Theodora of Rochefort

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Theodora of Rochefort
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Countess-Consort of Leuven
Tenure: 17th of the Snows Maiden, 1791 - 1803
Predecessor: Isabel Stafyr
Sucessor: Title Destroyed
Born: 1769
Helena, Holy Orenian Empire
Death: 1863
Spouse: Albert Ashford de Falstaff
House: Helvets
Father: Richard, Count of Rochefort
Mother: Lorena of Oren

Theodora Angelica Ashford de Falstaff nee Helvets (8 Sun’s Smile, 1769-2 The Deep Cold 1863) was a Kaedreni-Orenian Noblewoman. Through her marriage to Albert Ashford de Falstaff, she was promoted to the Countess of Leuven, and was the last consort to the Counts of Leuven after her husband’s death in 1808. Born to Richard, Count of Rochefort and his wife, Lorena Antonia, Theodora was one of three daughters, Lorena Anabelle, Judith Alice, and herself.

Theodora’s contemporaries have described her as ‘hot tempered, with a lack of understanding for court etiquette’, and ‘short, midsized, golden hair with the signature Horen blue-grey eyes’. She, oddly enough, stood more by her cousin, Wilhelmina’s side over her immediate family, and most notably, her sister Lorena. After the demise of her beloved and revered Wilhelmina, Theodora grew cold and disillusioned with the Orenian government. It’s likely she was the publisher of the short-lived Madame de Potins, a gossip magazine that would go on to inspire copycat magazines, in both Oren and Haense. Whether or not she was the publisher is highly debated.

Biography

Childhood

Theodora was born in her mothers apartments in the Imperial Palace of Novellen, on the 8th of the Sun's Smile, in 1769. Her father was absent at the time of her birth, for no particular reason, leaving historians to debate whether or not it was intentional. Theodora had a rather lackluster upbringing, her mother being away at sea or simply not visiting at all, and her father favoring her elder siblings over her. Thus, nannies and courtiers stationed at the Varoche (the Helvetii residence in Kaedrin) often complained about her lack of court etiquette.

However, at her aunt’s funeral, she met one of her closest confidantes, Wilhelmina of Cathalon. The two would often converse in a dialect of Waldenian they both knew, which was frequently spoken in the Kaedreni valley. She was likely educated in New Marian (as she was originally betrothed to a Haeseni prince), High Imperial, and Auvergne.

In 1775, just before Theodora’s birthday, the Sutican War broke out. Unfortunately, the Kaedreni countryside was a major target, a blunder made worse by the lack of proper levies, and overabundance of peasant militia. In one particular attack, the Suticans sent a swarm of Locusts to eat their crops alive- causing grain shortages throughout the vast empire. Additionally, around this time Queen Viktoria of Metterden visited the Kaedrin valley, offering Theodora’s father, the Count of Rochefort, a marriage to her third son, Aleksandr Hieromar. To her dismay, the betrothal would’ve been broken shortly after her 10th birthday, a fact that would bring the young Theodora much sorrow. Fearing her reaction, this information was kept in secrecy until Theodora was 15.

Theodora Angelica, aged 6


Marriage

Theodora’s marriage to Count Albert of Leuven took place in the church in the Kaedreni valley; a private ceremony with a few witnesses and few guests. Theodora wore a traditionally white gown, with her hair up in a Banardian style known as Le Pouf. Shortly after the wedding, Theodora would find a tutor in hopes to learn husband's native tongue. Within just a few years, Theodora gave birth to her first two children, Chantal Louvain, and Emil-Dardot, the former of which died of sweating sickness at the meager age of 4. She went on to have three more kids with Albert; Cosette Eleanor, Conrad Nicholas, and Renèe Caroline, named after Renee Antoinette, a mutual friend of hers and Wilhelmina she met during her time at the Novellen.

As Countess of Leuven

After the birth of her last child, Theodora had disappeared for the majority of Emil’s teenage years, and left her daughter Cosette with a cloak, a simple parting gift to her daughter before their many years apart. The reason behind her absence and sudden disappearance from court was unknown to her peers, as her life was relatively calm living in the countryside. Not much is known of Theodora or what she did during this time.

However, once Albert had passed away, Theodora had her return to Whitcombe. With a swift hand, Theodora had put the family estate back into order once again, hiring maids, cooks, tutors, and poets. Additionally, during this time, the first Social Season of Oren commenced; her eldest daughter, Cosette, and her two sons, Emil-Dardot and Conrad centered at this grand season of events.Intriguingly, the gossip magazine, Madame de Potins, had stopped publishing around this time.

The first Social season was brimming with scandals, drama, infighting, and eventually, war. For her son, Emil, Theodora was a strong supporter of Alexandrina Pruvia, the ruby of the season. However this match would never come to meet under the arbor of marriage, as once Emil joined a brewing political faction within the empire, the family had lost all political power and sway within Oren. Theodora cut all contact with Emil for the next forty years, and had no idea of his several marriages and multiple grandchildren until her early-eighties.


Disillusion With the Orenian Government

After the declaration of Wilhelmina’s and John Charles’s annulment, Theodora would be far more outspoken about her ideas and opinions on the Orenian government and it’s mistreatment of her cousin, Wilhelmina. Whether or not Wilhelmina’s husband, John, was truly a homosexual or simply refused to consumate the marriage was unknown, but the relentless Theodora pled to any and all who would listen, and claimed he was a homosexual, or that he had an orcish mistress.

As Theodora began to grow distrust for the Orenian Government and those in power, she chose to live in Karosgrad for a brief time, and ultimately disappear for some twenty odd years. Once again, it’s unknown what she did during this time, but certain individuals are said to have witnessed her convert to some form of Paganism (however, this is once again wildly disputed, with many of her own personal writings contradicting themselves). It’s likely she was slowly growing senile, and plagued by mental illness. Theodora was eventually found in the Old Whitcombe manor, which had been taken over by the Raevirs some thirty odd years ago. She refused to leave the grounds of Whitcombe, with doctors of the time stumped by her diagnosis. When she was finally forced to part ways with the manor, she’d often have mental breakdowns in the streets of New Providence, and thus would return to the Whitcombe Manor.

Mme Theodora, Gräfin-Dowager vu Leuven, by the Artist Romaine Mullenbach. Said to be one of her earliest portraits.


As Dowager-Countess

Illnesses and Health Issues

Theodora had gained 100 pounds in her elderly years, and while this didn’t cause many major health problems, it did limit her mobility severely, thus she went from 98 pounds (a healthy weight considering she was 4’11) to 198 pounds. Theodora often suffered from bouts of influenza, which she would recover from, but with each episode leaving further strain on her health and wellbeing, along with one contraction of smallpox, which she also recovered from. The recurring affliction of these illnesses would leave her face greatly disfigured and ridden with blemishes and lumps all over her body. This, along with her rapidly declining health as she entered her 80s and 90s, led to her being bedridden at 87, where she lived as a permanent resident in the hospital of New Providence for the rest of her days.

Final years & Death

Theodora would go on to live to the old age of 94, and while she did occasionally venture out of the hospital every so often, it wasn’t for long. Her final years alive were lonely and tiring, with Theodora spending most of her days sequestered in her quarters or asleep. During this time, she’d write her will- leaving any dresses she owned to her granddaughter, Aurelie, along with her pet rat, Hubert, and her jewelry collection to her daughters (if they were still alive), along with the rest of her fortune, which wasn’t much, to be split between her children. Theodora died of old age in her hospital bed in 1863. Months prior to her death, her final portrait was painted by Romaine Mullenbach, a Kaedreni painter.

Issue

Theodora and Albert had five children from 1791 to 1795.

Name Birth Death Marriage Notes
Chantal Louvain Ashford de Falstaff 13th of the Deep Cold, 1791 2nd of the Grand Harvest, 1800 Unwed Firstborn Daughter of Theodora and Albert. Twin to Emil-Dardot. Died of Sweating Sickness.
Emil-Dardot Ashford de Falstaff 13th of the Deep Cold 1791 Alive Agnes de Frand (divorced)
Melisandra de la Baltas
Firstborn Son of Theodora and Albert. Heir to the County of Leuven. Twin to Chantal Louvain. Titled stripped from him after participating in the Sedan Rebellion
Cosette Eleanor Ashford de Falstaff 18th of Sun's Smile 1792 Alive Unwed Second Daughter of Theodora and Albert. Twin to Conrad Nicholas.
Conrad Nicholas Ashford de Falstaff 18th of Sun's Smile 1792 Alive Francesca Ada Helvets Second Son of Theodora and Albert. Twin to Cosette Eleanor.
Renèe Caroline Ashford de Falstaff 1795 Alive Sergei Harold Othaman Third Daughter of Theodora and Albert.