Damien Takida

Damien Hesha

Damien

Full Name:

Damien Hesha (born Damien Takida)

Affiliation:

Temples of Venus, Eros, and Cupid; Icefall

Clan:

Takida Bloodline (by birth); Hesha family (by marriage)

Magic:

Venusian Summoner

Status:

Alive

Occupation:

Duke of Icefall; High Priest of Venus, Eros, and Cupid; Starsinger of the Six Points; Royal Ward of Pergrand

Statistics

Eye Color:

Pale blue

Hair Color:

Silver-blonde

Relationships

Significant Other:

Wolfgang Hesha (husband and mate)

Children:

Addison Hesha-Karadin; Iris Karadin; Jasmine Karadin; Wolfram; Amelia Hesha; Delilah Karadin; Tylan Karadin; Pyter Karadin; Madeline; additional younger children

Father:

Kiran Kedanza

Mother:

Ming Kedanza

Other Family:

Hestor Kedanza (identical twin brother); Anja (foster father)

Damien Hesha, born Damien Takida, is a Venusian Summoner, a Venusian Treasure, and a member of the Takida Bloodline. He serves as a High Priest of Venus; the Takida family directory also records his priestly offices for Eros and Cupid and his position as a Royal Ward of Pergrand.

Damien is married and mated to Grand Duke Wolfgang Hesha and holds the title of Duke of Icefall alongside him. He oversees their castle, its staff, and the Temple of Venus that Wolfgang commissioned for him. His children include Addison Hesha-Karadin, the biological son of Raimarc Karadin who later becomes king of Pergrand.

Appearance

Damien has long silver-blonde hair and pale blue eyes. He usually wears his hair long and loose. His appearance is associated with pale robes, elaborate gold ornamentation, blue gemstones, and floral decorations. Venusian symbols feature prominently in his devotional presentation.

His mating mark is a pale blue dragon curling from his neck beneath his collar. Pink devotional tattoos distinguish him from his identical twin, Hestor, whose Anubian markings are black and gold. When Hestor wears his hair long, the resemblance is strong enough for strangers to mistake one brother for the other.

Personality

Damien is gentle, kind, devoted, and soft-spoken. Compassion, love, and the possibility of a kinder world are central to his outlook. His ideals are expressed in the saying:

Love is a sacred power. To cherish is to create a kinder world.

His priestly identity emphasizes prayer, guidance, protection, and care for others. He is deeply protective of his children, but supports their independence even when separation troubles him. He agrees to Addison's apprenticeship because he understands that his son needs to discover his own worth, rather than live only in the shadow of his parentage.

Damien's gentleness does not prevent him from speaking firmly against prejudice. During Addison's early reign, he publicly rejects the claim that loving a woman is a moral deviation and identifies the doctrine with the Karadin family's demonic pact. He enjoys chocolate and strawberries, and values the cold-resistant flowers Addison grows for him.

Biography

Birth family and upbringing

Damien is the identical twin brother of Hestor Adom Kedanza, and a son of Kiran Kedanza and Ming Kedanza. He has Stellan and Boscan heritage. His Takida birth identity and Hesha married name refer to the same person.

A midwife abducted Damien as a newborn after slavers threatened her own family, then told his parents that he had been stillborn. Ming had chosen the name Damien in memory of a childhood tutor. The deception left his birth family mourning him while he was taken to Pergrand.¹

The Anubrey Anja raised Damien from infancy. Damien regards him as a father and remains close to him after Anja is freed from service to the Karadin dynasty. Anja taught him Stellan, a language he later also taught Addison.

Childhood blessing and priesthood

At six, Damien was brought by Anja to the temple, where Father Belin recognized his Venusian gifts. Small cupid spirits gathered around him without a spoken summons. Eros then appeared, blessed him, and promised to answer his call. A sigil combining Venusian symbolism with a heart pierced by thorns marked the blessing. The temple publicly recognized Damien as a Treasure and began his priestly training.⁵

Damien dated the beginning of his ability to see the strings between people to being held by Eros. He perceived different colors, textures, and strengths of connection, including his familial attachment to Anja and the distant bond awaiting Anja's future mate.⁵

Captivity and the protection of his children

Damien was captured by King Gustan Karadin. Ivan Karadin later assisted Wolfgang Hesha in secretly extracting Damien from the royal palace and bringing him to Icefall.

Damien also survived sexual assault and forced pregnancy at the hands of Raimarc Karadin. After fleeing to Icefall, he gave birth to Addison. Raimarc was told that the child was a girl and had been killed, concealing Addison's survival and identity.

Wolfgang adopted Addison at birth and publicly raised him as his own son. The concealment risked Wolfgang's position and the safety of his household, but protected Addison from Raimarc. Damien's children were sheltered in different households: most grew up in Icefall under Wolfgang's protection, while Iris and Jasmine remained with Ivan, who was best placed to protect them. Uram concealed Damien's connection to Tylan and Pyter to shield him from Raimarc's anger.

Sanctuary and greater independence

Anja sought help from the three great dukes after learning that Damien was pregnant through Raimarc's abuse. Uram arranged a secure meeting in the Dollhouse, and Wolfgang offered sanctuary in Icefall. There, Damien was given rooms in the East Wing and the right to approve his attendants and refuse unwanted touch.¹¹¹³

Sergei helped conceal Addison's parentage by arranging records consistent with Wolfgang raising him as his own son. Uram also concealed the survival of Iris and Jasmine, even from Damien, to keep Raimarc from discovering them. Their eventual reunion brought Damien relief after years of believing his daughters had died.¹³

Pressure from the religious orders and the intervention of Sergei and Ivan later secured a home outside the palace for Damien and Anja. A subsequent Senate measure supported Treasures choosing their own security details, allowing Damien to reject guards whose presence made him uncomfortable.¹⁷¹⁹

Reunion with his birth family

Damien had been told that his birth family did not want him. During a journey to Bosco, he visited House Elluris, whose owner Dominic noticed his resemblance to Hestor. Meanwhile, Anja encountered Hestor at the central temple of Anubis. Their conversation about Damien's name and priestly markings exposed the connection between the twins. Cristoff then confirmed that Damien and Hestor shared the same genetic markers.²⁵²⁶

Ming and Kiran met Damien at the Pradesh estate and explained that they had been told he was stillborn. Ming thanked Anja for raising her son, and Anja shared the album in which he had recorded Damien's childhood. Damien and his children were later welcomed into the extended family at Eventide Bay. The brothers agreed that their children should continue visiting one another across Icefall and Eventide.²⁸³⁴

Marriage and life in Icefall

Wolfgang recognized the possibility of a mating bond when he and Damien first met, but gave Damien time and support to choose the relationship for himself. Their eventual marriage and mating gave Damien a shared ducal title and responsibility for their castle and its staff. Wolfgang also had a Temple of Venus built for him.

Their relationship is characterized by devotion and lasting companionship, expressed in the phrase:

Two hearts. One journey. Always.

Anja remains close to Damien by choice rather than obligation. Damien encourages him to live freely and to seek his own mate; Anja later credits that encouragement with his search for Zora. Anja and Zora remain part of the extended family.

Addison's apprenticeship and accession

Damien supports Addison's departure for training with Rowan Drayke through White Sea, while asking him to stay in regular contact. Hestor helps arrange his education. Damien is distressed when Addison returns after fourteen years of personal experience off-plane while comparatively little time has passed for his family, and insists on visiting him.

After Tylan renounces his claim, Addison assumes the throne of Pergrand. Damien and Wolfgang attend his early Senate proceedings. Damien is proud that Addison openly honors Venus and develops his magic to help the country, although the use of carnivorous plants unsettles him and he objects to Venusian roses being used to dispose of enemies.

At home, Damien continues to treat Addison as his son rather than as a monarch, reminding him that he can set aside royal duties in the family household.

Magic and Religious Role

Venusian Summoner

Damien's magical vocation is that of a Venusian Summoner. His devotional imagery combines Venusian symbolism with luminous flowers and motifs of beauty and compassion. He has seraphim among his spirits and can sense their emotional reactions. Eros and Cupid are among his divine key spirits; Eros was the most difficult of his Venusian keys to obtain.²⁹ A large winged cherub can catch and carry him in flight.³⁴

During a celestial-key auction, Damien acquires the Golden Seraphim, a winged white-gold key. His existing spirits react uneasily to the purchase. He decides to wait until returning home before attempting its contract.

Perception of bonds

Damien can perceive the strings connecting people. At Eventide Bay, he sees these connections in the Venusian clams and pearls and recognizes their relationship to The One Magic. His perception distinguishes different kinds of attachment: he identifies Addison's connection with Yessa as a profound friendship rather than romantic love.

He takes an active interest in helping others find their destined partners. Hestor describes him as a persistent matchmaker who has encouraged the dukes and princes for years, and Damien offers to help Sydelle find her partner.

Venusian Treasure and High Priest

Damien is a Venusian Treasure. This aspect of his identity is distinct from his summoning vocation and his priestly offices.

As a High Priest of Venus, Damien's spiritual life centers on love, compassion, beauty, and care. The Takida Bloodline directory additionally identifies him as High Priest of Eros and Cupid. His practical duties include overseeing the Temple of Venus in Icefall.

Advocacy and spiritual work

Damien becomes a friend and mentor to Arlorian, also called Arlo, another Treasure under Ivan's protection. He explains the support available through the Venusian order, helps him understand his identity, and emphasizes his right to choose his own religious affiliation and future.²¹²³ Later, Damien works with Bosco's Sudehpah order toward bringing a comparable system to a changing Pergrand.³⁴

During the confrontation with Lucielle Alderis, Damien recognizes that a Venusian grief ritual has been altered into a means of forcing a mating. He calls Eros to examine the violation, which leads to Venus's intervention and a divine court addressing the abuses of the Alderis line and Cassiopeia.²⁹

His bond-sight also has diplomatic implications: he identifies Emzadi Pradesh as Matej Belarian's destined partner and encourages her to pursue that bond.³¹

Children

Damien's children were protected by several households during Raimarc's reign. Their places of upbringing do not all indicate biological parentage.

Name	Family and upbringing
Addison Hesha-Karadin	Biological son of Damien and Raimarc Karadin; adopted and raised by Wolfgang Hesha in Icefall. Later king of Pergrand.
Iris Karadin	Daughter of Damien and Raimarc; Phoenix shifter raised by Ivan in the Dollhouse.
Jasmine Karadin	Daughter of Damien and Raimarc; Phoenix shifter raised by Ivan in the Dollhouse.
Wolfram	Son born to Damien as a surrogate for Wolfgang Hesha; Wolfgang's heir in Icefall.
Delilah Karadin	Daughter of Damien and Uram Karadin; Addison’s half-sister. Born in 1775; Celestial Summoner.
Tylan Karadin	Son born to Damien for Uram Karadin; Uram concealed Damien's identity as his birth parent.
Pyter Karadin	Son born to Damien for Uram Karadin; grew up under Uram's protection alongside Tylan.
Amelia Hesha	Daughter of Damien and Wolfgang Hesha; Wolfram’s twin sister.
Esteban Rayven’s twin sons	Damien also carried two sons for Esteban; the chapters describe the twins without naming them.25
Madeline	Younger daughter with a twin brother. Both are present during Addison’s family reunion in Icefall.

Jackson Hesha is Wolfgang’s son, not Damien’s.

The chapters also depict younger children whose names are not supplied. Madeline's twin brother is unnamed in the reunion scene.

Relationships

• Wolfgang Hesha: Husband and mate; Grand Duke of Icefall. Wolfgang helped secure Damien's escape and protected his children. He calls Damien his angel; Damien affectionately calls him Wolfy.
• Hestor Kedanza: Identical twin brother and High Priest of Anubis. Their different priestly markings help distinguish them. Hestor arranges a gift of Boscan marriage jewelry for Damien and Wolfgang, incorporating stones for their children.
• Anja: Anubrey foster father who raised Damien. Their bond remains familial after Anja's freedom, and Damien expressly reassures him that he is free to choose his own life.
• Zora: Anja's mate and a protective member of the extended family.
• Ivan Karadin: Helped Wolfgang bring Damien to safety and protected Iris and Jasmine.
• Uram Karadin: Father of Tylan and Pyter, whose connection to Damien he concealed for Damien's safety.
• Raimarc Karadin: Perpetrator of Damien's sexual assault and forced pregnancy; biological father of Addison, Iris, and Jasmine.
• Gustan Karadin: Former king of Pergrand who captured Damien.

White Sea story

After Jennifer becomes Starbringer, the Points choose Damien for their newly defined sixth seat, Starsinger, representing the song of the heart and the One Magic. Jukite creates additional Raphael and Chamuel keys for him, extending his Venusian service to their healing, teaching and protective abilities. (White Sea, Chapter 36.)

Damien joins the restored Points' call to the Council of Gods. His role keeps compassion, love and mercy central to their decisions and brings Venus directly into the appeal. (White Sea, Chapter 37.)

See Also

• Takida Bloodline
• Venusian Treasure
• Wolfgang Hesha
• Hestor Kedanza
• Addison Karadin
• Kiran Kedanza
• Ming Kedanza
• Pergrand

Sources

• AO3 story, Chapter 1.
• AO3 story, Chapter 3.
• AO3 story, Chapter 5.
• AO3 story, Chapter 11.
• AO3 story, Chapter 13.
• AO3 story, Chapter 17.
• AO3 story, Chapter 19.
• AO3 story, Chapter 21.
• AO3 story, Chapter 23.
• AO3 story, Chapter 25.
• AO3 story, Chapter 26.
• AO3 story, Chapter 28.
• AO3 story, Chapter 29.
• AO3 story, Chapter 31.
• AO3 story, Chapter 34.

Frozen Roses

Additional information about the second generation, including Addison’s later apprenticeship, accession, and subsequent family episodes, is drawn from Frozen Roses. This story is not yet published and will be published at a later date.