Queen Reina I

Queen Reina I

Titles: Queen of Rislandia

Queen Reina I was the daughter of King Malaky XVI and sole heir to the throne of the Malaky Kingdom. She was crowned at the age of 17 following her father's death from complications of his assassination wound, becoming the first queen to rule Rislandia in her own right. She chose to be styled Queen Reina the First rather than Queen Malaky. She was described as being approximately the same age as Zaira von Monocle. Her mother died in a cholera epidemic ten years before the events of The Steam Knight.

Description

In For Steam and Country, Reina was described as embodying every essence of objective beauty from fairy tales. She had long blonde hair with a slight curl, big blue eyes, lengthy legs, and a perfectly proportioned body.

In The Steam Knight, she was described as having golden curls draping just below her shoulders, warm eyes that let you know she loved life and everything about it, and a small frame. She was also described as having beautiful blonde hair that falls over her shoulders and blue eyes that twinkle. On one occasion she wore an intricate dress of many golden folds and cuts that flowed to the ground. On another she wore a long dark green dress with an emerald necklace, the tips of her hair falling over her chest as if they were part of it. She also wore a baby blue dress that accented her eyes, and a crimson dress during a diplomatic meeting. Her hair was noted to smell of jasmine. She was described as brightening a room on her own, and even when distraught she moved as if floating on air rather than walking like others.

In The Blood of Giants, her appearance was described in greater detail: she had blonde hair with a curl that fell halfway down her back, and a tall figure that Zaira von Monocle found intimidating. She was seen wearing mail covered in a crimson cloth tabard bearing the embroidered crest of Malaky in gold.

In The Fight for Rislandia, Reina wore an intricate dress of burgundy with gold trim, with flowing blonde hair that fell perfectly over her chest. Her eyes were described as sparkling with beauty.

In The Iron Wedding, prior to her coronation she was seen wearing an elegant green dress that emphasized her finer feminine qualities. She had golden locks. At King Malaky's Funeral Procession, she wore a black dress with a small veil over her face, concealing most of her expression except for her frowning lips, bright red with lipstick.

Role in For Steam and Country

Prior to her coronation, Reina appeared as a princess during the events of For Steam and Country. She was present at King Malaky's banquet following a successful mission, where she shared whispers with James Gentry that resulted in giggles on her part. She also clapped when King Malaky XVI announced a parade and three days of rest.

Reina was present at breakfast in the king's banquet room the following morning, having asked to take breakfast with King Malaky. During the formal audience, she gave a cordial and political smile.

After the audience, Reina visited James alone in his quarters, appearing in her night clothes—soft pink silken layers that dangled to the floor. She told James she liked his plans to become a knight and promised to recommend his name to the high knight.

Role in The Steam Knight

In The Steam Knight, Reina appeared as princess and sole heir to King Malaky XVI. She had already vouched for James Gentry's good character to secure his entry into the knights, and had recommended him for knight training. She visited James during his indoor sword practice and informed him that the king was irritable because the Wyranth had discovered Rislandian troop movements. She also mentioned Commodore von Cravat as someone who believed Rislandia was making progress.

Reina offered to pull strings to promote James to journeyman, an offer he declined. She noted that she had tutors and studies she was required to attend to.

She appeared at the dormitory doorway in the middle of the night wearing a long nightgown, throwing crumpled-up pieces of paper at James to wake him and whispering his name from the doorway. She later met James in a study furnished with wooden chairs with plush red cushions, where she told him she had heard he was going on a mission. She said she liked him, hugged him before he left—her arms sliding across his waist as she pulled back—and then glided down the hallway toward the center of the palace after saying goodnight.

Reina had requested James as her bodyguard, though James privately reflected that the real reason she wanted him there was because she enjoyed sneaking kisses with him in the moonlight. She wore a baby blue dress that accented her eyes on one occasion, and her hair smelled of jasmine.

She stood by the fire in the greeting room wearing a long dark green dress with an emerald necklace and beamed when she saw James. She was being considered for marriage to the Atreblan Prince Gregor, and her eyes darted toward James when the subject was raised. She refused the idea, arguing she must remain in Rislandia as the only heir. She knew Dr. von Breech and used his flashlight as justification for a walk after dinner, during which she walked with James along the lake shore at night. She told James she liked him because he was himself, not because he was worthy of a princess.

During a Wyranth ambush on James, she screamed his name and was told to run. She threw a rock at the Wyranth assassin to save him. Afterward she linked arms with James as they returned to the lakeside retreat and sat by the fire with him drinking tea, though she was in shock after witnessing the bloody scene.

She wore a crimson dress during a diplomatic meeting, and her face tightened when King Malaky XVI mentioned sending her to Atrebla with Ambassador Sheila McRose for her protection during the war. She gave James a weak smile as she passed and spent the rest of the day alone planning with King Malaky.

She went outside to the deck with James as her guard and kissed him there, telling him she loved him. Her cheeks flushed after the kiss. She ran outside after Handley's death. King Malaky subsequently told James he may court her, and Reina proclaimed her love for James firmly in front of the king. She was described as radiant, pale-faced under stress, and moving as if floating on air. Her displays of affection with James were noted to be just as pronounced as those between Ethan and Zaira.

Late in The Steam Knight, James had not been able to see her for three days, as the palace was closed off to visitors with no exceptions, and he wanted to see her more than anything.

Role in The Blood of Giants

In The Blood of Giants, Reina was still serving as princess and heir to King Malaky XVI. During the 19th Year of King Malaky XVI's Reign, James Gentry was assigned to guard King Malaky and Princess Reina at their retreat.

At a departure, Reina kissed James on the lips at the boarding ramp. She invited Zaira von Monocle to take tea at the palace, saying, "One of these times you'll have to relax at the palace and take tea." Before the party departed, she told everyone to stay safe and do great honor for the kingdom.

Role in The Fight for Rislandia

In The Fight for Rislandia, Reina continued in her role as princess and was romantically involved with James Gentry. She was observed whispering and giggling with James, and was found kissing him in the mess of The Liliana by Zaira von Monocle. Reina addressed Zaira by her first name casually after being caught, and her political upbringing prevented her from showing shock or fear at the encounter. Zaira later reflected that it was much better to have left than to continue witnessing the scene.

During the voyage aboard the Liliana, Reina gripped James more tightly as the airship rose. When shots were fired, she went prone on the deck, then dusted herself off afterward. She also pulled James back from the railing when he leaned over, and was noted to dote on him throughout. She had specifically requested James as her personal guard and gave him a royal order in his capacity as apprentice knight.

Reina departed the Liliana with the royal retinue at Lake Avily. She was later described as freshly bathed and dressed when part of King Malaky's retinue visiting Zaira. Zaira von Monocle wondered how James was faring with her and the king at their retreat.

Role in The Iron Wedding

In The Iron Wedding, Reina appeared first as princess during the events preceding her father's death. She sat to the right of the king in the audience chamber and wore an elegant green dress. She was romantically involved with James and expressed sympathy to Zaira von Monocle after a marriage proposal. She rolled her eyes at Andrei Zelezo's diplomatic maneuvering and referred to the Wyranth as "rats." Following the audience, she departed through the curtain behind the throne with her father.

Following King Malaky's death, Reina was kept in seclusion in the palace before King Malaky's Funeral Procession. At the procession, she wore a black dress with a small veil over her face, concealing most of her expression except for her frowning lips, bright red with lipstick. She collapsed and bawled in front of her father's coffin. After the procession, she was overwhelmed by paperwork and administrative responsibilities and was advised by Matthias du Gearsmith and other advisors.

As the new queen, Reina met with Zaira and her father over strategic matters and walked Zaira to the horseless carriage to say goodbye. She gave Zaira a hug and thanked her for her service. She also decided to call peasants "workers." She received wedding invitations from Ivan and subsequently arrived at Carnait Cove with her retinue for the wedding, where she received quarters at the inn.

At Carnait Cove, Reina listened to Zaira's briefing along with the High Knight and Zaira's father. She ordered Marina du Willet to guard Zaira. She met face to face with Ivan, the Iron Emperor and agreed it was time to end hostilities, though she insisted on the return of the southern lands acquired by Wyranth. She came to an agreement with Ivan to give Wyranth engineers access to The Crystal Spire. She was present at the inn after the battle and stated, "We were successful in the battle." When Zaira asked about the Nightmen situation, Reina told her it was "yes and no."

During the events of The Iron Wedding, Zaira von Monocle noted that Reina no longer treated her as one of their ranks but as an outsider, and privately wondered whether Reina was too young and too green for the position of queen, while also acknowledging that Reina had always been kind to her despite an awkward relationship between them.

Ascension

Reina took the throne during one of the most dangerous periods in Rislandian history. The kingdom was recovering from Wyranth occupation, The Liliana had crashed, and the Nightmen invasion was beginning. Despite her youth, she proved herself a capable leader. She chose to be styled Queen Reina the First rather than Queen Malaky.

Notable Deeds

• Vouched for James Gentry's character to secure his entry into the knights
• Threw a rock at a Wyranth assassin to save James during an ambush

Spoiler: The Steam Knight 2Click to reveal

• Negotiated with Ivan, the Iron Emperor at Carnait Cove, insisting on the return of southern Rislandian lands and reaching an agreement granting Wyranth engineers access to The Crystal Spire

Spoiler: The Crystal Conspiracy & The Steam Knight 2Click to reveal

• Decided to refer to peasants as "workers"

Relationships

King Malaky XVI: Reina's father, whose death elevated her to the throne. In The Steam Knight, she informed James that the king was irritable due to Wyranth intelligence breaches, and she spent time alone planning with him during diplomatic tensions. She asked to take breakfast with him during the events of For Steam and Country, suggesting a close relationship. In The Blood of Giants and The Fight for Rislandia, she remained at his side as heir, accompanying him to his retreat under guard. In The Iron Wedding, she sat to his right in the audience chamber and followed him out through the curtain behind the throne. At his funeral procession, she collapsed and bawled in front of his coffin. King Malaky had expressed concern about her fraternizing with a commoner in The Steam Knight, telling her that bringing James was unbecoming of a princess, but ultimately told James he may court her.

Matthias du Gearsmith: One of Reina's advisors following her ascension to the throne, as noted in The Iron Wedding.

Marina du Willet: In The Iron Wedding, Reina ordered Marina to guard Zaira von Monocle at Carnait Cove.

Dr. von Breech: Reina knew Dr. von Breech and used his flashlight as justification for a nighttime walk with James in The Steam Knight.

Personality

"We are the heirs of those who dared, who dreamed, who fought and who fell. Let us honor their memory by forging a future worthy of their sacrifice." — Queen Reina I, at her coronation

In the short stories

In City Duty, Reina is the last direct line to the throne, and the court worries about her attachment to James Gentry. She offers to make him her personal guard and meets Portsgate lords about reconstruction. A Nightman assassin creeps along the palace roof toward her window; James stops him while she watches. Over tea she overrules du Gearsmith and lets James join the airship crew: "If we lose the war, there won't be a Rislandia City or me left here to protect." In the final scene the text calls her "Princess Reina".

In A History of Rislandia

The sourcebook records that she was crowned in Year 520 of the Rislandian Calendar, at age 17, and assigns her the epithet "the Young" — a detail not found in the novels.

According to A History of Rislandia, Reina rules from the Royal Palace in Rislandia City and prefers to remain in Rislandia City rather than use the King's Retreat at Lake Avily. The sourcebook notes that she was referred to as Princess Reina when James Gentry accompanied her at the King's Retreat, consistent with the novels' timeline.

Coronation Address

The sourcebook quotes Reina's coronation address at the opening of Chapter 4. Two passages are recorded:

"We are Rislandians. We are the children of refugees who dared to dream."

"We are the heirs of those who dared, who dreamed, who fought and who fell. Let us honor their memory by forging a future worthy of their sacrifice."

She is also recorded as describing Rislandians as farmers and soldiers, nobles and commoners bound together. The sourcebook frames her first address to the nation as a defining moment of her reign.

Challenges of Her Reign

According to A History of Rislandia, Reina inherited a kingdom facing multiple simultaneous crises: the Nightmen Invasion, food shortages, a refugee crisis, rebuilding from the Wyranth wars, and the necessity of maintaining the Wyranth alliance. The sourcebook emphasises that she must also prove herself as a young female monarch — the first queen to rule Rislandia in her own right — carrying what it calls "the weight of fifteen predecessors."

Suspected Poisoning

According to A History of Rislandia, Queen Reina is recorded as having fallen ill, with the royal physician suspecting she has been poisoned. This detail does not appear in the novel-based account on this page and its placement within the sourcebook's timeline is not specified beyond the general 1st–2nd Year of her reign framing.