Madeleine Amaranth

Madeleine, a character in the Rules of Engagement, The Royal Romance, and The Royal Heir series, is the Countess of Fydelia and the daugher of Adelaide and Godfrey. She is first seen in Rules of Engagement, Book 2, Chapter 11.

Appearance
Madeline has fair skin, short, blonde hair and green eyes. She wears a green dress and a pearl necklace.

Personality
Raised and bred for courtly life, Madeleine is the epitome of prim and proper; she shows little emotion, having good control of her feelings, and thus behaves accordingly to the situation at hand. Her upbringing has made her feel superior towards the other ladies vying for Liam's affections, thinking that such gives her an advantage.

In Rules of Engagement, she was very possessive of European Guy, claiming that their betrothal was superior to his relationship with the Main Character, even though he has no feelings for Madeleine. Her attitude shifts to more polished and refined behavior in The Royal Romance.

In the beginning, she comes off as cold, manipulative, and rude. She plays a smart game in the "competition" for Liam, using her relationship with the Royal family to appear close to him and to win the support of the royal advisors, the court, and the people. In reality, she does not care for Liam romantically, but cares about her public image and their public relationship. Whether or not you have interest in Liam, she doesn't want you to embarrass her.

She is tenacious, methodical, and organized. Despite her personal feelings towards individuals, no one can question her love for her country.

Book 2

 * Chapter 11: Hearts Wild
 * Chapter 12: Fiancees and Finances

Book 1

 * Chapter 6: Queen of Hearts
 * Chapter 8: A Waltz to Remember
 * Chapter 9: Race to the Finish
 * Chapter 10: Beach Party (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 11: The Apple of His Eye
 * Chapter 12: As Sweet as Apple Pie
 * Chapter 13: Hunting for Love
 * Chapter 14: Fair Game
 * Chapter 16: The Beaumont Bash
 * Chapter 17: Lady in Waiting
 * Chapter 18: To Be a Princess
 * Chapter 19: Long Live the King

Book 2

 * Chapter 1: Homecoming
 * Chapter 2: Reunion
 * Chapter 3: Return to Applewood
 * Chapter 4: Flirting with Disaster
 * Chapter 5: International Impressions
 * Chapter 6: Italian Nights (Mentioned; Determinant)
 * Chapter 7: Girl's Night Out
 * Chapter 8: City of Lights
 * Chapter 10: Tea Time in Paris
 * Chapter 11: A Night at the Opera (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 12: Family Ties (Off-Screen)
 * Chapter 13: The Art of Drinking Tea
 * Chapter 14: Back to the Big Apple (Off-Screen)
 * Chapter 15: Lost in Los Angeles
 * Chapter 17: Cordonia Bound (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 18: Noble at Heart
 * Chapter 19: Ascension

Book 3

 * Chapter 2: Crown and Country
 * Chapter 3: Allies Among Enemies
 * Chapter 4: Any Port in a Storm
 * Chapter 5: The Sport of Kings
 * Chapter 6: Ember of Hope
 * Chapter 7: Haute Culture
 * Chapter 8: Artistic License
 * Chapter 9: Pomp and Circumstance
 * Chapter 10: A Matter of Honor
 * Chapter 11: Cold Fire
 * Chapter 12: Secrets In The Snow (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 14: Welcome, One and All
 * Chapter 15: Light the Night
 * Chapter 16: What Happens in Vegas...
 * Chapter 17: Save the Date
 * Chapter 18: Bride to Be
 * Chapter 19: You Are Cordially Invited
 * Chapter 20: A Warm Reception
 * Chapter 21: Taken
 * Chapter 22: Happily Ever After

The Royal Holiday

 * Chapter 4: Holly Jolly

Book 1

 * Chapter 2: Last Night in Paradise (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 3: Your Kingdom Awaits
 * Chapter 4: Courting Crowns
 * Chapter 6: Home, Home on the Range
 * Chapter 7: A Night on the Town
 * Chapter 12: To Love and to Cherish
 * Chapter 13: Spreading the Word
 * Chapter 14: The Announcement
 * Chapter 16: Great Expectations
 * Chapter 17: Hot Off the Press (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 18: The Last Apple Ball
 * Chapter 19: Truth and Lies

Book 2

 * Chapter 3: Welcome to the World
 * Chapter 4: The Royal Tour
 * Chapter 5: Her Royal Highness
 * Chapter 6: To Catch a Traitor
 * Chapter 7: Thanks (But No Thanks)
 * Chapter 8: Exit Strategy
 * Chapter 10: Last Day in Lythikos
 * Chapter 13: How Do You Like Them Apples?
 * Chapter 14: Battle Lines (Mentioned; Physical Appearance Determinant)
 * Chapter 16: In Love and War (Mentioned; Determinant)
 * Chapter 18: The Beginning of the End

Book 3

 * Chapter 2: Making Waves
 * Chapter 3: Forever Hold Your Peace
 * Chapter 4: Seeds of Conflict
 * Chapter 5: Crossing the Finish Line (Offscreen)
 * Chapter 6: The Princess and the Plea
 * Chapter 9: The Barthelemy Beaumont Bash
 * Chapter 10: A Fox in the Henhouse (Physical Appearance Determinant)
 * Chapter 13: The Way Out
 * Chapter 15: The Enemy of My Enemy
 * Chapter 16: Devil in the Details (Mentioned; Determinant)
 * Chapter 17: The Crown Regent's Coronation
 * Chapter 18: Crowning Glory
 * Chapter 19: The Once and Future Princess (Determinant)

The Royal Finale

 * Chapter 12: When Worlds Collide (Mentioned; Determinant)
 * Chapter 15: To Wield the Sword (Mentioned; Determinant)

European Guy (Leo)
In Rules of Engagement, it is revealed that she is European Guy's fiancee, but the engagement is an arranged political agreement. They have known each other since childhood, and much like the social season that Liam endures in The Royal Romance, Book 1, she won the "competition" to become his bride years ago. When she finds out that he is seeing Main Character (Rules of Engagement), she considers his dalliance with Main Character simply that. She exhibits jealousy and anger, but doesn't appear threatened as it would be his duty to marry her. He says that she doesn't like competition.

Their engagement is broken when European Guy abdicates his place in the royal line of succession in Rules of Engagement. She doesn't speak of his abdication in The Royal Romance and only comments that at least he is willing to come back to court for his brother's coronation.

Prince "Liam"
In The Royal Romance, Book 1, Madeleine becomes one of then-Prince Liam suitors in the "competition". Although she does not hold his affections, she has public support as well as support from members of the court and is considered to be one of the Top 3 candidates. Knowing that he has feelings for Your Character (The Royal Romance), she tries to strike a bargain with Liam moments before his coronation. She tells him that he could have the best of both worlds if he chose her because she would allow him to continue his romance with you. At the end of Book 1, it appears he agrees to her arrangement and he chooses her to be his bride.

It is unclear if Madeleine knew it was a ruse on Liam's part, an effort to buy time while you and your friends investigate the Conspiracy Against Your Character, but throughout Book 2, Madeleine acted as though Liam would honor their arrangement and marry her at the end of their engagement tour. In Chapter 15, he tells Your Character (The Royal Romance) that he has broken the engagement but you do not see her reaction until the Homecoming Ball in Cordonia.

In Book 3 as well as The Royal Heir, Madeleine remains polite to Liam despite their history. He appoints her to the position of Royal Communications Director and she takes her job seriously. How Your Character (The Royal Romance) treats Madeleine once her father's crimes come to light in The Royal Heir, Book 2 and Book 3 determines how she treats you and by extension, how she treats Liam. If you are kind to her, she helps you, your daughter and Liam. If you are cruel to her, she responds in kind and sides with Barthelemy Beaumont against Liam, telling you that since you have treated her like the enemy, she is your enemy.

Queen Mother Regina
Through Adelaide's bloodline, Madeleine is Regina's first cousin once removed. Madeleine seems to get along better with Regina than with her own mother as they appear to have similar temperaments.

Adelaide
Adelaide is Madeleine's mother. They have a strained relationship, due to their conflicting personalities. Where Madeleine likes to appear calm, collected, and polished, her mother enjoys libations and gossip. Madeleine often appears embarrassed by her mother's behavior. In Book 2, Chapter 10, you can overhear a conversation between Adelaide and Regina where the former had tried to hire male dancers for Madeleine's bachelorette party, but was stopped by her cousin. In Chapter 14, Adelaide may reveal her worries about what the stress of becoming queen will do to Madeleine.

Their relationship though hasn't always been strained. In a premium scene of Book 3, Chapter 3, Madeleine reveals that when she was in school, Adelaide always helped her with slogans when she ran for class president every year. You can help remind Adelaide of this and temporarily bring mother and daughter closer, but it does not last. At the end of Book 3, even though Madeleine has been promoted to the position of Royal Communications Director, Madeleine feels that Adelaide thinks she works too much and her father still isn't proud of her.

In The Royal Heir, Book 3, when Adelaide sells her vote to Barthelemy Beaumont for money, Madeleine protests this and feels ashamed. When Barthelemy's crimes are revealed in the end and Adelaide's public appeal has fallen further due to her support of him, Adelaide gives control of Duchy Krona's business and administration to Madeleine.

Godfrey
Godfrey is Madeleine's father. In Book 3, Chapter 3, he makes it clear that he is disappointed in Madeleine for having two broken engagements, feeling she "lost" the Crown twice (once with Leo and once with Liam). He doesn't believe he raised her to be a "failure", but you can help them reconcile temporarily by telling him that his daughter is a force to be reckoned with.

In The Royal Heir Book 2, when it is revealed that he murdered Queen Eleanor, Madeleine feels ashamed. She helps you capture him before he can escape, betraying his trust. In Book 3, if you tell him that Madeleine might forgive him if he gives you the evidence to prove Barthelemy's crimes, he mentions that he did instill the love for Cordonia in Madeleine and is a little hopeful that in time he may regain his daughter's love.

Your Character (TRR)
In The Royal Romance, Book 2, Madeleine admits that she doesn't hate Your Character (The Royal Romance) but feels you are out of your depth as an outsider to Cordonia and to court. She subtly mocks you when she specifically chooses you to pick up her wedding ring, but when you disrupt her wedding shower with the video of Tariq's confession, she becomes angry. At the Homecoming Ball, she tells you that you will bring about Cordonia's downfall regardless if you become engaged to Liam or not.

In Book 3, you and your friends travel to her home during the Unity Tour. Bertrand tells you that you need to convince her to become your new press secretary, which is not an easy task. You can choose to help her with her family issues, or insult her family further. Whichever the case, she becomes your new press secretary out of love for her country and her desire to help Cordonia during the terrorist attacks.

In The Royal Heir, Book 1, she constantly asks you whether or not you are pregnant as Cordonia's future rests with you. In Chapter 12, she carries a pregnancy test in her purse for you to take and tries to help you determine whether or not your test was positive. When you find out you are indeed pregnant, she calls a press conference to inform the people of Cordonia. During your pregnancy, she offers you a Cordonian Ruby to help with your morning sickness.

In Book 2, when Godfrey is revealed to be Queen Eleanor's murderer, she sincerely apologizes to you as he endangered you and your baby's life during his escape from the palace. It is your choice how to behave towards her after this discovery. If you do not fault her and continue to be nice and respect her, you will earn her loyalty. If you decide to be snide and cruel to her, she becomes your enemy.

In Book 3, if you earned her loyalty, she will help you escape the guards that "imprison" you at your duchy. However, if you decided to be rude and spiteful to her, she will side with Barthelemy Beaumont and inform him of your disappearance and irresponsibility. She will tell you that you have made it abundantly clear that you have always seen her as the enemy, so she believes you would have done the same thing to her if your positions had been reversed.

Trivia

 * The name Madeleine is of Latin, Greek, and English origin, and means "from Magdala". Magdala is a village on the sea of Galilee, whose name means "tower" in the Hebrew language. Madeleine is the French version of the name Magdalene.
 * Despite being step-cousins, she was engaged to European Guy and Liam.
 * Her house color is green. Her house sigil is a tree native to Fydelia.
 * Her facial features are similar to Chelsea McIntyre's from The Sophomore, with the only difference being that Madeleine wears red lipstick and Chelsea wears pink.
 * She is poisoned in Book 3, Chapter 11, but survives and returns in Chapter 14.
 * According to PB's blog on September 7, 2018, during the writing process for Book 3, Kara, one of the writers, wanted Madeleine to die when she got poisoned in Book 3.
 * Most of her writing comes from writer Jeffrey, as revealed in a blog post about The Royal Romance, Book 2.
 * Her house name is revealed to be Amaranth in The Royal Heir, Book 2, Chapter 4.
 * Amaranth is a genus of perennial plants.
 * Because she is called "Countess Amaranth" by Barthelemy Beaumont in The Royal Heir, Book 3, Chapter 15, her last name is surmised to be Amaranth due to the fact that she is the Countess of Fydelia (not Countess of Amaranth) and her mother's last name is also Amaranth.
 * She is listed under "Redeemed Characters" for her redemption in The Royal Romance series although she has the potential to become Your Character's antagonist again in The Royal Heir series depending on your actions towards her.