Amanda (Immortal)

**Amanda** was an Immortal and a master thief, using her abilities for thrills more often than profit. She was a cunning manipulator, but generally a force for good in the world despite her morally dubious past-times.

## History

Amanda was born about 820 CE in St. Anne, Normandy. She grew up impoverished and uneducated, learning to steal to survive. In 850 CE, she stole food from a house that was infected with the Black Death and was subsequently beaten to death. When she revived from this First Death, she found herself in a pile of bodies set to be burned -- a fate from which she was rescued by Rebecca Horne. Rebecca became Amanda's mentor, teaching her not only the rules of the Game, how to live as an Immortal, and how to fight with a sword, she also taught her how to live and educated her. The two became fast friends, though Amanda could not simply abandon her thieving ways and attempted to steal the Methuselah Stone. Rebecca caught her in the act, but offered her forgiveness. Humbled by this, Amanda swore to give up crime and live as a proper lady.

The two remained together until 853 CE, at which point Amanda set out on her own. Shortly thereafter, Amanda was challenged by Hengist and fled back to Rebecca's abbey. Rebecca encouraged Amanda to face her fears, and soon Amanda took Hengist's head and her first Quickening. Amanda carved out a life for herself, turning to what was still her most advanced skill -- theft. Over the centuries she became one of the most successful criminals in Europe.

In 1182 CE, Amanda happened upon a farm that had been raided by Saxons and discovered Kenneth, who had just revived from his First Death. She took him under her wing until she was hanged a year later. Kenneth, not believing that Amanda would revive from this execution, fled. Amanda searched for him for three years but would not find him again for many centuries.

In the following centuries, Amanda encountered many Immortals -- rarely engaging in duels with them, but often stirring up trouble. She occasionally took on a fledgling Immortal as a pupil. This included Evan Peyton in 1610 CE. However, despite Amanda's teachings to move on from his old life, he was determined to collect his inheritance. To that end, he murdered his brother with poison. Amanda exposed Evan for who he was and what he had done, and fled.

A short time later, in 1635 CE, Amanda reunited with Rebecca Horne in Florence, Italy. Here, they first encountered Duncan MacLeod -- while he was put off by the idea of dueling women, Amanda stole his coinpurse. Discovering the theft, he quickly tracked them down, retrieved his purloined money, and suggested the three of them get a drink. This was the beginning of a long friendship between Amanda and Duncan.

In 1643 CE, Amanda was in the Black Forest of Germany when she was accused of being a witch by Doctor Julian Heller. Amanda narrowly escaped the painful death, and killed another woman to prevent her from suffering through being burned alive. She swore revenge against Heller, but was unable to fulfill the vow.

By 1720 CE, Amanda had traveled to the New World and was in Haiti during the slave uprising. She promised a slave family she would preserve their heritage and helped them escape the country aboard the *Maria Rose*, which sank -- leaving the family, and a locket containing the papers of the family's birthright, lost beneath the waves. Amanda, upon reviving, made her way east.

In Turkey in 1753 CE, Amanda concocted a scheme to steal treasure from a sultan, posing as a harem dancer. She was caught, but rescued by Duncan MacLeod -- who happened to be acting as a military consultant to the sultan at the time. After this narrow escape, she returned to the New World. During the American Revolutionary War, Amanda worked as a healer behind the British lines. She encountered the Immortal Liam Riley, whom she had met before, and attempted to heal a woman he had accidentally shot. Though the woman died, Amanda concealed that truth from her friend.

Following that war, she returned to France only to find herself embroiled in the French Revolution. She was captured by the Immortal Talia Bauer, but released on the condition that Amanda would owe her a favor. Around 1800 CE, she and Duncan had begun a romance and were living together -- however, her scheme to steal jewels from Baron Holstein, with the help of Zachary Blaine, went awry, and she and her partner were forced to flee and leave Duncan holding the bag. In 1819 CE, Amanda stole the Star of India from the Duke of Wellington.

By 1867 CE, Amanda was living in Manchester, England with the Immortal Derrick Markham, whom she had married that year. The marriage came to an abrupt end when he kidnapped a boy and held him for ransom, but killed the boy after the ransom was paid. Amanda turned Derrick over to the police for the murder. After this, Amanda returned to America and, in 1888 CE, while posing as a Frenchwoman visiting San Francisco she won ownership of the Double Eagle saloon in a game of poker against Kit O'Brady. The saloon mysteriously burned to the ground a short time later, which she blamed on Kit and swore revenge against him.

Some time after that, she relocated to New York City, where she fell in love with William -- the adopted son of Morgan Kenworthy. As such, Amanda attempted to mentor him after his First Death, but he was too consumed by rage and thoughts of vengeance against the police officer who had murdered his son. She traveled much in the subsequent years -- supposedly being with Czar Nicholas II in Russia at some point.

She was on board the RMS *Titanic* when it sank, and was counted among the casualties of the doomed vessel. During World War I, Amanda was posing as a peasant girl and had resumed a life of crime. At one point, she robbed a courier who was carrying a message that would have saved dozens of lives -- including preventing the First Death of John Ray Fielding.

In 1921 CE, she and Zachary Blaine joined a traveling circus and began performing a highwire act. However, after a few months they had a dispute, and Amanda left the circus to commit a series of robberies with Cory Raines. By 1926 CE, however, Amanda had joined the Barnum & Bailey Circus with Duncan MacLeod -- though she was forced to abandon them when a Federal marshal came looking for her. She returned to Europe and began a career as a burlesque performer in Berlin. She managed to steal a set of forged U.S. currency plates, though not without attracting the attention of the Gestapo. As she was attempting to flee, Duncan asked her to help him smuggle a scientist out of Germany -- which she agreed to do as a means of escaping with her purloined goods.

Some time afterwards, she joined Duncan and Hugh Fitzcairn for a game of golf, in which the plotted to steal the Stone of Scone. Believing it was an invaluable gemstone, Amanda recruited Lord Bernard Crimmins to bankroll them, promising him a share of the loot. She was furious when it turned out to only be a stone -- and abandoned them, with Hugh getting caught for the crime. Duncan managed to arrange for Fitz's release and the return of the stone.

By 1985 CE, Amanda reunited with Zachary Blaine and the two returned to their dual life as circus performers and cat burglars.

## Source

Amanda is derived from *Highlander* and *Highlander: The Raven*.