Arriana Valga
Countess Valga
Widow of the late Count Charus Valga, Arriana has run the county alone for nearly fifteen years. Scandal recently rocked the nobility when it was revealed that she had maintained an affair with her husband's Court Mage, a lowborn redguard woman named Chanel for years before her husband's death, and that they are to be married by year's end.
An Artful Affair
Chanel served as Court Mage during the decade leading up to Count Valga's death. In that time, she had become a prominent and well-liked member of the court. She had even had a hand in mentoring their daughter Alessia. She was also skilled at portraiture, and was commissioned to produce several paintings of the Count and his family. After the Count's death, the Countess stopped speaking to Chanel for years. Many in the court wondered why the county continued to employ her, when she was asked to perform no duties, however she continued to enjoy the privilages of life in the Castle, offering her services as an artist to keep herself busy. Arriana was rumored to have spent countless hours in whispered conversation with Chanel's portrait of her late husband. The portrait was stolen during the chaos of the Oblivion Crisis. Countess Valga commissioned investigators to find the culprit, and was devastated when it was the mage who came forward with a confession. Chanel claimed to have been in love with the late count, and was jealous that the last portrait of her beloved lord was so monopolized by his widow. For this treatury, she was banished from the city, but was conspicuously not charged with any crime. Just over a year after her banishement, the Countess quietly invited her former mage to a private meeting in the castle. This meeting lasted roughly an hour and ending in shouting. The Countess' guard nearly arrested her guest, but was called off. In front of the captain of her guard and several evesdropping members of her court, Arriana Valga openly declared that she was still in love with her. That Chanel no longer needed to cover for them with her false love for the late count. The outed mage left without another word. Over the next decade, Chanel appeared in court. For several years, these appearances were annual, always inviting scandalized whispers among the nobility. They were cordial meetings, catching up over tea in the Countess' garden in plain view of castle staff. However, after the Red Year brought a failed harvest, Chanel returned fully to her post to lend magical aid to the next crop while they endured famine under the hellish skies. The prevailing rumor is that they resumed their affair shortly after. In 4E 9, Cyrodiil's nobility had their worst fears confirmed when Arriana announced her betrothal to the commoner mage. With the Countess' granddaughter Vestra Caro still unmarried, questions of the elder Countess' imminent succession have been raised. Questions which the happy couple have steadfastly refused to discuss.
Relatives
- Charus Valga - deceased - Husband
- Chanel Yasume - 59 - Fiancée
- Alessia Caro - 43 - Daughter
- Count Marius Caro - 61 - Son-in-Law
- Vestra Caro - 22 - Granddaughter
Current Location
Ethnicity
Age
68
Date of Birth
18 Rain's Hand, 3E 376
Children
Current Residence
Castle Chorrol
Pronouns
She/Her
Ruled Locations
Comments