Ashlinn Järnheim

Ashlinn Järnheim by BanishedShadow

**Ashlinn Frija Järnheim** is a former acolyte of the Red Church and a former close friend of Mia Corvere, then lover to Mia in the third book.

## History

Ash was born in Vaan, a vassal state of Itreya, and was the daughter of Torvar Järnheim, a retired Blade of the Red Church. As vengeance for a maiming he received whilst in the Mother's service, he and his children hatched a plot that almost brought the entire Church to its knees. Though their conspiracy was eventually foiled by Mia, it did claim the life of the head of the Red Church, the Lord of Blades, Cassius and dozens of other servants of Niah. Also among the dead was Ashlinn's brother, Osrik.

Ash would go on to spend the next few months on the run with her father, Torvar, struggling to evade the Red Church. Her father was eventually killed, but Ashlinn managed to escape justice. She later aligned herself with Mia Corvere, after the latter learned of the Church's involvement in her father's death. The two rekindled their friendship, and, over the course of their months-long partnership, developed romantic feelings for one another and eventually became lovers.

## Appearance

Ashlinn is described as pretty and dimpled, with blonde hair that she usually wears plaited back in two tight warbraids. Her hair is shaved in an undercut, and her face is smattered with freckles.

After undergoing her transformation by the Weaver Marielle, Ash's face loses its roundness and her freckles are removed. She is described as "pretty as a field of sunflowers". She is later revealed to have had the map to the Crown of the Moon tattooed in arkemical ink on her back, during her mission on Remus's behalf, as a means of insuring her survival via her continued use to him.

## Personality

Ashlinn is a mischievous, playful and cunning individual who shows extreme dedication to her familia and hatred toward the Church, having been raised to hate it by her father. This dedication and loyalty allows her to ignore her own morality and conscience in order to achieve her goal; she shows disdain for the Church and its practices, but still passes her last test by killing an innocent person, though she feels guilty afterwards. This also allows her to put aside her own friendship with Tric and kill him to remove him as a threat to her plans; despite her dismissal and nonchalance when confronted about it she is genuinely sorry that she killed him, realizing that her father's ideals and her mission cannot justify what she did.

Like Mia, Ashlinn lives only to complete her revenge against her enemies for her father's sake; this similarity between them allows them to bond as they both share the same responsibility and expectation that has driven them their whole lives.

## Skills

Ashlinn is an accomplished thief, notorious during her time as an acolyte for stealing anything that "wasn't nailed down". As a fully-fledged Blade she is also proficient in combat, poisons and manipulation.

## Relationships

### Mia Corvere

After meeting Mia, Ashlinn takes an instant liking to her and is especially curious about her abilities as a darkin. The girls become friends, often eating together and socializing outside their training, though their friendship is strained by the knowledge that they are still in competition with each other.

Following Ash's betrayal of the Red Church and Tric's murder, their relationship is complicated as Mia is understandably upset at being lied to and losing her friend. When they meet a few months later Mia tries to kill Ash, but is convinced to help her once she realizes that the Church helped destroy her familia. Mia and Ash then work together to help Mia kill Cardinal Duomo and Julius Scaeva; during this time they become very close and eventually sleep together. Ash later helps Mia win the Venatii Magnus, having fallen in love with her and hoping to save her life.

## Gallery

Ashlinn by PhantomRinAshlinn by BanishedShadowAshlinn by BanishedShadowAshlinn by BanishedShadow