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No woman in House Thrax or any of its vassals in the Mourning Isles is ever raised with the expectation that they might rule. It simply is not part of the culture, with women expected to defer to men and inheritance following a strict male primogeniture that stands apart from the rest of the Compact. Donella knew, even at a young age, that her father was treating her differently than the rest of House Thrax might have approved, such as insisting he explain his motivations to her when he took a course of action in governance as the heir apparent of House Thrax. While her mother and the other ladies of House Thrax made certain she still received all the tutoring expected of her as a princess of Thrax, receiving all the exacting lessons in grace and refinement, her father broke from tradition and carefully explained politics to her time and again while her younger brother was captivated with stories of heroism and glory rather than pragmatism and rule. Her parents' tragic deaths, murdered by the traitorous Duke of Tyde Fall to start the Tyde Rebellion, ultimately left House Thrax in a far stronger position but with looming questions on succession. Her grandfather, Prince Donrai Thrax, still yet rules with the brutally capable ruthlessness for which he is renowned, but Donella's brother and heir apparent... is not quite the man her grandfather would have hoped for in a successor. An honorable, good man that wants to reform the Mourning Isles, but in the eyes of her grandfather to give away much of the power and prestige that House Thrax has bled for in the name of honor and amends. It still shocked her when she was quietly instructed that in light of her grandfather's ailing health and advanced age that she would act as a Voice of House Thrax inside Arx, representing the family in political decisions. Women, by and large, simply did not -do- that for House Thrax, and she cannot hold the title if her grandfather dies. But for the time being, she speaks with the voice and authority of House Thrax in the capital, second only to her grandfather, and she is coldly determined to put her father's teachings to use and grow the power and prestige of the house. For herself, for her family, and for the realm... in that order.

A striking woman with long tresses that are as dark as a raven's wing. She carries herself with a quiet strength that pervades every fiber of her being, confident and light-footed, but also discreet. She eschews the flashy frivolity of many Arvani noblewomen with a personal style both modest and tailored to display not only wealth, but taste in how her winsome frame is displayed or concealed. Her eyes are a deep beryl blue that gives little away, except the suggestion of a nimble intelligence; thoughts swimming behind her gaze like shadowy leviathans turning in the depths of the ocean.

One might expect a Voice of House Thrax to be a cold, calculating woman, or a timid, submissive creature. Donella decided long ago that she would be neither of those things. Well, not wholly so. She skirts a fine line between embodying Thraxian ideals of strength and cold pragmatism (or murderous ruthleness), with being a capable, intelligent woman, able to keep up with the staunchest politicians at court. She rarely speaks out of turn, and never over her fellows, but when she has control of the conversation, she commands respect. She uses her silence, to watch and learn, and then acts decisively, before many realize she isn?t meek and mild. She embraces all aspects of her being - joys, hatreds, respect, tradition, happiness, cruelty - all of it, for she thinks not doing so would provide someone a weakness to exploit. She allows people to see what they expect, and then gets what she wants, however necessary.