Cecilia I of Wyrsia

***“**These wars aren't about me or Erik. They're not about Frosthaven or Starport. They're about honor, about justice. What monarch lets their people be conquered without doing anything about it?**”***
— Cecilia von Kalzberg-Mitthel

**Cecilia von Kalzberg-Mitthel**, born as Cecilia Mitthel, is the disputed queen of Wyrsia, as well as the acting leader of the Monarchists. She leads a large group of Monarchist Wyrsian exiles that overthrew the Protectorate of Woodhall in 1228 AW and actively seeks ways to further weaken the Republic of Fühlgart.

## Biography

### Early Life

Cecilia Mitthel was born in late 1201 AW at the Wyrsian Royal Palace in Woodhall. The second child and eldest daughter of Wyrsian King Stephen II, she was destined to become a valuable bargaining chip for Wyrsian diplomacy.

As a result, Cecilia grew up like most other princesses, tutored from a young age about the ins and outs of diplomacy and etiquette, to one day become the perfect bride. While perhaps a little jealous of her older brother, Frederick, she dutifully attended to her expected duties, even from a young age.

### The Early Great War

During the Great War, with most Wyrsian armies surrounded at Stavia and destroyed, it became all too clear that Woodhall would fall to Ulfric Luftschwert. Not content to abandon his people, Stephen II decided to stay behind to defend the capital. However, the death of his family was unacceptable.

Cecilia, aged eleven at the time, together with her mother and older brother, set sail for Serpent Island, accompanied by a large fleet and army. During this time, she met Erik von Kalzberg, a Fühlgartian prince who had also become an exile. While the two exchanged the occasional pleasantries, Cecilia's mother would bar others from seeing her daughter.

The group continued to the Wyrsian Wintersong Colony, docking at Starport. Frederick, now the King of Wyrsia, took control over the colony, much to the dissatisfaction of Liam Ashfrey and the locals. While Cecilia slowly befriended Erik von Kalzberg, as both were misfits, her brother was busy antagonizing the locals. Tensions between the Wyrsian crown and Ashfrey boiled over near the end of 1212 AW. When Republican ships appeared off the colony's coast, Ashfrey confirmed his treason when he shot Frederick through the head. In the ensuing fighting, countless Wyrsians lost their life, including Carol Wrightmoore, Cecilia's mother.

The young princess would have almost lost her life herself had she not been saved by Fühlgartian monarchists. In the chaos, they quickly returned her to Erik von Kalzberg, who hastily fled Starport, heading east. By sheer coincidence, they ran into Wyrsian captain, William Ryker, who had just returned from a scouting mission alongside a sizeable company. Together, they fled to the coastal town of Klipton, where they dug in. While initially a hopeless situation, they were saved by colonial general Oliver Oakfield and admiral Frank Whitman, who escorted their unlikely alliance to the Duchy of Redwall.

### Figurehead Queen

With Frederick dead, the Wyrsian royal family had been wiped out, with Cecilia being the only exception. However, a twelve-year-old can't run a collapsed kingdom in the middle of a war, resulting in Oakfield becoming regent. While the Wyrsian exiles technically fought for the queen, she had little to no influence over their actions in practice.

As a result, she became a close companion of Erik von Kalzberg, who was just about the only person she knew on a personal level at the time. While of little use in combat, her mere presence and affiliation with the von Kalzbergs gave the Monarchist cause some legitimacy. She accompanied them to Lamdones, where they succeeded in convincing the Avateauxans to join the Monarchists. However, she was forced to flee once more when the Kingdom of Toscov joined the Republicans to counterweight the Avateauxans. With tens of thousands of troops landing in the Eastland, the situation in Avateaux became hopeless, and a grand fleet sailed for Sallant, which had been buttered up enough to harbor the exiles.

The Sallanthians proved helpful, funding the Monarchists with massive armies and vast riches. In return, the von Kalzbergs were expected to aid them in their conquest of Da'al Mon. The war was a minor success, yet they failed to defeat the Da'al Monis totally. However, this was good enough for the Sallanthians, who considered the bargain to be fulfilled. Few expected it then, when the Sallanthians immediately turned on the Monarchists, slaughtering parts of the Avateauxan and Wyrsian armies, their official reasoning was that "the Monarchists had allied themselves with countless subhumans."

In the chaos, Cecilia and Erik got separated, with the von Kalzbergs fleeing towards Amagoi and Cecilia accompanying William Ryker and his 'subhuman' allies led by Nivhael, headed for Llendus. Crucially, Oakfield was with the Fühlgartian group and was separated from the queen he was the regent of. This led to the woefully unprepared Cecilia being the official leader of an army of thousands heading for the Llendan border. However, whether it was through her upbringing in etiquette and diplomacy or beginner's luck, she managed to negotiate safe passage through the firmly neutral Llendus. While the Llendans were nowhere near as hospitable as their Amagoian counterparts, at the very least, they weren't trying to kill her.

### Queen of Exiles

While the Wyrsians under Cecilia were safe in Llendus, they made it quite clear that they wanted the foreigners out of their lands as soon as possible. With the only nation between Llendus and Amagoi being Sallant, there was little choice but to go north, into Daletia. While Daletia was to an extent aligned with the Republic of Fühlgart, they had been in a state of civil war for nearly a decade, with no end in sight. Southern Daletia was controlled by Fiorino Trusio, former crown prince of Daletia, and supporter of the Rooftop Rebellion against the Daletian emperor.

Fiorino personally welcomed the Wyrsians. While the Rooftop Rebellion wasn't an ally of the Monarchists, they were definitely an enemy of the Republicans. As a result, the two got along remarkably well, despite their massive ideological differences. Fiorino offered the Wyrsians safe passage to the border of Yratessia, which they eagerly accepted. However, they were turned away at the border. Back to where they started, their only option was to head north, through the Marenbach Mountains. However, to get there, there were three obstacles. The Daletian Empire, which had gotten wind of the Wyrsian presence in the South, a sizeable army of Republican soldiers sent to support the Empire, and the Marenbach Mountains themselves. Yet, undeterred, the Wyrsians began their march north.

At first, they moved together with the Rooftop Rebellion, aiding them during the Battle of Collasi and the Battle of Monte Cetonia. However, after a farewell between Cecilia and Fiorino, the Wyrsians were on their own, marching north. Without supply lines, they were forced to raid farms and storages, all while remaining undetected. An impossible task. Before long, Daletian skirmishers were constantly harassing the Wyrsian forces. With Republican vanguards rapidly approaching from the north and Daletian troops from the south, Cecilia and her ragtag army were all but doomed, were it not for the Battle of Polliano, where forces under the rebelling Seventh Legion managed to land a decisive blow on Imperials and Republicans alike. A window of opportunity opened, and the Wyrsians were able to reach Marenbach without too much trouble.

However, once they had reached Marenbach, Cecilia's most difficult challenge yet would come. The Kingdom of Marenbach had been couped in 1219 AW and was now the seat of a Republic. How can one hope to survive stranded in enemy territory? In the case of Cecilia, it was by allying with religious extremists. Since the fall of the Kingdom of the One centuries ago, many had continued their Grey Worship in secret, being a constant thorn in the side of the rulers of Marenbach. Occasionally, a revolt would break out, yet these were usually crushed.

One such revolt had broken out and was on the brink of collapse. They lacked one thing: manpower. Praise be to the One, then, when a small army of Wyrsians turned up at their doorstep. With no other alternative, the two groups decided to help each other. The combined armies managed were triumphant at the Siege of Rosendorf, which was declared a Free City. With some semblance of an economy behind their backs, the leader of the grey forces, Gabriel Grossheim, arranged transport over the mountains, where they could safely link up with the Grey Army of Weckstein. The Wyrsians arrived in Weckstein by 1224 AW, at which point the puppet government had already fled the country with their tails between their legs. When Cecilia offered to aid them in their remaining battles, the Grey leader, Elias Pruefer, refused, stating that they had already received help from the Fühlgartians. Confused as to why the Republic of Fühlgart was overthrowing her own puppet states, Pruefer clarified that it had been the Kingdom of Fühlgart, not the Republic.

### Queen of Wyrsia

Cecilia could hardly believe the things Pruefer was saying, but sure enough, she reunited with Erik von Kalzberg and Oakfield in 1225 AW. Through sheer coincidence, they had both managed to make it to Weckstein around the same time. Oakfield officially gave up his position as regent, as his queen was no longer a scared teenager. Meanwhile, Cecilia and Erik mingled, reminiscing and telling each other about their adventures. While Erik had received some disputed and unreliable rumors about a Wyrsian army causing havoc in Daletia, Cecilia had heard nothing about what the von Kalzbergs had been up to.

After weeks of celebrating, a rather unusual request came forth from Erik, who proposed to merge the two houses. He would adopt Cecilia as his daughter, making her the heir to the Fühlgartian throne. With relations between the historical rivaling countries at an all-time high, Cecilia accepted, becoming Cecilia von Kalzberg-Mitthel, with Erik becoming house head. Some of the more cynical members of the Wyrsian exiles criticized the move, stating that it could be abused by the Fühlgartians in the future. However, these concerns were waved away by both parties.

With the von Kalzbergs having assembled a vast army from across the world, they simply in Weckstein for an opportune moment to liberate both Fühlgart and Wyrsia. This moment would come in 1227 AW, with the death of Jan Luftschwert, destabilizing the Republic. With Monarchist forces securing areas within the Fühlgartian mainland, naval invasions were planned. Cecilia personally oversaw the conquest of Woodhall Island and Serpent Island. Finally, in 1228 AW, sixteen years after being forced to hastily leave it, Cecilia liberated Woodhall, her home, overthrowing the Protectorate of Woodhall. She showed no mercy to Charles Wallace, the ruler of the protectorate, having him beheaded for high treason.

Cecilia now serves as the queen of Wyrsia. However, the mainland still lies divided between the Kingdom itself, the Republic of Southern Wyrsia, the Duchy of Redlyre and the Free City of Whaler's Bay. However, her primary focus lies in supporting Monarchist troops in Fühlgart at the moment. Causing the Republic of Fühlgart to fall will cause a domino effect where all its allies follow it to the grave. At least, that's the theory and why Cecilia keeps fighting.

## Career

Kingdom of Wyrsia

* Princess (1201-1212 AW)
* Heir Apparent (1212 AW)
* Queen of Wyrsia (1212 AW-)
* Acting Leader of the Monarchists (1228 AW-)

## Awards

* Service Medal - Kingdom of Wyrsia
* Defender of the People Medal - People's Republic of Daletia
* Great War Victory Medal - Free City of Rosendorf
* Service Medal - Grey Kingdom of Weckstein
* Hero of Fühlgart Medal - Kingdom of Fühlgart
* Great War Service Medal - Kingdom of Wyrsia
* Reclamation Medal - Kingdom of Wyrsia
* Homefront Medal - Kingdom of Wyrsia

## Personality

Cecilia von Kalzberg-Mitthel can best be described as being two-faced. To her Monarchist allies and her people, she is caring and kind. She takes the opinion of even the lowest soldiers seriously and is genuinely a good ear. She is mightily clever, able to weasel her way out of complications with ease, doing it all with a smile.

On the other hand, she is ruthless to Republicans, especially the turncoats within Wyrsia. These people killed her family, and she will stop at nothing to see their states crumble to dust, their soldiers dead, and their leaders turned into examples.

## Relationships

* Erik von Kalzberg-Mitthel, if there is one person who has unconditionally supported me, it is Erik. We started as two misfits stranded on Serpent Island yet have forged an unbreakable friendship and a political alliance that benefits both sides. Centuries of hatred between Fühlgart and Wyrsia have been erased, or at the very least, so we hope.
* Oliver Oakfield - Oakfield has always been a loyal servant. He could have overthrown me in the Eastland or Sallant, and nobody would have batted an eye. And yet, he has remained loyal since he saved my life in Klipton. This loyalty has been rewarded with my absolute trust. Oakfield serves as my right-hand man and the leader of the ALW.
* William Ryker - William Ryker, the Blade of Cossyxia. A faithful companion after we were stranded after the Sallanthian betrayal. He never doubted me despite my inexperience. For that, I would consider him my friend.
* Fiorino Trusio - Fiorino proved his hospitality when he took in our stranded band of Wyrsians in Daletia. Now Fiorino serves as the leader of the People's Republic of Daletia, serving as an unlikely ally on the other side of the world.
* Nivhael - Nivhael accompanied me after Sallant and serves as the queen of the Kingdom of the Green Grove. While I'm not as close with the Faerian as with Ryker, we can count on each other's support.
* Gabriel Grossheim - The alliance between myself and Gabriel was an alliance of necessity. While we have little in common politically, we have aided each other many times in the past, and I can count on his support if necessary.

* Albert Schmied - Albert Schmied burned the Green Grove, encircled the Wyrsian armies at Stavia, and captured dozens of settlements. I care little for his supposed 'redemption'. He remains Wyrsia's greatest enemy.
* Otto Ashfrey - Hating someone you've never met is odd, yet I want this man dead as much as Albert Schmied. Liam Ashfrey died peacefully in his sleep during the Great War, but his betrayal shook all Wyrsian loyalists, even to this very day. The founding of Wintersong's Republic was just rubbing it in. While the man is long dead, his failing republic lives on, inherited by his son. Otto Ashfrey must die.

## Stories

*Main Article: Stories*

* Story: Cecilia von Kalzberg-Mitthel - Homecoming