Lydia of Balian
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Princess Lydia Antheia of Balian (3rd of Lothar's Gift, 1902 - present), likewise nicknamed the Lily of Balian, is the youngest child and daughter of King Alexander I of Balian and his consort, Yelena of Marsana. A princess of the Kingdom of Balian, she is beloved of her people and has become a well-known member of their royal family.
Contents
Birth & Early Childhood
Lydia Antheia Novellen was born on the 3rd of Lothar's Gift, 1902 (or 35 BA on the kingdom's own calendar), the youngest child and second daughter of King Alexander I of Balian and his wife, Yelena vas Ruthern. To the citizens of Balian and royal household both, the princess' conception and birth came as a surprise. The King and his queen had birthed their elder daughter, Elena Casimira, the previous year and had made no plans of having any further children. Rumors from courtiers within the Palatio Monterosa, however, suggest that the birth of the Princess Royal only instilled in the Queen-consort the desire for a second. On the same day the Queen went into labor, it is said that a desert lily sprouted from the soil within the palace's own gardens. That preceding year, no desert lily had bloomed within the entirety of the kingdom, the flower being one of Balian's cultural symbols. King Alexander took this as an auspicious sign, dubbing his youngest child the "Lily of Balian". The bells of La Sorella Basilica were rung throughout the day and late into the evening following Lydia's birth.
For the early years of her life, the Princess would be cared for and attended to by maids and a governess, taught to read and write at a tender age. Surrounded by both her three elder siblings and an abundance of cousins, Lydia's early life was filled with much happiness and cheer. However, in 1907 (or 40 BA), word came regarding the city of Atrus, the desert citadel & capitol city of Balian, being threatened by the undead lich-dragon Cloudbreaker, who in turn was being controlled by necromancer maegi that sought to bury the kingdom beneath the desert sands. Though only five years of age at the time, the Princess was said to have been the one who proudly suggested that her father host a summit of leaders, though it is noted that the idea itself was very much relayed to him in the vocabulary of a youth her age. Regardless, his daughter's notion of inviting the foreign dignitaries and monarchs to a meeting atop Mont Monterosa inadvertently led to the formation of The Atrus Covenant, forged with the intent of standing united against Cloudbreaker and it's minions. The following year, Lydia herself joined her aunt and elder sister upon the walls of Atrus, adorned in iron-wrought armor and wearing the colors of her kingdom. Thought many upon her father's Duana feared for their safety, the princesses were inspired by their aunt and remained ferociously adamant on defending their homeland. Together, they manned one of the several large ballistae that aided in the dragon's demise. Fleeing from the city following the siege, Lydia was observed by many to be in good spirits. She took refuge at the vassal castle of Renduzzo and attended to her aunts, Princess Augustina and Princess Persephone, who were amongst those wounded following the Covenant's victory.
That same year, whilst on a tour of the Commonwealth of the Petra and the United Kingdom of Aaun with her aunt Augustina, Lydia would encounter the Queen-consort of Aaun, Eleanor of Provins, within the city of New Vienne. Accompanied by her elder sister Elena, the trio of princesses were invited within Castle Ardor to take luncheon with the aged Queen and her granddaughter, Adeline Alstion. It is said that the Queen, herself the former & longtime-Governess of the Palatio Monterosa, was delighted by the bright-eyed and excitable youth and found her strong sense of self and pride charming. Following this impromptu meeting, an offer was made by Queen Eleanor to the girl's aunt, that the Princess Lydia would be a ward under the consort's own tutelage. Such an offer was relayed to her father, King Alexander, though initially the royal household feared sending the youth so far from her home and kin. However, the King formally assented to the offer of regarding the princess' education after meeting with Queen Eleanor himself during the "Festival of Clear Skies", specifically the grand ball that marked the conclusion of what had been a year of celebrations associated with Cloudbreaker's defeat and Balian's survival.
Youth and Education
Despite showing initial eagerness for her warding in Aaun, the Princess quickly became disenchanted with the opportunity for various reasons. Primarily, she felt deeply homesick and disliked the dreary climate of the northern heartlands. She also felt some aversion for some of the kingdom's primary vassals and their granted autonomy, fearful that she could very well be caught up in a future conflict. After only three years of education within New Vienne, Lydia departed from the United Kingdom of Aaun and returned to her homeland of Balian, where her father appointed the Minister of the Interior, Gaius Rosius var Ruthern, as her tutor.
Very quickly, the Princess' talents began to emerge. She had inherited from her father a royal manner when it came to work, efficiently completing the assignments given to her in order to further her education. Rumors flew around the Palatio Monterosa, however, that the trust placed into the young Novellen by both her father and his council inspired envy within her elder siblings. Accounts have been made of several rows between the King's children, always starting with the way Lydia conducted herself. Some even claimed that Princess Lydia was the King's favored child, though none ever said such a thing in front of the Crown Prince or Princess Royal. These incidents only worked to hardened the Princess against such insults and ire however, establishing a lifelong sense that all things were trivial when compared to perfection, success, and a sense of pride. This mentality would win her many admirers and rivals in equal parts.
Censor of the Crown
In 1917, following the departure of Kasimir Sarkozic from the Royal Duana, the seat for the Censor of the Crown was left vacant. So sure were the King and Amiratus Vuiller of her skill, the Princess was offered the position hastily and without much ceremony. Lydia met this new challenge with a boldness not seen previously, getting the office into order and publishing documents on behalf of the kingdom within her first saint's day as head of that department. It is likewise recorded that it was the Princess who authored the proclamation of "The Canonist League" on the request of her father, a strategic alliance formed in response to the excommunication and conflict incited by the excommunicated Duke of Adria, Heinrik Sarkozic.
Titles, Styles, and Honors
Titles and Styles
- 1902 - Present: Her Royal Highness, Princess Lydia Antheia of Balian
- 1912 - 1929: Her Royal Highness, Princess Lydia Antheia of Balian, Countess of Caluzzo
- 1917 - 1929: Her Excellency, the Censor of the Crown
