From the moment the last words of the letter fell from the Queen's lips, everything became a blur. She'd lost track of her husband and most other familiar faces in the hysterical swirl of the crowd. Pushing through as quickly but carefully as could be managed, Elyse craned her neck as she spilled out of the banquet hall to look for anyone she might safely attach herself to amidst the turmoil. A small trickle of relief ran through the redheaded lady when she laid eyes upon Desmond. Maneuvering the best she could, the noblewoman made her way over to him and reached out a hand as if to confirm his solidness. "Lord Manderly, it is good to see a familiar face. Have you seen any of your other siblings? I cannot seem to find anyone in this chaos." She sighed.
name: Elyse Manderly nee Connington nickname(s): El/Elle age: 32 date of birth: xxx place of birth: Griffin's Roost gender: woman. pronouns: she/her. sexual orientation: heterosexual religion: Faith of the Seven title: Lady of Griffin's Roost, Lady of Ten Towers languages: Common Tongue affiliation: House Connington, House Harlaw, Ashen Promise
faceclaim: Harriet Slater hair color: auburn eye color: blue height: 5'7" body modifications: pierced ears.
mbti: tba. character alignment: lawful good. positive traits: spirited, thoughtful, empathetic negative traits: indecisive, stubborn, sensitive primary vice: gluttony primary virtue: kindness character parallels: Claire Fraser (Outlander), Princess Leia (Star Wars), Waverly Earp (Wynona Earp), Elizabeth Swann (Pirates of the Caribbean), Ada Shelby (Peaky Blinders)
disorders: tba. allergies: tba. sociability: relatively social, enjoys getting to know new people. addictions: none. alcohol use: minor, occasionally in social contexts drug use: none.
likes: xxx dislikes: xxx fears: xxx habits: xxx weapon of choice: longbow weather: windy but sunny color: sky blue beverage: nettle tea food: beef and barely stew animal: horse season: autumn
-Born the middle child of the Ruling Lord and Lady of Griffin's Roost, Elyse grew up with a desire to do her family proud, albeit with a bit of a free-spirited streak. She looked up to her parents and eldest sibling, seeing role models who could do little wrong.
-The first blow to this world view came not in the form of realizing parents are merely people too, but in the passing of her mother in childbirth while bringing her youngest sibling into the world. The loss of his wife had a profound impact on Ruling Lord Connington though he sought to keep all evidence of his coping habits from view of his children.
-As she reached adulthood, Elyse began to see the cracks in her father's emotional stability but never pushed too far. It would only be in the wake of his passing that the three Connington siblings grew to understand the full weight of his struggles and what it had brought up on their house. Leaving behind a mountain of gambling debts and whispers about the reputation of Griffin's Roost, Lord Armond died with a legacy of hardship they have only just begun to overcome.
-Effectively bargained off to benefit the financial stability and reputation of House Connington, Elyse was married to Benjen Manderly at the behest of the new Ruling Liege, her eldest sibling. Although she has performed her duty without complaint and is eager to do well as a ruling lady in her own right, a new life in White Harbor is still a somewhat daunting prospect in a place that does not yet feel like home.
iii. headcanons
xxx
iv. wanted connections
-You Don't Choose Family: Although Elyse loves her eldest sibling dearly, she resents their use of her eligibility as a bride as a strategic action. They were quite close up until recently, with their father's passing serving as a divide. She still looks up to and believes in them, but their relationship as siblings has taken a backseat as of late.
-Guiding Hands: The late Ruling Lord Armond's sibling and Elyse's aunt/uncle plays a fairly parental role in her life, taking up that space first upon the loss of her mother and again more recently with her father's passing. How much they knew about his issues and whether they truly have her best interests at heart is very much up for debate.
