OOC: I am a friendly person. I am a college student studying Integrated Marketing and my day job is helping special needs children. I enjoy creative outlets such as singing, reading, writing, and drawing (though I do not claim to be good at them all!). I am a fairly big nerd and will be happy to discuss Zelda. Skyrim, Harry Potter, Mario, Pokemon, a variety of anime and korean dramas as well. I love making new friends! If you are on Balmung please do not hesitate to send me /tell saying hello!
IC: The following is what I currently have written for my character. I will try to update it once it's finished!
Prologue
Nestled deep within a mountainous valley of Orthard, amid the trees and beside a small lake stood an Aurian village. This village was not a day’s journey from Doma by foot, but so hidden within its valley was it that it rarely saw outsiders visit. Small though it was, it was full of kind and happy Auri of the Raen clan. Their lives were simple and they needed little as they often shared all they had with each other. It was within this village, on the 13th Sun of the First Astral Moon that a daughter, pale as the moon with hair the color of Chocobo down and eyes of deep silver, was born.
As the Auri coupled gazed down at their sleeping child, the first rays of the sunrise crept over the horizon and landed gently upon her pale cheek, a blessing from the Dawn Father. It was then her parents knew their daughter was special. Blessed by the Dawn Father’s light, she was to grow up to be a priestess for her God. To reflect this they bestowed upon her the name Czarina Arunika, meaning Queen of the Morning Light.
The young babe grew into a kind hearted and beloved child, beloved not only by her parents, but by her entire village as well. She studied with the Dawn Father priestesses in the art of healing and magic so that one day she would be able to lay the blessings of her God on the suffering and ease their pain. Though pale by nature, her personality could light up a room. She learned to sing and play the hand harp, her voice often ringing through the evening air as the villagers gathered to listen.
It was on one such evening in the 14th year of her life that a merchant and his crew arrived in the village to sell their wares. Entranced by her song, the merchant stood at the back of the crowd and listened, watching the young Au Ra girl. This merchant had traveled far, from the city state of Ul’dah to the land of the Auri and never before had he seen such a beautiful young creature. Innocent, kind, and intelligent beyond her years he was instantly infatuated with her. He observed her every movement in the coming days as he stayed to peddle his goods. When he left he knew that he would return, and when he did he would not leave without her.
I.
Another year went by and on the eve of her 15th name day Czarina was being prepared to enter the Dawn Father Priestesshood. The village was preparing a banquet in her honor, decorations hung from every light post and strings of garland wound down their poles. Through the center of the town square a large table had been prepared. Here the village would feast together before the ceremony. Amid all the hustle and bustle, as villagers prepared for the coming events, a familiar face appeared.
The merchant, accompanied by his two guards, had come to the village under the guise of guests. They were here, not for the ceremony, but for the opportunity it would present. As every priestess before her, Czarina would face a trial. She would be turned to the woods for the night where she would meditate and pray, taking a spiritual journey. For every Priestess the experience is different and none could prepare her for the one she was to undertake. After her journey she would arise and emerge from the woods. If there was no morning light that day, such as a storm or clouds blocked its light, this would be a sign the Father had rejected the girl. Would that she emerged basking in the morning light’s glow the village would know and accept her as a Priestess.
The merchant had studied these ways over the year and had learned of the ritual. He knew the girl would be sent out into the woods, alone and vulnerable. This he would use to his advantage.
The evening drew on and the village gathered for its celebration. Czarina was presented adorned in a gown of white, her pale hair hanging down across her shoulders. She smiled and laughed, danced and sang with her village members, unaware of the eyes that followed her or their sinister desires. As night fell and the moon rose high into the night sky Czarina was led into the woods, to a sacred grove where she whispered farewells and sank to her knees, gazing up at the sky. She knew not what she was to do and, though she didn’t want to admit it, she was scared. Never before has she spent the night away from her people. Nor had she ever been away from another’s presence for so long. She shivered in the cool spring air, her gown doing little to warm her body. As the night wore on she became drowsy and eventually fell into a slumber. She awoke to the feel of a rag being forced over her face. She struggled momentarily, before the chemicals she had breathed in did their trick. The last thing she saw as the world faded to black around her was the face of a man.
II.
When Czarina began to come to she was aroused by the gentle swaying of a carriage and the sound of hushed voices. She opened her eyes, the sun blindingly bright as it peeked over the horizon, kissing her cheek. Had her journey already ended? Was this the Dawn Father’s sign of her acceptance? She made motion to rise, but realized to her dismay that her hands and feet both were bound in rope and looped through a railing at the side of the carriage. She was immediately alert and sat up quickly. The voices stopped. She turned to look at the driver of the carriage. A young man, no older than his early 20s was seated on the bench. He gazed down at her from behind a lock of dirty blonde hair, his blue eyes colder than ice. He smiled.
“Good morning little priestess,†he said in a voice that made the hair rise on the back of her neck. “Did you enjoy your slumber?†Czarina looked around her, saying nothing. In her mind she was attempting to determine how she had landed in this situation. “Fear not little one, I shall take good care of you, very good care of you.â€
The man reached down and stroked Czarina’s cheek. She pulled away recoiling from his touch. The man laughed. “You will soon grow to love my touch I assure you Czarina.â€
She startled at the sound of his name and finally spoke. “Who are you and why have you bound me so? Is this a part of my trial?â€
“I am Daemyon, but you will refer to me as your master.â€
Czarina felt chills run down her spine at his words. “I will call you no such thing as the only master I serve is the Dawn Father,†she spat. “Return me at once to my village. I go no further with you!â€
Daemyon’s head swung back, his laughter ringing out through the woods, echoing its cruel sound from the tree tops and weighing down on Czarina. The two guards, seated on chocoboback, one on either side of the carriage, looked at her and grinned. She stared back at them defiantly, unwilling to let them think her weak though the fear she felt had her heart hammering in her ears. Finally she looked back to Daemyon.
“Oh little dragon girl, your Dawn Father god does not exist. He is a figment of your imagination. I, on the other hand, am very real as you will soon find out,†his gaze roaming over her body. Czarina was suddenly aware she was still dressed in the thin white gown from the ceremony. It was barely more than a slip and did little for her modesty. She blushed harshly, the blood rising to her cheeks like liquid fire. She looked down.
“I would ask you to keep your eyes on the road ahead sir,†she said, trying her best to sound angry and hoping the crackle in her voice wouldn’t be recognized for the fear it was.
“My eyes will roam wherever they please slave. You would do well to learn to hold that tongue of yours before it gets you hurt,†Daemyon replied angrily.
This time it was anger that spoke for Czarina. “Slave!? Slave or not you would do well to stop thinking I would ever lay with you! I’d rather bed a goobbue!â€
Before she could react Daemyon exploded from his seat, his hand wrapping around her throat, squeezing slightly. She could hear the guards on either side draw their weapons, ready to defend their master if anything were to go wrong. “Perhaps when you have reached old age and your body has withered to a raisin leaving it undesirable I shall cast you into a whole lot of them and let them take their turn upon you, until then you are mine and you best accept that!†He crushed his lips to hers in what Czarina could only assume was a kiss, grinding his lips into hers harshly. She felt a small prick as the pressure of his mouth on hers caused her to cut her lip on a tooth, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth.
Daemyon pulled away, staring at her hungrily. She raised a hand to her lip, running her finger over the cut and seeing it covered in blood. She glared up at him and spat, spraying him with blood. Daemyon wiped the spit and blood from his face, rage shaking him. Czarina was looking down to wipe her fingers and didn’t see his hand rise up until the force of it crashing down upon her cheek threw her against the side of the carriage. She struggled to look up at her assailant when pain blossomed on the opposite side of her face, matching the other as he struck her again. The world spun around Czarina. “You will learn your place bitch or you will die.†His hand came crashing down once more and the world began to grow dark. She struggled to keep conscious, but the warm embrace of darkness swallowed her whole and she felt no more.
III.
When Czarina awoke the sun was high in the sky. Her head pounded and she felt dried blood caked around her mouth. She lay there a moment gathering her strength and reflecting on what happened. She realized that she had been kidnapped. Her mind raced with plans to escape and return home. The thought of her village brought tears to her eyes. She knew everyone must be worried. A priestess had never before failed to return from her trial. She gazed up, feeling the sun on her skin. She realized that the dawn this morning had been particularly bright. Had she returned to her village, she would be a priestess now. She blinked the tears back from her eyes and sat up with a grimace, her head swirling with pain.
As she sat up, the gown she was wearing fell apart. Her stomach dropped as she realized it had been ripped open down the front, bearing her naked for anyone to see. She quickly wrapped the remaining scraps of her gown back around her body, hiding her figure as best she could. She realized then that her hands had been unbound and so were her feet. She thought for a moment she was free until she saw the glint of silver around her ankle. She followed the chain with her eyes to where it rested in Daemyon’s hand. Her eyes met his as she realized he was watching her.
Main Character:
Czarina Arunika
Server:
Balmung
Czarina Arunika's Signature
Czarina Arunika of Balmung
Traveling Gypsy, Teller of fortunes, Priestess of the Dawn Father Instagram: Czarina.ffxiv