History
Alive by only the good heart of a maid, Laneel is the daughter of a travelling Konti architect and a at the time in training Syliras Knight who was also the son of a very successful trading family.
Although her people are well versed in seeking mates from different societies, Laneels mother made the fateful mistake of picking up on the attraction she felt emanating from the Knight who had been ordered to escort her about the city of Sylaris. Her gift meant that she instantly felt and shared his feelings of desire and after a while in each others company they succumbed to the building lust.
During what was originally meant to be a stay of only a few months, the two grew closer and their feelings went passed the initial physical attraction. Love had come to the pair but it was not meant to be. The parents of the Knight had long disapproved of their relationship to what they considered an unworthy match for their eldest son, but had up until that point refused to acknowledge it as anything more than a youthful indiscretion.
At around the sixth month of their courtship Laneels mother began to show signs of pregnancy. The couple were ecstatic, but both knew his parents would never accept any child born from the coupling. Barely able to support himself let alone his love or their soon to be child the Knight feigned having parted ways with the Konti to everyone he knew for fear of word spreading to his Mother and Father. In reality he was renting a small but comfortable home for her in the winding streets of the third tier of the Syliras castle. Using the small stipend from his Knights training and the more than generous monthly allowance from his parents to support them.
Somewhere between the eleventh and twelfth month of the pregnancy, with claustrophobia causing 'cabin fever' setting in due to being unable to leave the house without running the risk of any of his parents many business associates seeing her, the heavily pregnant Konti and the Knight were feeling the pressures of their ruse even more than normal. On one particularly cold winters morning the pair argued more heatedly than a mere lovers spat. In the moment of raised voices and thrown, crashing dinner ware Laneels mother threatened to leave him and return home to her people and in turn the Knight admitted his life would be so much simpler if he had never met her, eventually leaving home and storming of to return to his parents house under the ruse of being on a brief break from his Knights duties.
That night filled with resolve the Konti venture out to find her hearts other half, the chill of the winter air and the long hours of the day having worked their own unique magic to quell the anger and resentment she had felt that morning. Traversing the almost labyrinth like darkened streets of the third tier, Laneels mother stumbled upon a loosened stone and drop to her knees. Gazing up into the flickering light of an overhead lantern she felt the first pangs of child birth rack her body.
After managing to scramble to her feet the usually graceful Konti leant her way along against the frost bitten stone walls of the streets. A figure emerged from the last turning she had passed and made their way up behind Laneels mother.
A sharp pinch and slowly spreading warmth was all the Konti felt as the blade slipped into her back, with the words ''Did you really think I wouldn't know that my son had been lying to me? No cursed demon whore will bare my grandchild.'' echoing in her ears she slipped to the ground and managed to stay awake long enough to see the retreating form of her lovers mother disappear into the night.
Awakening in only fits and pain filled bursts, the Konti gave birth to her daughter as she herself slipped from Mizahar.
With nothing to go on but a small empty house and the memories of their fight, the Laneels father could only assume the Konti had carried through with her threat and returned to her people. He expended what little money his even more than normally distant parents would give him to try and contact her or anyone who may have seen her but no leads ever came to anything but dead ends.
Twelve years later a wide eyed, shawl clad Laneel, helped the elderly woman -whom she and all the other children who lived in the near forgotten backstreet house- called Gran set the knocked and scratched dinner table. It was a peaceable if sometimes hunger pain filled existence in her early years but Laneel was small and quick and could easily vanish into the crowd of the fourth tier Grand Bazaar after having stolen whatever food she felt the others would like and whatever little treats she would ferret away for herself.
She would never be able to pinpoint why she asked it or where the thought even came from but it was that day, that Laneel asked Gran how she came to be with her.
Through the years Gran had always said ''By the grace of the Gods my children found their way to me. You may all bring my old bones pain from time to time and I may not always be able to help you through your lives or fill your stomachs but I know you all are my purpose and this is the way it's meant to be''. But that warm summers day, with sun heated breeze chasing the gnats and other insects in and around the small kitchen through the open door, Laneel felt she needed to know where she came from. ''Gran, don't be mad cos you know I love you but........where did I come from?'' the last part she hurriedly said as if the weight of the words were to heavy for her chest to hold.
With a weary sigh and a look of tired resignation, Gran sat down on one of the few wooden chairs to have any sort of cushioning left on and patted the chair beside her motioning Laneel to come over. ''You my snowy little jewel, were born of a tragedy'' she said.
Laneel sat poised on the edge of the chair, her legs to short to yet reach the ground she looked almost doll like.
''Your mother was possibly the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. Eyes as green and shining as an emerald and golden hair that reached all the way to her lower back.'' she smiled, using one long life time of work abused finger to brush the hair from Laneels eyes. Grans wistful look turned sad at her next thought and she shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
''When I found your mother she had been attacked. Right here in this Castle. Lain out on the stones and left to die, I heard her heavy breathing as I made my way back from my maids duties,this was back when I could do more than just waddle about with a stick, mind you''. she attempted another smile but couldn't hold it for long.
''I was sure she was seconds from death, there was so much blood around her'', she continued, ''I don't know whether she was awake or whether she was fighting of her attacker still in her head but she kept repeating over and over ''No not my baby, don't let them find my baby'', that's when i saw you for the first time a little bump all cozy inside her stomach. Well what else was I supposed to do? I've lived in this place longer than I care to remember and I've made some good friends in that time. A few of your people amongst them. We gathered your mother up and took her to the closest safe house we could get to without being seen. It was a miracle she was still alive as it was but we patched her up and stopped the bleeding enough that she wasn't fading so fast'' Grans voice quivered, both from the memory and from all the talking.
Laneel drew her chair closer and held Grans shaking hand to her chest. She remained silent urging the elderly woman to go on with a slight nod.
''Like I said we did everything we could to make her comfortable and she even came around a few times but you were well on your way by then and the other Konti were adamant we had to get you out as soon as possible or you'd be gone to the Gods with your mother. So we found a tub large enough to fit her and scrounged up all the salt and fresh water we could find to help things along. It was more than a struggle but eventually you came out almost of your own accord, all screaming and crying. You were a tiny pale little thing, not that you've changed all that much''. she smiled through a hic and sniffle of tears.
''She didn't last much longer after that.......your mother. One last brief moment her eyes fluttered, she smiled and was gone. I gave her body over to the Konti so they could do the right thing by her, but there was no way I was giving them you. After a lot of arguing and me swearing that if you ever wanted to, I'd let you go to your people, they agreed I should look after you for the mean time. They checked up on you regularly, every couple of days then every week then month. Eventually everyone who knew about that night had been called away from the city or passed away. You were my child and I don't think I could have loved you any more if it were by blood''. With this Grans eyes finally gave way and the tears flowed heavily, chasing each other through the map like wrinkles on her cheeks.
Lowering her head Laneel silently wept and brought the her guardians hand to her lips and brushed a gentle kiss across the back of the hands that had brought her into the world.
Three years later and Gran had to passed from the world. All the other kids had either banded together to find their lives adventure or joined the Knights as trainees. A couple had been lucky and had found homes with caring travelers and merchants.
Laneel was mostly alone now. She knew the cities back alleys she knew the how to look after herself, her Gran had taught her everything she needed to survive.
Another eight years passed, the world changed around her but Laneel stayed the same. Always slightly on the outside, fending for herself and doing her best to stay hidden.
But things were beginning to change......
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