Jewels (J) von Delmont
Duchess (later Queen) Jewels Diana von Delmont (a.k.a. J)
Romatia's sixth-born duchess has always had a raging independent streak and a desire to make her mark not as a great royal, but a bringer of change.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Tiny and wiry, but well-muscled, with a sprinter's build. Looks far more delicate than she actually is. Rather extensive injuries from her battle years including scarred hands, partially collapsed lung, weak left ribs, fractured left knee, and unnatural thinness.
Facial Features
Heart-shaped face with wide eyes, a button nose, and an easy smile. Very pale complexion with pink cheeks. She has dimples in her chin and left cheek. Delicate in build, with high cheekbones and well-defined jawline and collarbones.
Identifying Characteristics
Known for her distinctive auburn hair and piercing yet kind blue eyes.
Physical quirks
She is right-handed, but she has natural piano hands with long, dexterous fingers, a mark of great pride. She is never seen without her nails done. When she is nervous, her fingers flitter in the air, as though on an invisible keyboard. She was trained to have exceptional posture, although she slumps a little and lists to her right side when she is tired, or her left knee is acting up. Occasionally walks with a cane.
Apparel & Accessories
Known for her love of fashion, J always dresses well. She loves to feel fancy and put-together, so her definition of casual is much different from most people's. She favors cooler colors, especially bright blue, periwinkle, lavender, and grey. Her favorite materials are silk and chiffon, corduroy or fleece in the colder months. Always wears at least some jewelry, usually necklaces or rings. Spotted wearing high heels the vast majority of the time.
Specialized Equipment
Weapon of choice is a sword, affectionately referred to as Lightning.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Raised as a duchess, J lived a relatively sheltered and secluded life until she was pressured by her newly crowned sister Margaret to join the Falharan special forces. Doing so re-sealed an old alliance, but it turned out to be very good for J, as she was able to find herself and grow in independence. She grew to see her team as a family and was very dedicated to her work.
She had just entered a rest period after a long battle with a difficult arm of the Sixth Resistance forces when the virus broke. Despite every effort, the full powers of the Falharan military could not save the country. All of her comrades, save for two, died either fighting to save people in the capital or in their own hometowns.
On the run with her last two comrades, J eventually settled down with a hodgepodge of friends and unlikely allies to work on a cure for the virus. She was called upon to help stabilize the Romatian government, as the country was becoming overrun and people were desperate.
The advisory cabinet ignored virtually all her efforts and suggestions. They sealed off the borders, called back troops, and repealed most aid in an effort to conserve resources. It was to the detriment of all of them. Convinced the monarchy no longer cared for the common people and should have protected them from the virus in the first place, revolution broke out. Radicals called for total destruction and end to the monarchy. Negotiations were unsuccessful, and a full-scale attack was launched with help from turncoats inside the government itself.
After the deaths of her elder sisters in the uprising, it fell to J to take up the royal crown as Romatia's next queen. As the sixth-born, she had never expected to carry this responsibility. To save what little bits of her family might be left, as well as to try and bring stability back to her country, she chose to abdicate. (Cil also supported the decision.) With this, the government of Romatia formally fell from the von Delmonts' hands after five hundred years. Loyalists refer to J as "the Fortnight Queen."
Gender Identity
Cis female
Sexuality
She has no definitive label at the moment. She was in a relationship as a teenager with the prince of a neighboring kingdom She is currently in a triad with girlfriends Tavi and Aris, both of whom call themselves "queer."
Education
J was tutored from the age of two by a series of professors in Knavesmire Palace, where she grew up. She showed early talents for linguistics, politics, history, and diplomatic negotiation. She is also prodigious on the piano. In addition to the typical school subjects, she was "schooled" in how to be a royal. She proved to have an eye for fashion, skilled with turns of phrase, uncomfortably good at compartmentalizing her emotions, and abysmal at chess and budgeting. Her father taught her to fence with her sister Celia. Her time in advisers meetings taught her exactly how to get respect from uncooperative parties.
She never formally attended college, but she has honorary degrees in linguistics, history, and international relations, which she earned through high marks on college-level exams on these subjects.
Employment
As a duchess, she has been more or less employed in the service of her country and people from a young age. Her most important work was as a member of Falharan special forces, an elite group called 'guardians' with eight others. Trained directly under Falharan queens Rain and Rayla, they were intended as the country's best line of defense. Even the force itself crumbled in the wake of the apocalyptic virus.
Called back to her people to serve, J gave everything she could, even stepping in as queen when tragedy brought the duty to her. For safety, and in hopes to stop the anger and bloodshed long enough to rebuild, she abdicated.
J's primary work now is assisting Aris with her cure, and she volunteers with many humanitarian efforts in the quieter, stable region of Romatia where they have settled. She does not know what work she will take on when the world returns to normalcy.
Mental Trauma
- She endured verbal and emotional abuse for years throughout her childhood and adolescence.
- J lost her comrades and deepest calling with the destruction of her arm of the special forces.
- J has lost almost all of her family members, save for Celia, Auguste, and Angeline. She witnessed the death of her sister Margaret and her nieces, as well as the subsequent celebrations by revolutionaries of the end of her house. The castle itself was majorly destroyed in a fire. If J had her way, she would have died there with them.
- As a result of all she has suffered, J is currently dealing with PTSD, GAD, and major depression along with some physical health issues.
Intellectual Characteristics
She is gifted with musical and linguistic intelligence, as well as people smarts.
Morality & Philosophy
Her morality tends to be informed by her Catholic faith. She believes in giving second chances and that most anyone can be redeemed. This makes her very forgiving, sometimes too much so.
Taboos
Do not interfere with J's need for schedules. You're in for a world of worry if you do. She takes personal offense at bad manners. Underestimating her will easily get you entered in a battle of wits that you will lose.
Personality Characteristics
Savvies & Ineptitudes
Skills
- Piano protege
- Polygot-currently at least conversational in 9 languages
- Skilled diplomat and politician
- Nurturing, good with children. A rather maternal figure all around.
- Advanced combat skills, especially in fencing
- Difficulty with domestic tasks
- Perfectionist, too hard on herself
- Especially poor cook
- Technologically incompetent
Social
Contacts & Relations
Much of her biological family has been killed in the Romatian uprising, and the remainder have gone into hiding. As such, J relies primarily on a 'found family' she has built.
Her contacts from her old home include:
- Camilla Ames- Just Ames to most, she is a commander in the Romatian cavalry. The first female to ever hold the position, J defended Ames from the first and promoted her personally. Ames is rather protective by nature, but especially of J.
- Neely Hawkins-J's head of staff, Neely is devoted and kind. Her primary duty besides managing some of the other castle staff was looking after J on her visits home.
- Leslie Werner-Formerly apprenticed to the royal photographer, Leslie looks up to J and considers her one of his most photogenic subjects.
- Rose Angelle-Bubbly and optimistic, Rose is more or less a "little sister" to J.
- Azura Jackson- Rose's best friend is gentle and always willing to offer a listening ear.
- Daz Wilde-Practical, honest, and levelheaded, Daz was always the 'rock' much of the force relied on for steadiness and security. Her current whereabouts are unknown, but J is holding out hope.
- Tavi Simorian (and siblings.) Tavi is J's girlfriend.
- Liz Desslin-An old friend
- Beth Pemmer-Liz's significant other and part of Tavi's extended family
- Aris Portokalos-Aris and J have had a complicated relationship. They are now romantic partners in a triad with Tavi.
- Katri Newsome- Aris' niece
- Espen Newsome- Aris' nephew
- Ash Guiterrez-Aris' oldest friend
- Ione Powell Nazir-Another friend of Aris'
- Nerissa Vannarjee-Ione's significant other
- Thandie, Lil, Eliza, and Rivka-Orphaned children the group is fostering
Family Ties
The von Delmonts
Sixth-born child of King George and Queen Isabella. She had a close relationship with her father, perhaps the closest of all his children, and called him Papa. He was the one to teach her to ice skate, dance, and fence. When he died of complications from stomach ulcers, she was hit particularly hard by the loss. Her mother, on the other hand, was difficult to please. J was supposed to be born a boy and be the county's saving grace by keeping the throne in the family line. This did not happen, of course, and J always knew her mother resented her for not filling that role. Perfection was expected, and whenever J failed to measure up, she was verbally or emotionally abused. (The rest of the family does not speak about this.) She did grieve when her mother was killed by invaders to their home, but it secretly felt like a weight off her shoulders.
J's younger sister Celia (sometimes called Cil) is also a von Delmont, as she is yet unmarried. They have been close from the time they were children, and J views her as her favorite sister. Celia always sticks up for J when the others will not. They lived apart for some time, as J worked in Falhara and Celia served in her sister's court as a diplomat and traveled often. They kept in touch through frequent letters and calls.
Celia is confirmed to have survived the uprising, and J has an idea of where she may be hidden. Her greatest hope is to reunite with her sister as soon as it becomes safe enough to do so.
The Evenshires
J's eldest sister Margaret was always their mother's favorite, and Margaret would often carry out her bidding. As such, the two never really got along. In addition, Margaret was raised to someday take the throne alongside a husband, and was locked tightly into this duty, while J was independent and resisted expectations where she could. At a young age, Margaret married James Evenshire of Asweau, who was to inherit the Romatian throne. J was unsure at first, but grew to like him due to his gentlemanly nature, and the fact that he did not underestimate her as other knights tended to. He taught her some of the Nordic dialects of his homeland. James was killed in the same battle as her mother, and Margaret was eventually able to convince their advisors to allow her to rule on her own, much to J's pride. Shortly afterward, Margaret re-sealed the Falharan alliance by sending J to be a guardian, on the special forces and they didn't see much of each other since. In truth, they probably preferred it that way.
Margaret and James had three daughters together: Genevieve (Gigi), Clara, and Rowena. J had a substantial influence in raising the girls, even when she was young, and all three were close to her. They called her "Auntie J." She was especially close to the eldest, Gigi. with whom she shared her love of French and offered advice when the weight of becoming the next queen felt too heavy. She was also a support to tomboyish Rowena, who was often in trouble with her mother for her rebellious nature and love of causing mischief.
J was devastated by the loss of her sister and nieces in the uprising.
The Donaghues
Besides Celia, J was closest to her second-eldest sister Genevieve (Ginny.) She shared J's love of music, playing the harp and the flute, and they played duets often growing up. Ginny married Sean Donaghue from the Reunified Republic of Ireland (RRI,) and the two had one son, Finnegan (Finn.) At only five years old, Finn was alive for almost as long as his aunt worked in the Falharan guardian force. Because of her work, she didn't see him often, so they were never as close as J and the Evenshire girls.
All three members of the von Delmont-Donaghue family were killed, and J wishes she had been able to be more present in her nephew's life.
The Charbannaus
Marie was the elder of the von Delmont twins, who were always two halves of a whole. Growing up, they never seemed to need anyone else, and so J was not close to either. When Marie married Francois Auguste (just Auguste to most) from France, J found an unlikely friend. Her brother-in-law struggled some with English, and thanks to her fluency in French, they spent a lot of time together in the early days as J instructed him. She grew to consider him as close as a brother, and they wrote letters almost as frequently as she and Celia did. Auguste always invited J to the couple's home in France for at least a portion of the summer for a vacation, during which she was able to spend plenty of time with Marie and Auguste's two-year-old twins, Angeline and Toulouse. She hoped she would have a close relationship with them as they aged, like she did with their Evenshire cousins.
Marie was confirmed dead with Toulouse in the uprising. Auguste and Angeline's whereabouts are unknown, but searches continue at J's insistence.
The Volkovs
Anastasia (Ana) was the younger of the von Delmont twins, who were always two halves of a whole. Growing up, they never seemed to need anyone else, and so J was not close to either. Ana married in a double wedding with her twin sister to Dimitri Volkov of the United Republic of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus (URRUB.) Unlike with Auguste, J did not form a close relationship with this brother-in-law, He was, in fact, the only one of her sister's spouses she disliked. Pompous, lazy, sexist, and supremely convinced of his own importance, Dimitri would often prefer to go off on "manly" excursions like hunting or rowing with his brothers and friends rather than help Ana raise their one-year-old triplet boys. Ana did her very best with the help of some of the Volkov staff to bring up Sacha, Yuri, and Pavel. The constant absence of her husband was almost better than the times he was home to belittle, insult, and fight with her.
She wrote Marie for help, but her twin was caught up in mothering multiples of her own. In desperation, she wrote to J. Her sister immediately returned the letter, full of apologies, consoling words, and promises to help straighten Dimitri out. She kept her word, but the relationship between herself and her brother-in-law grew even more frigid afterwards, and she was hardly ever formally invited to their home. She and Ana grew much closer though. In relative secrecy, Ana asked her to come and stay when Dimitri went on extended trips, and J obliges as often as her work allowed. It certainly was not easy for Ana to raise three rowdy boys alone, especially with Sacha and Yuri's habit of ganging up on their smaller brother Pavel, and J wanted to ease some stress for her. J anticipated needing to be heavily involved in the boys' life, whether their father approved or not.
The family would have escaped the uprising were it not for a plane crash over a portion of Siberia.Religious Views
J was raised in the Roman Catholic faith and never left it. She is practicing and devoted.
Hobbies & Pets
Pets
Shortly after beginning work as a guardian, she was gifted a pointed lapis pegasus called Sapphire (Sapphy.) The mare is rather standoffish with others and does not take well if she believes she is being disrespected, but she is entirely devoted to J and would do anything for her. She particularly likes being groomed. She often "talks" to J whenever the duchess addresses her. Her favorite treat is apple slices.
A few months ago, J came upon a stray cat with an injured paw and no manner of collar or other identification. After keeping her for a few days to allow her to heal, J became smitten and decided to adopt her. She called her Mirabella (Mira) after a French variety of plums, one of her favorite foods. To her surprise, her cat-loving friend Liz identified Mira as a member of the Birman breed. Legend says that these cats are good luck, and they are known for their lovely coats, gentle temperaments, and tendency to "chirp."
Hobbies
- Prodigious on the piano, J has always loved music. In fact, she rescued her current instrument from years of disrepair and more or less rebuilt it herself. She composes her own songs, and can often be found in her "studio" to relax after a long day.
- With a degree in linguistics and nine languages under her belt, she considers practicing these languages as a hobby, and is always on the hunt to pick up more. She writes letters often
- Fencing is her main offensive ability, but she also quite enjoys it.
- Pegasus riding is a must.
- Like many Romatians, she enjoys winter sports and can ice skate well.
- She loves the theater, particularly live theater.
- Given time, she likes to read the classics.
- Rose often lets J have a hand in her design projects, and the two enjoy shopping and getting their nails done together.
Wealth & Financial state
She was quite affluent, but she spent most of her funds for worthy causes around Romatia and working with NGOs. The financial security also allowed her to get the some of the complex medical attention she needed after her rather extensive work injuries.
She never liked to flaunt her wealth, but an observant eye picked up her high-quality fashion choices, and she could be a little extravagant where gifts for friends were concerned.
Her current financial situation is more precarious. Bartering is more of the economic mode of choice for now, which works well enough for her, but she was not able to withdraw much of her funds before the uprising. It is likely that the new government has sealed off her access to her own accounts, as well as access for her remaining family.
Ethnicity
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Official Title: Duchess of Romatia, she was frequently known as "Lady J."
Other Titles: The Red Death, Tamer of Illios, Treasure of the North, The Fortnight Queen
Circumstances of Birth
She was believed to be a boy prior to her birth, much to her parents' joy, as having a male heir would secure the throne within the von Delmont line for the next generation.
Birthplace
Knavesmire Palace, Romatia
Children
Current Residence
Blackthorn Valley, Romatia
Gender
Female
Eyes
Bright blue
Hair
Auburn, worn long, braided, or in two topknots
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Pale with flushed cheeks, "china doll" complexion
Height
5'3"
Quotes & Catchphrases
"I'm well-dressed and stressed."
"The higher the heels, the better I feel!"
"We can't have a crisis! My schedule is already full!"
Aligned Organization
- English is her first language.
- Fluent in French, so much so that she can be mistaken for a native speaker.
- Fluent in Spanish (Spain dialect,) German, and Italian
- Conversational in Russian, Finnish, Swedish, and Dutch
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