Difference between revisions of "Vethara Shakhovskaya"
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==Early Years== | ==Early Years== | ||
| − | Her Highness Vethara, Archduchess of Tarasovka, was born in the Vigvar Winter Palace, on the 12th of July 1107 After Strife. However, both the fact of her birth and her very existence were hidden from the Taraskovyan people, the Leib-doctors having been instructed to remain silent. | + | Her Royal Highness Vethara, Archduchess of Tarasovka, was born in the Vigvar Winter Palace, on the 12th of July 1107 After Strife. However, both the fact of her birth and her very existence were hidden from the Taraskovyan people, the Leib-doctors having been instructed to remain silent. |
It is not known what reasons pushed the Grand Duke and his wife to act so. The early life of Vethara is, thus, clouded in mystery and gave birth to many a rumour, all of them dismissed by the Ruling family. | It is not known what reasons pushed the Grand Duke and his wife to act so. The early life of Vethara is, thus, clouded in mystery and gave birth to many a rumour, all of them dismissed by the Ruling family. | ||
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===Higher Education and Life as a Doctor=== | ===Higher Education and Life as a Doctor=== | ||
| − | {{Image|http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Namellar/GDT/MedFac.jpg|left|MedFac|The building of the Faculty of Medicine, where Her Highness studied.}}Whilst it is understood that Vethara had received initial education from private tutors, it did not prevent her from brilliantly passing exams to the Vigvar University Faculty of Medicine. She earned the degree of Bachelor of Medicine after two out of the usual five years. | + | {{Image|http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Namellar/GDT/MedFac.jpg|left|MedFac|The building of the Faculty of Medicine, where Her Royal Highness studied.}}Whilst it is understood that Vethara had received initial education from private tutors, it did not prevent her from brilliantly passing exams to the Vigvar University Faculty of Medicine. She earned the degree of Bachelor of Medicine after two out of the usual five years. |
She then was engaged by the Vigvar Grand Ducal Leib-hospital as a general practitioner. At the same time, she entered the Pediatrics Department of the Faculty of Medicine, striving to become a pediatrician, which she did at the age of 30. | She then was engaged by the Vigvar Grand Ducal Leib-hospital as a general practitioner. At the same time, she entered the Pediatrics Department of the Faculty of Medicine, striving to become a pediatrician, which she did at the age of 30. | ||
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===Romances=== | ===Romances=== | ||
| − | The only public known romance of Her Highness was with the Poruchik Nekshas Tenathir of the [[Alexander Guard|Leib-guards]], Count of Terth, with whom Vethara was first sighted in public in 1138 AS at the Vigvar Opera House. In May 1141, Poruchik Tenathir was baptized in the Orthodox faith and in June the couple announced their engagement. However, their union never came to be as the [[Aphyr Conflict|Plague]] erupted in September of the same year and the Count fell on the battlefield. | + | The only public known romance of Her Royal Highness was with the Poruchik Nekshas Tenathir of the [[Alexander Guard|Leib-guards]], Count of Terth, with whom Vethara was first sighted in public in 1138 AS at the Vigvar Opera House. In May 1141, Poruchik Tenathir was baptized in the Orthodox faith and in June the couple announced their engagement. However, their union never came to be as the [[Aphyr Conflict|Plague]] erupted in September of the same year and the Count fell on the battlefield. |
==The Plague and the Federal Era== | ==The Plague and the Federal Era== | ||
Revision as of 21:17, 1 July 2006
| Archduchess Vethara Shakhovskaya | ||||||||||
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Vethara, Archduchess of Taraskovya (Vethara Mikhailovna Shakhovskaya)(born 12 July 1107 AS) is the third child and second daughter to the late Grand Duke Mikhail I and Grand Duchess Ekaterina. She is also heiress presumptive to the Taraskovyan Sword of Rulers, currently held by her brother, Grand Duke Mikhail II.
She, as all Shakhovskoy, is a symbol of unity and harmony between the two peoples that have for generations shaped the destiny of her nation - the Russians and the Taraskath. With the fiery Russian vivacity and spontaneity and the cold Taraskath pragmatism, as well as their extreme longevity, Vethara combines all the traits that caracterize a Taraskovyan.
Just as her mother Ekaterina, the Archduchess became an Orthodox faithful. She is very devout and is a great supporter of the Church, to the point that her merits were recognized by the Vigvar Patriarchate when she was bestowed with the title of Benefactress of the Church.
Contents
Early Years
Her Royal Highness Vethara, Archduchess of Tarasovka, was born in the Vigvar Winter Palace, on the 12th of July 1107 After Strife. However, both the fact of her birth and her very existence were hidden from the Taraskovyan people, the Leib-doctors having been instructed to remain silent.
It is not known what reasons pushed the Grand Duke and his wife to act so. The early life of Vethara is, thus, clouded in mystery and gave birth to many a rumour, all of them dismissed by the Ruling family.
Revelation to the Public and Subsequent Years
When the Archduchess was 22 years old, her existence was finally revealed by the Grand Duke to his subjects, but no exact reason for the previous secrecy was given. No scandals erupted, however, and Taraskovyans were quick to celebrate the appearance of a whole new child of their beloved ruler.
The near absence of negative reaction is sometimes explained by a thorough preparation of the event by the Grand Duke and the Taraskovyan National Security Department.
Higher Education and Life as a Doctor
She then was engaged by the Vigvar Grand Ducal Leib-hospital as a general practitioner. At the same time, she entered the Pediatrics Department of the Faculty of Medicine, striving to become a pediatrician, which she did at the age of 30.
Public Life
Due to her clouded past, Vethara quickly became the focus point of Taraskovyan media and, as such, was very quickly integrated into the social life of the Grand Duchy. Due to her kindness and generousity, she quickly became popular with the people, who often favoured her more than her father.
The Archduchess became active in the so-called “Bread for Sword” program, taking on the handling of finances and touring of the country to foresee to the needs of those benefiting from the program. In the “Bread for Sword” the Grand Duke of all Taraskovya offered financial assistance to the poorest Taraskovyans in exchange for armed service should war come to Taraskovyan soil and the Taraskovyan army be in dire need of men and women. In practice, none of those assisted in the “Bread for Sword” ever served a single day and, as such, that program was often referred to as charity. However, it helped many start a new self-sufficient life.
Vethara was also actively involved in supporting the Taraskovyan Church and even earned the honourary title of Benefactress of the Church.
Romances
The only public known romance of Her Royal Highness was with the Poruchik Nekshas Tenathir of the Leib-guards, Count of Terth, with whom Vethara was first sighted in public in 1138 AS at the Vigvar Opera House. In May 1141, Poruchik Tenathir was baptized in the Orthodox faith and in June the couple announced their engagement. However, their union never came to be as the Plague erupted in September of the same year and the Count fell on the battlefield.
The Plague and the Federal Era
The Plague came as a shock to the Archduchess and the death of her fiancé and father in the first weeks of warfare literally cut the young woman down. By the end of December 1142, her brother also presumably fell in battle, which also claimed the life of her sister Anastasia. Her mother’s heart could not endure such a tremendous loss and Ekaterina also departed for a better world in the days following the end of the Plague.
Vethara, thus, became the only remnant of the Ruling family and the Grand Duchess by Right of all Taraskovya. However, the Sword of Rulers was taken by the Church of the Seven Deities back to the Sacred Citadel of Zynthris and Vethara never had the time to give the Oath of Faith (or, in other words, be enthroned). As such, she never wielded the Sword and could not bear the title of Grand Duchess of all Taraskovya.
During the political void, a triumvirate of high ranked army officers seized the opportunity to assert their power over the nation in order to prevent the country from slipping into further chaos. Even if at first the three Ruling Councillors were keen to use Vethara as a symbolic leader above them, the young woman soon came to be seen as a threat.
Exile in Menelmacar
A group of loyalist officers, sensing the threat that posed the Ruling Council, managed to smuggle Vethara out of the country and into Menelmacar, where she was given refuge by Lady Sirithil. The Ruling Council, having lost the opportunity to force Vethara into abdicating, proceeded to illegally abolish monarchy and proclaimed a Republic, under the name of Taraskovyan Federation. Vethara, in the meantime formed a Government in Exile, which was more keen on working with loyalist elements within Tarasovka than seek international support and recognition.
The many years of Exile opened the Archduchess to foreign customs and realms, as she established personal friendly relations with some foreign rulers, even if only the Eternal Noldorin Empire and the Danaan High Kingdom officially recognized her as the legitimate ruler of Tarasovka.1
Return of the Grand Duke
In spring of the year 1148 AS, just as the nation was still recovering from the latest White Legion uprising, the presumably dead and buried Mikhail II of all Taraskovya made an unexpected return. However, he did not lead a bloody coup, choosing instead to become a member of the Ruling Council. He took the seat of Admiral Puchinov, who was killed during the Vigvar Attacks perpetrated by the White Legion during their 1147 AS Uprising. Mere months later, the Taraskovyan people were called to vote on a new Constitution, which would restore monarchy in Tarasovka, even if the Grand Duchy was drastically reformed.
Vethara at first refused to recognize “Mikhail” as her real brother. Yet, as the People and Fiefdoms approved the Constitution and Mikhail II became Grand Duke again, she had to eventually abandon her claims to the Sword of Rulers. The final reconciliation between the two happened during the coronation of High King Owain of the Resurgent Dream.
Current Life
Nowadays, the Archduchess is dedicated to building up the Duchy of Zoria and turning into a jewel of the Taraskovyan nation. The virgin islands on Venus offer a great plethora of possibilities on which Vethara's management skills can be fully revealed.
She is also known to dedicate a lot of time and effort to aid the victims of the Plague and the Time of Troubles, and is currently in the process of adoption of an orphaned girl, who lost her entire family during the battle of Srebrograd. Despite this sign of setting up a family, Vethara is unmarried. It is not known whether there currently is any man in her life, several rumours and speculations having already proved unfounded.
In her free time, the Archduchess is known to practice horseback archery and skiing, among other sports. She is also trying to spend as much time as possible with her brother following their decade long separation and many deem that is she the Grand Duke's most trusted confident and advisor, even though the two siblings do not always agree on everything.
Other Titles
Benefactress of the Church
The title of Benefactress of the Church was bestowed upon Vethara by the Patriarch Nikon II of Vigvar and all Taraskovya in reward for her support of the Church and of the Orthodox faith. At the time, the only other Benefactress of the Church was Vethara's mother, the Grand Duchess Ekaterina. As of today, Vethara shares the honour with Duke Anatoly Orlov, who was granted the title of Benefactor in reward for his support of the Church during the turmoiled Federal era.
As all Benefactors of the Church, Vethara was awarded with the Order of Saint Apostle Andrew the First-Called by the Patriarch of Vigvar and all Taraskovya. The Order's star is made of silver and diamonds, and features the inscription "For Faith and Loyalty". The badge represents a double-headed eagle bearing a blue cross St. Andrew's Cross with St. Andrew crucified upon it. The use of the double-headed eagle, due to its Byzantine origins, is proper to the Taraskovyan Church and is not found on any State regalia.
Duchess of Zoria
Vethara is also the Duchess of Zoria. Zoria is a Taraskovyan possession on the planet of Venus, which was bought by the Grand Duke from Menelmacar as a gift to his sister in honour of their reconcilliation. Vethara, after first attempting to get something more modest from her brother, accepted the Duchy and the responsibilities that came with it. She exercises full authority over the Duchy, with her brother reserving the right to use it whenever military needs arise.
Duchess of Khamesti
The title of Duchess of Kheper-kekui-kha-mesti was bestowed upon Vethara by the Emperor of the C'tan. The city of Khamesti (as it is casually referred to for the sake of simplicity)is located in the Duat province of Aterat. The position is largely ceremonial and the Taraskovyan Archduchess holds no power over the city, even if Khamesti does generate a generous income for her.
This particular Ducal title, however, is not hereditary as is. In order to make it hereditary, Vethara entered C'tani civil service as a Governement Assessor on Pediatric Medicine.
Foot Notes
1 Note: Some other nations never adopted any official stance on the issue and continued to deal both with the Ruling Council and with the Grand Duchess by right. Both sides were content with such a solution and never demanded an official recognition from any other State.
