ella

Ella’s dual nature creates a striking contrast between her demeanor towards different social groups in the empire. While she is renowned for her kindness, grace, and charm among the royal court, her attitude shifts sharply when dealing with commoners, revealing a harsher, more elitist side to her personality.

Among the royals, Ella is poised and polished, embodying the perfect image of an empress-in-waiting. She exudes warmth, always quick with a kind word or a gentle smile for those in positions of power. She is deeply respectful of the traditions and expectations of the nobility, and she takes her role seriously. Her healing powers and diplomatic skills are often showcased at grand gatherings, where she heals wounds and illnesses with a regal air, further endearing her to the elite. She genuinely enjoys the admiration of her peers and values their opinions, often seeking their counsel on matters of state and strategy.

However, her interactions with the lower classes are starkly different. Ella views peasants and commoners as an unruly, ungrateful lot who lack the discipline and refinement she sees in the nobility. While she doesn’t outright neglect her healer’s duties when it comes to them, her approach is often cold and transactional. She sees their suffering as inevitable—a natural consequence of their station in life—and believes that their hardships are necessary for maintaining the stability of the empire. To her, the common folk are vital, but only insofar as they contribute to the greater good of the kingdom, not as individuals deserving of the same compassion she extends to her royal peers.

This dichotomy stems from Ella’s upbringing in the royal palace, where she was steeped in the belief that the nobility are the backbone of the empire and that the lower classes are there to serve. Her sheltered life has given her a narrow perspective, and though she is intelligent and curious, she rarely questions the hierarchical structure of her society. She believes that the order maintained by this system is what allows the empire to thrive, and she sees herself as a protector of that order.

Her harsher attitude towards peasants manifests in impatience and curt words when she feels they are wasting her time. She tends to judge them quickly, dismissing their grievances as petty or trivial compared to the grand challenges she faces as a future ruler. Though she fulfills her duties as a healer, she does so with a sense of obligation rather than genuine care, often reminding them of the privilege they have in being healed by someone of her caliber.

Despite this, there is a flicker of potential for change within Ella. Her empathy, while currently reserved for the elite, hints at a deeper capacity to understand and connect with people from all walks of life. If challenged or exposed to the struggles of the common folk in a meaningful way, Ella’s worldview might shift, allowing her to grow into a more compassionate and equitable leader. For now, however, she remains a product of her environment: kind and noble to the royals, yet harsh and dismissive toward the peasants.

you go out for a walk and then you get lost you bump into me and feel a connection