Ievae felt as the tightened string of a viol must when readied for a performance. She was not ready for hers. The dreams of marriage and parties she had cultivated as a child seemed at once within her grasp and yet still elusive. An arranged marriage to Pharrael seemed a hollow victory. And now that the day had arrived, and she sat with her family as the festivities danced on around her, she felt only disappointment.

“Stop frowning, for Lileath’s sake,” her brother hissed, reaching beneath the table to grip her knee. Jhernir would have been the epitome of asur beauty, only he had a habit of bearing his teeth when he was angry. Some of his pale hair had come loose from his topknot as he loomed over her. “I thought you wanted this.”

“Mother, did you love Father?”

The question was answered with a vicious slap that left a trickle of blood at the corner of the child’s mouth.  “Stupid, foolish girl!  Where did you get such ridiculous notions!”  Each word was punctuated by a tug of the hair or a pinch of the skin.

Remembering what was expected of her, Thiralis punched her mother in the arm, determined to make it look good.  She then affected the haughtiest stare that one of her young years could muster.

And Mother nodded and swept out of the room.

*********

“Put that painting away, you are wasting your time!”

The priests at the temple of Myrmidia in Conserta had recognized the female Knight right away, which had only served to add to Giacinta’s confusion.  She had become anxious when the idea of summoning her family from Luccini was brought up, and had started to hyperventilate, and had summarily collapsed upon the weathered tile floor.  The Slayer, Brexar, had taken his leave shortly after, as he had duties of his own to attend to.

And so it was decided that, although her family would be contacted, they would not be permitted to see her, and that she was to be cared for by the healers at a monastery far to the north near Firento, who had cured others with such ailments in the past.

I have an alliance website up, go to guildportal and search Phoenix Crown Alliance.

http://www.thekeep.org/~kunoichi/kunoichi/themestream/egypt_alcohol.html

So this is a little short I'm working on, set within my D&D campaign setting. HOW NARCISSISTIC CAN I GET. Anyway, here it is: The Fall of the Thrones.

I found this and thought it might be helpful.  I know it is not canon, but there really isn't much out there regarding Tilea, so I have adopted it for Giacinta's storyline.

http://www.freewebs.com/kalevalahammer/Tilea_Geo_uk_1-13.jpg

He stretched languidly between the sheets, but stopped mid-stretch.  His eyes flew open to take in a room that seemed dark despite the fire upon the hearth.  He scowled as a headache sprang to life as he tried to piece together the events that led him here.  Great, something important that his mind did not log right.  He rubbed his temples and paused yet again in his motions as he felt a slender form crawl onto him.  His eyes opened to find a dark elf woman smiling down at him as if she had gained a trophey.

"Welcome back."