Rhesa Daekar

Rhesa Daekar was an Underelf Noblewoman from the Topal City, part of the famed Daekar family. She would reign as High Queen of Hammerfell from 5E 459 until her death in 5E 433. During her youth, she was a paramour to Emperor Arik VI.

Background
Rhesa Daekar was born into the Daekar family, an illustrious and powerful family known for their literary skills and propensity for adventuring. Her father served as Warden of the South, the essential Governor of the Topal Bay during Arik VI and his sister's youth.

Because of this, Rhesa would come into contact with Prince Arik, and they would strike up a friendship in their youth that quickly turned into an official relationship. Although he was promised to his sister, he still asked his great-grandparents, Emperor Jaehar II and his wife, Visaera, for them to be engaged. After his request was denied, he proclaimed her as his 'Imperial Paramour,' and lavished her in riches.

Rhesa, due to the adventuring heart she received from her family, began to chafe under the constant politicking in the city, and grew to feel little for the boy she was expected to please. She secretly asked the Empress Visaera for help, and the Empress obliged, helping her to return to the Topal City. Unfortunately, upon his discovery of her newfound freedom, Rhesa's father had her married to Corvalian Lux, a nobleman and general under his control as Warden of the South, and she was once again shackled to another man.

Arik, once he heard of this, brought Rhesa and her husband to the Imperial City, not realizing that it had been at her request to leave him behind. Unable to deny the Prince of the Topal for fear of her own safety, due to his temper, Rhesa became his paramour once more, in secret this time. Arik was already married to his sister, but he seemed to prefer Rhesa, for a time.

She gave birth to a son, and not even she knew whether it was Arik's son or her husband's. Luckily, however, the birth of this child made Arik bored of her, and she was free from him. She had come to be fond of her husband, and the birth of a child made her life better.

When Arik's wife gave birth to triplets, the question was raised that, if Kandar, Rhesa's son, was truly his child, then it would be his oldest and would complicate matters of succession. Arik, upon hearing of this, allegedly had Rhesa's husband, Corvalian, and her son, Kandar, murdered in 5E 456.

Terrified for her life, Rhesa fled to the elderly Empress Visaera once again for protection, and the old woman took her under her wing. Rhesa flourished as the Empress' chief handmaiden, safe from Arik's wrath.

When word of possible rebellion in Hammerfell began to reach the Imperial City in 5E 459, Visaera became desperate to stop it, having known far too much of war in her long life. Rhesa offered to act as Visaera's voice in Hammerfell, not knowing the crafty old woman's plan.

Rhesa met with Youssef al Din, the High King of Hammerfell, and offered him vast wealth to stop the rebellion. Unwittingly, she had given him her own dowry. Visaera sent Youssef a letter, explaining the offer, and the King decided to get to know Rhesa before informing her of the agreement. After deeming her satisfactory, he told her that she was to be his wife. Rhesa agreed, having found comfort in the distance put between herself and Arik.

She would bear him five children before her death of Old Age.

Trivia

 * Rhesa is descended from Sorin Daekar, the famous explorer and author who lived during the Black Year in the early fourth era.