Thread: â remnants of the mesa )

Prince Derrik Bolero, heir to the throne of Tevinter, had just recently been engaged to an exotic, amazonian beauty that hailed from the desert. After his father, King Ramses, forced a handful of her people to convert their religion and become citizens of Tevinter, Derrik took a particular interest in his wife-to-be. He claimed that she would bare the perfect son for him. At her father's behest - and the persuasive aid of an extravagant dowry - she and the prince of Tevinter would be wed. The woman - and her father - were disgraced by their people. King Ramses proclaimed that the first of the desert dwellers to submit to his command and convert without resistance would be granted noble caste. Fearing for the safety of his daughter, the proud warrior adhered while the others did not go with the king so willingly. Hundreds upon hundreds of the desert people were slaughtered during the king's mendacious raid. Those deemed apostates by the desert clan were stripped of their caste and erased from the memory of the desert dwellers as they traveled to Tevinter with the king. The only exception was that of the prince's wife, Ammon de Cz'ron, given the Tevinterian name Estelle Aeducan, as she had fought to defend her clan. Since the tragedy of the desert people, often referred to as simply Banshees by the prince's fiance, Ammon de Cz'ron was pregnant within the month. During her fourth trimester with child she had purposely thrown herself from the palace's balcony, putting both herself and her baby in harms way. The child did not survive the fall though Ammon had arisen virtually unscathed. She bore a seething hatred for her fiancee Derrik Bolero and his tyrannical father Ramses which was depicted by her choice to murder her own unborn child. She'd often sneak into the king's quarters and hear him chide his son about his poor means of keeping Ammon in line. During public events the prince had even been brazen enough to strike his fiancee. Much to his chagrin the woman was not as docile as he had once believed and had reciprocate his violence nearly three-fold. But, the prince knew all was well. His inaugural ball marked three days until his wedding and he had supposedly impregnated Ammon once more. That particular balmy August evening had summoned countless young maidens - of noble caste and commoner caste - to marvel at the prince's becoming a man. Throngs upon throngs of girls peered warily through the massive windows spotting the palace's walls. They pushed and shoved, scrambling a top each other just to get a glimpse of the handsome princes. Ow, you're stepping on my foot! one winced, brushing her ringlet's from her rosy cheekbones. Oh, come on, I want to see too! another squealed. Nearly ten minutes they continued their guileless folly, remaining oblivious to the questionable leers of passing invitees that strode through the king's garden. Uneknownst to them, a woman stood behind them, rooted like a grand oak tree and as silent as a moonless night. Her stark black mane fell in loose waves around her broad shoulders, framing her ample bust and striking ginger-ale eyes. One of the maidens quickly jerked their necks back, only to be left starstruck by the woman standing before them. E-Estelle! ... Lady Estelle! Lady Estelle is inside with the prince you stupid girl, one of the women huffed, What would she be doing outside in the garden? The lapse of silence that ripped through the stillness of the night made each girl uneasy. One by one they redirected their gaze until they met the vulpine one belonging to none other then Ammon de Cz'ron, given the name Estelle by her fiancee to 'modernize' her. Lady Estelle! I ... we ... oh my. Ammon said nothing. She glanced briefly at the plump moon hanging in the starry sky, then back to the pathetic spectacle before her. Milady, we're so sorry, we - Say nothing, girls. I will not whisper a word to Derrik or Ramses.listulistulistulistu