Coming of Age in a Broken World: Ragnar and Maja’s Parallel Arcs in The Fall of Wolfsbane
The Fall of Wolfsbane is a story shaped by war, conquest, and survival, but at its heart, it is also a coming-of-age story.
It follows Ragnar and Maja Wolfsbane—a brother and sister forced to grow up in a world shattered by empire.
Their parallel arcs show two very different journeys into adulthood, shaped by loss, resistance, and the search for identity.
Growing Up When Everything Is Taken From YouWhen I set out to write The Fall of Wolfsbane, I knew I didn’t want a traditional coming-of-age story.
I wanted to show what happens when childhood ends too soon.
For Ragnar and Maja, there is no gentle transition into adulthood.
There are no safe mentors or welcoming communities.
Their world is broken from the start.
Their home is conquered. Their father is executed. Their people are scattered.
They don’t get to choose to grow up. They are forced to.
Ragnar’s Journey: Adaptation and SurvivalRagnar begins the story as the heir to Meerand, raised in a warrior culture built on tradition, honour, and strength.
He believes in clear lines between right and wrong.
But when the Ostreich Empire conquers his home and takes him hostage, his world collapses.
Ragnar’s coming of age is shaped by adaptation.
He learns to survive within the very empire he hates.
He forms bonds with his captors. He learns their language, their fighting styles, and their politics.
Yet he never fully loses his identity as a Wolfsbane.
His growth is painful.
He carries shame for not dying in battle like his father.
But his survival is not weakness.
It becomes a different kind of strength — one built on patience, understanding, and strategic thinking.
Ragnar’s journey shows how coming of age sometimes means letting go of who you were — without forgetting who you are.
Maja’s Journey: Resistance and RebellionMaja’s arc runs parallel to Ragnar’s but follows a very different path.
While Ragnar is forced to adapt, Maja is determined to resist.
She is taken to the Empire’s capital and paraded as a project — a symbol of civilisation imposed on a conquered people.
But Maja never accepts her role.
Outwardly, she learns the Empire’s customs. She studies their language and culture. But inwardly, she plans her escape.
Maja’s coming of age is shaped by rebellion.
She becomes skilled at subtle defiance. She learns when to wait, when to listen, and when to strike.
Her journey shows the power of inner resistance — of surviving with your identity intact even when everything around you is designed to erase it.
Two Siblings, Two Paths, One Broken WorldWhat I love most about writing Ragnar and Maja is that neither of them has the luxury of a safe childhood.
They both grow up too fast. They both suffer loss, betrayal, and isolation. But their responses are shaped by their circumstances.
Ragnar finds strength in adaptation.
Maja finds strength in resistance.
Both paths are valid. Both paths require courage.
Their parallel arcs reflect the reality of growing up in a broken world.
Some people learn to live within it.
Others fight to change it.
Sometimes, survival means doing both.
Coming of Age in Epic FantasyEpic fantasy has always been a genre where coming of age stories thrive.
But I wanted The Fall of Wolfsbane to approach this theme from a darker, more grounded angle.
I wanted to show how growing up isn’t always about gaining power or reaching a grand destiny.
Sometimes, coming of age is about surviving loss.
Sometimes, it’s about holding on to who you are when everything is taken.
Ragnar and Maja’s journeys are only beginning in The Fall of Wolfsbane.
But their paths are already shaped by the hard lessons of a world torn apart by empire.
Their story is about finding strength in the ruins.
It’s about identity, loyalty, and the cost of survival.
And for both of them, growing up will never mean forgetting where they came from.
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