Bradshaw & Isabella Achilles

Bradshaw and Isabella, characters from the The Royal Heir series, are the King and Queen of Auvernal, a country neighboring Cordonia. Although they are first mentioned in The Royal Heir, Book 1, Chapter 2, they make their first appearance in Chapter 4.

Appearances
Bradshaw has brown eyes, short brown hair, and tan skin. He wears a royal blue suit with white dress shirt, dark blue jacquard woven ascot, and darker blue handkerchief with white polka-dots.

Isabella has brown eyes, dark brown hair which she wears pinned up in a high bun, and tan skin. She wears a lavender off-the-shoulder scallop-neckline dress with a silver floral pattern and darker lavender woven center. She wears silver dangling earrings with pearl and floral accents.

Personalities
Bradshaw appears direct and to the point. As his wife says, he is a blunt instrument that would rather strong-arm everyone they meet than use a delicate approach. It is due to his military campaigns that their country is known for their military might. He has the tendency to be "all hammer" more often than not.

Isabella says she cannot stand indecisiveness. She believes it means the person is afraid to be honest or the person knows nothing. She also hates to be predictable. Olivia says that behind Isabella's display of pride, it is a display of force to show you what her allies will enjoy and what her enemies will face. The Auvernese are a warlike people like Lythikos.

Book 1

 * Chapter 2: Last Night in Paradise (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 3: Your Kingdom Awaits (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 4: Courting Crowns
 * Chapter 9: Ladies' Night (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 13: Spreading the Word (Determinant)
 * Chapter 16: Great Expectations
 * Chapter 18: The Last Apple Ball
 * Chapter 19: Truth and Lies

Book 2

 * Chapter 1: Labor of Love
 * Chapter 2: First Days
 * Chapter 5: Her Royal Highness
 * Chapter 6: To Catch a Traitor
 * Chapter 7: Thanks (But No Thanks)
 * Chapter 8: Exit Strategy
 * Chapter 9: Quiet Before the Storm
 * Chapter 10: Last Day in Lythikos (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 12: The Show Must Go On (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 13: How Do You Like Them Apples?
 * Chapter 14: Battle Lines
 * Chapter 15: All is Fair

Book 1

 * Chapter 2: Last Night in Paradise (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 3: Your Kingdom Awaits (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 4: Courting Crowns
 * Chapter 8: Ride Like the Wind (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 9: Ladies' Night
 * Chapter 10: The Beaumont Bachelor Bash (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 13: Spreading the Word (Determinant)
 * Chapter 16: Great Expectations
 * Chapter 18: The Last Apple Ball
 * Chapter 19: Truth and Lies

Book 2

 * Chapter 1: Labor of Love
 * Chapter 2: First Days
 * Chapter 5: Her Royal Highness
 * Chapter 6: To Catch a Traitor
 * Chapter 7: Thanks (But No Thanks)
 * Chapter 8: Exit Strategy
 * Chapter 9: Quiet Before the Storm
 * Chapter 10: Last Day in Lythikos (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 12: The Show Must Go On (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 13: How Do You Like Them Apples?
 * Chapter 14: Battle Lines
 * Chapter 15: All is Fair

With Each Other
Bradshaw and Isabella married each other for political reasons. It was no secret that it was also to Isabella's financial advantage. They have been married for a long time. It took a while for Isabella to conceive, as she never wanted children for herself but felt it was her royal obligation to produce heirs. She admits that power often requires sacrifices of those who would claim it.

Bradshaw has been stationed in combat zones in half a dozen countries, but has never seen combat first-hand. He ordered troops around and strategized but never fought, even though he is a decorated officer.

Your Character
In Chapter 4, you meet King Bradshaw and Queen Isabella for the first time during the ball you throw when they visits your duchy. You can impress him, depending on your choices. He will like you if you cut right to the chase and tell him that showing up uninvited shows a lack of manners. He will say that it was a test to see how you react. While he appreciates bluntness, she does not and finds you rude if you say they lack manners. Depending on your choices, she will be either impressed or you will be snubbed by her. They had twins recently, a boy and a girl. They suggest an alliance between Auvernal and Cordonia once you have an heir.

In Chapter 8, you receive a letter from Queen Isabella, inviting you to fly to Auvernal the very same day. In Chapter 9, because her letter states "just us girls", Hana volunteers to come along and you have the premium option of having King Liam invite Olivia as well. When you arrive in Auvernal, Isabella tells you that she hopes she can show you that there is more to their country than her husband's blustering. She brings you to a boutique, almost daring you to prove Cordonia's wealth by premium purchasing the designer gown. Later, she puts you on the spot to speak in front of the Auvernese elite military Honor Guard, where you can choose to appeal to their strength or decide not to win them over. Afterwards, she invites you to their traditional steam rooms, to gauge your strength, fortitude, and composure under duress.

Hana Lee
Although they don't appear to talk much during the ball at your duchy, Isabella is surprised to see Hana accompany you to Auvernal. Isabella tells her that she has heard of Hana's penchant for horseriding, her dissolved engagement (to Peter, the Englishman), and her failed courtship. It is your choice to add to Hana's accomplishments or insult Isabella's manners.

Olivia Nevrakis
If you decide to bring Olivia with you to Auvernal, Isabella tells you that they know of Olivia and the powerhouse of Cordonia, as might recognizes might. Olivia retorts that she does not know of Auvernal's might. Olivia gives you insight to Isabella's thinking. If there is one thing she knows, it is the art of extracting information from peers under the guise of friendship.

In Chapter 13's premium scene, should you choose to play as Olivia, she finds out the couple is far from happy by just appearances, finds another country rejected a marriage proposal/alliance from Bradshaw, and finds "Operation Swan" in their plans.

European Guy
In The Royal Heir, Book 2 Chapter 8, Leo recounts a run-in with them in Athens that made him realize that "Liam" would make a better king than him. Before Leo abdicated the throne, they were on a trip to Athens for a diplomatic summit, where they ran into Bradshaw and Isabella. Like Leo, Bradshaw and Isabella wanted to sip ouzo and champagne and party. "Liam" did not want to shirk his responsibilities, so Bradshaw mocked him and insulted him to the point that Leo wanted to punch the other man. However, "Liam" calmly told them that Cordonia's strength is in their integrity and they respect their neighbors, even those that don't deserve it. "Liam" told them that to answer the summit's call isn't acting like a coward but acting like a king, and effectively embarrassed Bradshaw and Isabella in front of other royals.

Trivia

 * Bradshaw's character model resembles Garret Redmond from Big Sky Country, Book 1.
 * Isabella's character model resembles Fatima from the America's Most Eligible series.
 * Auvernal has volcanic activity.
 * Isabella shares the same first name as Isabella and Isabella DeLune.
 * Chapter 8's premium scene reveals that Bradshaw and Isabella were married and King and Queen of Auvernal before the events of the Rules of Engagement series as Leo was still Crown Prince, Constantine was alive and King of Cordonia, and Eirik was prince of his country and had not become king.
 * Bradshaw is lactose intolerant but insists on eating dairy as a power move.