Elaine Galad

Elaine Galad or Elaine Galad Bloomer is the leader of the Galad Administration and the monarch ruling over the human population of Roommenor. She famously refused to submit to Divider during the War of a Century and married Jeremy Bloomer of the Alpha Clan to spare her people following the Dragoon Invasion.

## Early Life

Despite being born during the height of the War of a Century, Elaine's early childhood was relatively peaceful, majority of the fighting far away from the capital. From her birth she was destined to assume the throne and as such she was carefully tutored in the art of statecraft and diplomacy. While a relatively good pupil, Elaine seemed far more interested in simply being a child and was often found in the company of Jake Talon, the son of a Queens Guard officer, or the Guardian; Centauri.

As the war with Divider intensified, rumors began to circulate that young Elaine might be the target for abduction or assassination. Fearing for her safety, her parents charge Centauri with protecting the future queen from harm and the Guardian accepts his task with deadly seriousness, becoming a large shadow for the girl. Together the pair form a long friendship which serves to further the bond between the Galad Administration with the Guardians.

Much of Elaine's peaceful life would be upended with the Second Fall of Melbourne which saw her older brother Ashail killed in the fighting and panic beginning to reach Adelaide as citizens and soldiers began to question if the war against Divider could be won. With the threat to the capital mounting daily Queen Mercedes Galad orders Elaine be shepherded to the western coast of the continent, believing it'd be the safest place for her to reside.

### First Assassination Attempt

Under the watchful eye of Centauri and a detachment of Queens Guard, Elaine is relocated to the small coastal town of Havelock. There she continues her education though the residual anxiety from the war serves to affect her concentration. Hoping to ease the girl's mind, Centauri takes her for a walk along the area's beaches the simple act unintentionally saving Elaine's life. Learning of the whereabouts of the future queen, Divider dispatches an assassin and unit of freelancers to eliminate her. Battling through the Queens Guard the would-be child killers quickly discover she is not present in the designated residence.

Alerted by the gunfire, Centauri shelters Elaine before turning back and decimating the assassins. Realizing that she is no longer safe in Havelock, the Guardian takes Elaine back to the capital.

### Second Assassination Attempt

Believing Divider to be planning an offensive against Adelaide, Elaine's parents begin to discussing evacuating the palace or at the least sending Elaine away again, this time likely to Mount Reverence. Before this plan could put into motion another attempt is made against the girl's life though this attempt is perpetrated by Queen Guard officers hoping to sway Divider to peace if the royal family is slain. Besieged at the heart of the palace by the traitors, Elaine is unable to call to Centauri to help. Realizing that the assassins are slaughtering their way through anyone between them and her, Elaine works to draw them away from the palace's staff, sparing them. Eventually she is able lead the turncoats into the gardens where they are subsequently picked off by loyalist forces.

Her actions to save the staff do not go unnoticed and this simple act works to enamor her to the citizenry, the story of their future regent risking her life for commoners becoming a popular rallying point. Desperate to keep her heir safe, Mercedes Galad comes to realize the limitations to Centauri protecting her and the family hires former mercenary Roy Walker to become Elaine's personal household guard.

## Rise to Power

With the war against Divider dragging on and intelligence leaking to the public regarding what the fate of POWs in his capture are, morale begins to dip to an all time low, many small dissenting factions rising up to criticize the Galad Administration and demand an armistice be drawn up to end the conflict. These dissidents are often squelched by Guardian intervention but this aggression only furthers the detractors' cause. Soon rumors of a potential coup begin to circulate, sparking paranoia within the palace. Mercedes Galad orders heightened security and that the grounds be sealed off from the outside world. However this action only serves to further the citizenry's doubts regarding the monarchy.

Stemming more from youthful rebellion than political mindedness, Elaine refuses to comply to her mother's orders and frequently slips out of the palace, though unbeknownst to her most of these escapades are overseen by Roy Walker. Through her nightly gallivanting Elaine finds herself the only conduit people have to the Galad Administration and soon the girl becomes embroiled in various political debates throughout the city. While always determined to back her mother, Elaine is still willing to listen and engage her family's detractors, an act that furthers her popularity. These conversations slowly shift public opinion in favor of the monarchy and many mutinous groups find their support waning.

### Kian Offensive

Realizing the value of Elaine's rapport with the people and wishing to further her daughter's education, Mercedes dispatches the young future queen to the remote mountain town of Kian, where coalition forces are prepping for an upcoming operation against Divider. The cold and beleaguered soldiers welcome Elaine though most aren't overly enthusiastic about her arrival. Working with Centauri and Roy Walker she sets about to learn what she can about the planned offensive and to offer encouragement to the Queens Guard forces.

Less than forty eight hours after her arrival Divider makes a push against Kian, utilizing units he too had built up in the region. Caught off-guard, coalition forces desperately strive to fortify themselves in an effort to withstand the assault. Brutal fighting sees heavy casualties on both sides and despite the presence of Centauri and other Guardians, the Queens Guard position becomes tenuous at best. Reluctantly a fighting withdrawal is ordered with a small force tasked with utilizing an alternate route to move the wounded. Elaine finds herself placed in that detachment and she and Roy Walker work to assist the injured soldiers.

The column of wounded unceremoniously run into a unit of flanking Shocktroopers which sparks a small but vicious battle, the Queens Guard unable to properly maneuver due to the narrowness of the path and the presence of so many injured comrades. Channeling the survival training she'd received from birth, Elaine takes up arms and fights alongside Roy Walker and the soldiers, working to drive off the Shocktroopers. She is only fourteen years old.

### Coronation

Following her return to the capital, Elaine's popularity with the people is at a new high, despite the population's misgivings regarding the monarchy. With the coalition victory at Renee, Divider is forced to retreat and the war remains cold for the next two years. During this time Elaine continues her education and once more strives to interact with the citizenry to further their faith in the Galad Family. Pleased with her progress. Mercedes permits Elaine to administrate various social services in the metropolitan areas which sees her travel across the continent on missions of mercy to aid the people.

During a venture to Perth's-worth, Elaine learns that her mother suffered a stroke and is confined to bed. Anxious about how the population will handle this news, Elaine is called home while her father and other members of the administration deliberate the next course of action. It is clear to Elaine that her mother is deteriorating, possibly the decades of responsibility finally having worn her down. Eager to keep the people's faith the administration advocates Elaine assume the throne perhaps only until her mother is well. Though Elaine understands the necessity she is not comfortable with the idea, especially given her age.

Despite this, she reluctantly agrees and is officially crowned a week later in a small public ceremony. Hoping to use the change in leadership to his advantage Divider sparks a new offensive and pushes into coalition territory. Once more the cries for an armistice are made. These calls intensify when Divider manages to deploy rocket artillery in range of the capital, barrages becoming a daily occurrence. With Guardians occupied elsewhere the administration quickly advises Elaine to arrange a meeting with the enemy.

Conflicted, Elaine speaks in length with both Roy Walker and Centurai (the Guardian having arrived to ensure her safety). There is a heavy precedent regarding what will ultimately be her first act as sovereign. Things are further compounded when she receives news her mother has passed away. Truly feeling the weight of responsibility now, Elaine is determined not to back down against Divider. Calling together officers and government officials she demands that a plan be drawn up which will see the attack on Adelaide halted. Most are skeptical and even worried that her naivete would result in unnecessary causalities. Regardless they implement a counterattack and succeed at pushing back Divider's forces.

### Retaking Melbourne

Invigorated by the success of lifting the attack on the capital and still reeling from the death of her mother, Elaine announces that Melbourne must be liberated permanently from Divider's grip. Most of the military cadre dismiss this wish as idealistic, Divider having controlled the city now for nearly another decade. However Elaine can feel the people's fatigue over the war the need for a lasting victory imperative if the Galad Administration is to last. With little support within the Queens Guard she beseeches Aquila, entreating the Guardian to mobilize to retake the city.

Pulling forces from around the continent, Aquila assembles a task-force for the sole purpose of smashing through Divider's defenses and liberating the city in Elaine's name. The fighting in Melbourne drags for one exceptionally bloody week, Divider's soldiers making the coalition fight bitterly for every meter. While the coalition does emerge victorious the city is a shattered ghost of its former self. This is only further reinforced by the mass graves uncovered days later.

Wishing to highlight the victory and strengthen public support against Divider, Elaine travels to Melbourne for a public ceremony, congratulating the task-force and honoring the dead. The monarch's media staff are swift to transmit footage of the ceremony all over the continent as a propaganda move. While it does inspire more affection and confidence in Elaine it also reveals her location to Divider who quickly dispatches Beta Clan Headhunters to kill her. The Dragoon assassins are just barely thwarted by Roy Walker and Centauri, though they do succeed in taking the life of Elaine's father. This news along with the news of the assassination attempt itself is suppressed until Elaine can be safety returned to the capital.