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[series]: Elisabeth (The Rondo of Love and Death)
[character]: Empress Elisabeth
[character history / background]: Elisabeth was the spoiled, indulged second daughter of Duke Maximilian of Bavaria. Her older sister Helene was groomed nearly from birth to marry the to-be Emperor of Austro-Hungary, Franz Joseph. With Helene set to make such a good marriage, there was little pressure for Elisabeth to do so, so her tomboyish tendencies and desires for freedom were indulged and laughed away as harmless childishness. Even her near-death experience at age fourteen did little to tame her wild spirit.
It did bring her to the attention of the Lord of the Dead, but she forgot about him almost immediately.
Shortly thereafter she accompanied her parents and Helene to Bad Ischl, the summer palace of the Hapsburg family. There, Helene and Franz Joseph would meet, and the marriage negotiations would be finalized. Things, however, seldom work out as planned. It was not Helene that caught the young Emperor’s eye, but Elisabeth. She was the one he wanted, and flattered by the attention this admittedly handsome man was paying her, Elisabeth gladly accepted his proposal. This threw all the marriage plans into quite a confusion, angered the Dowager Empress Sophie, and upset both of Elisabeth’s parents and Helene.
Oh, and Der Tod, but she was not aware of that.
The wedding was everything a young girl could have wished. A dream wedding, marred only slightly by a minor stumble, and the strange echo of mocking laughter as she said her marriage vows. Caught up in the magic of her wedding she barely noticed her father’s concern, or the Dowager Empress’s disdain. No, her first indication that anything was wrong came during the reception, when she suddenly found herself alone in a room that had moments before been filled with people. And a strangely familiar man approached her, claiming that she didn’t really love her new husband, and instead that she wanted him. Frightened and outraged at this stranger’s presumption, she vehemently denied his supposed claim to her, even as she realized he was Der Tod. And, surprisingly, he left, though she had the feeling she hadn’t seen the last of him.
Unfortunately, there was far more to being Empress than Elisabeth had ever expected. It seemed there was a never-ending list of rules and expectations she was always falling short of. Nothing she did was ever quite good enough for the Dowager Empress, and her husband wasn’t willing to support her. Not even when her own children were taken away from her was Franz Joseph willing to stand up to his mother. Elisabeth soon realized she had to bargain with her husband, requiring the return of her children before she would go with him to Hungary in an attempt to stave off rebellion in that region.
Soon after that trip, Elisabeth gave birth to her first (and only) son, Rudolf. However, he was quickly taken from her and put into the care of Sophie. Elisabeth realized that her beauty was the only negotiating tool she had with her husband, and quickly became obsessed with maintaining her looks. Milk baths, honey packs, strict diet and excessive exercise regimes became the order of the day. And yet, her son still was not returned to her. Worse, she discovered that his tutors were beating him. So she gave her husband an ultimatum. His mother or her. Either she regained control of her children and their education, or he’d lose her. She’d given him an heir; she could and would refuse him entry into her chambers. She’d hoped that maybe this time he’d love her enough that he would understand that she would not, could not be the perfect little Empress his mother wanted her to be. Instead, he left to consider her demands, leaving her alone and all too vulnerable.
And who should show up at that moment but Der Tod? Once again he claimed she loved him, and he claimed he could offer her the freedom she craved if she would just accept death. It was a tempting, seductive offer, but she refused, because dying would just be an escape. Only alive could she hope for true freedom. Though she greatly feared what Death could do, she drew up her best imperial manner and ordered him out of her rooms. And, to her surprise, he went.
But she’d made the right decision. Only a day later, Franz Joseph agreed to her demands and more. He would do anything; give her anything she wished for. Things seemed nearly perfect for a while. She had extreme influence not only in the lives of her children, but politics as well. It was at her insistence that Franz Joseph granted Hungary its independence, though with himself and Elisabeth as King and Queen.
Somehow, she wasn’t particularly surprised when Der Tod showed up at the coronation. The result was the same as last time. He asked her to come with him, she refused and he left. And after that, life was pretty good for a while. But there were those at court who resented Elisabeth’s power and influence, not the least of which was the Dowager Empress Sophie. A plan was hatched, and Franz Joseph was snared by the charms of a young prostitute brought into the palace for just that purpose.
Though she didn’t know what had happened at first, it didn’t take Elisabeth long to realize something was wrong. Franz Joseph was… different with her, and their relationship grew strained and awkward. Elisabeth figured it had something to do with her, and went to extreme lengths to try and be even slimmer, even more beautiful. It wasn’t until she hadn’t eaten for three days and collapsed that she discovered what had happened. Der Tod, in disguise as Doctor Zable, presented her with photographic proof of her husband’s infidelity. Distraught, she threw the picture away, claiming she couldn’t live with what had happened. Der Tod made his offer once again - come away with him, she loved him, not Franz Joseph. But again she refused, and instead packed up and began to wander Europe.
She has been wandering for approximately six months when she stumbled into The City.
[character abilities]: World-renowned beauty, knowledge of Austro-Hungarian politics,
[character personality]: Elisabeth grew up as an indulged young girl with very few responsibilities or expectations. From that she was thrust into the rather hostile world of the Austro-Hungarian court, where responsibilities and expectations piled up seemingly without end. At first, she could do nothing right, and was always the target of gossip and scandal. Other, weaker women would have caved in to the pressure, would have become the pretty dolls the court wanted. Not Elisabeth. No, she has never been willing to bow to anyone else’s wishes. She’s a strong, and independently minded woman, who is determined to belong only to herself.
Her main way of asserting her independence has until recently been through her husband, and her husband’s devotion to her. She’s always used her physical beauty to keep and manipulate his devotion to her. This has led her to becoming incredibly vain, and someone obsessed over physical appearance. There is nothing she wouldn’t consider in order to stay young and beautiful, unless it interfered with her independence.
Although she fought over the right to raise her own children, Elisabeth has never been a particularly good mother. She’s far too self-absorbed to want to take care of them full time, and was quite willing to leave them in the care of nursemaids and tutors, as long as they were of her choosing.
Elisabeth is in deep, deep denial about her attraction to Der Tod. She tells herself that she wants nothing to do with him, that he’s just one more person trying to control her life. He is unforgivably rude and arrogant, and she cannot stand that. And yet, every so often she finds herself wondering if things would have been better if she’d taken him up on his offer. Though she most certainly would never admit it, part of why she’s been traveling is because she’s running away from him. Because next time he asks, she’s not sure she’d refuse his offer.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: Approximately six months after Saigo no Chance, during the first bit of Yasuragi no nai Nengetsu
[journal post]: There seems to be a never ending list of things that must be packed, must be done before I can go, but I will abide no more delays. I have to get out. The walls of this palace are stifling, trapping me in. The very air feels thick and heavy, though my maids assure me the windows are wide open and a pleasant breeze is blowing. They say it is a lovely day. I cannot feel it.
I must get out. I must fly free of this place.
Franz cannot, will not refuse me this. Not after what he has done, what he has done to me. My heart is closed to him now, forever. Let him beg and plead all he wants, I have my freedom now, and I shall see the world. The more of it, the further from here, the better.
The maids say the carriage is almost ready. They entreat me to stay, to rethink this. They do not understand. Only alone, traveling can I be who I wish to be. Only out there can I belong to me.
To me. Not the stifling court, not Franz, and most certainly not you sir.
[third person / log sample]: Elisabeth sat very sill as the maids finished the last of the intricate braid work that bound her hair up and out of the way. Her hair had always been her greatest feature, long, thick, and brown. Years ago, Franz had used to love to stroke it, gently brush small strands back… No, she would not think of such times. They were long gone now. She shoved such memories back into the darkest recesses of her mind and waved off the maids. Her makeup, she would do alone, one of the few times she had completely to herself, even now.
Staring at her reflection, she couldn’t deny the signs of age, though the careful application of cosmetics quickly began to hide them. She was no longer the young beauty she’d once been. Never would be. Was that why… No, that was a dangerous thought, best not to go down that road. Layers of foundation went on, almost like a mask. And wasn’t it? A mask to keep the world at bay, to show them only what she was willing to let them see. Yes. No one could touch the true her, the true Elisabeth. No one ever had. Except perhaps… No, more dangerous thoughts. Focus on the immediate. Outline the eyes, the mouth. Be the perfect picture of an Empress.
She was not, as that little whisper in her head kept insisting, running away. What could she be running from? Her husband’s shame? Hardly! No, she was just pursuing her own dream, her own life.
Not running. Never.