Amelya Valeriya of Haense

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Amelya Valeriya Barbanov Princess of Hanseti-Ruska "The Ruby of Reza", by unknown Haeseni courtiers (c. 1763). Born: 14th of The Amber Cold, 1750, Reza, Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska Spouse: N/A House: Barbanov Father: Andrew IV of Haense Mother: Maya of Muldav

Amelya Valeriya Barbanov (Common: Amelia Valera), was a significant public figure of the royal city of New Reza and the overarching Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska as the kingdom's princess. She was bestowed the titular honor as princess through birth as the daughter of Andrew IV of Haense, King of Haense, and his consort Maya of Muldav. She was the youngest of the triplets, or the set of triplets known as the Triplets of Reza, and often referred to as the Ruby of Reza as she and her sisters all garnered nicknames regarding various gemstones.

Biography

Early life

Amelya Valeriya Barbanov was born on the 14th of the Amber Cold, 1750, as the youngest of a set of triplets to the King of Hanseti-Ruska, Andrew IV, and Queen Maya of Muldav. Although her birth was during a time of war, the Rubern War, it was largely celebrated throughout the kingdom. Her mother would nearly pass upon bestowing the three, but survived through the night - as well as all three girls. Shortly after the unknowing period of whether the Queen passed from childbirth or not, Amelya and her sisters were kept away from the public eye for the first years of their childhood.

Her mother, oft paranoid, did not allow her free roam outside of the Ekaterinburg Palace until the celebratory event bringing forth Amelya and her sisters into the royal court. The revelry, renown titled Dance of the Crows, was the initial beginning of Amelya's public life as a figure and symbol within the royal city of New Reza and the overall Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska. The ball came to an abrupt conclusion with the announcement of her father's passing, and the kingdom thereafter being sent into a state of regency. Amelya was sent into a state of shock and turmoil, as she was rather young and unaware of such cruelties. Her reaction was on public display, for all of the Haeseni courtiers to witness and accumulate.

Princess Amelya, 1761, by Bernadette of Touron

Growing up, Amelya garnered a fine education and mirrored her assigned royal governess and tutor, Isabel Stafyr, in her kindness. She was later tutored within her mother's royal academy, the Royal Academy of Saint Catherine. Among other things, she was educated in etiquette, history, music, and theology. The generosity of the princess, in spite of her royal upbringings, was praised greatly amongst the commonfolk and nobility alike. To quote Viktoria Ruthern, "[...] not a day went by where the princess was not seen amid the crowds of passing people in the city. She was, by all means, their princess." Although she lacked paternal figure, the correlation amongst the royal family was notably superlative.

In many ways, she was frequently said to have presided in her father's scholarly traits over her mother's. Amelya had a growing interest in politics at a young age. She became the ward to the President of the Senate, Lauritz Christiansen, as per her mother's request. This brought her relevance as princess further into the empire in its entirety, as she lived and spent a majority of her time in the imperial city of Helena during her tenure.

She would return home fully after a multitude of years spent in the imperial city, where the war was coming to a close. Over the span of several months, a flourishing amount of treaties from the opposing side would come declaring peace and non-aggression with the Holy Orenian Empire. It was not long before the only enemy of the kingdom was Rubern. Amelya and her sisters, Analiesa and Alexandria, sought further education from etiquette and governmental studies in hindsight of the war they had been born into. The three princesses were educated in basic swordsmanship by their relative Prince Godfric Alimar who the three would often refer to as 'uncle' despite him being a second cousin. In place of the missing paternal presence, Godfric became a father figure for her which she valued greatly. The Lord Regent and Palatine, Otto Alimar, gained the favor of the princess as well. Although the man was old in his years, he was a grandfather to her that she never had, considering her grandfathers Kazimar Alimar, Grand Prince of Muldav, and King Andrew III both passed gruesomely before her birth.

The royal family, by many, was marked with misfortune and cruel fates; the first of many which she would witness as her brother, Sigismund II of Haense, was shot with a crossbow bolt through the neck. In the midst of court, she was seated directly to the right of him and splattered with his blood. Terrified and frightened, she and her sisters were ushered away by their mother. Her sister Princess Analiesa was nearly lost in the chaos that erupted after the assassination attempt, but was quickly carried to safety. The girls were sung to by their mother, Queen Maya, while their brother was saved by miracle and fine work of the kingdom's surgeon-general in the room over. Public appearances were not made for some days after and Amelya tended frequently to her brother's bedside to ensure his well-being.

Issue

WIP