Online:Queen Arzhela

Queen Arzhela is the queen and rightful ruler of Evermore following the recent death of her husband and children. She is also a cousin of High King Emeric.
  

Related Quests






Dialogue
Queen Arzhela can initially be encountered in St. Pelin's Chapel praying over Osianne Chatillon, a dying soldier. She is in mourning and will be dressed in a black shawl. If she is approached in the Chapel before the investigation of Evermore is completed, she will say:
:''"If these are to be this soldier's last moments, praying with her is the least I can do. Please. Leave us be."

A City in Black
The Queen in mourning|thumb|right
Once the investigation during A City in Black is completed, Queen Arzhela can be reported to.
:"So much suffering. So much death. Like my husband and my children, this soldier gave her life for Evermore. I wish I could offer her more comfort, but I can only pray with her to gods whose mercy I have come to doubt."
:I am sorry for your losses, You Majesty.
:"Many others are enduring similar losses. I deserve no more compassion than they do. In truth, knowing they share my grief has been a great consolation. You are not here for grieving though. Is there some official business that demands my attention?"
:Your handmaiden asked that I report here.
:"Oh, of course. Glarikha told me. I hope you'll forgive her. Her intentions are good, but she misled you—that request was not on my behalf. She can't seem to accept my decision to step aside and let Duke Renchant handle all matters of state."
:You don't want to know what I found then?
:"I would, but at another time. I hope you understand. Losing my family...I just need time, and I believe this is how I can best serve the people right now. If you have concerns about security though, you must report them to the duke."
:As you wish, Your Majesty.
:"Thank you for respecting my wishes. Perhaps you can convince Glarikha to do the same. She's already off again, investigating some ship at the docks. These matters are the duke's concern now, and he has my support. He'll appreciate your help though."
:I'll go speak with the duke right away then.

Speaking to her again:
:"Again, thank you for understanding my position. Duke Renchant is a very intelligent man, and he will make the right decisions to ensure that Evermore does not fall."''

Once evidence of Duke Renchant's plan to surrender to the Imperials has been found, Queen Arzhela shown the proof.
:''"Somehow, I had a feeling I'd see you again. Tell me, has Glarikha gotten herself into trouble this time? Or is it that the duke didn't take kindly to you questioning his decisions?"
:The duke is handling the city over to Imperial control.
:"Oh come now, you can't expect me to believe that! Has Glarikha resorted to trying to deceive me now? This is a jest … right? Surely Duke Renchant would never even consider such a thing."
:These Imperial Orders prove it.
:"I-I can't believe what I'm reading …. How could Renchant be such a fool? Has he given up on defending the kingdom and decided to accept the lesser of two evils? This is simply mad."
:So you didn't know anything about this?
:"Of course not! Though I can blame myself no less. I am the one who trusted the fool. He's apparently just a damn coward. You know, Eamond told me Renchant was naive. You've now given me proof of this fact."''

Imperial Infiltration
If you haven't started the quest, she will say "I never should trusted that fool!"

Speaking to her:
:''"If the Imperials take Bangkorai, it will be a fatal blow to the Covenant. We can't allow Renchant to do this. Damn it. He's leaving me no choice but to take back the throne. I know Glarikha will be pleased to hear that. Where is she, by the way?"
:She's gone to find Sir Jarnot and any loyal guards.
:"Smart girl. She always has been. I suppose I should've listened to her. Very well. We need to do this smoothly. The city has suffered enough. We don't want a battle in a streets. We need to take time to do this right. How much time do we have?"
:Imperial spies are recruiting citizens and will strike in a few hours.
:"Gods! There goes that idea! You must root out these spies right away then. Do not use weapons though. That will cause a panic, and I don't want that. Find Glarikha and Sir Jarnot and figure out another way.
:'''I'll go find Glarikha and Sir Jarnot then.
:"After you've ensured the city is safe, meet me in the castle, and we'll deal with Duke Renchant. The poor fool probably doesn't even realize he's committed treason. May the gods keep you, my courageous friend."
:We shouldn't confront Renchant first?
:"No. He needs to watch his cowardly little plan crumble first. I want him demoralized before we confront him. I also want to think about exactly  what to say. It has to be good, you know." 

Once the spies and Captain Hjurrun have been dealt with, Queen Arzhela can be found in Evermore Castle looking for Duke Renchant.
:"Can you believe this? The duke's apparently run off to avoid facing me. After what he's done, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Tell me though, is the city safe? Have the Imperials spies been dealt with?"
:Yes. The spies are gone and the city is safe.
:"Excellent. Then dealing with the rat I let into the castle is all that remains, if we can just find whatever hole he's scurried into. Oh, but what about Sir Jarnot? And Glarikha? All three of you deserve a medal after this is done with."
:Sir Jarnot and Glarikha were killed.
:"No! Glarikha? Glarikha is … gone? But why? She was an innocent young girl. I knew the Imperials were heartless, but do they have no honor at all? Renchant. He's responsible for this, too. Where is that bastard?"
:You think he's still in the castle?
:"Yes. he's actually most likely to be down in Eamond's private rooms. Unworthy swine that he is. Will you come with me? I could call the guard, but it might be better if you and I just deal with this quickly. And quietly."
:Of course I'll accompany you, Your Majesty.

When confronting Duke Renchant downstairs:
:Queen Arzhela: "Renchant, you bastard … I rue the day I gave you the throne. What you've done … is nothing less than treason."

After speaking the Duke, Queen Arzhela will say different things depending on the choices you made regarding Renchant.

If you decide Duke Renchant should be imprisoned:
:Queen Arzhela: "Guard! Come get this coward out of my sight!"
:Guardsman Franis: "Yes, Your Majesty. As you wish."
:Duke Renchant: "I'll come quietly, Guardsman."
: 
:Queen Arzhela: "Now that he's been dealt with, we have real work to do. Please, meet me outside."

If you kill the Duke:
:Queen Arzhela: "Now that he's been dealt with, we have real work to do. Please, meet me outside."

If you leave the decision to Queen Arzhela:
:Duke Renchant: "Very well then. Arzhela, my fate is in your hands. You know I made the only rational choice."
:Queen Arzhela: "I wouldn't call it rational, Renchant. I would call it cowardly. Eamond died defending this kingdom … and you'll die for betraying it."
: 
:Queen Arzhela: "Now that he's been dealt with, we have real work to do. Please, meet me outside."

Regardless of the decision made, the Queen can be now found outside alongside a bodyguard.
:"Thank you for dealing with that situation. I know it wasn't pleasant, but life just isn't always a pleasant thing. Certainly not in my case. Nevertheless, we have responsibilities we cannot simply ignore. Glarikha taught me that, and you, of course."
:Killing the duke would have been wrong. (If you spared the Duke)
:"You're right, of course. I know that it my head, just not in my heart. It's time to put aside all these doubts though. The people need a decisive leader, and one who will fight for them. From now on, I will be the queen I should've been all along."
:The duke was a traitor. He had to die.(If you killed the Duke)
:"It's the way it had to be. Though I do feel partially responsible. I should never have allowed this to happen. In the midst of a tragedy, it's even more important that a ruler put aside his or her personal feelings for the good of the kingdom."
:Glarikha would be proud of you.''' (If you let her decide the Duke's fate)
:''"I-I know. I feel partially responsible for her death … but if I give in to remorse or sorrow, I would be doing her a dishonor. From now on, I'm going to honor Eamond's legacy, rule as he would have, as he and Glarikha would want me to."
:I'll be here to support you, Your Majesty./As you say, Your Majesty.
:"No matter what the future holds, Evermore is deeply indebted to you, as I am too. In times like these, we all need a hero like you … to remind us that no matter how bad things get, there's always hope."

If you exit out of the conversation before turning in the quest, she will say:
:"There was a time when the people of Evermore admired me. I hope my folly hasn't cost me their faith. Even if it has, though, I like dedicate myself to earning it back."
:I'm sure the people still believe in you. (Leads to quest completion dialogue)

After completing Imperial Infiltration, the Queen will hint at her future plans:
:"The Imperial threat's over, for now at least … but the Reachmen are coming, and we've lost precious time when we should have been preparing. I think we'll need to stop the Reachmen's advance at Northglen. I would welcome your counsel though."

Leading the Stand
Once Uela has left, the Queen can spoken to, where she will be quite confused at the sight of you talking to a crow.
:"I hope you'll forgive me being blunt, but under the circumstances, there's no time for social niceties. I am still in awe of what you've done to save the city, but did I just see you talking to a crow?"
:Yes. That was Uela, the leader of the Reachmen.
:"So that's why all these crows have descended on the city? Gods! I knew it wasn't a coincidence. Fine. I'll give every guard a bow. I think it's time for us to do some bird hunting. First though, if you spoke to their leader, what did she say?"
:That her army is coming to kill us all.
:"I see. Not really much of a surprise. The Reachmen are bearing down on Northglen already. We've already sent every soldier we can spare, but there's little chance of turning the tide of battle. Your presence there might make all the difference."
:I'll go to Northglen and see how I can help.
:"Once you get there, I'm sure the Reachmen won't know what hit them. Look for Sergeant Antieve in Northglen. He was just sent there, but with Captain Hjurrun dead, he's one of my most senior officers. I suppose I'll need to give him a promotion."
:Would you like me to tell him about the promotion?
:"Sure. He could probably use some encouragement. Tell him I'm going to promote him to Lieutenant … assuming we defeat the Reachmen, of course."

The Parley
Wyress Rashan will ask you to report back to Queen Arzhela at Evermore Castle once Uela has been killed.
:"Praise the Eight! I can't tell you how delighted I am to see you. First, the Reachmen advance stopped, then the crows flew away, and now … you're back. I have a feeling you bring good tidings."
:I do. The Hagraven Uela is dead.
:"Amazing. What seemed like a hopeless situation has turned around completely. Believe it or not, I have good tidings to share with you too. Imperial Magus-General Septima Tharn is requesting a parley. I'm hoping it's to discuss a peace settlement."
:Are you sure it's not a trap?
:"No. I wouldn't put anything past the Imperials. I'm optimistic, but not naive. That's why I've been delaying the meeting. I want you there … just in case. We'll also have members of the Fighters and Mages Guild on hand if we need them."
:That sounds like a wise decision.
:"Now that you're here, we can get on with it. Gabrielle is joining us from the Mages Guild and Darien from the Fighters Guild. I suppose you want to discuss strategy with them. When you're ready, just ask Gabrielle to open the portal."
::Where will the parley take place?
::"It's neutral territory—a remote valley in central Bangkorai. Gabrielle and Darien have already scouted it out. They can tell you what they saw. When you're ready, Gabrielle is planning to open a portal to get us down there."
::You really think the Imperials want peace?
::"I think they expected to take Evermore through deception. We've prevented that. I'm sure they'd like to take the city by force, but as long as Bangkorai Garrison is standing that won't be happening. They may be ready to cut their losses."
::Why hire the guilds when you have guards.
::"Under the terms of the parley, I agreed to not bring the royal guard. Septima's crazy if she thinks I'll meet her without an escort though. She's bringing her magic, so I'm bringing mine. I'll have some steel on hand too … for good measure."

Once having arrived at the Nchu Duabthar Threshold:
thumb|right|Queen Arzhela parleys with Septima Tharn
:Darien Gautier: "Clear! Take up positions!"
: 
:Queen Arzhela: "I don't like this. Where's the Magus-General? It's not like a Tharn to be late."
: 
:Septima Tharn: "Impatience is hardly the mark of a strong ruler, Your Majesty."
:Queen Arzhela: "When you're queen, you're welcome to set a finer example, Magus-General."
:Septima Tharn: "That's one honor I do not seek. What I do seek, is the unconditional surrender of Evermore."
:Queen Arzhela: "You came all this way just to make absurd demands? I'm surprised."
:Septima Tharn: "Hardly absurd, Arzhela. I tried the soft approach with the duke, but you spoiled the effort. I've come to make one final offer: surrender, or you will die."
:Queen Arzhela: "Your threats carry little weight, Septima. Bangkorai Garrison still stands between us, and it does not fall easily, or did you miss that in your history lessons?"
:Septima Tharn: "Those who hide in the shadows of the past are crushed when its structures come tumbling down...Bangkorai Garrison has already fallen. My legionaries walk its battlements even now."
:Queen Arzhela: "Is this another of your lies? I don't care. It's clear you want a war. And if that's what you want, you can have it!"
: 
:"What the...? She's not even here! It's an illusion!"
:Septima Tharn: "Ha! Just remember, you struck first, Arzhela. Seventh Legion—Attack!"
: 
:Darien Gautier: "Ambush! Defend the queen at all cost."

Once there is a lull in the attacks by the Seventh Legion, Gabrielle will manage to create a portal to let the Queen escape back to Evermore, where she can be spoken to.
:"I should be glad we got away, but I'm too angry to think! They've taken the garrison? The brutish swine! If there's one thing I do before I die, it's going to be spitting on the corpse of that cowardly wench Septima Tharn."
:Were we the only ones to escape?
:"Were we? Where are Darien and Gabrielle? I thought they were coming right behind us! Damn it! I would not have them sacrifice themselves … not for me, at least! Surely they're still coming …?"
:I really don't know, Your Majesty.
: 
:Darien Gautier: "That...could've gone better …."
:Gabrielle Benele: "I didn't think I had another portal in me … glad I was wrong."
:Queen Arzhela: "Well … at least some of us survived."

Queen Arzhela can be spoken with.
:"It seems the crows have departed from Evermore, but the black cloud hasn't. With Bangkorai Garrison taken, there's nothing stopping the Imperials marching here. I didn't retake the throne to watch the kingdom fall though. We'll find a way."
:I'll help you however I can.
:"I know you will—I'm counting on it. Without you, this castle would already be flying Imperial banners. You've saved the kingdom, and now its queen. If there's one person I believe in, it's you. Still, I don't know how we're going to do it alone."

After completing The Parley, High King Emeric will arrive, ready to help his cousin and Evermore.
:High King Emeric: "Fortunately, you won't have to."
:Queen Arzhela: "Emeric … I mean, Your Majesty! Thank the gods!"

When spoken to Queen Arzhela will now say, "Between you and me, I'm incredibly relieved that Emeric's here, but it took him so long, I don't know whether to kiss him or slap him." 
The Queen suited up for battle|thumb|right
Storming the Garrison
Queen Arzhela will join King Emeric and his Lion Guard, along with the Knights in traveling to Bangkorai Garrison to take it back from Imperial control.
:"So … what do you think of the armor? I'm still officially in mourning of course, and I don't want to disrespect Eamond's memory, but if we're fighting Septima Tharn I have to be there. I just do."

After accepting Storming the Garrison, Queen Arzhela will now say.
:"Many more worthy than me have given their lives to protect this kingdom. My husband … my children …. I am not afraid to join them."

Once the Barracks have been cleared, Queen Arzhela will be found standing outside.
:"We still haven't checked the crypt. There's no telling what these twisted bastards are doing down there."''

After learning you'll be going into the Royal Crypts, Arzhela requests you kill her husband if you find him being used as an undead thrall.
:''"You're going to the crypt, aren't you? If those churlish rats have raised Eamond, you strike him down. Don't hesitate. I loved my husband, but I'd rather see him burned than in that … state. Whatever happens, just make sure I don't see him."

After leaving the crypts, Queen Arzhela can be found looking down at the newly created dark anchor.
:"Dark anchors here, now? The Daedric Prince Molag Bal is surely making his presence known in Bangkorai."

Once the Xivilai Moath is dead and the Dark Anchor destroyed, the garrison will be considered taken and King Emeric and Queen Arzhela will give a speech.
:High King Emeric: "With chains, they sought to bind this place in darkness and death … but the chains are broken! The garrison is ours!"
:"Mark my words—this victory will go down in the history books! This is the day the Empire began to crumble!"
:Queen Arzhela: "Knights of Saint Pelin! Many of your brothers and  sisters died here, but this was the purchase of their sacrifice. Be grateful and be proud!"

thumb|right|Arzhela and Emeric witness the Anchor descending over Bangkorai Garrison
She will then follow her cousin outside where she can be spoken to to complete Storming the Garrison. Arzhela will reveal she was actually skeptical that they would have been able to take the garrison back.
:"I'll be honest with you. I didn't even think we could retake the garrison. I expected to die here. I was even looking forward to it. But my heart is filled with happiness right now. Not for myself, but for the people of Evermore."
:Are the Imperials defeated then?
:"Well, of course the war is far from over, but we've won a crucial battle. Definitely gave the Imperials a black eye. And Evermore is safe. I should return there, but I have a feeling Emeric will want to press on to liberate Southern Bangkorai."
:Do you think that's wise?
:"Whether it's wise or not isn't for me to say. All I can say is that Emeric wants to push on, I hope you go with him. It's clear that any undertaking you're a part of is more than likely to succeed."

Once Striking Back has been started, speaking to Queen Arzhela will now have her say:
:"You know, I really though the years had hardened Emeric, made him cold, but since he arrived in Evermore, I've caught glimpses of the cousin I used to play with when we were kids. Difficult as all this has been, I think it's rekindled his spirits."''

After the quest, she stands on the other side of the garrison's southern gate in a triumphant pose.

The Hall of Heroes
The Queen praying over the body of Emeric|thumb|right
After defeating Septima, you will reenter the Mundus with King Emeric's soul. When you arrive in the Chamber of Passage you will find Queen Arzhela and the Lion Guard surrounding King Emeric's body, mourning.
:Queen Arzhela: ''"My cousin … my king … I'm sorry we failed you."

If you speak her, she numbly says:
:"I think I've run out of tears at this point. How could the gods allow this to happen?"''

Once Emeric's soul is restored and he gets up, Arzhela will be stunned and simply say:
:"I think before I said I had seen it all …. Well, I was wrong."