Mero was Chief of Staff to Queen Alina of Rusmaria. She was no Raven collaborator. She was a patriot, but she was no hero.
She grew up in a small village in southeastern Rusmaria, near Lake Kosak, where survival depended on cooperation more than principle. Her village’s foster program sent her to Tazurind when she was sixteen. There, she learned quickly that truth carried weight only when delivered at the right moment.
She found favor in court by saying what others avoided, but only when it could not be ignored. Over time, she became Alina’s most trusted voice in counsel, valued less for loyalty than for her ability to see the cost behind every choice.
When the previous Chief of Staff died of a heart attack, the Queen appointed Mero to the role, not as a reward, but as a necessity. Mero accepted, knowing that serving the crown meant choosing which losses Rusmaria could survive.