned 24 years old. This time, it was her father Varis instead of herself. It was an absolute blessing her dad had a strong immune system and the poison in his drink’s potency had dampened, leading to Varis only suffering symptoms similar to simple (though severe) food poisoning. An unpleasant experience but no danger to her dad. Still, the fear had come crashing down on Arabella again. Before she could spiral, however, her fathers, handmaidens, Royal Guard, and Mind Healers brought her back and reassured her..

While it had been suspected that Theboria was behind Arabella’s assassin attempt, it became a near certainty after the attempt on Varis’s life. The poison used was easily obtained in Theboria, not to mention favored by the Theborian Imperial Family. Arabella and her fathers knew the evidence they had was circumstantial at best, nowhere near enough to declare war or openly accuse Theboria. But it was proof enough to warrant heavier military presence at the Theborian border and for stricter trade agreements between Ranisia and Theboria to be set. It was not enough in Arabella’s eyes but it was all they could do.

A tense stability eventually settled and Arabella did her best to live her life the best she could. Especially after her dad’s full recovery. But the tension at the Theborian border and the Siltyans always eyeing their lands, she knew something would snap and break. It was just a matter of making sure Ranisia was ready, which Arabella was determined her kingdom and people would be.