The youngest Noble house in the Empire

With only three generations under its name, Mishra is the youngest Noble house in the entire Empire. This dynasty began with a talented shipbuilder Adela Mishra. She has revolutionized Imperial interstellar logistics by designing the Iskra-class light transporter. A prototype of Iskra-M – still the most used courier ship in the Empire.

Iskra-class transporters became the smallest subspace-capable ships in the Imperial Navy. Because of their simplicity, reliability and cheapness, they could be rapidly mass-produced and replace large and costly cargo barges. That were formerly used by the Empire as platforms for transportation of smaller vessels, cargo and manpower in-between star systems.

This way, Adela’s designs have also paved the way for a complete renewal of the Imperial fleet. Without her technical solutions, neither Orka-class large transporter or Shakasir-class light attack cruiser would be possible to build. These engineering achievements caught the eye of the Imperial Monarch Rahul Khan himself.

In the Empire It is a highly rare that any new names get ascended to the Noble class. Because the well-established houses do not want to share their power and smaller houses are afraid of any competition, and Rahul Khan did not want to upset neither.

Fortunately for her, Adela have happened to earn her merits in a time when the Imperial Monarch was desperate to inspire his people and honor his father’s legacy of interstellar expansion. Her ascendance to a Noble status would fulfill both of these goals. Also, given that Adela was a single mother with only one son and no big clan behind her, her name was not seen as a threat by the established Noble families.

So, by the Monarch’s decree of 279 ALU, Adela Mishra and her eleven years old son Sahel were ascended to become Nobility. They were gifted a (relatively modest) penthouse in the 17th district of Capitol together with a hefty allowance and other privileges that came together with their new status in the Imperial society.

Sahel have spent his teenage years among other Noble children and had the best time of his life until the graduation came. All his peers were preparing tho exit their childhood and began to realize their own responsibility over the future of their Noble clans. With no connections, no wealth and no history, except of his mother’s engineering achievements behind his name, Sahel failed to secure even a consideration as a date, nor promise of friendship.

While everybody celebrated their maturity, Sahel was not invited to even a single party. This reality hit him so hard that he did not even attend the graduation ceremony. Instead, he ordered the diploma by post and channeled all his energy towards becoming a famous engineer and earning a name like his mother did for them.

Unfortunately, just as the Great War broke out, Adela became ill and passed away because of a severe heart condition. Sahel was struck by this loss, but death of his mother did also free him in a way. The long lasting fear to disappoint his only parent, idol and friend has disappeared from the young man’s heart.

Since he had nothing left to lose, but his life, Sahel chose to bury his mother’s legacy and embrace his own calling. He saw the Great War as an opportunity to make Mishra a name that will be known and revered for generations to come.

When newfound honor met an ancient name

Sahel finished the academy with highest merit, and was immediately commissioned as an executive officer on a light cruiser in 7th Imperial Attack Fleet. Getting thrown straight to the front line like this would strike fear in most, but Sahel embraced this challenge in full.

Over two decades of service, Sahel Mishra became one of the most decorated captains of the Empire, a living war hero. He refused promotion multiple times though as he felt that that his most important contribution could be achieved only on the front lines. All these years spent away from Capitol have kept Sahel far from any opportunities to build a relationship.

In his late forties, Sahel have found himself in a position where his name have become substantial enough to attract friendship from other Noble families. Unfortunately, all suitable women from these houses were either long taken or refused by their parents because of their young age.

Only by the age of fifty one, during his leave on Amedna, Sahel came in contact with the ancient house of Ghosh. Their roots went all the way to the Unification Wars and originated in bravery on the battlefield and noble sacrifice of the First Monarch, Unmesh Khan… But their name was tainted by the architect Iszida Ghosh, who generations ago have dared to conspire against Priscilla Khan.

This betrayal have caused the whole clan of Ghosh to be exiled on a remote island on Limmea. Later, during the rule of Alexander Khan, their descendants were relocated to Amedna and banned from ever returning to their home planet.

The only way for a Ghosh to return to Capitol would be by abandoning their name through marriage. But given their reputation, very few families were considering their propositions. Sahel asked about their brides and was introduced to Ishmeet Ghosh. Only seventeen years old, Ishmeet was too young to marry, but was promised to Sahel as soon as he reaches maturity. He agreed.

This union was not based on love, but on cold calculus. Sahel needed a young and fertile wife to solidify his fragile bloodline. Ancient pacts a wealth that came with the name of Ghosh did also overweight the reputational risks posed by their disgraced name. Ishmeet on the other hand was eager to serve her family by bringing their bloodline back to Limmea.

An ISC later, the wedding between Sahel and Ishmeet was disrupted by the attack on Limmea that took lives of Surendra Khan II and the whole Royal family. During the military coup and a day long civil war that came after, Sahel took side of the special forces lieutenant Igor Singh who challenged the usurpation of the throne.

Later, when Igor Singh became the new Imperial Monarch Igor Khan, Sahel was personally recognized for his loyalty to the ruling dynasty. Since Igor Khan was in a rush to find a wife and Sahel’s wedding got disrupted, two men jokingly agreed to marry on the same day. It happened. Ishmeet was astonished to see a congratulatory letter from the Monarch himself after she pronounced her wows and accepted Sahel’s name on Amedna.

Nine months later, year 323 ALU both families were blessed with their first heirs. The royal family has grown with twins, a boy and a girl, and Ishmeet gave birth to a boy, who she gratefully named Tanay. Since a man would with highest probability inherit his father’s throne, Ishmeet have committed herself to become pregnant until she will birth a girl. Because then there would be a chance that her daughter and through her ancient blood of Ghosh would marry into sitting on the Imperial throne.

To Ishmeet’s slight disappointment her next child turned out to be a boy once again. Desperate to match the age class of the Prime Heir Alec Khan, Ishmeet convinced Sahel to make her with a child for the third time. Initial tests have shown that Ishmeet was carrying a girl, but because of exhaustion and some complications, the pregnancy have ended in a miscarriage.

Betrayed by her own body, Ishmeet was struck to the bed for months, and instead of supporting his wife, Sahel have immediately left on a military exercise. His duty to the Empire was above everything else in the end. Few months later, when Sahel came home he was not empty handed.

He brought a baby and put her by Ishmeet’s side. The girl’s name was Nadia Datta, and according to Sahel, she was an abandoned child from an unknown First Class family. Ishmeet was speechless to see that instead of giving her another chance, her husband brought and adopted child in their family. Sahel’s clumsy joke that “Ishmeet got a girl she always wanted” felt like the final humiliation and she promised herself to never lay with her aging husband ever again.

A decade later, Sahel got killed during one of his prolonged deployments. His death left Ishmeet to raise their children alone.

Behind the Scenes

Mishra family became prominent characters only in later drafts of NADIA Book 1. Since then, both Tanay and Aryan got their truly heartbreaking personal story arcs that are going to play out in the main run of ELZA series.

In Hindi name Mishra means “honourable” – it perfectly matches the character of Priyanka Mishra as she ascended to the Noble status by her merit alone. Ishmeet means “Goddess’s friend” – a hint about her connections in high places. Tanay – “Son of his father” – an obvious hint about his role in the family. Aryan – “Noble warrior” – a hint on the life path he chooses later down the line.