Empress Ylva
Empress Ylva was a reigning monarch of the Empire of Directionland and a central figure in the origin tradition behind the cherry blossom as Directionland’s national flower. She ascended to the Imperial Throne at the age of 15 following the deaths of her parents, Emperor Maximilian II and Empress Maria, and was formally crowned at 18 after a period of regency.
| Empress Ylva | |
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 Official portrait
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| Title | Empress of Directionland |
| Reign | Unknown (ascended aged 15; crowned aged 18) |
| Coronation | Aged 18 |
| Predecessor | Emperor Maximilian II |
| Successor | Emperor Farrion III |
| Spouse | Prince Xander of Directionland |
| Issue | Prince Farrion (later Emperor Farrion III) Princess Amelia |
| House | House Durias |
 Coat of Arms of House Durias
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| Father | Emperor Maximilian II |
| Mother | Empress Maria |
| Age at death | 82 |
Ylva’s reign is closely associated with the so-called Imperial Cherry tradition: the first successful cultivation of a cherry tree in the Palace courtyard from a single cherry pit gifted during a state visit to the Grand Duchy of Greater Urq. Over subsequent decades, cuttings and pits from the Palace tree were distributed throughout Directionland, and the blossom became a widely recognized emblem of the Imperial Family.
Early life and accession
Ylva was the only surviving child of Emperor Maximilian II and Empress Maria. During a state visit to Ruulran, the Imperial couple’s ship sank in the Great Southern Sea, resulting in their deaths. Ylva acceded to the throne at age 15, making her the youngest sovereign in Directionland’s recorded history. Governance was carried out by a regency council until her coronation three cycles later.
Marriage and children
During her reign, Ylva married Duke Xander of Greater Urq. Upon marriage, he was styled Prince of Directionland as royal consort. In Directionland custom, the spouse of a reigning Empress does not take the title Emperor, to avoid outranking the sovereign.
The marriage produced two children:
- Prince Farrion (later Emperor Farrion III)
- Princess Amelia
State visit to Greater Urq
While on a state visit to Greater Urq, Ylva became particularly captivated by the Great Cherry Tree of Urq, a large and culturally significant tree kept within the courtyard of the Ducal Palace. Contemporary retellings emphasize that she spent long periods near the tree with Prince Xander, and that the couple’s affection and closeness became a noted feature of the visit.
At the conclusion of the visit, Xander’s father, Archduke Reyon, gifted the couple a single cherry pit placed in an ornate presentation box, intended as a rare and symbolic diplomatic offering.
The Urq Road ambush and death of Prince Xander
During the overland journey to the railway station for their return to Directionland, the couple’s carriage was attacked by brigands. Although accompanied by an Imperial escort, the detachment was overwhelmed. Prince Xander fought with his sword to shield the Empress, and was struck multiple times, dying from his wounds on the road.
In later accounts, the brigands are said to have stolen valuables from the carriage, including the ornate box containing the cherry pit. The pit itself was discarded onto the dirt and recovered by Ylva. The Knights of the Four Lions arrived shortly after the attack, but too late to save the Prince.
The event became a defining trauma of Ylva’s reign and is commonly cited as the origin point of her later withdrawal from court life.
“The Invisible Empress”
Following Xander’s death, Ylva sharply reduced her public appearances and delegated much of her routine governance, while still retaining the authority of the Crown. Popular commentary during and after her reign gave rise to the epithet “The Invisible Empress”, describing both her physical absence from public life and the prevailing perception of personal grief shaping the monarchy.
The Palace Cherry Tree
According to the standard tradition, Ylva ordered the recovered cherry pit planted in the Palace courtyard and instructed the royal gardener to prioritize its care. When the pit sprouted, the sapling became a focal point of Ylva’s private life. Accounts commonly describe her bringing her children to the tree and teaching them about their father, framing the sapling as a living memorial.
The tree matured over subsequent decades and became a landmark within the Palace grounds.
Distribution across Directionland
On Ylva’s 30th birthday, the royal gardener presented her with thirty cherry pits harvested from the Palace tree. Ylva is traditionally said to have kept fifteen and ordered the remaining fifteen distributed for planting across Directionland, expressing the wish that her husband might “watch over his people” throughout the Empire.
Over time, cherry trees spread widely, particularly in civic gardens, near sanctums, and along prominent roads and courtyards. Ylva’s later provincial visits were frequently associated in public memory with sightings of the Empress smiling in the presence of cherry trees, contributing to a gradual shift in how she was remembered: not only as secluded, but as quietly devoted.
Cherry blossom as national flower
When Ylva died at age 82, cherry trees were reportedly abundant throughout the Empire and especially concentrated around the Imperial Palace. At her funeral, Chancellor Roddard announced that the cherry blossom would be recognized as the national flower of Directionland, and framed the blossoms as a symbol of continuity and protection: the spirit of past Emperors and Empresses “watching over” the realm through living branches.
In modern Directionland culture, the cherry blossom is commonly treated as:
- a symbol of the Imperial Family and dynastic continuity
- an emblem of devotion, mourning, and renewal
- a reminder that Directionland’s identity includes adopted traditions, not only native ones
Legacy
Ylva’s legacy in Directionland is shaped by two enduring narratives: a constitutional one (the youngest accession and the regency that followed) and a cultural one (the Imperial Cherry tradition and the eventual elevation of the cherry blossom to national symbol). Later Imperial ceremonies and public commemorations frequently incorporate cherry motifs, particularly in contexts of remembrance and vows of service.