Fortuna

TLDR: Rough childhood, mostly surviving on the streets, joined the war and was captured by Vi

Note- this section contains outdated lore.

Fortuna was the youngest child of a woman named Millie. Millie was married to a descendant of the Grace family (one of the ancient rulers of Elsmir, whom many Eastern Elsmir residents believe should rule again), she had Fortuna out of wedlock with a different man. When Fortuna was 3, the majority of her family was killed when Vi burned down their house. It was a politically motivated move, he wanted to eliminate the descendants of the ancient leaders of Elsmir, who had been posing a threat against his rule. Since Fortuna wasn’t a direct relative, she was wasn't killed and was instead abandoned in the forest for the elements to decide her fate.

She was found with the Grace sword by an old magician named Amos. He saw the sword, a symbol of the Graces’ heritage, and assumed Fortuna was their desendat. He took her in, and taught her healing magic after he discovered she had the potential. When she was 9 he gave her the sword and explained what he thought was her heritage.

Amos died of old age when Fortuna was 11, leaving her alone in the world, she decided to travel to the next city over, a very large city named Galeshallow. She lived on the streets there for a bit, stealing small amounts of what she needed. One day she met Liam, Ana, and Leah, they were a group of homeless kids that had banded together to survive (Liam was the oldest, Ana and Leah were twins). Fortuna helped heal their dog and they offered to let her stay with them and join their group. The group were troublemakers, they lived off stealing from the citizens of the city. Fortuna helped them with it for a while, but their crimes kept escalating in risk. They were eventually caught and Fortuna’s cheek was scarred as a warning for her first offence. After a few years with the group, Liam and Fortuna eventually became a couple. It was an unhealthy relationship that mostly consisted of Liam taking advantage of young Fortuna's naivety and manipulating her to do things she didn't consent to. She grew more and more uncomfortable around him until one night he went too far. the twins took note of her changed behavior and encouraged her to leave Galeshallow, she agreed and left for a new start elsewhere. About 17 at the time, she didn't have a lot of luck on her own due to her scar being a turn off for many possible employers, but eventually found a job cleaning at an inn. She worked there for a few months when late one rainy night while she was alone, Liam showed up. He had been betrayed by Ana and Amy during a risky burglary. He was captured, and lost his bowman fingers as a punishment and was exiled from the city he had known all his life. He blamed Fortuna for this, his abuse of her was what prompted Ana and Amy to betray him. He attacked Fortuna, intending to kill her. She did her best to defend herself but the attack was extremely unexpected and she couldn't hold her own long. When all seemed lost for her, Liam was killed by a stranger that Fortuna hadn't noticed had entered the room during the chaos. His name was Elliot Goode, another descendant of the ancient rulers of Elsmir. He invited Fortuna to join him and the other descendants as part of the war effort. She agreed and the two became friends.

Fortuna joined the East's war effort and became somewhat of a propoganda symbol, recruiting people by sharing her heritage and story of how their enemy (Vi) had wronged her. Despite being an icon of the war, she wasn't given much real power. Her and Elliot both answered to Lillian Joy, the main leader of the East and the one who made all the decisions. Fortuna's opinons and suggestions were always ignored and she began to grow very frustrated with her lack of physical involvement. She wasn't allowed to be near any action for fear they would lose a valuable asset. It all came to a point when she 19. She was visiting a war camp near the West's border and heard of some soldiers that were captured by Vi's army nearby. She was told it was too risky to rescue them, but stubbornly didn't take no for an answer. She tried to help the soldiers on her own and was promptly captured by the West.

TLDR: Henry helps her escape, she learns a hard truth about her heritage, helps end the war, and marries Henry

Fortuna was taken to the West's capital, a city called Aolos. She knew she would be a gonder if she remained there considering her high status and was extremely stressed, trying to find a way to get out and return to the East. The answer came in the form of Vi's second in command and nephew, Henry. He explained to her that he detested working for Vi and wanted to abandon his job and escape to the East to live in peace with his boyfriend, Aaron, but was rightfully concerned that the East would execute him regardless of his alliances if he were to be discovered there. Henry offered to help her escape and provide the East with everything he knew about Vi and his forces in exchange for safe passage and living in the East. Fortuna didn't trust him at first but eventually decided he was her best option. She grew to befriend the pair as they spent more time together. The three made a plan for escape and executed it one morning.

It went terribly wrong when Henry was discovered by Vi. The two got into a fight that ended with Vi blinding Henry with the embers from the forge. Aaron defended Henry and almost defeated Vi, but lost in the end, getting killed by the king. Fortuna tried to save Aaron with her magic as he died, it didn't work and she remained fairly traumatized and guilt-ridden from that interaction for years after. Fortuna fled with Henry back East. She did her best to help Henry once they arrived, but without Aaron or his sight his original plan and life had completely fallen apart. He stayed in the war camp Fortuna and the rest of the main Council of the East resided, healing from his injury, learning to adapt to his new world, and doing assorted small jobs to distract himself.

Fortuna was welcomed back with a shocking discovery. Her half sibling, William, had stepped out of hiding while she was gone, filling the empty spot she had left. Will explained to Fortuna that she was never a Grace descendant and had been living a lie her whole life. Fortuna was grateful to have the family history she was never able to attain, and a living relative from a family she believed to all be dead, but the information about her heritage and her previous position being replaced greatly distressed her. Will allowed her to keep the sword and the last name, but it was never going to be the same. She was broken up that her whole life had revolved around a lie and didn't know where to go on from there.

She began spending more time with Henry, the two grew to enjoy each other's company a lot. Over the course of 3 years the two became a couple, relearning how to enjoy life together. Their happiness was interrupted when the end of the war loomed overhead, and it was not going in the East's favor. If Vi won, they would be the first he would want to kill and they both knew it. As a last desperate effort, Fortuna suggested that Henry challenge Vi for the throne. Henry and Vi agreed to the arrangement, the duel would be to the death and the victor would receive full surrender from the opposing side. Henry barely won the duel and was seriously injured during it, only being saved by Fortuna's healing magic. With peace now established, the two decided to begin a new chapter of their lives and got engaged.

After marrying Henry, Fortuna was given the position as governess of Galeshallow. The two move and live there together for many years. She works to rebuild a broken country and keep things organized in the city of her youth. She has a son with Henry, whom they name Aaron. While she still struggles with hard memories from her past, she is happy and content in this life.