Danika Tepes

Danika Tepes is a major character in Everybody Wants To Rule The World. She is the younger sister of Vlad Tepes and the wife of Mehmed II. Danika is 22-23 years old. She is 5'4.

Background
Danika is twelve years younger than her brother, Vladimir. Their mother was not young when she was born and died in childbirth. Because of the age difference, Danika was still only a baby when Vlad was given up by their father to be raised by the sultan at the time.

Danika was eight years old when Vlad married Mirena, who was ten years older than Danika. However Mirena was kind to the younger girl, and Danika was eleven when Vlad and Mirena’s son, Ingeras, was born.

When Danika was thirteen, the new sultan Mehmed visited Transylvania. Becoming interested in the young girl due to her prettiness and a possibility of an alliance, Mehmed asked Vlad for permission to marry Danika. However Vlad said that his sister was too young, and refused to let Mehmed marry her. Despite this, word reached Danika that Mehmed was interested in her, leading to her often blushing in his presence and gossiping with Mirena.

Danika soon began to develop curves, and discovered that many young men found her to be beautiful. She often took to using this to her advantage, using her influence over men to get what she wanted. At the age of sixteen, Danika took an interest in a visiting Roman nobleman named Cassius, who was five years her senior. It became clear that Cassius was infatuated with Danika, and she soon lost her virginity to him.

Vlad was very displeased by this, especially as Cassius was betrothed to be married the following year and could not take Danika as his wife without causing conflict. However as rumour of this spread, Cassius quickly returned to Rome.

Despite now being in her early twenties, Danika still remains unmarried, due to Vlad disapproving of many of her suitors. However, to save Vlad from having to give up 1,000 of Transylvania's boys and his own son, Danika agrees to marry Mehmed.

Appearance
Danika has long, coal-black hair which falls to her waist, and wide hazel eyes. She has soft, quite dainty features, with a small nose and full lips. She has a slender figure with womanly curves. Danika is often considered to be beautiful.

Personality
Danika is quite vain, knowing that she is beautiful and using it to her advantage. She often uses her beauty and charm to manipulate people, particularly men. She is confident and charming, and a smooth talker. Having grown up as a princess, Danika is used to getting her way and can sometimes be quite selfish and impulsive. She is not patient and is known to be spirited and bold, always one to speak her mind.

Vlad Tepes
Danika's brother, her elder by twelve years. Despite the large gap in their ages, Vlad dotes upon his younger sister, and is immensely protective of her. He is suspicious of Mehmed's interest in Danika, and warns his sister not to trust him. Despite disapproving of many of Danika's decisions, Vlad loves his little sister and just wants her to be happy and safe.

Camelia
Danika's maid and close friend. Camelia became a playmate to Danika when the girls were children, and have grown up together. For this reason, Camelia is often the first person Danika will talk to, and someone who she trusts to keep her secrets. Camelia is one of the few people who can openly speak her mind without Danika becoming insulted.

Mirena
Vlad's wife and Danika's sister-in-law. Despite their age difference, Danika and Mirena are quite close. Mirena will often provide Danika with counsel in difficult times, and helps her to acclimatise comfortably to her marriage to Mehmed.

Mehmed
Danika's husband, who she marries at the beginning of the story. Mehmed initially asked for Danika's hand when she was thirteen years old, however Vlad refused this offer due to his sister's young age - at this stage, Mehmed was already twenty-five. When Mehmed sees Danika again as a woman, he is quite taken by her beauty, and also sees the benefits of an alliance.

While politically and sexually invested in Danika, Mehmed has no romantic feelings for her. To him, she is his wife and must do her duty. At first the two are on quite good terms, however once Danika's infidelity is revealed, Mehmed grows very cold towards her. Despite her pleas to be allowed to return home, Mehmed is determined that she will bear him children. Although not deliberately cruel, Mehmed is prone to being somewhat violent towards his wife at times.

Alexei
Mehmed's most feared assassin in the Ottoman army. Alexei, also known as Bright Eyes, is at first unwilling to give Danika his name and makes no secret of his contempt for her. When Mehmed instructs him to train Danika in the art of throwing knives, he admits that he sees her as a vain brat, a girl who was a spoilt child and now expects everything to go her way.

Despite his initial dislike of her, Alexei is attracted to Danika and finds her to be quite beautiful. It's based on this attraction that the two of them first engage in sex, when Danika is upset with her husband. Despite her seeing it as a mistake, Alexei finds it thoroughly enjoyable. As their sexual relationship continues, Alexei finds himself beginning to develop genuine feelings for Danika, drawn to her spirit and stubbornness.