Ellia Ortessa

Jann Ortessa - Uncle

Ellia Riliana Ortessa was the only daughter of Prince Riyer Ortessa and Ieza Sammor. She was eleventh in line for succession to the throne when the Kingdom of Flowers fell and was one of the few who managed to survive the Dassamus Plot.

## Early Life

Ellia Riliana Ortessa was born in the city of Roves at the Dondar Palace. Her birth was a widely celebrated event as Duke Riyer and his wife, Ieza, had been trying to have a child for many years and scholars point to this jubilation as one of the reasons the people of what would eventually become the Principality of Cios were so willing to support her following the fall of Chloria.

Although Ellia did have a relationship with her parents, it was not nearly as strong as the one she shared with her uncle, Jann Ortessa. Ellia preferred to spend time with her uncle and shared many of his hobbies, including scale model building, fishing, and reading. Ellia's parents originally planned to send her to the capital to attend school but upon her request they let her stay in Roves to study under her uncle who was also a professor at the College of Roves.

Ellia exceeded expectations while studying under Jann's supervision and when she turned sixteen she was allowed to begin schooling at the college as an official student. She was forced to withdraw from shortly after her eighteenth birthday due to pressing issues within the royal family.

While at school her classmates and instructors described her as clever and cheerful.

## The Dassamus Plot

A few weeks after her eighteenth birthday, Ellia and her family was called to the city of Dassamus for an emergency meeting for royalty and military high command only. The reasons for the meeting were not disclosed. Both Ellia and Jann were immediately suspicious of the meeting because of the inclusion of the military high command. Half a year prior, most of the senior military officials had been fired and then replaced with new, younger staff, something that Jann found incredibly concerning. Ellia had frequently discussed politics with her uncle during her schooling and had come to adopt his cautious view when it came to political movement. Neither of them were involved with court affairs but Jann kept careful watch on developments which he then passed on to Ellia.

Ellia and her family arrived in Dassamus and were quickly ushered to the fortress that stood within the city. The meeting of royals and military officials was highly irregular as most of the soldiers guarding the vicinity were from the regular army, not the royal guard. One or two royal guards were assigned to members of the royal family although some received no guard or guards from the regular army.

The meeting was to take place later that evening following dinner but Ellia did not attend dinner because she had eaten early, much to the disappointment of her parents and other members of her family. Her uncle was also absent at dinner although the reasons for this are unknown. After dinner everyone was to gather in the main hall for the meeting and while Ellia was going to join her family she was approached by two royal guardsmen who accompanied her. Not long after that, members of the regular army appeared and demanded that she be escorted by them instead of the royal guard. There was confusion between the two parties as they had received conflicting orders but it came to an end when the sound of gunfire erupted from the main hall.

The guardsmen immediately drew their weapons and attempted to respond but were blocked by regular soldiers. Ellia was told to run and she did, somehow managing to find her uncle looking for her near the royal quarters. Knowing that soldiers were on their way, the two jumped from a window into the moat. They fled into the nearby town and eventually found someone willing to drive them. It was only then that Ellia learned the true reason for the meeting: the murder of the royal family as part of a coupe. Historians believe that Ellia and Jann were the only two survivors.

## Establishment of Cios and Life as Princess Royal

News of what had happened at Dassamus would likely have never gotten out if Jann and Ellia had not survived the attempt on their lives for as soon as they returned to Roves they began alerting all who would listen about the coupe. The assassination quickly became front page news of all major newspapers, grabbing the attention of the entire world. Particular attention was focused on Ellia as she was now the sole surviving heir to the kingdom. Both Ellia and Jann ignored the attention they received and instead focused their efforts on pulling together all of the sympathizers they could before anybody could invade Roves and the surrounding provinces.

It did not take long for loyalists to filter into Roves as the story of Ellia's survival spread like wildfire. Although a vast majority of the regular army had betrayed the royal family and now pledged their allegiance to former military commanders who had established their own bases of operations and become warlords, the royal guards were still loyal to the royal family and rallied to Ellia's side. Intellectuals from all over the country also came to Ellia's side, not wanting to be swept up in the chaos of the warlords. Ellia was very involved with the creation of the Principality of Cios and took the position of Princess Royal with her uncle becoming head of government.

As Princess Royal she claimed dominion over the entire so-called "Free State Buffer Zone" and appealed to various countries to help her reclaim her rightful position as Queen of Chloria although these appeals were not fully supported. She dedicated her life to restoring peace in the buffer zone and met with leaders of the other free states in order to create a union, all of which were unsuccessful. Ellia's reign also saw frequent skirmishes with the various warlords, especially Field Marshal Ioso Viga.

### The Interstellar War

The Interstellar War was perhaps the most stressful time of Ellia's life due to the incredible strain it put on her and Cios. During the early days of the war, World Union forces invaded the buffer zone. Neither Ellia nor Jann had any intentions of declaring a side although her husband, Corvan Tridan, had told her on multiple occasions that he would declare for the World Union. The principality's forces at the time were not ready for a war between superpowers and when the International Alliance began supporting rival free states such as the Free State of Tanid Ellia felt the pressure to declare her allegiance to the World Union.

Soldiers belonging to Greater Angkal's Revolutionary Guard arrived in the buffer zone and immediately began advancing into free state territory. The principality was left largely untouched although Angkal commanders did ask if a free states campaign headquarters could be established within her lands. Her uncle refused to hand over territory to the Angkalians in order to preserve neutrality. Such neutrality could not last for long as alliance backed free states began raiding Cios territory. As the principality began arming itself for war the raids turned into skirmishes and eventually the free states began a war amongst themselves.

Following her husband's victory over his pro-alliance rival Ellia and the Principality of Cios officially declared its support for the World Union. The principality's forces began receiving support from the other members of the World Union and they participated in a variety of battles alongside Angkal's "Free State" divisions.

## Marriage

Ellia's unmarried status had never bothered her or anybody close to her but as the rule of the warlords became stronger and stronger it became obvious that the principality would not be able to retake the former lands of Chloria. The principality's enemies were much stronger now and the skirmishes were threatening to become a war. Ellia had received marriages offers from various individuals in the past but the one man who caught her eye was Corvan Tridan, a Pallaxian highborn. Tridan was a particularly attractive choice for Ellia due to his elegance and strong position within the Pallaxian hierarchy.

Ellia accepted his marriage proposal and the two were formally married in Roves. The event was an international event with delegations from all major countries attending or sending congratulations. The happiness did not last long as the Interstellar War broke out not long afterwards. Ellia would not see her husband again for he would spend the rest of his life commanding his troops during the Interstellar War and eventually be imprisoned for war crimes.