History Literature / ElementalBlessings

* WhenSheSmiles: The normally serious Liramelli is almost unrecognizable when she shows real happiness.
* TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask: Elidon, King Vernon's chief wife, has shades of this.

* AllForNothing: In the first book [[spoiler:Kayle's nephew has been trying to kill Josetta so Corene, who he believes to be his biological daughter, will become Queen. Obviously this fails but it also turns out that Corene's father is actually Darien]].
* AmbiguousSituation: It is suggested Garameno might be sterile but [[spoiler:He could have been faking those rumors or health tests to further discourage assassins from seeing him as a threat]].

** Josetta's mother Seterre is a less nasty, more juvenile version in the first book, by the second book she's mellowed out having got some distance from the royal court.

** Prince Ghyaneth of Bergenerry and his cousin Saiceth (his heir until he has kids) live in mutual fear and hatred, as Ghyaneth will kill his cousin and her children as soon as he has an heir and ([[AmbiguousSituation at least according to him]]) she's just as ruthless.
** Ghyaneth also [[spoiler:Puts a lot of effort into trying to kill Rafe, a cousin to both him and Saiceth and is quite nasty and quick to use FantasticRacism when they meet]].

* GoodSamaritan: Rafe's first scene has him saving Corene form some unsavory types in a tavern. A variant is also used in a later scene where he doesn't clean out some inexperienced gamblers (a farming family), only winning small bets before convincing them that it will be safer for their money to play in a better part of town against other amateurs.

* InterClassRomance: Josetta, Princess of Welec, and Rafe Adova, a penniless gambler [[spoiler: although they discover he's actually a Prince of ''both'' Malinqua and Berringey.]]

* TheLostLenore: Greggorio was in love with a local aristocratic girl and is described as a bit less lively since she disappeared, while being devastated when she's found dead.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: The first time when Darien looks really surprised, unprepared and flustered in the series is when [[spoiler:He gets told that the other primes will make him the new king]].

** Garameno is his aunts economic advisor and Jiramondi handles most of Malinqua's diplomatic affairs.

* SettledForGay: [[spoiler: Jiramondi (who is gay) and Melissande (bisexual)]] agree to marry out of convenience: He gets to live somewhere more accepting while she gets control over who she marries and a degree of respectability, knowing that they're both actually going to be seeing other people.

* SkewedPriorities: When Kayle is told that [[spoiler:Rafe is in danger from Bergerry assassin due to being one of their heirs]] his first reaction is too cheerfully state that this means [[spoiler:Rafe is unlikely to go back to Bergerry and will probably stay on as his test pilot]].

** Prince Ghyaneth of Bergenerry and his cousin Saiceth (his heir until he has kids) live in mutual fear and hatred, as Ghyaneth will kill his cousin and her children as soon as he has an heir and (at least according to him) she's just as ruthless.
** Ghyaneth also [[spoiler:Puts al to of effort into trying to kill Rafe, a cousin to both him and Saiceth and is quite nasty and quick to use FantasticRacism when they meet]].
** Garameno, Jiramondi and Greggorio throw occasional barbs at each other and suspect each other of some sinister deeds but aren't ''that'' hostile or back-stabbing to each other.

** Ghyaneth also [[spoiler:Puts al to of effort into trying to kill Race, a cousin to both him and Saiceth and is quite nasty and quick to use FantasticRacism when they meet]].

* SkewedPriorities: When Kayle is told that [[spoiler:Rafe is in danger from Bergerry assassin due to being one of their heirs]] his firs reaction is too cheerfully state that this means [[spoiler:Rafe is unlikely to go back to Bergerry and will probably stay on as his test pilot]].

* VillainOfAnotherStory: Alette's father who killed one of his own daughters (and her mother) for failing to secure a marriage alliance and whose remaining children are terrified of his long reach and murderous temper.

* AbusiveParents: Alys is quite happy to let her husband try to rape Corene or even marry her off to an old man if it furthers her own ambitions.

* PrinceCharmless: Prince Ghyaneth of Berringey, who spends his visit in Welce criticizing every aspect of the country and boasting about how many other heirs he's killed.

* BiTheWay: [[spoiler:Melissande]] casually brings this up near the end of the book in which she appears. Her outrageous flirtations with men and women apparently caused a scandal back home; oddly enough ''not'' because she's bisexual, but because she's unmarried.

* AmbiguouslyGay: Mirti Serlast, the Hunti prime and Queen Elidon are noted to be very close and there are rumours they're sleeping together [[spoiler: after Vernon's death.]]

* TheButlerDidIt: [[spoiler:Lorian, Filomara's steward]] turns out to have a body count of at least three.

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Chandran, the merchant Leah thought she would be bribing to help her, poisons her in order to find out whether her motive in gaining access to Corene are ill- or well-meant.

* HiddenBackupPrince: [[spoiler: Rafe Adova, twice over.]] Naturally this makes [[spoiler:Steff, his brother]] one too.

%% * TheProfessor: Kayle Dochenza

%% * SugaryMalice: Alys, again.

%% ZeroContextExamples have been commented out. Please rewrite them to show how the trope fits.

* ParentsAsPeople: Zoe adored her father and struggles to find a man who can match up to his force of personality, while also realizing that he lied to her almost her whole life [[spoiler: forced her to go into exile with him so he wouldn't be alone, made her believe her mother's family wanted nothing to do with her and cheated on his wife.]] She even admits that had he lived she might have cut off contact with him because of those discoveries, but because he's already gone she has to make peace with his memory.

* PuppetKing: [[spoiler: King Vernon has become increasingly weak-minded and feeble over the years due to the affects of the medicine keeping him alive, and the true power behind the throne is Damien. A positive example as Damien is incredibly capable, has the best interests of Welec at heart and takes on the role out of necessity rather than personal ambition.]]

* SuddenlySuitableSuitor: [[spoiler: Rafe agonizes over falling for Josetta, as he's sure an aimless gambler would never be allowed to court a Princess. Luckily it turns out he's a lost Prince of Maliqua ''and'' of Berringey.]]

* TranquilFury: Zoe's anger has degrees. She's perfectly capable of giving you a verbal smackdown if she thinks you deserve one, but if you're stupid enough to go so far as to press her BerserkButton, her rage goes from firey-hot to icy-cold, and she will calmly and serenely [[spoiler:completely flood your city. Or boil your blood. Or rupture an aneurysm in your brain. Whatever strikes her fancy.]]

** Elidon, in contrast to the other three Queens, is heavily involved in the running of Welec and is one of the King's closest advisers beside Darien. [[spoiler: And is the only wife to stay on at court after Vernon's death.]]

* InterClassRomance: Josetta, Princess of Welec, and Rafe Adova, a penniless gambler [[spoiler: although they discover he's actually a Prince of ''both'' Malinqua and Berringey. Corene and Foley are a straight example, as he's merely her bodyguard and initially refuses to admit his feelings for her because of the massive class difference.]]

** Elidon, in contrast to the other three Queens, is heavily involved in the running of Welec and is one of the King's closest advisers beside Damien. [[spoiler: And is the only wife to stay on at court after Vernon's death.]]

** Damien inverts this, as he was a non-royal who governed the country for years and [[spoiler: was so effective the Primes named him King despite not being a direct heir, making it a case of actually doing something to become a royal.]]

* FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: Corene and Josetta, respectively. Nelson's sons Rhan and Kurtis also qualify, with the former sleeping and flirting his way around Welce while the latter is the Ardelay heir.

* InterClassRomance: Princess Josetta and Rafe Adova, a penniless gambler [[spoiler: although it's later revealed he's actually the grandson of the Empress of Malinqua. Princess Corene and Foley, her bodyguard are a straight example, as Foley unlike Rafe never discovers any noble heritage and refuses to admit his feelings for Corene because of the class difference.]]

* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: In contrast to the other three Queens, Elidon is heavily involved in the running of Welce and is one of the King's closest advisers beside Damien. [[spoiler: And is the only wife to stay on at court after Vernon's death.]] Josetta is inspired to send aid to Chialto's slums by Zoe in ''Troubled Waters'', and has established and personally runs her own homeless shelter in ''Royal Airs''. She's even looking to expand. In ''Jewelled Fire'' Corene discovers she's far more adept at policy and negotiation than she thought, and [[spoiler:decides to serve as Welchin ambassador. ]]

* SuddenlySuitableSuitor: [[spoiler: Josetta knows people won't be happy about her developing relationship with Rafe, an aimless gambler, but luckily it turns out he's a lost Prince of Maliqua.]]

* AmbigiouslyBi / AmbigiouslyGay: Mirti Serlast, the Hunti prime and Queen Elidon are noted to be very close and there are rumours they may be lovers [[spoiler: after Vernon's death.]]

* FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: Corene and Josetta, respectively. Nelson's sons Rhan and Kurtis also qualify, with the former sleeping and flirting his way around Welec while the latter is the Ardelay heir.

* PrinceCharmless: Prince Ghyaneth of Berringey, who spends his visit in Welec criticizing every aspect of the country and boasting about how many other heirs he's killed.

* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: In contrast to the other three Queens, Elidon is heavily involved in the running of the Welec and is one of the King's closest advisers beside Damien. [[spoiler: And is the only wife to stay on at court after Vernon's death.]] Josetta is inspired to send aid to Chialto's slums by Zoe in ''Troubled Waters'', and has established and personally runs her own homeless shelter in ''Royal Airs''. She's even looking to expand. In ''Jewelled Fire'' Corene discovers she's far more adept at policy and negotiation than she thought, and decides to serve as Welecian ambassador.

** Josetta's mother Seterre is a less nasty, more juvenile version in the first book, by the second book she's mellowed out having left the royal court.

* FieryRedhead: Alys, full stop. Played with in her daughter, Corene. Bonus points for them both being sweela, making them "fiery" in more than one sense.
* FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: Corene and Josetta, respectively.

* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Josetta is inspired to send aid to Chialto's slums by Zoe in ''Troubled Waters'', and has established and personally runs her own homeless shelter in ''Royal Airs''. She's even looking to expand.

** Josetta's mother Seterre is a less nasty, more juvenile version.

* PairTheSpares: ''Jewelled Fire'' seems set up like this with four potential heirs (Garameno, Greggorio, Jiramondi and Steff) and four potential brides (Corene, Melissande, Liramelli and Alette) and just a question of who is paired with who. [[spoiler: However it's only played half straight. Only Steff and Liramelli are the only pair to get together romantically and Jiramondi and Melissande marry out of convenience, agreeing they'll both have other relationships. Corene and Alette end up with completely different people (their guard and old friend from their home countries), while Greggorio is killed and Garameno remains single.]]

The fourth novel, ''Unquiet Land'', is slated to be published in fall 2016 and will star the ''torz'' woman Leah, a character who was introduced in the previous book.

** DishingOutDirt: Taro Frothen, the ''Torz'' Prime.

* RebelliousPrincess: Both Josetta and her younger sister Corene, albeit in different ways.

** People ''thought'' Josetta's guard Foley also suffered from this. Nope, he's just a very devoted bodyguard.

%% * PrinceCharmless: Prince Ghyaneth of Berringey. Oh so much.

* BodyguardCrush: It initially appears that Foley has one on his charge, Josetta. Ultimately subverted: ''Josetta'' was interested in him, but he refused. So is [[spoiler:Corene, who ends up being more successful.]]

* RedOniBlueOni: Zoe and Darien, respectively.

* SettledForGay: [[spoiler:Jiramondi and Melissande]] agree to marry out of convenience (he gets to live somewhere more accepting, she gets control over who she marries and a degree of respectability), knowing that they're both actually going to be seeing other people.