Berenene dor Ocmore

Berenene dor Ocmore
Titles
Primary Title	Empress of Namorn (Her Imperial Majesty)
Biographical Information
Nationality	Namornese
Physical Description
Gender	Female
Hair	Brown
Eyes	Brown
Family Information
Ancestors	Imperial Family of Namorn
Grandparents	Unnamed grandmother (shares with Sandry)
Parents	Unnamed Father (Previous Emperor)
Siblings	Unnamed brother † (deceased)
Husband	Unmarried
Lover	Quenaill Shieldsman and Pershan fer Roth
Children	Princess Maedryan (Crown Princess of Namorn) and two other unnamed daughters
Other Family	Amiliane fa Landreg (aunt), Sandrilene fa Toren (cousin)
Affilliation
Rank	Empress
Occupation	Ruler of Namorn
Affiliation	Namorn
Bibliographical Information
Universe	Circle Universe Universe character

Berenene dor Ocmore is the Empress of Namorn and the title character in The Will of the Empress. Based upon the Russian Empress Catherine the Great and Elizabeth I of England, but more on Catherine the Great, Berenene serves as an antagonist to the book's four protagonists, especially Sandrilene fa Toren.

Biography

Early life

Berenene is the only surviving child of her father, the last emperor. While she was still a princess, she was kidnapped twice in an effort to force her hand in marriage. She escaped both times and both kidnappers were executed by her father.

Even as a child, Berenene had a love for gardening, a hobby that her father scolded her for. He claimed that it was a waste of money to grow flowers in the cold lands of Namorn. When she succeed her father as empress, she almost gave up her gardens, but decided later that she deserved them after several assassination attempts.

Empress

Berenene ascended the throne upon the death of her father and started a strong rule. She gave more power to the monarchy by tricking and ruining the other great Houses. By the time Sandry returns to Namorn, Landreg is one of the last untouched great holdings, besides the empress's own estates. To try and force Ambros fer Landreg, the steward to Clehame Sandrilene's lands, to call his countess to Namorn, Berenene taxed them heavily. She wanted Sandry and the girl's huge amount of money to stay in Namorn, where they would be useful to the her. Her motive, unlike with the other great holdings, was not to ruin Clehamat Landreg.

She has kept her three daughters in hiding so they would not be kidnapped as she was. Because of the tendency of noble women giving power to their husbands she has kept the identities of her daughters' fathers a secret so no one could use them to threaten her power. Her eldest daughter Princess Maedryan dor Ocmore is heiress apparent to the Namornese throne.

The empress's rule has been marked with an on and off eight year long war with the emperor of Yanging, which has drained her funds and caused her to bring up taxes.

Sh has also brought a great amount of reform to her land. Berenene has built multiple schools and hospitals, as well as roadwork. She cares greatly for her land and her people, she views her country's needs as her needs and will do anything to bring power and greatness to Namorn.

When her cousin Sandry and her friends come to her court she devises several schemes to keep them in the country. She uses her power, money, and mages to entice them to remain in Namorn, and in the end she attempts to force them.

Relationships with the other characters

Sandry

Sandry and Berenene are first cousins, related through a mutual grandmother. Since Sandry's mother, Amiliane fa Landreg, married Sandry's father, Count Mattin fer Toren, the nephew of Duke Vedris, the money from the Landreg estate had been siphoned out of Namorn, first to Amiliane and then to Sandry. It also should be noted that if Berenene and Sandry share a grandmother, then Amiliane would be the empress's aunt.

In the opening to The Will of the Empress, Sandry reviews her account books and realizes that the Imperial taxes on her estate have been growing every year; it is Berenene's way of reinforcing her standing invitation for her cousin to visit the Imperial Court in Dancruan. Once she arrives, it is the Empress's mission to keep her and her money in Namorn, despite Sandry's continual statements that she makes her home in Emelan. The Empress becomes a very antagonistic figure in this book, and is shown as a sort of villain.

Briar

Briar comes to Namorn with Sandry, and Berenene takes a special interest in him as he is a plant mage and Berenene has an interest in gardening. She grants him special permission to do what he likes in her personal gardens, and tries to get him to stay in Namorn by offering him the post of imperial gardener. She is very confident in handling Briar, as he is a ladies' man, and she knows how to handle ladies' men. They engage in flirtations, although Briar knows not to take it seriously. After an attempted kidnap by Finlach fer Hurich on Sandry, Briar decides to leave Namorn due to this awful law. He wonders how many women he even sees on the street is with her husband for her own free will. He says that he cannot stay in a country that treats its folk like this, and graciously bows out of the offer for imperial service, a dukedom, and a place at the imperial court.

Ishabal Ladyhammer

Berenene and Ishabal get along, as the empress calls the woman "Isha", instead of a more formal title. Ishabal serves as Berenene's chief adviser and mage, and the empress trusts her advice and guidance.

Pershan fer Roth

Shan is Berenene's lover and Master of the Hunt during Sandry's visit to Namorn. She is unaware of his flirtations with her cousin, and places a tight collar on him when she finds out. By the end of the book she discovers his plan to marry Sandry and he falls from her graces. She is absolutely livid with him, for making a fool out of her.

Quenaill Shieldsman

Quenaill was Berenene's lover before Shan. He is extremely loyal to her and will do anything to get back into her good graces. When she finds out about his involvement in a plot to kidnap Sandry with Shan is extremely angry, as she feels like she's lost control over him.

Court

Bernene maintains court year round which includes her chief mages, Ishabal Ladyhammer and Quenaill Shieldsman, as well as many of her nobles in their twenties and thirties. She keep herself as the center of attention, passing out favors and punishments to make sure everyone is thinking about her instead of fighting and rebellion. Rizu is Mistress of the Imperial Wardrobe and Pershan fer Roth is her Master of the Hunt.

Physical description

The empress has russet hair and brown eyes. She is very attractive, with a shapely body that she uses to catch the interest of young men at her court. Her face reminds Sandry of an old picture of her grandmother.

Personality and Traits

Empress Berenene has a very commanding and demanding personality, and is very regal. She is a proud woman, and has a disdain for those who can't keep up with her intelligence and physical exertion. She is well-versed in politics, economics and diplomacy, and uses them as weapons against the four young mages, Vedris IV, and the Yanjingyi emperor. Berene is very meticulous and collects detailed reports from her spies; she also makes subtle use of flirtation and sexuality to control the male members of her court. The empress is used to getting what she wants when she wants it, and is outraged to learn that her cousin would defy her and her wishes.