ORAKIO'S THEORY:

Whatever happened to Lena? That's the question many fans may wonder when they play through the second generation as Ayn. After being rejected by Rhys, Lena probably returned to Landen to rule in his place. And we never hear from her again... When Ayn's party meets up with Sari in Landen castle's dungeon, Sari says, "I'm Sari, Lena's daughter and ruler of the country of Landen. I have the Power Topaz, but you won't get it without a fight!"

I have emphasized one particular word there to make a point. Sari never states that she is queen of Landen; she simply says that she is a ruler. Now, A Woman Scorned is the only story that mentions what might have happened to Lena between the first and second generations -- she was forced to accept the throne after the king (Rhys's father) had died. Why was she absent during Ayn's time? Because she herself had died of exhaustion, or as Sari thought it, a broken heart.

I disagree with this. I really don't think someone can die of exhaustion, unless it is totally overbearing. Lena was royalty, though! No matter how stressful her job might have been, she wasn't impoverished! She had regular meals, great living conditions, and more. And I doubt her heartbreak over Rhys's rejection would kill her. She seems like an intelligent character; would she actually believe that the Orakian prince would want to marry her after toiling to find Maia? Methinks not. She may have been a little disappointed, but more at herself than anyone for believing that a little schoolgirl crush could end up in marriage.

Okay, now you're thinking, if Lena's not dead, then why don't we see her during Ayn's quest? Simple -- she may have been ill, or she may have been away on diplomatic missions. We don't get to witness the full grandeur of Landen castle, I think, so there are places we don't get to see. Sari says that she is a ruler, and nowhere is it stated that she is queen. One might say, "A princess isn't a ruler; she's an heiress." But remember, even from scant dialogue of PS3, Sari sounds like a headstrong person, so she may have considered herself as one of the rulers of Landen, alongside her mother.

In closing, let's keep in mind that many details of PS3's plot are open ended, so you're free to believe what you want. That's the beauty of it.