Alias: Hattie
Description: In appearance, At'iana is by no means anything special. She is somewhat plain, and the only remarkable thing about her is how completely normal she is. Should you ask, those who remember her name and appearance may say that she is quite plain, however this is not the case. Rather than being an obvious beauty, it is the little things about At'iana's body that make her stand out. Her mouse brown hair is cut short by comparison to other women for practicality, and is roughly cut just below her shoulders, outlining the feminine shape of her face and framing her eyes. The color of melted honey, her warm bronze hues are incredibly expressive and open, allowing people to read her like a book. Her lips are naturally an inviting crimson in color, and often rest in an easy, unassuming smile.
Her skin, lightly tanned from hours spent toiling beneath the relentless sun, is soft and mostly even, though she is scarred. Her most remarkable scar is on her right forearm, from some forgotten farming injury and it is little more than a pale, silvery flaw in her skin. Her knees bare the scars of hours spend kneeling on hard ground, and her hands bare the calluses and worn skin won by hours spent wielding tools in her papas fields. At'iana's body is undeniably feminine. She is subtly toned, but slim. Her shoulders aren't wide, and give way to a less than ample chest and a slim waist and flat stomach. Her body widens with her hips, before giving way to her long, toned legs.
Normally, At'iana will be seen wearing simple garments. Often, she wears a basic white shirt and belt and long black skirt that highlight the curve of her waist. These are old clothes, handed down to her by her mother as she grew, and have the look of use about them. The skirt is patchy and fraying at the hem, while the shirt is a little too big. Although At'iana prefers to go barefoot, she also wears simple leather shoes to protect her feet. In the winter months, At'iana wears a rich cloak that was crafted for her by her mother. For more formal occasions, At'iana wears a simple blue and white dress, and it is the only item of clothing that her family truly bought for her. Always, she wears a ring that was passed down to her by her late grandmother. In general, At'iana is a hidden beauty of a young woman, whose petite body and shy attractiveness is often overlooked.
Age: 20
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: October 6th, 574
Birthplace: Cre' Est
Current Location/Residence: Cre' Est, The Canukienne Farm
Ethnicity: Irlean
Height: 5'4
Weight: 124lbs
Frame/Build: Slim, but athletic
Hair Color: Mouse brown
Hair Length: Shoulder length
Eye Color: Dark brown
Distinguishable Markings: None, except for the scar on her forearm
Complexion: Lightly tanned skin
Voice Type: Soprano
Behavioral Quirks: When nervous, At'iana has a habit of twisting her ring around her finger. She also bites her lower lip when thinking. At'iana has a major fear of being put on the spot
Political Affiliation: Monarchy
Social Class: Commoner
Occupation: Farmer
Religious Beliefs: Theocrata
Family:
Father - Local farmer
Mother - Farmer's wife
Older brother - Married and works an inn with his wife
Younger brother - Works on the farm and attends school twice a week, hopes to own the farm after his father
Younger sister - Attends school, hopes to become a princess
Youngest brother - Three months old
Fiance - A cobbler, lives in the nearest village
Personality: Having had a somewhat sheltered upbringing, At'iana might first appear to be naive, and in part, this is true. She always tries to see the best in people, and she can be blind to the faults of others. She is always kind and caring, with a tendency to love easily. She is trusting, almost to a fault, and will often blindly follow someone who carries an air of command. She is shy, and uncertain of herself, even though she loves to laugh, and loves to be free. Many would see her as a little simple, but this is definitely not the case. Although At'iana may seem incredibly guileless, this couldn't be more wrong. Although she is virtuous, and innocent, this is due more to her protected upbringing.
In reality, At'iana has an incredible capacity for leadership, courage, and fearlessness, however this is only a potential that she is waiting to discover. As she is very comfortable in her current life, any changes are difficult, and make her nervous, but shown the right path At'iana could become a livelier person. She is comfortable around almost anyone, provided the relationship is simply companionable. Placed in a romantic setting, At'iana is normally completely at ease, but this is because she can sometimes confuse feelings of love with feelings of friendship. Around men that she feels romantic feelings for, At'iana becomes somewhat comically clumsy. She is unfortunately easy to take advantage of, under most occasions, but she is nevertheless able to take care of herself.
However, there is still the undeniable fact that At’iana portrays these characteristics due to her simple upbringing. Should she be placed in a setting where her personality would be able to develop and grow, it would be revealed that actually she is a lot more than would first seem. She is humorous, loud, and curious, though she will never lose the kindness that makes, and she must never be mistaken for less than intelligent.
Strengths: At’iana is physically strong because of the amount of time she spends working on the farm. She is charismatic, and quietly self confident. She rides horses well, and has impeccable balance and she learns quickly. Though she has received no combat training, she responds instinctively in combat.
Weaknesses: At’iana is rather unassuming and innocent, and a little helpless in complicated social situations. One of her greatest assets is also her greatest weakness; that she loves her friends too easily and too passionately. She would sacrifice anything for them. She has no combat training, making her ore of a liability in battle until someone shows her how to take care of herself.
Equipment: In a small hip bag, At’iana carries a small pouch of seed. Although it is not nutritional or tasty, it is filling, and in an emergency will suffice to curb hunger. She also carries a pouch of money – roughly 30 bronze pieces and a silver piece. She also has a small dagger for emergencies.
Biography: The first fallen leaf of autumn had just landed upon the damp earth when a young woman gave birth to her second child. At'iana was born on October 6th, to a farmer and his wife, and she was everything to the young couple. Back then, the farm was just a tiny smallholding nestled in the valley of two hills. There, life was sheltered and there would never be any threat from life on the outside. The farm, The Canukienne Family Farm, was host to only a dozen sheep, a small apple orchard, and a couple of chickens and pigs. It was nothing special, and it wasn't large, but to a tiny newborn babe, it was her entire world. Her older brother worked the farm alongside his father, and as At'iana grew, so did the farm. By the time she was six, At'iana was given chores around the farm to keep her busy. Mostly, this involved feeding the chickens in the morning before breakfast, and in the evening, and collecting the eggs. Her mother taught her numbers and letters, and although At'iana struggled with her letters, she excelled at numbers. And then, her younger brother was born. He was a beautiful baby, and At’iana, in her youth, loved him from the moment she laid eyes upon him.
As she grew older, her father began to take her on trips to the nearby village when he went to sell his produce. The first time that she went, she fell in love with the life and the noise of the market and the sounds and smells. She was seven at the time, and she returned with her papa every two weeks after. In comparison to bigger cities, the little village was tiny, filthy, and uncultured, but the difference between the village and her home made At’iana’s imagination soar. As the years went on, and the farm became more prosperous, it also expanded. By the time she was ten, the orchard had grown, and At’iana’s father had invested in more land for crops like corn and wheat. He also bought more sheep, and the flock swelled to be more than a hundred, causing him to buy a couple of sheep dogs to help with the herding. There were more chickens, a few milk cows, but none of them captured her heart more than the horse that her papa bought.
The horse was just three years old, and young still. He was spritely and free, with a coat as black as a starless night. Seeing how his daughter fell in love with the horse, At’iana soon gained the chores of caring for him. She named him Charcoal, but affectionately referred to him as her own Charky. Around the farm, Charky was used for work in the fields and pulling the cart to market every fortnight, but At’iana rode him.
It was shortly after this that her younger sister was born. The birth was difficult, and her mother and the midwife that helped with the birth, had to call in the eleven year old At’iana to help. Her calming presence soothed her agonized mother, and between the three of them, they delivered the baby girl.
In the following years, At’iana took on more responsibility at the lively farm. Her little brother took on the responsibility for the chickens, and At’iana was given the chore of milking the cows in the morning before she could eat. She then would clean out Charky’s stable, and feed the horse, before feeding all of the other animals too. It was hard work, but At’iana loved every moment of her simple and demanding childhood.
When she was twelve, At’iana, as usual, went to the nearby village with her papa. They had a cart full of sheep’s wool, and apples and pears, and eggs, and a couple of chickens. It was a healthy produce, and At’iana was driving the cart, with Charky pulling. It was nothing special, and she was in high spirits. At market, At’iana was sent by her father to the local cobbler to have a pair of shoes mended. It was then that At’iana met the boy that would one day become her fiancé. His name was Sen’jan, and he was sweet, gullible, and kind. He was just the plain sort of young man that her mother and father had envisioned her to marry.
After that, there is little to say. Time went on as time has a habit of doing, and At’iana continued to work on the farm. Sometimes she would spend afternoons watching the sheep, or out with Charky. She filled her free time with small hobbies, though there was little enough time spare. She helped her mother raise her young siblings, clean the house, or mend clothing, but for pure fun, At’iana played the simple reed flute. Sen’jan proposed marriage to her upon her nineteenth birthday, after their relationship developed from friendship to courtship. Of course, he gained her parents’ permission, and the entire ordeal was incredibly cliché and very romantic. At’iana loved Sen’jan, but not as he loved her. She appreciated his company, but there was little prospect in better men, so At’iana deigned to settle. She said yes, though secretly, she was not thrilled with the idea. To distract from the probably dull life that she would likely have married to the cobbler, At’iana took on more responsibility at the farm, and in later months, At’iana took over much of the trading aspect of the business, taking the opportunity every fortnight to take produce to market and visit her fiancé and her older brother, who had married and settled down with a beautiful young lady. Her brother now ran the best inn in the village with his loving wife.
So, At’iana’s life went on. At’iana continued to work the farm, with no hopes, and no ambitions of any kind. She grew strong, but bent always to the will of her doting mother and father. Rumor reached them of unrest between two anonymous factions, but to the family on the farm, it truly was nothing more than rumor.
Despite the repetitive nature of her life, it never occurred to At’iana to want for anything else. She was content with her monotonous existence, even though she often felt like there should be more to living than feeding the animals. She internally craved freedom, not even knowing that she wanted more than her average fiancé and her average life. Though she never suffered any sadness, or anger, and knew nothing but happiness, the rumors that reached her struck a resounding chord.
