The Cartwright Sisters
Amelia and Sarai Cartwright are children when we first meet them, at 10 and 9 years old. Early in Edmond’s journey he helps the Cartwright family get their farm cart out of the mud alongside the King's Highway. This seemingly small act of kindness ends up having long lasting effects for not just their family but Edmond himself and all of Innatraea.
Their mother Gisella can't shake her feelings that this small encounter has a greater meaning; because of this she makes sure to remember Edmond's name. Years down the road she hears that name again, in reference to a young king who is fighting a war of ascension to claim the conquered throne of Old Cathyor and defeat Aedonia. She and her family sell their farm and travel to his army in order to become camp followers, eventually leading to her being the army's quartermaster and her husband its lead carpenter.
This is really where the Cartwright Sisters’ story begins. Amelia turns out to be a tactical and engineering prodigy, Edmond listens to and gives her the resources she needs because of his experiences growing up with Rosalie. Applying what she learned of carpentry and craftsmanship from her father, she invents several new siege engines including the trebuchet among other things. This however creates conflict with her younger sister Sarai whose gentle spirit cannot stand to see suffering and war.
Initially this conflict is a small thing between sisters, alleviated by Amelia's invention of mobile medical wagons and tents for her sister’s efforts in saving lives. This truce between them is only temporary however and explodes as the continued war efforts expand. In many ways this family based conflict has a profound effect on the entire army and represents how many families can be torn apart by the conflicts our world produces.
It's these small moments, and the emotional effects they have on the characters, that makes Innatraea what it is. We will get to experience these two young siblings who love each other grow, come into their own, adopt their beliefs, and eventually come to conflict with who the other becomes. It leaves us to wonder if they'll eventually heal that rift for their family and each other, or if their conflict will have bigger repercussions for everyone.
