#i. zehra mackenzie ›› intro.

[flcralhaze]

{ pinar deniz , 30 , cis woman , she/her } we are so glad to see you safe, lady zehra mackenzie of scotland ! it’s dangerous out in the world these days , but i hear that you are enchanting and ambitious enough to handle it. just don’t let your cunningness bring you down. stay on your guard , because with your secret being at risk for exposure , you wouldn’t want everyone to find out your family is plotting to overthrow the king and his heir , replacing them with either of his other children.

basic information.

full name: zehra mackenzie. name meaning: flower. age: thirty. date of birth: june 6th. astrological sign: gemini. gender & pronouns: cis woman , she / her. orientation: biromantic , bisexual. spoken languages: english , gaelic , latin , spanish , french , italian , russian , hindi , mandarin. title: lady of scotland. martial status: unwed , unbetrothed. loyalty: the mackenzies before all else. but is loyal to princess joanna.

personality.

positive: enchanting ,  ambitious ,  vivacious ,  brilliant , adaptable. negative: cunning ,  secretive ,  manipulative , meddlesome , treacherous. moral alignment: chaotic neutral. temperament: choleric. mbti: entj - the commander.

history.

the wealth of the mackenzies was well known not only in scotland but across europe. they might possess no crown but some would argue that the influence and power they'd garnered from their riches outshone any golden circlet. zehra grew up in the heart of the clan's opulence, never wanting for anything and being taught by the very best tutors brought to scotland from all over the world. her intelligence blossomed as did her expert grasp on court manners and courtesies. there remained a wildness in her eyes ( she was a scot still ) but it was hidden behind dazzling smiles and palpable grace.

initially the mackenzies were loyal allies of the stuarts, never hesitating to offer consul or aid whenever it was needed, and their ambitions were sated by the knowledge that they had the king's ear and that his rule had allowed their family to flourish more. the families' close relationship made it possible for zehra to spend so much time at the scottish court, charming the other nobles and royals. the motive wasn't innocent. her father viewed it as crucial that his children integrate themselves at court and particularly with the royal family but also with other powerful nobles. how else would the clan maintain their power?

zehra set her sights on the third stuart, joanna. she found the princess' company refreshing and in her company, zehra's more wild side was able to shine. upon noticing how interested the princess was in information, she quickly showed herself to be a useful ally. her sharp wit, money, and personable nature made gathering gossip easy, all of which she passed along to joanna or, if asked by the stuart, put it to good use, causing chaos where needed and moving different pieces in place. with time she moved up the ranks until she oversaw the princess' network of spies, collecting whatever information she could, no matter how insignificant in the moment it might appear.

when the king turned greedier, the mackenzies' loyalty began changing. loyal they appeared, the mackenzies were a ruthless family. they would not give the stuart king a chance to turn on them and possibly remove some of their power and influence. viewing the eldest princess as too loyal to the king, the family turned their sights on the younger two. prince calan became their true target as he was next in line as the second eldest; the fact that he was unwed made putting him on the throne more profitable. however, the family wasn't one to not consider all options. if princess joanna proved the better choice for the throne then their support could easily switch.

zehra was deemed the clear choice to win the prince over. charming him was surprisingly easy. her years of spying and knowing the stuarts gave her the knowledge needed to know exactly what words he'd respond best to. it was still a dangerous game, especially as her words drifted closer and closer to treason, causing her to proceed with caution, but nothing had collapsed yet.

headcanons.

she has a beautiful singing voice. she had vocal lessons from a famous singer growing up and loves singing, particularly traditional scottish songs. it isn't uncommon for her to be asked to sing at parties. her voice has led to some calling her the scottish siren.

extremely personable and charming. she comes alive in social situation, loving being the center of attention but also knowing when to be quiet and listen. her social skills make her the perfect spy as she's able to make people think she's their confidant and friend with ease. plus knowing when to listen allows her to gain information that a person wouldn't disclose if being questioned.

loves, loves, loves gossiping. she can listen to it for hours.

also loves causing chaos. she won't hesitate to use the information she's gathered to her or joanna's advantage with little care about who might be harmed in the process.

she believes any information is good information. it might seem useless in the moment but it might prove valuable - better to have it than to lack it.

zehra presents herself as very ladylike but like any scot, she does have a wild side. she loves spending time outside, particularly in the highlands, and does know how to wield a sword. she normally carries a hidden dagger at all times.

her feelings toward the stuarts are extremely conflicted. she shares her family's negative view of the king but for many years she viewed joanna a friend, someone she wanted to see happy. now she's actively working against her father and is unsure how jo would react if she found out. not to mention that the more time she spends with prince calan, the more she questions if her flirtations are truly empty.