the firstborn daughter to the queen of stormrift, gjalla was raised amidst the harsh, unyielding cold of the north, where duty to family and kingdom was paramount. from an early age, she was groomed to embody the spirit of her people and expectations of her lineage, excelling in her roles and showing fierce loyalty to her homeland. she performed her duties with grim determination, but the intricacies of politics and mediation left her disillusioned, finding little joy in the delicate games of influence. her sharp mind and formidable presence made her an exceptional leader, but her ruthless honesty and short temper often clashed with the subtleties required by court life. despite this, gjalla longed for the throne—not for the power it promised, but for the betterment of her home.

when her hand was promised to a northern prince she'd never met in an arranged union, gjalla saw it as a necessary sacrifice to secure her future as queen, yet the prospect of living with a wolf she felt no bond tasted bitter in her mouth. unable to reconcile her sudden discomfort with the role she'd now been expected to play, she fled Stormrift, abandoning the life she had prepared for.

seeking refuge in evenspire, she found solace in the company of queen morwenna, becoming fast friends, much like sisters. when morwenna's kingdom was usurped in a cruel coup, gjalla's did not hesitate. together, the two fled into the unknown, haunted by their pasts and bound by an unspoken resolve to reclaim what was stolen from them.