Mary Irene-Aquitania

**Mary Irene-Aquitania** (Mary Viktoria Arturia Irene-Aquitania; 30 May 1940 – 31 May 1999) was Empress of Irene from 1969 and was styled with the address of *Her Holiness Lady* Mary since her marriage to the youngest son of the Roman-Catholic Saint, James the II, who had been venerated as a Saint in Vatican City—the esteemed position that Pope James the II once held before his shocking assassination and the even more shocking news of his youngest son, Andrew the III, getting married to a foreign woman and a High Empress none the less—despite his foreign birth and lower status—he was deemed an extraordinary excellent match for the young Empress. Her younger sisters approved of the match—her father was elated upon having a Priest join the Irene Imperial Family as it echoed a second wave of changes among the Imperial Family—Mary was named as the "**Mother of Change**" as by marrying a popular and venerated Priest, she brought change to the nation and integrated religious beliefs and high levels of religious tolerance—in comparison to her more pacifist and peace-loving mother, Mary was a ruthless and twisted person having grown up underneath the watchful eye of her mother`s younger brother, Prince Alfred—her twisted nature would slowly begin to unravel after she met Andrew the III, and his requited love towards her would help to melt her iced over heart. An Empress in her own right, she was considered one of the most powerful rulers of her time—her husband was elevated to the same status as she, with the two kept busy with their own duties—the couple`s only daughter, Isabella, died at age seven making her eldest youngest sister (Princess Viktoria II) the heir apparent and subsequently the Empress after her death.

## Life

### **Early years**

Mary was born in Germanicus, Makarova, to Lord Arthur Lascelles of the British Empire and his only wife, Andrea II of Irene on 30 May 1940. At the time of her birth, she was was first-in-line to the throne, her parents were the current reigning Empress and Emperor. Her eldest youngest sibling, Princess Viktoria II, was born one year later on 30 May 1941, which didn`t change her position in the line of succession. As the heir apparent of the Irene Empire, she was raised underneath the strict tutelage of her mother`s younger brother, Prince Alfred, and grew into an adept magician. Growing up in the pre-war era, Mary`s country was embroiled in war from the time that she was a young teenager—much of her waking hours were spent training and practicing diplomacy, war tactics, archery, and wielding various types of weapons. At the age of thirteen, she was already a master in elemental magic and was continuing her studies in political science at the Imperial Academy of Political Science—during her brief term there, she managed to complete six three-hour credit courses in her specified subjects and graduated in 1 September 1949 at the age of nine.

### **Cold War Era**

The now seven-year-old Princess Mary is engrossed in politics once more—as the heir apparent she is required by legal law to ally herself and make her interests in the betterment of her country—though politically adept herself, the young Mary is conflicted and often flees her duties—her younger sister, Viktoria II (now age 6)—aids her older sister in choosing what she wants to do.