Vaecordia, also known as Renata or the Red Queen, is a character in the Hourglass universe. She is Scarlet's archenemy in her personal journey, and is said to be the embodiment of her rage and bloodlust. Vaecordia rules the Land of Wonder under a cruel regime, and is constantly met with rebellion from her subjects.
Appearance[]
At first, Vaecordia bears an uncanny resemblance to Scarlet Dynes, yet with a few crucial differences: Vaecordia's hair is straight rather than wavy, her skin is perfect and smooth in opposition to Scarlet's more rough flesh, and her nails are clawlike and red.
Once Scarlet confronts her at the Heart of Wonderland, Vaecordia reveals her true form: an eldritch and monstrous spirit of fury (named as a mania, the attendants of the Greek goddess Lyssa). She is of a stunning stature and her long maroon hair falls to the floor and is likened to running trails of blood. Her nails have grown to twitchy talons and her eyes appear to be hewn from ruby, with blood dripping downward.
History[]
Vaecordia is ancient, hinted to be thousands of years old. Due to her nature as a mania, she was, and possibly still is- a servant of Lyssa, the Greek goddess of rage. Ages ago, Vaecordia discovered Wonderland and through a bloody coup, stole the throne and completely reinvented the kingdom into a dystopia diguised as a whimsical dream to most outsiders. From her castle, she enforced a strict caste system and punished the slightest transgressions with horrific executions.
By the time Scarlet enters the Land of Wonder, Vaecordia has ruled for a few hundred years, enslaving most of Wonderland's people. Through dark and deceptive means, she became the master of the Three Beasts of Wonder: the Jabberwock, Bandersnatch, and Jubjub bird, using them to keep her citizens in line.
Scarlet meets Vaecordia in the Castle of Hearts, where she introduces herself as Renata, the Red Queen, and at first, seems regal and elegant, praising her guest. The next time Scarlet visits her, Renata becomes dismissive of her interaction with the Rebels of the Wood, and discourages any further association with them. Scarlet promises this but later lies.
When Scarlet attempts to save the Rebels and all of Wonderland from Renata's tyranny, Renata proposes she find the Wondrous Treasures and she will surrender the crown to Scarlet herself. In order to win the challenge, Scarlet must locate the tail feather of the Jubjub bird, the crown jewel of the Red King, and the Porcelain Rose, the most prized possession of her rival, the White Queen. Scarlet manages to win the challenge via her wits and help of her friends.
By the time Scarlet has done this, Vaecordia snaps and cannot accept the fact she lost, and does all she can in her power to eliminate Scarlet as a threat and keep Wonderland to herself. Scarlet fights against Vaecordia and defeats her by literally breaking her heart, saving Wonderland once and for all.
Personality[]
Vaecordia attempts to emanate a regal and imposing yet kind aura to most people around her, trying to earn their trust and ensure they do not rebel against her, though this masks her true side- a bloodthirsty and fearsome monster motivated only by raw madness.
She is extremely bossy and seeks to eliminate all those who disagree with her values, who she sees as threats. Greedy and lustful, Vaecordia hoards all material possessions, and hints that she will one day continue her conquest to the parallel world (our own world) by using one of her frequent 'guests'.
Trivia[]
- Vaecordia, in Latin, means 'madness.'
- She is modelled upon the Queen of Hearts from Alice's Adventures In Wonderland and the Red Queen from Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There.
- Vaecordia has had several 'guests' before Scarlet; one of these include Alice Kingsley (Scarlet's ancestor).
- According to the Hatter, Vaecordia is infertile and has tried countless times to procreate, only to fail miserably.
- It is implied that all of the maniae originated from the souls of the mad and brutish, which leads to the question of who Vaecordia used to be.