WTFBT Expanded: Caethyri Ayers

Caethyri Ayers was the second Queen of the Riverlands, ruling from 225 to 265 SM. She was known as the Builder Queen of the Riverlands after expanding Waterbrook into a metropolis.

History

Childhood and Ascension to Power

Caethyri Ayers was born in Waterbrook, the Riverlands, in 208 SM. She is the only child of King Saline Ayers and Queen Sibil Boulder. Although Caethyri was raised alone, when her father died in 222, she learned she had many step-siblings. She invited them to the Water Castle against her mother's wishes, knowing she would be the heir, and she wouldn't let anyone take that from her. She had her aunts seated on the Council of the Riverlands to choose a protégé from her step-siblings, continuing the tradition of House Ayers sitting on the Council. With seven seats, many step-siblings did not get a position, so Caethyri sponsored them to take on whatever profession they wanted. Caethyri created a Guide and named her closest step-sibling, Samilya, as her Guide.

Believing she didn't know how to rule, Caethyri allowed the Council to continue governing. For the next three years, the Council ruled the Riverlands. They created House Ayers’ sigil and formed alliances outside the kingdom. In late 224 SM, Queen Sibil died, putting Caethyri in a state of depression. When King Alawi Gardener requested to meet with the King of the Riverlands in 225 SM, the Council forced Caethyri to act as the Queen of the Riverlands. Caethyri, still depressed, did not want to rule and signed the Decree of the Council, giving the Council a majority of the rulership while making the title of King/Queen a figurehead. This decree significantly reduced Caethyri's power and autonomy, leading to her struggles in ruling the Riverlands.

The River Queen in the Grasslands

Caethyri traveled to Griffon’s Den in 226 SM and was amazed at how advanced the Grasslandi were compared to the River people. Caethyri became fast friends with King Alawi, and he taught her how to expand Waterbrook into a city like Griffon’s Den. Caethyri was sick for a year in 228 and was out of the public eye in the Grasslands. In 229, Alawi presented his first son, Tamman. Alawi refused to disclose the mother's identity. When Caethyri reappeared to the public eye six moons after Tamman's birth, she constantly gushed over the child.

At the end of 229 SM, Alawi surprisingly agreed to be betrothed to Gharam, an alchemist who was blackmailing the king over the identity of Tamman’s mother. Caethyri was devastated after the announcement and left Griffon’s Den in 230. Some rumors spread afterward that Caethyri attempted to kidnap Tamman and take him to the Riverlands, getting into a massive fight with Alawi before she left.

Builder Queen of the Riverlands

In 230 SM, Caethyri returned to Waterbrook with a group of Grasslandi architects and embarked on a grand architectural project, transforming the city with giant structures. The same year, she became pregnant. When she revealed the child's father was Zaki, one of the Grasslandi architects, the Council of the Riverlands forced her to marry him. In 231, after giving birth to Safiri, Caethyri married Zaki. She immediately became pregnant again and had Bouchra in 233. After having Bouchra, Samilya died after being bitten by a scorpion. Believing the attack was targeted, Caethyri spiraled.

Unhappy with his wife's behavior, Zaki impregnated her against her will. In retaliation, Caethyri bashed her husband's head with a stone. Later that year, she gave birth in pain and agony to her second son, Yahya. Being a widowed mother of three overwhelmed Caethyri, and the Council made Jonatas, one of her step-siblings, her guard. At first, the two weren't close, but their relationship grew as time passed. In 339 SM, Caethyri gave birth to Eyodora and refused to disclose who the father was, angering the highborn.

After moons of uprisings, Caethryi agreed to marry Enriko Delta in 240 SM, and by 241, she had her final child, Wisesa, whom Enriko demanded inherit his last name, going against tradition. Knowing Wisesa would never be king, she agreed. In 252, Caethyri learned that Enriko was planning to murder all her children, but Wisesa. She executed Enriko in 253. By 254 SM, the small city of Waterbrook had become a metropolis, and the people called Caethyri Ayers the Builder Queen of the Riverlands.

Retirement in the Grasslands

In 264 SM, Caethyri learned her good friend, King Alawi Gardener, was sick. Wanting to see him one last time, Caethyri abdicates the throne to Safiri and travels to Griffon's Den. Unfortunately, by the time she arrived, Alawi had already died. King Tamman was on a pilgrimage, so she stayed and became friendly with Milena Charm and her children. When Tamman returned to Griffon’s Den in 366, he was reinspiried and reconciled with Milena. He also met Caethyri, and the first time he saw him, the word 'mother' slipped out of his mouth. He allowed Caethyri to stay at the Lion's Den Castle, where she assisted Milena in raising her many children.

However, Tamman's behavior frightened Caethyri, so she kept a safe distance from him while being close to his wife and children. In 268, when she learned of Safiri's assassination, she considered returning home but decided to stay when she learned Yahya had taken the throne and exterminated House Delta.

In 287 SM, Tamman had his daughter, Aquila, participate in the Trial of Man. Caethyri was entirely against it, siding with Milena, but Aquila went anyway. After an avalanche killed Aquila during her trial, Caethyri decided to return home. Caethyri became sick in 288 while traveling down the Long River. She stopped in Riverbend but died as Savants were examining her. She was 80 years old.