High Queen Cassandra Wilem

High Queen Cassandra Wilem, Queen Cassandra Wilem of Flowers, or Lady of Flowers Cassandra Wilem is the current reigning monarch of the Unified North and perhaps the most important living person in the North. As Queen of Flowers, she succeeded Queen Persepina Wilem II of Flowers in 119 ME. She became the High Queen after her successful war campaign against Korevna in 124 ME.

Early Life
Cassandra was born on the 3rd of Muntep in 96 ME to Lord Cyprus Wilem of Oligarden and his wife, Lady Hestos Wilem. She was a healthy baby though somewhat withdrawn and shy, unlike her older brother Charles Wilem. She was beloved by her wet nurse and the servants of the castle for her calm nature as she grew older in comparison to her brother's rambunctious attitude. She was presented to Queen Minerva Wilem II of Flowers on her second birthday in 98 marking also her first meeting with the then Crown Princess of Flowers, Guinevere Wilem.

On the 16th of Nordren 99 ME, while traveling to Akdur with her parents and brother to attend a series of lectures on Psychic Surgery, Cassandra's brother Charles would go missing. While just past Veldrkot Canyon, their carriage would be stopped on account of an animal spooking the two horses pulling it. While the only knight in their retinue, Sir Lukas Halvelen, would pursue the creature, young Cassandra would complain of needing to go to the restroom. Despite her mother Hestos' protest, her father would agree to take the three year old to the bushes to urinate. Her brother, age five, bounded out after them to go as well. While at the treeline, Lord Cyprus would be distracted by Sir Halvelen's return, claiming the beast to be but an aardwolf. When he looked back, his son had disappeared. Both of Cassandra's parents would spend the next three days searching for the boy, with no luck in locating him. During the initial nine hour search, Cassandra was confined to the carriage, locked inside alone while the search parties gathered. She would later claim this as her first memory and a traumatic one. Her brother Charles was never found, though rumors persisted that he had been abducted. Her parents continued to place bounties for his return until their deaths.

After her brother's disappearance, the young Cassandra was kept close to her parents at all times. Her mother never let her leave her side, even when she began to be tutored, her mother would sit in on her lessons. Her father, Lord Cyprus continued the search for his son, going so far as to pay 400 crowns in response to a ransom letter in 100 ME for the boys return only to be presented with a child who was not his son. Cyprus had grown increasingly detached and, in 101, ended his own life through poisoning. The then five year old Cassandra was devastated. She attended his funeral in the same outfit as her mother: a head to toe black veil with only her left wrist showing, freshly cut from Sanguinarium. After her father's death, Cassandra's mother Hestos would continue mourning until her death. Around this time, her mother became increasingly more involved in religious life, becoming a spiritualist in the Justainian tradition. She hosted blood letting rituals in the hopes of conjuring angels to help locate her son or commune with Cyprus, to which she brought Cassandra. The pair would go on pilgrimages to holy sites across the North. On one occasion, Cassandra, age eight, was made to pray for nine hours in front of the reliquary jaw of Saint Bernadette in its darkened chamber. She called the experience horrifying, confiding to Guinevere later in private that she had heard voices in the darkness.

In 109, Lady Hestos fell ill. She planned to send thirteen year old Cassandra to a convent before recieving a letter from Crown Princess Guinevere Wilem of Flowers inviting the girl to the palace to be her Lady of Flowers. Hestos accepted and Cassandra moved to Evermere, Wilemberg that year.

As Lady of Flowers
Cassandra arrived at the palace in the summer of 109 ME. Guinevere, two years her senior, would become her closest companion and friend. The two were inseparable, despite Cassandra performing certain duties that made her more the other's servant than equal. During this time, Guinevere was being confined to her room by her tyrant mother. Despite this, Cassandra seemed to flourish in the hostile environment, being finally free from her mother's watch. Her and Guinevere spent every moment together locked away in her room with the blinds drawn so not to see the heads of Minerva's enemies on the walls of the castle. When Minerva died on the 3rd of Cernon 110, she was the first to comfort the princess. Guinevere was quickly crowned Queen of Flowers, her first act after her coronation being to officially grant Cassandra the title of "Lady of Flowers". Palace life became luxurious, with nothing to do but pass the days in the company of the woman Cassandra had slowly found herself falling for.

In 111 ME Guinevere met Yuri Degenhard at a party. The two became fast friends, political confidantes, and eventually lovers. This deeply upset Cassandra. During this time, she began to drift from Guinevere, who was increasingly becoming more involved in her duties and the occult. The soft spoken Cassandra remained deeply religious, urging Guinevere often to not follow the path set forth by Yuri, who she saw as an occultist and evil sorcerer. Throughout 113, she would have many private confrontations with the man. During this time also, Cassandra would grow a small retinue of servants, most notably her chief maidservant Diana Fitzjames. By 114, Cassandra and Guinevere's relationship had deteriorated. In 114, the Queen would invite her to the Last Party, the wedding of King Desmund Seamantle IV in Media in hopes of restoring their relationship. Cassandra saw Guinevere speaking to Empress Wilda Hathortep III the night of the wedding, hours before the assassination attempt on High King Justin Herminov's life that would send the two women fleeing by ship to Fleur.

During the Two Years War
Tensions had already been high between Fleur and Isgerdia, though with Guinevere being blamed for the assassins, tensions were beyond repair. Heavy taxes and embargoes on the city began to starve its populations and troops were gathering on the borders. On the 21 day of Dagotep, war was formerly announced on Isgerdia by Guinevere. Cassandra had repeatedly urged her to make peace or to at least not join her troops on the field, but the Queen ignored her pleas. Cassandra rarely spent time with Guinevere during the war effort, tough when they were in each other's presence she relished the opportunity to simply be near her. On the 9th of Hathoria 114, Cassandra was summoned to the Water Garden at Evermere, to the Hippocampus Fountain beneath the peach tree by Guinevere. There, the Queen admitted to her that she was joining the troops on the field for the upcoming Battle of Allister Field. She promised Cassandra she would return in two months time, kissing her before leaving. The weeping Cassandra was left in the care of Guinevere's trusted Lily Knight Sir Alexei Rhodrin. Cassandra hated Sir Alexei, who constantly hovered around her as her personal bodyguard. The man had fallen in love with her quickly, his Kuddian Vow preventing him from leaving her side until Guinevere's return. Cassandra continued to live in the palace, communicating with Guinevere's retainers on the war effort until news of the Queen's capture reached Evermere after the Battle of Allister Field. Cassandra was desperate, willing immediately to pay the Korevnan ransom of 10,000 silver lilies, peace with Korevna, and the succession of lands along the border. Prince Persepolis Wilem and Prince Johan Wilem, Guinevere's uncles, were not. For three years, while Guinevere was locked in captivity in Isgerdia, Cassandra tirelessly attempted to negotiate her return. She was on what she felt to be the verge of success when, on the 16th of Nordren 116, unbeknownst to her, Queen Guinevere Wilem of Flowers was dragged before Saint Isodor's Cathedral and beheaded without warning by the High King. When word reached the palace, Cassandra fell to the floor in anguish, beating her breasts and clawing at her hair and face. Alexei had to restrain her from harming herself further. After this, Cassandra would fall into a deep depression. For the next three weeks, Alexei, Johan, and Persepolis would rule Fleur while and heir was being decided, all the while Cassandra had confined herself to her bedroom. Before they could decide, High King Justin Herminov gave his approval to the claim made by the then Lady Persepina Wilem of Tar, Cassandra's aunt. She was coronated Queen of Flowers in the presence of several traitorous members of the royal court, in 116 ME. She soon dismissed Sir Alexei from his duties as a Lily Knight, made peace with Korevna, and made Fleur the vassal to that kingdom.

In Exile
Cassandra and Alexei fled from Evermere on 3rd of Cernon 116 ME, after rumors spread that they were to be tried soon as war criminals. Under cover of dark, Cassandra was dragged into the hills, moving north into Skjol by means on the wilderness. It was during this time that she had to be forced onward by Alexei, as she expressed only the desire to die. In 117, after several near death experiences they arrived in Bjorg, Skjol. They took refuge there, before traveling by carriage to Kalda to meet with the king of Skjol, Sorbringr. He accepted them as refugees into the palace. Thus began the conspiracy among a small group of Fleurian and Skjolian nobles to overthrow the Queen of Fleur and eventually the High King. In these secret talks, it was decided that Cassandra would be the successor to the nations. She was chosen due to her royal blood, age, and legitimacy. Her devotion to Guinevere could be channeled into righteous fury, the kind that could rally an army. Cassandra was unaware of these plans until 118, when Guinevere's uncle, Prince Silas Wilem visited the palace in secret. He convinced her that pursuing a rebellion would honor Guinevere's legacy. Cassandra began gathering support and in early 119 ME, declared open rebellion on Fleur and Isgerdia.

Fleurian Civil War
See X

As Queen of Flowers
Cassandra was crowned Queen of Flowers on 15th of Hathoria 120 ME to the joy of the war torn nation. However, celebration was short lived as the Queen decided to continue marching onto Korevna with the support of Skjol. By then, the Korevnan's had suffered massive losses. Cassandra accompanied her troops onto the battlefield, riding her horse before them in radiant armor with a banner proclaiming their righteous cause. She feared not death, despite being untrained in warfare and fighting. She was accompanied by Alexei, now Grand General of Fleur, who never left her side. During the combat, she would watch from the sidelines, usually before her tent on a hill. Despite the odds, the Fleurians were succeeding. In case of her death, Cassandra had deemed the recently returned Lady Helena Wilem II her heir apparent.

In 122, after two years of besieging Isgerdia, High King Justin Herminov surrendered. Cassandra road through the ravaged city with a stone face, arriving to meet the High King before the palace. She ordered him to be brought before her at Saint Isodor's Cathedral in fetters. On the afternoon of 23rd of Holeaum, in the presence of her counselors and the imprisoned generals of Justin Herminov, Cassandra read off the crimes of the High King. She allowed the man time to say his peace before ordering he be put to death for his treachery. Cassandra performed the duty herself, on the same steps where he had killed the love of her life. She managed it in one blow.

While her actions did not endear her to the citizens of Korevna, she soon won over the people of Isgerdia with free aid. She brought in wagons of food and drink to the people there, helping to relieve the effects of the two year siege. She made peace with Barland and later Highfjal, securing their homage and her title as High Queen of the North.

As High Queen of the North
Cassandra Wilem was crowned High Queen of the Unified North on the 33 of Attep of 122 ME. Her rule was tumultuous for the first three years as she struggled to garner the respect of her peers, wrestle control of her new territory, and balance with the rule of Fleur. She made Lady Helena regent of Fleur while she ruled from Korevna. By 128, Cassandra had solidified her place as ruler of the North. However, worries about her lack of romantic endeavors raised questions over a successor. Uninterested in men, Cassandra reluctantly asked Alexei to marry her in private sometime in 128, to which he eagerly accepted. They married in 129, in a massive ceremony. Cassandra slept with him only once, to which she became pregnant. On 27th Hathoria 129 ME, their only daughter was born, the Crown Princess Guinevere Wilem.

Appearance
Cassandra is thin and pale, with small breasts and a lithe figure. She is somewhat tall, though not to an absurd degree. Her hair is a wavy brown, reaching to her waste, though she wears it back in a bun or up on her head most days. Her eyes are dark brown. She has a prominent mole on her neck. Cassandra's favorite color is blue, so many of her outfits are in said color.

Relationships
Guinevere Wilem - Cassandra was (and still is) hopelessly in love with Guinevere. She fell for her when they were still teenagers in the palace together, never quite confessing to her but not quite good at hiding it. It is fairly certain that Guinevere knew of the other's feelings. Their relationship was very close for some time, like sisters but closer. Until Guinevere's coronation, they were inseparable. However, as Guinevere became more involved with Yuri and ruling the nation, their relationship grew apart. Guinevere thought of Cassandra as too needy, childish, and uptight. Cassandra never recovered from her death, pining after Guinevere for the rest of her life, idolizing the memory of her, and living in the nostalgia of a better time.

Alexei Rhodrin Wilem - Cassandra hated Alexei for many years, wanting him to leave her alone and let her mourn. However, she eventually became somewhat friendly with him after their exile, appreciating how he helped her harness her anguish into righteous rage. When they were still in exile, Cassandra would often make fun of and insult Alexei, calling him fat or pathetic. In his eyes, however, she could do no wrong. By the time of her war campaign she had come to understand his usefulness as an obsessed follower. When she became High Queen, she chose him to be her consort husband because she knew he could never disobey her commands. After their daughter was born, their relationship grew strained, as Alexei expected more from Cassandra who had only grown colder and more detached.

Hestos Wilem - Cassandra's mother. The two had a strained relationship, with Hestos being overly protective but also emotionally manipulative, often pushing Cassandra to perform intense religious acts. When Hestos died, Cassandra felt relieved, as if she was free from her control.

Sainthood
Though still living, Cassandra is often considered a saint among the people of Fleur and sometimes Skjol. While her popularity as a saint is not as common in Korevna, there are still some who choose to venerate her. In Fleur, she is sometimes called the Blessed Saint of Longing, compared to Saint Imogen Wilem II for her struggle against the world. Sometimes she is called Saint of Devotion. Small statues of her can be purchased or found throughout the western north. Amulets depicting her are said to protect the wearer from harm. Her associated symbol is a radiant thistle and her animal is a hound.