Princess Aurelia bint-Damir

OOC: For her Sandpeople-Counterpart from the High Kingdom FanT-canon, see Princess Aurelia Utena.

Princess Aurelia bint-Damir is the second-youngest member of the House of Utica, the daughter of Prince Damir and Marla Taistealaí of the Tribe of Louth, a Selkie-Woman. Aurelia was born out of wedlock, but accepted and introduced into the House of Utica in 2012.

She graduated from the HGA in 2020 as Captain of the Horseman Squadrons and commanded the escorts for at least two state visits, of Duchess Marcella Villa of the UIS and of King Yoshio of Ru. From 2020 to 2022, she does her Service as a member of the Government of the Khanate of Tanin and was raised into the position of a Special Ambassador of Kyrenaia, following six years of service as a Junior Ambassador at her Father's side. On the 22nd of September 2020, Aurelia was dubbed Beyeha of Malakiard near Larsa, making that her first estate and the Altinyarat-Palace her first house.

In 2023, she married Atif Qalb (which caused his name-change to Prince Atif ibn-Walid). About a year later, she gave birth to their first child, Princess Tariqa bint-Aurelia.

Her horse's name is Fánaí, a Capall Cogaidh from the Free Lands. She was raised and still grows up alongside him. She also owns the Sand Wolf Aldhiyb and the sailing boat Harira as well as the hydrofoil motor yacht Hariqasahm (fire arrow). She owns, among other vehicles, a Gabha G 20 and a W-75. In 2067, she commissioned the Harira, the new Kyrenaian State Yacht.

Aurelia is known to be bisexual and a fierce supporter of the Movement for a Change in the Law of Marriage to allow for Homosexual Marriage.

Biography

Aurelia was born as Aurelia Taistealaí of the Tribe of Louth to a Kyrenaian Father and a Selkie Mother, Marla Taistealaí of the Tribe of Louth, a well-known horsearcher. Her mother's mother is Alaina Taistealaí of the Tribe of Louth, the proprietor of the Buabhall Inn of Seabhcóir, who Aurelia helped during holidays to better up her pocket money until 2012.

While to her 'Daddy' was always her father, she never made the connection to him being a Kyrenaian Prince. He always had the most beautiful gifts for her, though, and she loved him dearly, as did her mother. One of her grand-uncles is Donald Críonna of the Tribe of Louth.

Prince Damir always somehow managed to separate private life and his duties as a Prince, basically establishing himself in Seabhcóir. They never married, out of worries that this would bring his lover in danger and thus endanger Aurelia as well, who didn't care either way.

In school, Aurelia had a rather calm, but steady career, joining the Younger Militia of Seabhcóir as law demanded it and joined the Children after her time as a Youngling. She also found interest in handling the bow from horseback, taught by her mother and going against local traditions.

In late 2012, her mother died during a riding accident, leaving Aurelia in the care of her Grand Uncle until her father took her to Kyrenaia in early 2013, where she was accepted by Razia Sultana as one of her grandchildren, her first, and officially recognized as a Princess of Kyrenaia - and wearing her school uniform for that occassion.

The remainder of the year was spent learning Kyrenaian with the aide of Prince Okan ibn-Dardan.

The Fiafia-Scandal

Aurelia was send to attend the Haram Girls Academy in Utica since 2014, having joined the Swimmer Team's Reserve and the Academy's Rider Squadron, where she is an instructor for Mounted Archery since 2014.

Alone in her new school, in a completely different country and position, she had trouble to make any friends, until she met Luana Fiafia, a fellow student out of her home waters, from the Va'a Mamao Islands, a former Kyrenaian Colony, which had begun diplomatic relations with Kyrenaia after a long diplomatic ice age. As it happened, she fell in love, Fiafia realizing this - and using it. In coordination with her father, the Ambassador of the Va'a Mamao Islands, she seduced Aurelia, taped the whole thing and released it to the press.

The Fiafia-Scandal began. While Kyrenaian law does not forbid homo- or bisexuality, there's a huge cultural stigma against such actions and with the release of a video showing Aurelia doing it with another girl, and not being in the dominant position as well, that stigma was affixed to her, putting shame on her and her House - being called names, like 'Runt-Princess' and others, the whole shame culture descended upon her. The psychological strain was only enlarged by the shame being put on the Sultana Herself and the other side being the daughter of an Ambassador.

Throwing Fiafia out as a persona non grata would have been a diplomatic eclat and the Ambassador was well aware of that.

And while media descended upon Aurelia and her House like vultures onto a carcass, she harboured thoughts of suicide, which were quickly dissipated by the entrance of another man into her life: Aldhiyb, her Sand Wolf, a puppy back then, became her lifeline. She clung to it and as the assault became unbearable. Two weeks into the scandal, she was asked for tea with her Grandmother, the Sultana, being punished by her for putting shame onto the Household.

With that, the attention turned away from her, the nicknames slowly fading into obscurity, but the psychological strain remained, rearing its head again in 2017, during the State Visit of Duchess Marcella to Kyrenaia.

Tournament Rider, Diplomat and Lover

In 2015 and 2016, mounted archers trained by her brought home trophies and two riders participating in horsearchery competitions in the Free Lands during holidays did so quite successfully. Although bi-sexual, she has a crush on a boy of the Tabar Boys' Academy.

In 2015, she also began to act as Special Junior Ambassador of the Sultanate, accompanying her Father on friendly visits. On her first trip, to Auwalt, she attended a state ball and literally bumped into Imperator Tjark II., the old man not holding it against her and dancing with the girl, who was old enough to be his grand- or even great-granddaughter. From 2016 to 2017, she and Atif Qalb were an item, even doing a few state visits together (including a memorable one to the Pittenmark.

In 2017, she had an important part in the State Visit of Duchess Marcella to Kyrenaia and fell in love with Marcella. The two of them led a long-distance relationship, mostly only meeting on occassions of state, but in 2018, Aurelia took her boat Harira on a cruise to the UIS to meet her girlfriend again. In accordance with commands of her Grandmother and Matriarch, she told Marcella, that she was to break up the relationship, but decided, together with her, to fight for the relationship.

Princess Aurelia, during a School Festival in 2018.

Later in the same year, she attended the Sinope 2018 Harbour Festival and was confronted by her grandmother about her relationship with Marcella - the Sultana ultimately approving, promising to enter talks with Marcella's mother about courtship.

2019 started with a state visit by her and her father to Lux Pulchrae.

Around the same time, her father began dating the Princess-Regent of Tanin, Princess Yasmin bint-Atif. Aurelia was, at first, very skeptical. She expressed these concerns later that year to Marcella during the 2019 Festival of Holy Light, to which she traveled aboard the Harira with Aldhiyb again.

Fighting for the Change of the Law of Marriage

Due to her relationship with Marcella deepening, and several other instances, Aurelia began to associate herself with a movement for a change in the Law of Marriage, which would allow same-sex marriages under the same rights, duties and obligations as heterosexual marriages. She joined the Movement in early 2019, soon becoming one of its spokespersons (her saying, that she leads a social revolution from her HGA-Dorms' Bedroom were a bit exaggerated, though).

She was not wounded in the 2019 Al'Arz Terrorist Attack, but she did go into treatment for Acute Stress Reaction. She also saved her teammate Samira Tanqulia from bleeding out. In late September 2019, she admitted to being in psychological treatment in response to the attack, much like her fellow survivors, to the media.

In December 2019, she was sent on a state visit to Pankara Katarai in Eadhra, a former Kyrenaian Colony, the first state visit of Kyrenaian Royalty in any of the successor states of the Republic of Parannilam since the end of the Eadhra War of Independence in 1957. While there, she visited the ruins of the village of Taswatalfa, site of a mining acncident in 1944, with President Mauwiti. Generally, the reviews of her performance were favourable.

In February of 2020, she went on a State Visit to Astares Amauricanum with her father. Shortly after her return to Kyrenaia, Princess Yasmin made her A tempting offer.

She aced her graduation exams in May 2020 and graduated with flying colours in Mid-June. On the evening after that, she was dubbed a Special Ambassador of the Sultanate. Shortly after, she attended the 2020 Winter Ball in Caloris, Kuronami with her father, his fiancee and a few others.

In late June of the same year, her father married his girlfriend Princess Yasmin. Upon the wedding, Yasmin adopted Aurelia, making the legal confusion surrounding her little half-brother perfect.

In early September, Aurelia travelled to the UIS for the 2020 Festival of Holy Light together with her father and stepmother, reuniting with Marcella.

Aurelia started her Service in the middle of September 2020, becoming an advisor and aide to her stepmother in the Khanate of Tanin.

In October 2020, she was part of the Welcoming Committee at Utica International for Queen Callista IV. during her state visit to Kyrenaia. The two spoke with each other about a great many things, Aurelia recommending her former boyfriend Atif Qalb as the Queen's Neutral Date.

She attended the 2021 Masquerade Ball of Montrose as Kyrenaia's main diplomatic representative.

The Princess with the Broken Heart

On the 13th of June 2021, the Sultana ended Aurelia's relationship with Marcella-Khana. In response, the Duchess of the UIS cut all diplomatic ties with the Sultanate, leaving Aurelia heartbroken and lost.

This was the start of an Incident, which was quickly resolved, which was quickly resolved diplomatically. It left her with a broken heart, however, causing wounds which would take time to heal. Atif Qalb returned to her side a few weeks later, explicitly as a friend, not as her boyfriend.

Together with Mister Qalb, she attended the 2022 Cuan Spring Festival.

She attended the 2022 Meyarieno-Genoise Royal Double Wedding in November, her first formal party outing, showing, how she returned. A month later, she made an appearance at the 2022 Gala Metiochidon. Inbetween, she met with envoys of the Emperor of Astares Amauricanum in a personal capacity, organized a meeting with their bosses in a neutral location - the combined stress, including from working as a secret honeytrap for Naval Intelligence, caused her a burnout.

The meeting came during her recovery, in early January, on a remote island. Despite being an emotional roller coaster ride, it was successful, Aurelia managed to rekindle her friendship with the Emperor and Empress of Astares Amauricanum.

On the 14th of February 2023, after attending the 2023 Guallan State Ball with him, Aurelia announced publically, that she was in a relationship with Atif again. A month later, she hosted the 2023 Malakiard Spring Festival of the Selkie-Diaspora in her seat of Malakiard.

In May 2023, a photoshooting of hers appeared in the Aliarnab Magazine, a Kyrenaian Gentleman's Magazine, including a major interview, in which many issues were talked about. The profits from the sales of that month's issue went to charity.

Beyeha of Malakiard

During the 2023 Malakiard Spring Festival of the Selkie-Diaspora, Atif Qalb proposed to her, the two marrying a few months later.

Character

She is often described as the most unprincessy princess to ever walk the Azure Hall. Fierce, strong and with her own head, she herself admits, that she ticks some of the boxes. She is also loyal and dutiful, especially since she is landed nobility - people, her reasoning, depend on her, so it is no time to slack off or to dilly-dally.

Amongst her hobbies are sports, especially horsearchery and motor sports, playing with her Sand Wolf Aldhiyb and dancing. She is also a passionate sailor, owning a sail boat and a motor boat.

Aurelia is bi-sexual and has developed a certain like for all things fast, from horses to motorcycles, she even owns several (among others a Gabha G 20 and a W-75). She also loves illusion dresses, if she has to wear a dress, and loves the sea, for all its differences in itself. Over the course of 2022, she also got to like driving cars, and especially fast cars, more and more - a love only growing, when she got gifted a W-120 by Walaea Motorworks for no specific reason at all.

However, all of that hides another Aurelia, one not many people know. Hurt time and time again, and a few more times for good measure, this other Aurelia is a private woman, a gentle woman, who can smile happily and carefree - but one, who also needs a strong presence, a shoulder to lean on. She does not have many friends, but some fall into a very special category, which she hopes or knows, that they can provide that presence. As she expressed to Emperor Adrean during a private meeting in 2023:

There is a little Louthite Girl, an Aurelia Taistealaí, who needs, every once in a while, a strong presence to keep away all the bullshit in the world. And sometimes, even Aldhiyb doesn't cut it.

She does not like to show weakness, especially not her weakness as a hurt woman, but sometimes, it breaks out. She only shows that weak of a side to very few people, Atif, her Father and her Stepmother. However, much like with a artificial lake, it bottles up and when the dyke breaks, it breaks. It does not happen often, but sometimes, it does.

Alledged Incestuous Relationship between Aurelia and various members of her family

People and especially gossip rags have long held rumours, that Aurelia has been in various incestuous relationships with members of her family, including her Uncle Crown Prince Ilia ibn-Razia and her father, Prince Damir ibn-Razia. The Palace Agency declined that continuously, citing potential evidence as either falsified or misinterpreted.

Unbeknown to the public or foreign intelligence services, however, there were corresponding incidents and between 2015 and 2017, Aurelia had intercourse with both her father and her uncle on several occassions and, starting in 2020, has again - this time also including her boyfriend, later husband, Prince Atif ibn-Walid and her stepmother Princess Yasmin bint-Atif.

Personal Relations

Atif Qalb

Atif and Aurelia were once an item, in 2016 and 2017 - her suddenly abandonment of him in favour of Marcella and her 'using' him as a Neutral Date for the next few years, including as the neutral date for Queen Callista during her State Visit, certainly hurt him. Aurelia still was fond of him, though, and she knew, that he still loved her. She knows, that it hurts him to work together with her and she knows, that he still feels what some refer to derisively as 'Puppy-Loyalty'.

However, when her relationship with Marcella was broken down and her heart was thrown into turmoil, Aurelia needed backup - and the first man, who she thought of as a backup was Atif. He agreed, stating, that the woman he loved was hurting - Aurelia was moved to tears. Over time, the two grew closer again and on the 14th of February, she announced, that they were an item again.

Aurelia knows him well enough to know, that insults against his person do not bother him - he knows, who and what he is and that he is larger then most men. However, he can not stand insults against her, which frequently made her stop him before he could do something rash out of the need to protect her.

Issue

Aurelia and Atif would go on to be the origin point of a line of Kyreanain Royals and members of the House of Utica, which went on to rule to the Ilkhanate of Utica and ultimately the Kyrenaian Remnants. In detail, until Princess Aurelia's death in 2101, there were:

Princess Tariqa bint-Aurelia, born 2024, married Raik, Prinz von Dorch in 2046.
- Prince Adil ibn-Tariqa, born 2049, declined the Crown in 2068, married Princess Marla bint-Walid in 2079.
- Princess Rasha bint-Tariqa, born in 2054, married Prince Adil ibn-Fara in 2075.
  - Crown Princess Felicia bint-Rasha, born in 2076.
Princess Alya bint-Aurelia, born in 2026, married Prince Okan ibn-Damir in 2050.
- children
  - children of the children
Prince Amir ibn-Aurelia, born in 2030, never married, still had children - as they were all unrecognized children out of wedlock, their line is unimportant. He died in 2059.
Prince Mahmut ibn-Aurelia, born in 2031, miscarriage. If he would have been carried to term, he would have suffered from Trisomy-21.
Prince Ilia ibn-Aurelia, born in 2034, died in 2050.
Princess Seda bint-Aurelia, born in 2038, married Prince Idris ibn-Mahmut in 2065.
- children
  - children of the children

Queen Callista of Mervay / Agus

Aurelia and Agus met during the 2020 State Visit of Queen Callista IV of Mervay to Kyrenaia and while starting on the diplomatic foot, the two hit it off quite well (Prince Okan ibn-Dardan might have played a role as well). By the end of the state visit, the two were friends and promised to meet again.

This happened at the 2021 Masquerade Ball of Montrose, which Aurelia attended. In the days after, the two spent the odd hour together, mostly because Aurelia had invited her for dinner aboard her personal yacht Hariqasahm.

In mid-2021, when the Diplomatic Relations between the Sultanate of Kyrenaia and the United Island States of AHSCA broke down together with the relationship between Aurelia and Duchess Marcella of the UIS, it was Agus, who came to the Altinyarat-Palace to see, if she was alright while the diplomatic storm raged. The two came closer together, but Aurelia is unsure as to what Agus is to her, if she is the next lover, a breakup-fling or friends with benefits... no matter what, Aurelia wants to keep her close.

However, this will for being close to her turned, after a visit to the Emerald Islands in early 2023, to a close friendship. Agus, realizing her chances with Aurelia with Atif in the picture were slim, she threw in the towel, raised the white flag and, not without some heartache, broke up. Things led to each other and...

Prince Damir ibn-Razia

Aurelia loves father idolatrously, which is returned in kind. She is also the first to admit, that she is a Daddy's Girl and isn't even ashamed about it. Ever since the Fiafia-Scandal, during which she nearly committed suicide, the two of them are very close. Only her Father gifting her with her Sand Wolf Aldhiyb and being there for her when he got, what was going on, saved her.

Felicia Tasarabat

best friend and dorm mate way back when at the HGA
Mother is Head Handmaiden of the Altinyarat-Palace

Princess Yasmin bint-Atif

Aurelia was initially unsure as to how to feel about her father's fiancee, but with the marriage coming closer and closer, the two

Prince Dschafar ibn-Damir

When Yasmin got pregnant in mid-2020, Aurelia was ecstatic,

Emperor Adrean Blachkor and Empress Anna Blachkor of the Empire of Astares Amauricanum

One of Aurelia's most tumultuous non-romantic relationships is certainly her relationship to the Emperor and Empress of Astares Amauricanum, Emperor Adrean and Empress Anna. Having first met during the State Visit of Prince Damir to the Empire of Astares Amauricanum, in 2020, the three became fast friends and stayed in touch - until the Breakup Crisis.

As the two showed no trust in Aurelia's words, and Kyrenaia's unwillingness to take aggressive action against the UIS (and thus the Empire, which saw itself as its protecting power), Aurelia was deeply hurt and shut down contact. Said hurt festered into aversion, including of their "Wannabe-Soldierdom", as Aurelia called it in private. However, nothing of that was public.

She still wanted their friendship, however, and thus organized the Meeting on Aurelia Island in January 2023 - and she wanted to hear them apologize to her. Not via letter, not vial messengers, but they, themselves. She got her wish and spent a few days with them on the island, reconciling and, after a night of fun, setting up borders. Just as they wanted to protect her, she was willing to seek protection with them, in their arms. And just as they wanted to protect her, she was willing to aid them, with advice and deed. However, despite the fun, Aurelia was very concerned about breaking their marriage and expressed that on multiple occassions.

Princess Fara bint-Dardan

Aurelia has a close relationship with Princess Fara, one of her first friends and a confidant of hers - as well as fellow horsearcher and competitor. Although both soon realized, that their strengths lay in different fields, for Aurelia on horseback, for Fara with the Swimmer Team, that didn't stop a friendly rivalry and competition.

It just shifted to the dance floor, where both of them excel, and to singing, where both of them are capable - the friendly character, however, shifted slightly, as Aurelia misses her friend dearly, when she is bound in Megido at her University or with other duties, but she understands both.

It was Fara, who introduced Aurelia to quite a few of the finer things in life, including male company.

Princess Dschamilla bint-Fadi

The two Princesses are not too fond of each other, if one wants to use the euphemism, quite on the contrary - they do have a professional side to it, though, keeping their fights in private. From their first meeting onward, they couldn't like each other.

Aurelia's problem with Dschamilla are many, some of which are her fault, some of which are the other party's. Dschamilla's notions about how a Kyrenaian Princess has to behave and Aurelia's resistence to that is only the icing on the cake.

Nevertheless, Dschamilla is the only one allowed to call Aurelia the 'Runt-Princess' without harm befalling her, something, that not everyone can claim.

Sarina Eahira

Sarina is Aurelia's Personal Handmaiden, ever since she came to the Palace of the Azure Hall. The

After the 2019 Al'Arz Terrorist Attack, it was Sarina's top priority to be sure, that Aurelia was safe and Aurelia knew that - although the situation did not allow for the two to speak much at the Al'Arz, simply seeing her Handmaiden and her smile made Aurelia feel a little bit better.

Razia Wasima

Aurelia and Razia have a relationship mostly connected by Aurelia's Father and the fact, that both of them are for a change in the Marriage Law to allow for homosexual marriage.

Princess Razia bint-Ilia

Aurelia and the Princess of Susa are related by their respective grandmother and grandfather. While aware of each other, the two got to know each other in 2020, at the State Ball of Queen Callista's State Visit. They hit of splendidly,

Duchess Marcella Villa of the UIS

Heav'n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn'd, Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn'd. (William Congreve, The Mourning Bride, 1697.)

In 2017, Durchess Marcella visited the Sultanate on diplomatic business.

In mid-2021 diplomatic relations between the Sultanate of Kyrenaia and the United Island States of AHSCA were severed because the Sultana ordered Aurelia to break up with Marcella. While this alone caused much heartache for Aurelia, she felt as though heart were ripped out of her chest when Marcella surrendered easily. This was mostly done in the form of a letter (OOC: You'll have to scroll a bit.), which was later released by the Sun's Review.