Slot taking: Female
Name: Bernedette Doireann Osraige of Ossory (N'dette)
Race: Human (Sorry, changing back to regular human, until I figure out exactly what type for the location her people are from. I've misread some things in the mist of my rush.
)
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Height/Weight: About 5' 6", 144 lbs give or take.
Place of residence: The small duchy of Ossory, part of Lossarnach; a dense population within the northern portion of Gondor.
Brief description of appearance: Dark auburn hair, light blue eyes. N'dette is not a tiny little thing, she carries natural womanly curves, and toned muscles due to her brothers' relentless training. Very fair skinned, she easily burns in the sun if she's not well covered, and every now and then she's lucky enough to hold a tan. Has a few choice scars on her knees and elbows for being more rough than supple, but most of those scars have long been erased by her late mother's special essence oils that promotes rapid healing.
Picture of character:
Weapons:
Damascus Short Swords and Daggers of similar fashion, but smaller than swords.
Daggerlette concept: Strong, sharp, but seems too light and delicate to be a weapon.
She likes archery, but she's 50/50 at making a clean shot. She's very weak with a long sword.
Two Short sword and daggers she can handle, but not the best. Her favorite weapon though is her
daggerlettes, (a set of two that her father's squire,
Elric, designed for her) which is a medium sized throwing knife attached to the end of a light; yet thick metal chain. She hides the weapon in her hair, using it as a ponytail holder or whatnot; or wrapping it around her waist like a belt.
Greatest Strength: Basic survival skills, hunting, foraging, basic melee and sword play, quick minded in major situations, creative. She's a natural musician, playing the harpsichord, fife, and sings like a songbird.
Greatest Weakness: Far too trusting , and far too hard-headed to consider all angles of a situation and the consequences attached to them. And one thing her father continues to thrust before her – no matter how thick, tough and hardened her outside shell might be, she's still too soft and naive on the inside; and therefore, not suitable to anything important alone.
Personality: For such a beautiful young lady of the lush lands of Ossory, Bernedette cannot be compared to the softness of such. She is a contradiction of the term soft, for this young lady, with the beauty, charm and grace of her late mother,
Lady Siobhan McEvoy-Osraige; grew up between two rather rowdy brothers who only wanted to make sure their sister could handle her own. So, think of her as a bit of sweet, and a bit of sour.
Douglan (19) and
Eigwin (26) taught her not to hold her tongue and to strike before your opponent finds his feet. She's learned more about life and living from her brothers than her parents. Although their father,
Duke Robert Einri Osraige, the low protector of the duchy Ossory, prefers that his daughter remain soft and supple for her potential husband–to-be in the near future; he's still proud of his daughter's strength.
She, of course, did not comply with his wishes to keep her sweet feminine demeanor and did all she could to participate in her brothers' more spirited activities and tutelage around their castle. She behaves like the young lady of a duchy before other peerage and noblefolk, but feels more like herself with her toes in the mud, eating fresh grapes off the vines in the vineyard, and running around with nothing but her under dress for a nice dip in the lake.
Other:
Eigwin's squire,
Typhis (Human - 17) and Duke Robert's squire,
Elric (Half Elf - 22), are her two best friends at home, along with
Clare (16), the daughter of her personal maid,
Tabitha. Bernedette is also close friends with her cousin,
Annegail McEvoy (21), daughter of
Duke Nennius McEvoy of Gowran, which sits just within the boarder of Ossory. Nennius is her mother's older brother.
Backstory:
Her older brother Eigwin is the new mighty Strongarm in the family, bringing victory to Gondor, pride to Ossory, and prestige to his family as a high member of the royal military. Douglan has proven himself early in the royal games every year. With everyone leaving their mark upon history, it's a shocker that N'dette holds no famous deeds under her belt. Surely, she would have proven herself somewhere in this world, but her overly-protective father have kept her away from various – opportunities, leaving her with a lack of skill in various topics worthy of notice among a society built on war and survival. All she knows is what her brothers have secretly taught her behind their father' backs.
She asked for one request of her father, at the end of her birthday hunt with the peerage of Ossory – the fiefdoms under her father's care. She asked if, one day, she could lead a hunt without him or her brothers to manage her. All she wished was to have Typhis and Elric to escort her instead. After many months of begging with no results, finally before the Autumn leaves began to fall, her father gave in. Lord Robert was a strict stone-hearted man at times, and only the tears of his daughter's heart can melt him. He gave in with one warning he made her swear to – not to head to the southern acres of their family lands, for they were tainted with legends that have been proven more than once to be true.
With just three bloodhounds, and Typhis and Elric by her side, she begins her new day with a heart full of – opportunities. Unknown to her, this day brings more than just - a good hunt.
Writing Sample:
Low fog continue to roll in thickly over the muted green fields before the small group of young hunters as their mounts calmly marched through the dew covered ground towards the east. Good, and safe, hunting grounds were located closer to the Kells Priory sitting alongside King's River, only a hop away from her home of Ossory, and several miles away from the center capital of Lossarnach. Bernadette knew why her father's allowed her to hunt there – so that her uncle Nennius could keep a keen eye on her. That was an unfair advantage; but it mattered not, because she had made other plans.
"Lady N'dette, you gave Lord Osraige your word!"
It was quite clear that Elric, her father's squire who was four years older than her, would be the one attempting to teach her reason. It was wise that she decided to tell him of her idea after they've left her father's sight.
"It's only for a few hours. You know the southern lands have the best hunt. And besides, it's still early. By the time we reach the cemetery it will still be mid-morning. We hunt, we rest, we return in plenty of time before the evening's done. Father won't be the wiser."
"I like it!" Squire Typhis cheered, and he would - being her only true friend at the estate. "It sure beats prancing around the Kells. There's never any good kills there, except for a handful of rabbits. I'm tired of rabbit…"
"My point exactly!"
"It's not safe…and besides, to reach the south and hunt takes a half a day there, and a half a day return. There's no time to hunt within the time you've stated, unless you're planning on camping. We have no equipment for camping…"
No, they didn't… That would have given her plan away.
"I'm not planning a rest - to, or back."
Elric grunted, "That's ridiculous! You're not prepped for long travel like that; a young lady of your stature…"
"Ah, there you go! Elric," Bernadette rousted.
"I'm warning ya! I've told you more than once, you're not my father. I don't care if he's given you the clearance to treat me like a child, and I don't care how much of 'a lady' I am! I can still ring you neck in a bout!" Her fist shook in his general direction and her horse neighed in laughter, having witnessed this threat develop into various wrestling matches on more than one occasion in the stables.
Elric, recalling the few times she did honestly get the best of him, his eyes rose in defense, but then he blushed, "All because I am obligated to allow it, M'Lady," giving a silly smirk and a mock bow above his horse towards her – too smitten and high on his comeback to realize that his charge had already navigated the small party into a new direction.
*****
Without any more arguments, for the few that helped the group pass the time were rather lengthy and easily won by the Lady or a majority ruling, the three friends finally reached the southern acres. Their timing was sharp, with only a few forced stops to water their horses and the occasional personal pit stop. The sun stood high above their heads indicating the afternoon when they trend into the Ossory Forest.
Its thick lining of ancient trees and overgrowth underfoot made the area seem foredoomed – dark, mysteriously drenched in the old tales and myths that's built it's lure over the years and down the generations. They had been there tons of times with a full hunting party – for various reasons: occasions for celebration or political meetings to privately agree without lots of pomp. This was the first time the young group had entered alone, without the honorable nobles tested in war to back them up if one of those old legends – happen to be true after all.
"This was a bad idea," Elric whispered, trying his best not to speak louder than the sounds of the forest around them. "We should turn back, Lady N'Dette. As of right now, if we do so, we'll be back early enough for a good meal. This trick was already doomed from the start. Are you truly planning to hunt now? If we do, we won't be back before sunset." She ignored it all, even the underlying caution of the unknown he dared not claim with words.
Her eyes were glued on the eerily beauty she saw before her. The woods always seem dark and scary to her during regular hunts, even when surrounded by knights. Today was no different, except for the fact that this time she was alone – in a sense. She was with her friends, whose seen battle but never participated in it. They were all good hunters, but still green to a lot of things about the techniques and principles of such. The difference that made the forest seem more picturesque, more delightfully intriguing and more acceptable to her presence was because - as of right now – it all belonged to her. She was alone within it's elements – taking the reins of her independence to prove, once and for all, that she was more than just a pretty face trained to be a high-maintenance legacy provider for some prince she's never even met.
Bernadette was her own woman now and she planned to prove it with her first kill.
Typhis, her older brother's squire, moved his horse closer to her side, staring at his friend as she was lost in thought. "I'm with you, Lady N'Dette. What is your word?"
Smiling green eyes met his,
"We shall make one kill, and then return quickly. The forest spirits are with us – they will make sure that one is better than all others."
"I can't do this," Elric began to back away. "I'm sending for your father. I must!"
"ELRIC, DON'T!"
It was too late. He turned his horse and began a race against the sun to return to the Osraige castle quickly, as he promised his liege if Bernadette ventured too far from course. She watched him leave until there was no trace of his departure. Turning back, she knew it was now or never. If she didn't make one worthy kill that night, her father will never let her out of his sight forever. And participation in any hunts in the future – she might as well enter a nunnery.
"Typhis, let's go. Keep your eyes sharp. We just need one worthy kill."
Typhis nodded, but hesitated, "Do - you believe in the stories told about this place?"
"No, unless I see the proof for myself. Until then, I'm not allowing for anything to end my quest."
With that, the two set their horses in motion as they prepared their bows. Quietly, they entered the forest and heading straight towards the old Osraige family cemetery.
*****
Lord Osraige's guards found Bernadette and Typhis rather quickly, for both had had the scare of their lives and were bolting out of the forest just when the search party reached the cemetery. Both were covered in a variety of leaves, with bows held to their sides and quivers empty. When Bernadette saw her father sitting high and stern on his horse, her eyes widened, far more fearful seeing his stone face than from the spook that rushed her small party out of the forest.
"Father…I can explain!"
"You mean to say, you have another woven tale to entertain me and my guards again? This time, one that is spiced with sneaking out on some secret scheme to venture into forbidden locations, along with your trusty squire…"
Typhis sat upon his horse low with his head lowered in shame. Bernadette shook her head, not intending for anyone to be punished for her poor planning.
"But father, look!" She guided her horse forwards; behind him, laying on a drag-along, were two bucks of fine pedigree with horns worthy of mounting.
Her father shook his head, "You placed lives in danger, including yours, for what? To prove something to me I already knew!?" He maneuvered his horse to the side of hers and cupped her chin with his weathered hand. "I know how fine of a hunter you are, but this place…hold dangers I don't wish for you to run into. You should have listened. So now, you will deal with the consequences dutifully, like the lady you are."
"But Father!"
"As I say!"
His final word cut off her tongue.
"As you say…"
Encircled by the guards, Bernadette and Typhis returned home to a fitting punishment. Regardless, deep down, N'dette was determined to gain her father's respect and pride…someday… When she reached home, one of the young maids and dear friend, Clare, rushed out with a parchment held in her hand. A Bernadette's father marched away, Clare slipped through the guards escorting Bernadette to her room.
"N'dette, N'dette, I have a letter for you!"
Stunned, for rarely does she gain such a gift as a letter from her distant friends....if they can recall her name. Clare handed her the letter and followed her while she read it to herself, making sure the guards did not scan the etches over her shoulder. When secure in her room, Bernadette squealed out in joy and quickly began to scrounge through her things to pack a bag.
"Why are you so happy, N'dette? You father just punished you to your room for the entire week!"
"Because, dear Cherub, I've got plans to make, places to go, things to see!" Twirling on her toes, she tossed clothing items about as she enthusiastically prepared.
"You're not to tell anyone, but I'll be taking on this quest and making a name for myself. Don't try to talk me out of it."
Clare attempted to do just that, but she knew her friend was far too strong-willed to listen to her good advice. Nevertheless, she promised to not speak, and together they planned another daring escape for young Bernadette.
Supplies: Mostly, with Clare's help, she packed practically everything belonging to her she could fit in her large carpet bag; boots, a nice dress, pants, jerkin, cloak, extra blouse and unmentionables, gloves, stockings, wide brim hat, her money purse...the usual. But, she also was able to sneak away with her older brother's money pouch, a fishing rod, her barely used bow and arrows, two short swords she uses mainly when practicing, daggers and her daggerlettes, an herb pouch with some of her mother's favorite mixes and essence oils. She grabbed some food items: bread, cheese, honey, water skins, jerkys, some dried fruits, and wild boar horns (usually sanded down for seasoning). Other than that, her unique horse,
Margot, and her hunting dog,
Koven, who was determined to follow her even after she tied him up in the stables.
(Travel Attire: Undershirt, Overshirt, Jerkin with leggings and ankle boots, cloak.)
Koven (Large breed Carn Corso)
Oh, and another little thing, unknown to her, N'dette has another tag-along.
Elric, headed to the stables to apologize to N'dette for getting her in trouble, over heard her conversation with Clare as she packed up her horse. Realizing what she was about to do, instead of fetching her father, Elric quickly gathered his things from his room at the squire cabins behind the stables and fetched his horse. (I will probably write out a small template for him as well, but he's an NPC charrie, one that will not remain in the story for too long.) With long sword and detachable spear staffs strapped to his horse, food and cloak, and other items for a long travel, Elric tracked N'dette; keeping far from her sight, but close to her heels.
Dialogue color:
Bernadette Elric
(you know how hard it is to find a hobit! by the way here is the person 
