Emilie de Arles

Countess **Emilie de Arles** is the wife of Count Victor de Arles who rules the County of Provence and serves as leader of the people in La Cuna alongside her husband. During Amicia de Rune and Hugo de Rune's adventures in *A Plague Tale: Requiem,* she welcomes them as honored guests on the island.

## Biography

### Background and Early Life

Emilie was raised in an abusive household, which is what ultimately drove her mad. She tried to poison herself to death to escape her parents until Victor took her away to live on a Mediterranean island under his control known as La Cuna and gave her the delusion of a cult to help her cope with the fact that she was incapable of bearing a child. The tale consisted of a story that the Countess would be the mother and the father to the "Child of Embers", who would be resurrected to save the world. Despite being a fabrication, Countess Emilie has formed a cult which draws plenty of people to the island in search of fertility.

### Death

Shortly after Emilie murders Béatrice de Rune by slitting her throat, Hugo gets to the amphitheater of La Cuna, where his mother's corpse is tied to a pole, with the Countess clumsily trying to conceal the knife she used to murder her. This is because Emilie and Victor de Arles intend to make Hugo their son as the Child of Embers myth prophesied, but the plan is quickly derailed when the boy realizes what has transpired. At that point, an enraged Hugo conjures the rats to take out the Count's men, followed by the Countess, who is devoured by the plague carriers.

## Physical Appearance

Emilie has a more regal appearance and attire at first, but it is only when she is dressed ceremonially that her true identity is revealed. Despite having the title of Countess as her official position, she expressly prefers her Priestess status. Her true identity shines through when she is wearing red cloaks or flower crowns. Donning these outfits help to reveal Emilie's delusory thinking, showing just how far she has been taken out of reality.

## Personality

A wealthy and well-spoken woman, Emilie is Victor's much-more reasonable wife and mediator, who acts as the charismatic leader of La Cuna, supported by her husband's military expertise to govern. After Hugo's declaration that he wants to kill her rather than be her son, she loses all sense of serenity and control. She spends the entire "boss fight" begging for him to stop.

Emilie's mental destruction was brought on by the maltreatment she received from her abusive parents. Emilie believes she is in a story about the rise of a messianic figure to save the world with love. Unfortunately, she is completely mad, so she does not realize she is in a delusion where love, at best, momentarily keeps evil at bay, and there is no messiah to be found.

## Relationships

### Count Victor de Arles

Emilie's husband, Victor, genuinely loved her above all else, to the point of obsession. They had a deep understanding of each other, and he would always care for her and be a servant to her requests. Emilie was the Count's anchor in reality. After her death, Victor saw no point in living, and instead wanted to burn the world down with Hugo's destructive powers, starting with Amicia.

### Hugo de Rune

When the Countess sees Hugo for the first time, she projects onto him the child she cannot have.

### Béatrice de Rune

Emilie murders Béatrice in order to claim Hugo as her own son.

## Trivia

* The name **Emilie** is of Latin origin, derived from the word *aemelus* which means "imitator" or "rival".