Mika sat on his mother's lap, a book twice the size of his head resting over his legs and spilling over onto Anyanka's thighs as they sat together on the chaise. A magician had visited the Vincentien court yesterday, and the four year old heir had been absolutely spellbound by the feats the man had been able to do. She didn't quite have the heart to tell him most of it was just show, but there had been a few parts that she believed were real. Durkhan's carried magic, old and violent and hungry when unleashed. But the heirlooms that channeled that magic had been long lost to the ocean and she'd never studied magics past glamours and minor protection spells. She's seen real magic, but she'd not been able to produce it. And Venjamin's blood held nothing substantial, so she doubted the boy would have anything powerful in his veins. The woman pressed her cheek against her fist that propped on the arm of the couch, letting the boy lean back against her as his fingers methodically moved across the page to sound out the words before him. The book he held was one she'd found buried in the back of the court's library. A thick layer of dust coated it and it's companions, so much so she would have believed they'd never even been touched in the last century. The language was poor and archaic, and Mikhail stuttered over more than a few words with origins not familiar to him. He would learn. "The most important thing to understand about magic is it's intention." Anyanka read over his shoulder, pausing to press a kiss to the boys soft golden crown. "It serves no master nor any gods. It is manifested in the work of man and mage, and holds no bias towards the well being of it's users. Those who practice are not divine, nor are they blessed by the divine. They are simply students who have excelled in their craft. And just like every subject, the craft must be applied carefully and with great caution to the lives of those who study it. There is no good nor evil force to sway your course. Only man and the pantheon of gods; and to each you must be true." She finished, expecting the boy to turn the page but he didn't.
"What does that mean, mama?" He questioned, twisting to look back at her with round silver eyes.
"It means magic is a weapon. Just like any blade, you have to know how to properly wield it to keep from hurting yourself or others. And just like weaponry, you have to decide for yourself when to use it."
"So only really important things, right?"
"That's right." Anya agreed, pushing his hair out of his face.
Mikhail was quiet a moment before speaking up again. "I guess we should learn to use it. In case it's important later, huh?"
Anya smiled softly at the remark. "I guess we should." She agreed, and pulled her silver gaze from the boy as the door to the study opened to reveal her husband Venjamin
"Well what's all this?" The dark haired man asked, crossing the room in a few strides and pressing a kiss to his wife's cheek before perching on the arm of the couch she leaned against.
"We're going to learn how to use magic. In case we need it for something important." Mikhail answered proudly, holding the book up to his father to look at. Art pursed his lips and glanced at Anya who avoided his gaze, knowing the look she would receive.
"Do you think it could wait until tomorrow? Your Aunt Amalthea has a surprise for you downstairs." He teased, and the boy's eyes lit up as he slipped from his mothers lap and ran to the door. Venjamin slowly rose from his place on the arm and offered a hand to his wife, holding the book in his free hand.
"Learning magic?" He questioned as she took his hand to help herself up.
"He want's to learn, I don't think it's a bad thing."
"It's practically a banned art here, Anya. There are some things you just can't hold on to." He sighed, pulling her close to press a kiss to her forehead.
"Ven, it's important to let him explore the world. I'm not going to keep him from dreaming because of an outdated law." She frowned, and Venjamin rolled his eyes.
"There are some things, Anya, that we just have to let die." He told her, keeping an iron grip on the book as he left the room to meet up with Mika and Amalthea downstairs.
Anyanka
Alexandra
Durkhan
Zahrada
The Garden City
Anyanka currently resides in the Garden City of Zahrada, Astoria's capital. The Durkhan estate was birthed with the idea that her son, Mikhail, would finally have a place to see the world around him bloom into life and see the warmth of seasons that had eluded them in Vincentien.
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Shortly after the death of her son, the idea of the Garden City was abandoned, and the dense pine forests in the region slowly began to overtake the furthest reaches of Astoria. The Durkhan estate is the only piece of the city that still holds the ideals of the original plans for the city, with lush gardens that bloom year round. It is rumored the garden blooms continuously due to the life blood of the Astorian Prince that once laid beneath it.
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"I told him we weren't happy. He said we needed a new place to be, 'a better garden' so we could grow and be happy. We're rotting away in the east away from the rest of the world. Vincentien is crumbling in on itself and I don't want to watch it happen and I know I can't save it."
"Mika-" She started but he cut her off, continuing his thoughts with passion she'd never seen him hold on the subject.
"Father's court is full of people who want nothing more than to see themselves rise to power, and they trample everyone beneath them and all the good you've tried to impliment gets fought tooth and nail. And I've been there for the cabinet meetings, the society is falling apart, the nation's wealth is based on the money from your own personal accounts and they're bleeding you dry. And on top of it, the only shining light in that dark cavernous place is the underground, and everyone thinks they're a bunch of harlots and condemns them to a life beneath the cities as if they don't deserve a better place. Mother, they're the roots of our garden, they're giving us everything they can and we still can't flourish there. I truly believe if we take them and find a new place like Feyshore or the Isles we could be happy!" when he stopped, his eyes were misty and he shook with newfound desperation at having expressed his thoughts. She'd never known he's paid that close of attention during the meetings he sat in on with his books. He'd been taking notes. And he'd used their vacation as an excuse to interview and examine every powerful political figure they'd come into contact with. His chest rose and fell with every deep breath he took, and she inhaled deeply to try and figure out what to say.
"We can't just abandon it, love. It's falling apart and it was left in our hands. Even if we abdicate the throne, who would help all those people?"
"We do. We let them come with us." He stated as if the answer was that simple.
"Love, we can travel freely because we hold titles and my name goes further than you realize. But not everyone has the privilege an-"
"So let them use your name. Put them under your protection, you're the last of the Durkhan's but you don't have to be. I'll take your name, let the underground carry it for you. We can rebuild the Durkhan Dynasty and start over somewhere else! We don't have to live like this mama." Mikhail was practically begging as the idea sprang from his mind, and he moved to sit on his knees as he faced her. "You've told me stories of Cromizon when you were a little girl, and how lovely and shining it was. And how it went bad and started to rot and you got out. I don't want to rot with Vincentien, mother. We both deserve better."
General
Age: 35
Height: 5'7
Hair: Auburn
Eyes: Silver
Significant features: Maith's Black Poppy brand on her left hip, right above the bone.
A set of sigil scars down the underside of both her forearms, appeared after she preformed a restoration ritual in attempt to bring Mikhail back to life.
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Alliances
Anyanka's most notable alliance ties her to Pirate King Bradai Maith. The two were brought to one anothers attention in her time as Duchess in Vincentien, and her work with dismantling the slave trade in the area won her favor in the Pirate King's eyes.
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Anyanka personally considers herself and her territories to fall into his sphere of influence, and had moved to join the Southern Federation though Astoria and South Feyshore have yet to make any official moves on the matter.
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Her previous relationship with Romanov and her Kingdom's position as neighbors to North Feyshore place Astoria and South Feyshore in a position of necessary alliance with House Black of North Feyshore. Because of extenuating circumstances, all embassy work between North and South Feyshore moves through the eldest Romanov son, Aleks.
