Lady Thalamina Shepherd
There is no use living with regrets for the past. Shine a light toward the future instead, and dream of better things.
Description: The first thing one might notice about this young woman is the fiery mane of bright red hair that falls loosely from a part at the center of her head, all the way down to just past her waist. Her skin is fair ivory, her face marked by delicate features and a heart-shaped bent. Her eyes are a deep cobalt blue in contrast, brilliant and filled with a depth that leaves her appearing wiser than her years. Her lips are a delicate bow of pale pink, beneath a nose that is perfectly proportioned for her face, while a pair of slim coppery brows slant toward it above those deep blue eyes.
The lady stands at five feet, seven inches in height, her figure slender and graceful in movement, as if her life were a dance, and she the center of the stage. Often, there is a vaguely restless engery about her, as if she'd often rather be doing something else. At other times, she can be found staring off to some distant point, lost in daydreams.
Personality: Thalamina is prone to bouts of daydreaming, often introspective and thoughtful. However, her temperament can change dramatically to passionate and fiery when presented with a matter she feels strongly about. She's known loss in her life, but she doesn't let it cloud her vision for whatever the future may hold.
Background: Lady Thalamina Shepherd is from the branch of the family that backed House Grayson, and maintained its noble standing. When Duke Malcolm was named heir, there was no question of whether or not the family would fall in line. Sure, there were some hard feelings beneath the surface, but House Shepherd prides itself on their loyalty, and so the family united, respecting the decision of the late Duke Gregor Shepherd. Lord Fillian Shepherd married Sunhilda Halfshav, in hopes of strengthening ties between the two Ducal houses. The product of their union was flame-haired Thalamina, and a twin who was lost early on due to a difficult birth, which also took the life of Thalamina's mother, leaving her with only her grieving father to raise her.
It's rumored that the loss of a twin can be extremely difficult, and some believe that is why Thalamina is often found in a quietly introspective state. She can be charming and social when she puts her mind to it, of course, but throughout her childhood, she was always more likely to be found outside under a tree daydreaming, watching the natural world, and tending to the manor gardens, than tending to her studies and learning to be a lady. She did try, of course. She has the basic knowledge of how to be a proper lady. She had fine tutors, but they grew frustrated with her lack of attention, and her father often had to have them replaced. The only subjects which interested her seemed to be the nuances of agriculture, farming, and tending to the land, yet it still wasn't quite enough for her. She wanted to be out in it, out in nature and the world, listening to the songs of birds, and the wind whispering through the trees. It isn't that she spent all her time daydreaming, after all. She did learn some things, useful things, that she might one day be a benefit to the House. Yet, those daydreams were often counter-balanced by occasional bouts of fiery temper, but what it all amounted to was that she was unhappy, but she couldn't exactly say why.
Her father, at a loss for what to do, finally sent her to stay with the Duke, thinking that perhaps she would find her wings among the more... wild, members of the family. And here, she did flourish, because there was no one breathing down her neck, telling her how she should behave. She was given a measure of freedom to be herself, which is all she ever wanted. She spent more time out doors. She got to know her cousins. She learned to ride, and played with the dogs, and almost seemed a normal child. Her father felt he'd made the right choice, and left her there, to her own devices, though he would visit occasionally.
It was during the Silent War that something pulled Thalamina out of her introspection. Her father fought in that war, and died. Now, she had lost the only other member of her immediate family, and she wanted to rail against it. She felt helpless as a baby, alone and afraid. She never had the chance to say goodbye, or that she loved him, because she had been selfishly focused inward, on her own troubles, which she refused to talk about with anyone. So she decided it was time to change herself, if she could. She decided to learn skills that might be useful. Skills that she could be proud of. She learned how to hunt, and wield a bow, and to ride. She learned how to track animals in the woods, and became good friends with cousins who guided her in her efforts to learn how to be useful, next time. Next time, she would be ready, and join the fighting. And she would never take family for granted again.
She can, at times, still be found daydreaming. But now, she has also found a purpose. Thalamina is an excellent scout, and her skill with a bow is nothing to sneeze at. She has, too, a snowy owl companion given to her as a gift when it was still a fledgling. She is a creature of the outdoors, and that is where she prefers to be.
Her training was not yet complete by the time the Gyre War commenced, though she kept up with rumors of it, and longed to be a part of it. It was not until the events at the Lodge that she found any use for her skills, where she assisted with scouting, and fighting off cultists. Friends were lost there too, and she never really understood the full importance of what was at stake. She only knew that it was important, and that she had to be a part of it.
After the Lodge, she found herself once again with little to do. Instead of going back to daydreams, however, she decided instead that it was time to leave Shepherd lands, and come to Arx. So it is that she has come to the center of what seems like everything, in the midst of a time of turmoil, looking always toward the future, with hope, and rarely looking back.
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