Post by Tallaith on Oct 22, 2009 16:19:21 GMT -5
This post is a spoiler so don't read on unless you want to know more about her character without RP. I'll add more later as I decide a bit more about her next motivations.
My name is Leasung Gyldenfeax and I doubt anyone would believe I wrote this, let alone scribbled out my own name!
If so, my job is done well. My name is a bit of a joke, you see, given to me as a pet name by my own Grandmother. "Leasung" means stories, lies, falsehoods, though the context depends on the circumstance, I suppose. I chose my own surname to travel under, a nice vague term meaning "golden-haired." Those two simple words are the first part of my disguise.
I am seventeen years old. At home, in the Mark, I am a grown lass who is more than suitable to find a good husband. Perhaps not so highly-bred as if Braem had not disgraced us; but even in the shadow of shame, a second daughter of Theoden King's cousin deserves more than a mere miller or brewer. When I return home, I expect my dowry to be given to no less than a highly-ranked Officer in the Riders of the Mark.
The tale of Braem, who married my mother-sister Maewynne, is too deep and too tightly-knotted with lies and suppositions for even myself to try to recount accurtately. In brief summary, Maewynne was a lady at the court of the King who caught the eye of a common-born, but very honorable, Commander in Theoden's ranks. Her elopement caused a bit of a scandal, but such things were easy to overlook when the couple was so promising; she was a learned and attentive lady, he was a rising star in a sky of brilliance illuminating the battlefield.
Maewynne had many admirers over the decade she and Braem lived at court. She had five children and her looks remained as fresh and beguiling as ever when Braem finally discovered her indescretions.
He found her in the arms of one of his own trusted advisors. They spoke harshly, the advisor promised a great weregild, and matters were settled. Until half a year later, when Braem acted in the murk of too much wine and split open the head of Maewynne's estranged lover in a tavern brawl.
Rather than disgrace his wife's clan, Braem moved his entire family out of the kingdom before the banishment could even be proclaimed. But the shame and scandal were too much, and my Mother could not bear the whispers and serpentine looks at Theoden King's house. She threw herself into a flooded river when I was a new babe. I never knew her.
I grew up in a loose circle of other disgraced members of Maewynne's family. Most were stubborn and refused to give up their positions of favor even though they were the constant subjects of gossip and derision. My Grandmother raised me mostly, sending me to study with the few scholars Theoden kept in his employ and pushing me off on any bard who visited to learn what I could from their recitations.
As any good shield-maiden of Rohan, I had a bit of training in the finer aspects of combat. A lady of my lineage, no matter how sullied my name was by recent scandal, was only taught some basic skills and the more courtly and decortative aspects of even those. I was raised to be a soldier's wife and that will suit me fine when I return.
As soon as I could hold a charcoal pencil, I could write. As soon as I could hold a scroll, I could read. I learn languages and the mannerisms of others as well as some folks learn the steps of a dance. I am known among my family as one of the greatest intellects in the bloodline; my cleverness is surpassed by my cunning and skill with falsehoods. Hence the nickname my Grandmother bestowed on me when the pain of calling me "Maewynne" became an aching reminder to all around us.
Seventeen years of living as a begrudged member of the House of Theoden taught me many things about the truth of life for any class of people. I learned how even the lowest house servant can make a living selling crusts of bread from the King's table to the even lower hirelings in the stables and fields. Coin and cattle bought all sorts of favors in that House, though the corruption was of a benign sort and not likely to bring a great boil to the face of Rohan; there was a greater disease slumbering in the King's House, though I do not know what it could be.
A half a year ago, word came to my Grandmother that Maewynne's daughter, Ceallian, still lived and was fairly well, though a widow in the company of brigands and theives in Bree-Land. This pleased the matriarch, but the news that Maewynne's daughter was bound to marry a Man of questionable bloodlines who showed no sign of bringing her back to her anscestral home sent my Grandmother into a panic.
I dreaded another season spent in the House of the King, whose behavior grew ever stranger, and I also had no love for the upcoming parade of Men who would be brought to meet my Grandmother to be interviewed as prospective mates. I decided to volunteer to travel to meet Ceallian, convince her that her marriage was foolish, and bring her back to my Grandmother's care. It took me nearly a week of arguments followed by bitterly cold silence to convince my Grandmother that I deserved a bit of a tour of the world before I settled down as a good wife and mother; she always held the opinion that I had been slighted by a name stained before I was even born and therefore was owed many things other noble lasses had that I did not.
She hired me a veritable caravan as an escort to Bree-Town. I remained in a wagon most of the time, too sick by the lurching of the wheels in the rutted roads to ride much in a saddle. The journey was uneventful and now my Men wait for me in a small village outside Bree-Town called Combe for my call to return.
I live under a guise of a simple country lass because it both suits me and amuses me. I do not know all I may learn because people think I am as plain as the scullery lasses I mock in my mannerisms; I do not know how long I can live this way without someone discovering my true nature. My cousin, Ceallian, accepts me as what I present myself to be but at times I think she knows.
My conquest of Bree-Town was a bit late. Ceallian is married now and has a bairn on the way before Yuletide. While I wait for more instruction from my Grandmother as to how to move on, I think I will amuse myself a while with Ceallian's crowd of friends.
My name is Leasung Gyldenfeax and I doubt anyone would believe I wrote this, let alone scribbled out my own name!
If so, my job is done well. My name is a bit of a joke, you see, given to me as a pet name by my own Grandmother. "Leasung" means stories, lies, falsehoods, though the context depends on the circumstance, I suppose. I chose my own surname to travel under, a nice vague term meaning "golden-haired." Those two simple words are the first part of my disguise.
I am seventeen years old. At home, in the Mark, I am a grown lass who is more than suitable to find a good husband. Perhaps not so highly-bred as if Braem had not disgraced us; but even in the shadow of shame, a second daughter of Theoden King's cousin deserves more than a mere miller or brewer. When I return home, I expect my dowry to be given to no less than a highly-ranked Officer in the Riders of the Mark.
The tale of Braem, who married my mother-sister Maewynne, is too deep and too tightly-knotted with lies and suppositions for even myself to try to recount accurtately. In brief summary, Maewynne was a lady at the court of the King who caught the eye of a common-born, but very honorable, Commander in Theoden's ranks. Her elopement caused a bit of a scandal, but such things were easy to overlook when the couple was so promising; she was a learned and attentive lady, he was a rising star in a sky of brilliance illuminating the battlefield.
Maewynne had many admirers over the decade she and Braem lived at court. She had five children and her looks remained as fresh and beguiling as ever when Braem finally discovered her indescretions.
He found her in the arms of one of his own trusted advisors. They spoke harshly, the advisor promised a great weregild, and matters were settled. Until half a year later, when Braem acted in the murk of too much wine and split open the head of Maewynne's estranged lover in a tavern brawl.
Rather than disgrace his wife's clan, Braem moved his entire family out of the kingdom before the banishment could even be proclaimed. But the shame and scandal were too much, and my Mother could not bear the whispers and serpentine looks at Theoden King's house. She threw herself into a flooded river when I was a new babe. I never knew her.
I grew up in a loose circle of other disgraced members of Maewynne's family. Most were stubborn and refused to give up their positions of favor even though they were the constant subjects of gossip and derision. My Grandmother raised me mostly, sending me to study with the few scholars Theoden kept in his employ and pushing me off on any bard who visited to learn what I could from their recitations.
As any good shield-maiden of Rohan, I had a bit of training in the finer aspects of combat. A lady of my lineage, no matter how sullied my name was by recent scandal, was only taught some basic skills and the more courtly and decortative aspects of even those. I was raised to be a soldier's wife and that will suit me fine when I return.
As soon as I could hold a charcoal pencil, I could write. As soon as I could hold a scroll, I could read. I learn languages and the mannerisms of others as well as some folks learn the steps of a dance. I am known among my family as one of the greatest intellects in the bloodline; my cleverness is surpassed by my cunning and skill with falsehoods. Hence the nickname my Grandmother bestowed on me when the pain of calling me "Maewynne" became an aching reminder to all around us.
Seventeen years of living as a begrudged member of the House of Theoden taught me many things about the truth of life for any class of people. I learned how even the lowest house servant can make a living selling crusts of bread from the King's table to the even lower hirelings in the stables and fields. Coin and cattle bought all sorts of favors in that House, though the corruption was of a benign sort and not likely to bring a great boil to the face of Rohan; there was a greater disease slumbering in the King's House, though I do not know what it could be.
A half a year ago, word came to my Grandmother that Maewynne's daughter, Ceallian, still lived and was fairly well, though a widow in the company of brigands and theives in Bree-Land. This pleased the matriarch, but the news that Maewynne's daughter was bound to marry a Man of questionable bloodlines who showed no sign of bringing her back to her anscestral home sent my Grandmother into a panic.
I dreaded another season spent in the House of the King, whose behavior grew ever stranger, and I also had no love for the upcoming parade of Men who would be brought to meet my Grandmother to be interviewed as prospective mates. I decided to volunteer to travel to meet Ceallian, convince her that her marriage was foolish, and bring her back to my Grandmother's care. It took me nearly a week of arguments followed by bitterly cold silence to convince my Grandmother that I deserved a bit of a tour of the world before I settled down as a good wife and mother; she always held the opinion that I had been slighted by a name stained before I was even born and therefore was owed many things other noble lasses had that I did not.
She hired me a veritable caravan as an escort to Bree-Town. I remained in a wagon most of the time, too sick by the lurching of the wheels in the rutted roads to ride much in a saddle. The journey was uneventful and now my Men wait for me in a small village outside Bree-Town called Combe for my call to return.
I live under a guise of a simple country lass because it both suits me and amuses me. I do not know all I may learn because people think I am as plain as the scullery lasses I mock in my mannerisms; I do not know how long I can live this way without someone discovering my true nature. My cousin, Ceallian, accepts me as what I present myself to be but at times I think she knows.
My conquest of Bree-Town was a bit late. Ceallian is married now and has a bairn on the way before Yuletide. While I wait for more instruction from my Grandmother as to how to move on, I think I will amuse myself a while with Ceallian's crowd of friends.