Gimya Dominus
Gimya Dominus, -jo
Princess Gimya was the daughter of Arkrite Dominus, King of Mulciber, and Queen Sheng de Xieye. She was the product of the union of these two noble families of Mulciber, and officially the heir to the throne of Mulciber. Her habit of skulking around in the shadows of the Blazing Palace archives and wandering the subterranean Magma District under the blanket of night allowed her to uncover the truth about Shiqu and eventually plot to usurp her father.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Gimya was a small young woman, but as a royal she maintained a healthy weight and was generally well nourished. The Dominus' tradition of applying charcoal face masks to emulate the Magnar royal family before them, and thus legitimise their right to rule, had an unforeseen effect on the skin. Unbeknownst to the Dominus family, the charcoal they applied to their skin cleansed their pores and prevented acne. This granted Gimya and almost perfect complexion, even throughout her teenage years.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Gimya was born to Arkrite Dominus, the current King of Mulciber, and Sheng de Xieye, the current Queen of Mulciber and widow of the late King Youzi Dominus, Arkrite's older brother. Despite being a perfect balance of both families' characteristic features, boasting both the flaming red hair of the de Xieye family and the blazing yellow-orange eyes of the Dominus family, she was never truly loved or appreciated by her father. She was born a woman, and thus a disappointment to the King who sought a strong male heir to succeed him. She was also too cold in her father's eyes, too secretive and tight-lipped. He rarely saw her passion flare, for she held no passion for him but hatred, and thus he considered her meek, submissive, and worst of all unpredictable.
Whilst her father held very little interest in spending time with Gimya, nor letting her roam the city, her mother kept Gimya under her wing and taught her to wield the weapons of formality and etiquette. Though her mother rarely spoke freely to her, she observed how Queen Sheng would use every asset in her arsenal as a weapon. Her status, her looks, her sexuality, her emotions, her disarming stature, and her sharp tongue were but a few tools that Gimya learnt should be used liberally and without hesitation if they are able to strike a mortal blow. Whilst Queen Sheng would lecture her extensively and harshly reprimand her on any breach of protocol, Gimya perceived the attention as the closest thing to love that she had received from a parent, far more caring than any interaction she'd had with her father.
Gimya's life took a fateful turn when her distant cousin, Shiqu, whom she had developed a close relationship with, was struck across the face in a duel. His protective eyewear was thrown out of the arena and, in a moment of panic and passion, Gimya ran to the side of the arena to retrieve them for him and saw his eyes for the first time; bright orange, almond-shaped flames which almost seemed to flicker and glow, eyes just like hers. It took time for Gimya to piece together why the sight had surprised her so. It wasn't until she was skulking around the portrait gallery in the Blazing Palace after curfew, a pastime she indulged in frequently, and saw those same eyes on the faces of all the Dominus family that she realised that, like her, Shiqu was a union of Dominus and de Xieye heritage.
Whilst Shiqu fought in the Aridus festival tourney, Gimya took every opportunity she could to sneak into the palace archives. When the records reached a dead end, she started sneaking out into the Magma District at night, using the dim light in the subterranean part of the city to obfuscate her activities. She used the weapons her mother taught her to uncover more of the truth; bribing, intimidating, flirting, and lying her way through survivors of her father's coup d'etat until she gathered enough information to connect the dots. She discovered that her mother had a child with the late King Youzi, a boy she conceived out of wedlock whilst married to yet another former King from the Magnar family. To hide the features he bore on his face that betrayed his true heritage, the red hair and blazing orange eyes, Queen Sheng hid him behind an obsidian mask under the ruse that he bore a deformity. When Youzi usurped the throne with the help of Queen Sheng and his younger brother Arkrite, they all agreed to continue the charade that the child was a Magnar, helping to legitimise his claim to the throne, and continued to hide his face behind the obsidian mask. However, her father later orchestrated the assassination of the King in secret and, as one of the few that knew of the child's true heritage, also ordered him to be slain. To Arkrite's knowledge, that was exactly what happened, but Gimya had uncovered a secret truth in the dark corners of the palace and her city. She discovered that her mother had used her manipulation, just as Gimya had done to uncover these secrets, and fabricated her son's death. Whilst she cried over the body of an unfortunate sacrifice chosen from amongst the red-haired commoners, her real son was safely raised as a distantly related member of the de Xieye family. He was given protective eyewear that obscured his Dominus eyes, placed in the role of an apprentice alchemist to give him a viable story as to how he damaged his eyes, and was named Shiqu de Xieye.
This revelation set in motion a chain of events that shaped Mulciber's history. Gimya had discovered that Shiqu, her distant relation that she'd unwittingly developed feelings for, was in truth her half-brother, true heir to the throne, and had been named Prince under two different Kings before her father. However, before she could reveal the information to Shiqu, King Arkrite received an anonymous tip that the Princess had been sneaking out at night and meeting with people who knew about his ascension to the throne. Unsure what the Princess was searching for, and uneasy about what she might find, King Arkrite placed Gimya under guard in the Dominus estate, away from the secrets lurking within the Blazing Palace and watched over by his most loyal General, never to leave without his approval.
Upon discovering Gimya's situation, Shiqu slew his way to her and freed her. Gimya revealed everything she had discovered to Shiqu and, having already committed enough treason to warrant execution, they resolved to lay waste to the past and any implications it might hold for them. They infiltrated the Blazing Palace, murdered Queen Sheng, and tried to assassinate her father, King Arkrite. The King, however, survived the ordeal and rebuffed the attack. Shiqu was thrown into the great chasm of the dormant volcano atop which the Vulcan City was constructed, and Gimya was beset by the King's hounds.
Gimya endured years of torture following her failed coup, but she would later escape only to discover that Shiqu had also survived, and that their plan could still be enacted.
Whilst her father held very little interest in spending time with Gimya, nor letting her roam the city, her mother kept Gimya under her wing and taught her to wield the weapons of formality and etiquette. Though her mother rarely spoke freely to her, she observed how Queen Sheng would use every asset in her arsenal as a weapon. Her status, her looks, her sexuality, her emotions, her disarming stature, and her sharp tongue were but a few tools that Gimya learnt should be used liberally and without hesitation if they are able to strike a mortal blow. Whilst Queen Sheng would lecture her extensively and harshly reprimand her on any breach of protocol, Gimya perceived the attention as the closest thing to love that she had received from a parent, far more caring than any interaction she'd had with her father.
Gimya's life took a fateful turn when her distant cousin, Shiqu, whom she had developed a close relationship with, was struck across the face in a duel. His protective eyewear was thrown out of the arena and, in a moment of panic and passion, Gimya ran to the side of the arena to retrieve them for him and saw his eyes for the first time; bright orange, almond-shaped flames which almost seemed to flicker and glow, eyes just like hers. It took time for Gimya to piece together why the sight had surprised her so. It wasn't until she was skulking around the portrait gallery in the Blazing Palace after curfew, a pastime she indulged in frequently, and saw those same eyes on the faces of all the Dominus family that she realised that, like her, Shiqu was a union of Dominus and de Xieye heritage.
Whilst Shiqu fought in the Aridus festival tourney, Gimya took every opportunity she could to sneak into the palace archives. When the records reached a dead end, she started sneaking out into the Magma District at night, using the dim light in the subterranean part of the city to obfuscate her activities. She used the weapons her mother taught her to uncover more of the truth; bribing, intimidating, flirting, and lying her way through survivors of her father's coup d'etat until she gathered enough information to connect the dots. She discovered that her mother had a child with the late King Youzi, a boy she conceived out of wedlock whilst married to yet another former King from the Magnar family. To hide the features he bore on his face that betrayed his true heritage, the red hair and blazing orange eyes, Queen Sheng hid him behind an obsidian mask under the ruse that he bore a deformity. When Youzi usurped the throne with the help of Queen Sheng and his younger brother Arkrite, they all agreed to continue the charade that the child was a Magnar, helping to legitimise his claim to the throne, and continued to hide his face behind the obsidian mask. However, her father later orchestrated the assassination of the King in secret and, as one of the few that knew of the child's true heritage, also ordered him to be slain. To Arkrite's knowledge, that was exactly what happened, but Gimya had uncovered a secret truth in the dark corners of the palace and her city. She discovered that her mother had used her manipulation, just as Gimya had done to uncover these secrets, and fabricated her son's death. Whilst she cried over the body of an unfortunate sacrifice chosen from amongst the red-haired commoners, her real son was safely raised as a distantly related member of the de Xieye family. He was given protective eyewear that obscured his Dominus eyes, placed in the role of an apprentice alchemist to give him a viable story as to how he damaged his eyes, and was named Shiqu de Xieye.
This revelation set in motion a chain of events that shaped Mulciber's history. Gimya had discovered that Shiqu, her distant relation that she'd unwittingly developed feelings for, was in truth her half-brother, true heir to the throne, and had been named Prince under two different Kings before her father. However, before she could reveal the information to Shiqu, King Arkrite received an anonymous tip that the Princess had been sneaking out at night and meeting with people who knew about his ascension to the throne. Unsure what the Princess was searching for, and uneasy about what she might find, King Arkrite placed Gimya under guard in the Dominus estate, away from the secrets lurking within the Blazing Palace and watched over by his most loyal General, never to leave without his approval.
Upon discovering Gimya's situation, Shiqu slew his way to her and freed her. Gimya revealed everything she had discovered to Shiqu and, having already committed enough treason to warrant execution, they resolved to lay waste to the past and any implications it might hold for them. They infiltrated the Blazing Palace, murdered Queen Sheng, and tried to assassinate her father, King Arkrite. The King, however, survived the ordeal and rebuffed the attack. Shiqu was thrown into the great chasm of the dormant volcano atop which the Vulcan City was constructed, and Gimya was beset by the King's hounds.
Gimya endured years of torture following her failed coup, but she would later escape only to discover that Shiqu had also survived, and that their plan could still be enacted.
Gender Identity
Gimya's relationship with her gender identify is a fractious one. As a royal woman born under King Arkrite's rule, she was expected to embody the gender assigned to her. She hated the implications of being a woman, despised how it robbed her of her agency, but learnt how to weaponise it from her mother.
Later in her life, whilst she watched her mother die by Shiqu's hand, Queen Sheng told her "Your father's belief's are not Gorav's. You do not need a man to rule. The true eternal flame is the phoenix, the bird that is reborn without conception; she needs nothing more than the ashes of her own body to produce an heir." Silently, Gimya held onto these words, rebuilding her gender identity into what she believed a woman should be, not what she was told one should be.
Later in her life, whilst she watched her mother die by Shiqu's hand, Queen Sheng told her "Your father's belief's are not Gorav's. You do not need a man to rule. The true eternal flame is the phoenix, the bird that is reborn without conception; she needs nothing more than the ashes of her own body to produce an heir." Silently, Gimya held onto these words, rebuilding her gender identity into what she believed a woman should be, not what she was told one should be.
Sexuality
Gimya begins as heterosexual but, following a tremendous amount of torture, trauma, betrayal, and revelation upon discovering the truth about her family, she becomes demisexual. In particular, she develops a taboo attraction to Shiqu, a man she later discovers to be her half-brother.
Education
Gimya was incredibly well-educated, particularly by the standard of women under King Arkrite's rule. Not only did she receive private tutoring from a young age, she discovered a passion for learning that encouraged her to persist with her studies. From her gilded cage in the Blazing Palace, Gimya found that her studies offered her a very rare opportunity to experience the outside world, albeit only theoretically. Her particular fondness of political history is largely responsible for the series of coincidences that led to her discovering the hidden truths behind her parent's ascension to power.
Social
Mannerisms
Gimya toed the line between formality and defiance often. Whilst she held fast to the traditions of formality and etiquette as often as possible, to be used as both weapons and armour, her thinly veiled passion regarding Shiqu led to numerous accounts of her breaking protocol and acting in a way deemed inappropriate for a Princess.
Species
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Princess
Age
16
Circumstances of Birth
Gimya was conceived to reestablish the union between the Dominus and de Xieye families following Arkrite's hostile coup d'etat, including the murder of his brother and, supposedly, his nephew.
Birthplace
The Blazing Palace in the Vulcan City of Mulciber
Children
Pronouns
She/her
Sex
Female
Gender
Female
Presentation
Feminine
Eyes
Bright, almond-shaped eyes with irises of yellow and orange hues that resemble a flickering flame.
Hair
Long, flaming copper coloured hair; the defining characteristic of the de Xieye family, which is often tied back with a few loose locks falling across her face.
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Pale hadairo skin tone with practically no blemishes or acne
Height
5'1"
Weight
55kg
Belief/Deity
Follower of Gorav
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