Name: AdaAge: 31
Nameday: 3544.03.19
Sex: Female
Sexual Orientation: Demisexual
Weyr: Western Weyr
Rider Rank: Wingrider
Previous Rank/Craft: Holdless bandit/assassin type
Physical Description: Ada does not bear the Holdless mark, despite having been born and raised among the Holdless. Instead, she carries the scars and signs of a hard life. A beautiful woman nonetheless, she will always be slighter and scrappier than she would have been had she received the kind of nourishment and soft life that so many take for granted. She is blond, with striking pale golden eyes that have seen much pain in life. Quite pale, with many scars that have begun to fade with age, Ada stands at 5'6" - neither terribly short, nor terribly tall. Her body is lean and muscular in a graceful, underplayed sort of way.
Personality: To say the least, Ada is a complicated woman. When she was young she didn't believe that there were limits to the world. She was utterly fearless, devoted to a wild, take no prisoners approach to life. Fiercely devoted to her tight knit bandit clan, young Ada didn't realize the agony that she was causing her victims' families. A single event changed all of that, and she's never been the same since. That raw confidence and fearlessness is a chapter of her life that she's never opening up again.
A quiet lady, greenrider Ada is nothing if not devoted to the cause of fighting Thread and protecting Pern and her people from its ravages. She believes that if she is successful in her role she can, to some small extent, expiate some of the debt she owes to the world. For someone who was once so adept at taking lives, she is quite gentle. Still fierce in her own way, Ada nevertheless longs to bring a bit of peace into her own life. There is certainly a part of her that is quite nurturing... granted, it mostly comes out where her dragon is concerned.
There is something profoundly tragic about the woman. She's distant and withdrawn, afraid to open up to anyone lest they discover the truth about her and run the other way. She's got a lot of red in her ledger, so to speak, and though she's working to try to overcome the terrible guilt that she's been left with, she still wakes up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat thinking about it. A privately warm woman, she yearns for companionship and yet keeps others at arm's length.
Beneath the surface Ada has a core made of steel. A reservoir of deep strength that translates as resilience and stubbornness. She has endured great hardship and emerged renewed and changed, much like a folded steel blade, tempered time and time again. Life has knocked her down and she is still standing. She is not a person who relies too much on others; used to standing on her own two feet, she leans on no one and nothing except her dragon. Myrrath provides her unending, unconditional love, and in return Ada lends her strength.
Positive Trait List Quiet, nurturing, warm
Negative Trait List Distant, guilt ridden, haunted
History: In many ways, Ada's early life was not altogether remarkable. She had parents, as so many do. An older brother that she looked up to and followed without question when she was small. As she grew a little older, it occurred to her that not all families learned how to kill and how to steal. But the killing part Ada was particularly good at. When she wasn't training, she was taking on small jobs at the behest of their family. Little things here and there, learning how to be a better fighter and a better thief. Thieving didn't come quite as naturally, but what did it matter if the other party was dead?
It never occurred to her that there was anything wrong with it. That was, of course, until her big brother took over leadership of the band. It was a job like any other. Nothing especially dangerous about it - or so they had thought. But when they attacked the caravan that Toskarr had marked as a safe bet, something entirely unexpected threw the entire plan out to thread.
Ada was, at that point, 21 turns old. She was a decorated killer, with many successes to her name. One of the most deadly in her band. Yet she watched with her very own eyes as Toskarr was cut down by a dragonrider. A tall man, though no taller than some of her own, the rough hewn rider cut a swath through her people. Although she had already killed several of his fellows, and looked to be doing the same again, she could not let her brother's death go unpunished.
With a shriek of rage and grief, she threw herself at O'dyn, heedless of the destruction around her. Although a dragon could not kill a human, that hadn't stopped Ansheth from knocking several bandits out, and interposing himself bodily where he wasn't wanted. But when she reached the rider, he was ready for her. They fought one another in an epic battle, where each seemed to have the advantage in one moment, and lose it in the next. Until, at last, he grabbed her up by the throat. This burly, strong man held her life between his hands, and he began to choke it out of her.
Desperate, Ada reached up with her knife and sliced it right down the left side of his face, unflinching as blood spurted from his now ruined eye. The tight grip loosened, as he wheeled backward to protect his face, and Ada was able to roll out of his reach. When she at last stood up and looked around, she was surrounded by dead bodies. Bodies, in many cases, that she had known. There was no sign that any of her kin had survived the attempted ambush.
Although she was ashamed of herself at the time, Ada ran. She ran as far and as fast as her legs would carry her. Weeping in terror and grief, she used the same bloodied knife to cut her hair to waist length, so that she might better disappear. At last, surrounded by pale, shorn locks, the young woman collapsed. Sobbing for everything that she had lost, for the stupid venture that had cost her family their lives, she gave herself up to nothingness, and passed out at last.
When she came to, it was in a little cot at the edge of Western Hold. Apparently someone had found her and taken her for one of the victims of the attack... or of some attack. For indeed, Ada had heavy bruising all along her throat, and a voice that was little more than a croak, not to mention many cuts and slashes where the caravanners' blades had drank of her. She did not argue, nor attempt to dissuade them. Internally she vowed that she would never again lift a blade against another, unless it was in protection of her own life.
Numb with loss, she was quite surprised when a dragonrider stopped at the little cothold two Turns later on a Search. She had been living a quiet life, assisting the cotholder and his lady, whose son had been trying to court her. It would have been a peaceful existence. A balm for all of the ills she had done and had done to her. But that was not to be her fate. The dragon, a green by the name of Savaceth, informed her rider J'cheyn that this young woman would do nicely for the clutch on Western's sands.
Not entirely sure that she believed such a thing, Ada nonetheless returned with dragon and rider to the Weyr. To say that she had a bit of a fear of dragonriders was no overstatement. Still, afraid or not, she had made a commitment and intended to see it through. So it was that when the clutch hatched, she was rather bemused to find herself nose to snout with a little green by the name of Myrrath. A little green who cheerfully informed her that she was hers, and Ada was Hers!
This beautiful, spritely creature quickly stole all of Ada's heart. Where she had thought it dead, the little green filled it up entirely. Myrrath brought new life to a deadened field, and Ada at last began to blossom. It was easy enough to love life at the Weyr, when life meant Myrrath was with her every moment of every day. Weyrlinghood was dizzying, and Ada scarcely noticed anyone or anything outside of her lessons. She was happier that way, in truth.
So it was a great shock indeed one day that she encountered no less than the very man who had nearly put her into the ground: O'dyn of bronze Ansheth. Stricken to the core, Ada dropped the tray she had been carrying, her fingers suddenly numb and useless. Her fate was staring her in the face... and for a long moment, in seemed that she had gone unrecognized. Maybe she had. She couldn't tell. All she knew was that she wasn't safe anymore.
However, it seemed that she had escaped his notice. At least for the time being. Turns went by, with nothing terribly remarkable coming to pass. Nothing, save the return of Thread. With a sinking heart, Ada realized that there was one place that was very much unprotected - the little cot that had sheltered and protected her for two full turns! Climbing on the back of her dragon, Ada flew as fast as Myrrath could carry her to the cothold. Only to find it in utter ruins, the jewelry that the cotholder's lady had worn... lying gleaming in the rubble. For the cothold had been built of wood with a stone foundation.
Tearing herself away from the bones of that ruined hold, Ada pressed herself into Myrrath's side. No tears would come, for all that her throat was closed with grief. She had only known them for a couple of Turns, but they had been good and kind people. The loss made her all the more determined to remain true to her word. But in a cruel twist of fate, it was Ansheth that Myrrath chose when she finally selected a mate for herself. Ansheth, who caught her one, twice, thrice a Turn. Ada was torn between anger at her dragon, and the understanding that the green couldn't help whom she loved. Even if that love was a torment to Ada and O'dyn both.
Other: Quite excellent as a knife fighter. Also picked up embroidering at that little cothold and has been keeping up with it ever since. Decently good at it by this point. She's no weaver, but she does have a deft hand, and can make some lovely things when she works hard at it. Knows dozens of ways to kill a man, at least, and very few ways to save one. Once enjoyed singing - now has a permanently husky, raspy voice that doesn't please the ears.
DRAGON
Name: Myrrath
Age: 8
Color: Green
Size: 18'
Physical Description: A lovely, delicate little green with bright colored spots, Myrrath shines brightly even when not glowing. She has a dainty wedge shaped head and expressive eyes, along with a longer than average tail and wings.
Personality: A sweet, bubbly green who loves life, Myrrath strives to do everything she can to be a good, true friend. She is genuinely just a very gentle, good hearted dragon. A true little princess, she is utterly devoted in her regard, and loves to be doted upon. Myrrath has nothing negative to say about anyone. If she's a little flighty and a little forgetful, that cannot be helped. She means well and tries hard, and gives it her all.
Myrrath initially had a lot of trouble settling on a man, as she wanted nothing short of a Prince Charming, knight-in-shining-armor dragon. It's a bit of a stereotype, a green wanting a handsome and noble dragon, but she cannot help herself all the same. She tries so very hard to do right, and when she cannot, she feels terribly. Unfortunately Myrrath has broken several hearts in the searching, for all that she seems unaware.
She has a deep well of love within her that she shares gladly with others, for although she can only devote her hearts to one, she is well able to give adoration to her friends and loved ones. Her hearts are far too soft, and easily bruised - albeit well guarded by her rider. Myrrath doesn't quite understand how lucky she's been, and will give too much of herself if she's not watched.
Dragon Art or Proof of Obtainment:
