CHARACTERS
ALYCIA is a college graduate with a Biology degree but with few job prospects in her field with only a Bachelor's degree. She is forced to consider graduate school to further her education for a chance of doing what she really wants to do.
Her Royal Highness,
EOANA "ANA" EKINA YEREM is Alycia born to the current Empress and Emperor. She finds being the only human in a non-human world somewhat frustrating, especially dealing with the nobles who are disgusted by her strange appearance. This altered life changes Alycia, who believed at first that it was just a dream. But after many years, she can't deny that it seems more than just a dream.
When the strange attacks on certain cities, she begins to do her own research in an attempt to prepare herself for her future role as Empress. She forms a loose friendship with
Kajin Judor Aire, who is in charge of investigating the cities attacked.
She discovers Kajin's father is behind an assassination attempt, but she doesn't know who. She tries to keep an eye on him, while mentally questioning his son's involvement. One night after a private dinner together, Ana discovers a bloodied napkin and having made the meal itself, fears that it might have been poisoned at some point. She runs to her parents' bedroom to uncover a grisly murder scene still in progress.
In blind rage, Ana kills the assassin and is pulled out of the room by Artheo.
She later is awoken by her guard who tells her that she will be killed next if she doesn't flee now. In an attempt to escape her friend and guard is killed in the hunt for her life. She falls off a cliff to her death. (No she isn't really killed!)URBETH is also a college graduate with a Biology degree, meeting and befriending
Alycia in one of their shared courses in their last year. She is dating
Vincent. After a year of being out of college, she re-enters for her second degree.
Vincent, meanwhile, is returning after working for a year as well to work on his masters degree, not enjoying his current job. She faces
Vincent's move back in with her with mixed feelings. In any case, she really feels as though her voice in the relationship is gone.
RAN UMIKO AIRE is Urbeth's manifestation in the strange world that
Alycia also occupies--but neither girl know about the existence of the other. Ran is born to a peasant woman who abruptly leaves her in a pile of straw moments after being born. She is found by a noblewoman who takes her to a secluded farm with a maid. The maid raises Ran with visits from her adopted mother until one day her mother seems to have forgotten about her as well. The maid requires Ran's help in maintaining their home.
Ran meets
Kajin and
Artheo one day as they are investigating a city near-by that was attacked.
Kajin discovers that she was brought here by his step-mother. He visits Ran again when he can and tells her stories about life outside of the farm. Both keep these visits secret from others.
Eventually, after the Empress and Emperor are killed and the princess is missing, Ran is brought out of seclusion by her adopted mother.
BOOK 2: She is told that she will become Empress and she will marry Kajin. At this point, Ran has no idea that she is taking Ana's place on the throne to fulfill her adopted parents' ambitions to control the Empire.
Before her coronation, a star falls outside the city. Most of the people whisper that it is a bad omen for her reign. A young alien boy is pulled out of the wreckage of the "star" and brought before the soon-to-be Empress. She takes the boy, calling himself "Xern" under her wing, not knowing that he is much older than he appears.WILL is Urbeth's ex-boyfriend. In the years after he broke up with her, they formed a distant friendship that he doesn't put a lot of effort into maintaining. It is unknown what his feeling towards her are, but he is usually cool and distant.
His Royal Highness,
AENOTI XERN EKOM is Will born to an alien race who years into the future are currently in conflict with their ancestors, Earth's humans. The alien race has used their advanced technology to enhance their biological makeup in order to have special abilities and live longer. Xern had been forced to live as a child for many years--through time-sensitive injections--that his true age puts him at an adult mentally.
He grows weary of his life and takes a chance during a human attack on his personal vessel to make his escape. He lands on the planet inhabited by Ran. He pledges to be her guardian to stay at her side when Kajin tries to remove him from the castle. In time his body matures to Ran's surprise to his true age due to the lack of aging inhibitors over a very short period of time (~ 1 month), and his feelings for Ran grow as his body matures. This change creates distrust in Kajin who does not want a strange alien around his new wife. Xern, however, does not act on these feelings until later when he better understands them.
Also Xern has control over his "hair" and does not need to eat in order to survive as his hair is not dead protein as human hair is but live cells with chlorophyll with energy-making capabilities just like plants. He does require water--pure water--to survive. He doesn't sleep much unless he doesn't have enough energy--in which he usually finds a usable light source and drinks a lot of water.
NOTE: He does eventually find out that Ran is Urbeth but keeps his identity a secret. Alycia--Ana--tells Ran. But that may be the end of Book 2 or Book 3! XD Vincent
Kajin Judor Aire
Artheo Kuvdao
