| Sabriel Haigh |
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Background
The first daughter of Lord Raldon Haigh and Lady Amella Terrick, Sabriel was much anticipated by her mother. The baby girl she'd hoped for, no matter how pleased she was to give her husband two sons first. And when Sabriel was young, she seemed just what her mother had hoped for. A sweet girl, she had a gift with animals and a lovely voice, and seemed to have a gift for reading people as well. As she grew older, though, those same gifts started to open a rift between her and her mother.
Sabriel didn't just have a gift for reading people, she seemed to be unusually sensitive to their emotions, particularly strong ones. And the older she was and the better she understood what those emotions might mean, the more unsettled she was by them. In an effort to get away from the constant press of people at Broadmoor, she took to running off to the fields when she could, taking some comfort in the silence away from the keep.
At first, her parents were willing to indulge the oddity. Sabriel's distress at being around too many people, especially anyone in a heightened state of emotion, was evident, and she was young enough that no one thought it would matter. Unfortunately, by the time they started trying to rein her in around the age of twelve, she had learned enough tricks from the stable master, the children of the village, and the huntsmen that actually bringing her in was a challenge.
Apparently, an enjoyable challenge for Sabriel, who took whatever chance she could to slip away, even if it meant she was dragged back in short order. In the meantime, her father decided that studying with the maester might be a useful compromise, and he wasn't wrong. The man's steady calm wasn't too much of a challenge to Sabriel's nerves, and learning medicinal uses for the plants she'd come to know so well kept her well occupied. Furthermore, it meant that there were good reasons for her to leave the keep with appropriate escorts to forage for herbs and simples.
As Sabriel came further into her teens, her wild trips at least became more regular. Of course, she also started bringing more than just herbs back to the keep. A string of wild, injured animals were brought back to be tended to and released. Or at least she usually tried to release them. Some had a tendency to linger around the keep, which did not make her popular with her sisters. For a short time, it seemed there might actually be some peace and balance in the household regarding Sabriel and her odd tendencies.
And then her father started trying to arrange marriages. At first, she'd simply disappear whenever suitors or representatives arrived in Broadmoor. Suddenly, Sabriel just couldn't be found. That didn't last long, though. They stopped telling her when someone was coming, or locked her in her chambers beforehand. The first few times, Sabriel threw tantrums. Then there was a long talk between her and her father. No one was entirely sure what was said, but everyone was relieved when she started showing up to meet with the appropriate representatives. Wearing gowns instead of woods clothes, even. She'd sing beautifully. But for some reason, the arrangements never quite seemed to come through. Someone would mention her odd activities when they shouldn't. She'd show a bit too much skill with a knife at the table. One of her 'pets' would wander into the dining hall.
So Sabriel made it through her teen years and into her twenties without a marriage, apparently content with her herbs and her animals, going right back to the wilderness as soon as no one was looking. Though she thinks she may have the freedom to continue along that vein, her father has had just about enough of this game. And he has much more experience with political maneuvering than his wayward daughter.
As evidenced by his final move in the game of cyvasse that's been their struggle over marriage. Telling Sabriel she was going to Stonebridge to escort a Nayland representative back to Broadmoor for negotiations, he sent her with a letter. A letter that actually agreed to marry her to Lord Aeron Nayland, assuming the Naylands could keep her in Stonebridge.
Family
Lord Raldon Haigh - Father
Lady Amellia Haigh nee Terrick - Mother
Two Older Brothers(Yet To Be Named)
Physical Features
There is a strength and beauty common to wild things, where the power of function meets a beauty of form, that finds expression in Sabriel. Tawny hair a brassy shade between blonde and brunette and golden skin recall the warmth of summer sun, and she moves with unselfconscious grace, sure of her own body. At five feet and nine inches, she's taller than many men, though there's no mistaking her for anything but feminine. Long legs lead to an athletic curve of hip and slender waist, balanced by gently sculpted shoulders and a more generous curve of breast. Her features are striking, the spray of freckles that dances over high cheekbones and a pert nose adding a surprising charm to an otherwise classic face. Her eyes are the exception to her golden palette: a bright, pale grey with a bold, dark ring around the iris, they're further defined by dark lashes and strong brows.
She dresses simply, in a gown of clean lines that allows for a generous range of motion. Dark green linen forms the bodice, a high collar balancing the narrow v of the neckline and the short, capped sleeves. It flows into a sweep of skirts without interruption, panels of bronze silk disguising where the skirts are cleverly divided. Embroidered vines and leaves in bronze thread add some interest to the whole. Her hair is most often twisted or braided up and out of the way, though there's a feminine touch in the leaf-carved wooden comb that holds it in place.
Allies and Foes
Recent Activity
Gallery
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