Violet

> I have been through a lot in the last…almost fifty years. And yeah, I played the part for a while. I stayed quiet, minded my own business. Acted like the kid you all saw me as. But that by no means indicates that I am any less intelligent or capable than any of you.
>
> Violet, in Volume III - "Desolation"

## Violet (Annabelle/Anna)

### Home

Foster homes (multiple), Aerael , Vanaheim

### Relatives

Kara Valencia (Mother)
 Robert Schillinger (Father)
 Valterius Valencia (Uncle)
 Jalix Nicholas Kane (Stepfather)
 Amelia Lynn Kane (Half-sister)
 Raven Ava Schillinger (Twin Sister)

### Race

Vampyre (Talented)

Violet (born Annabelle Valencia and commonly shortened to Anna in childhood) is the second daughter of Kara and the twin sister of Raven Schillinger, a fact that was known only to Alice throughout the *Legacy of Sorrow* until the end of *Desolation*. Whisked away in a daring escape from her birthplace, Violet was safeguarded by Sonya and placed in the United States' foster system due to Kara's instability after her repeated torture and forced conception of the twin girls. Violet's upbringing was violent, chaotic, and volatile, as she was passed between families and mistreated by many of them. After her rescue from a group home, Kara took Violet into her own care in 2004 and placed her in Aerael for her own safety.

Upon seeing the kindness of the other Vampyres and having Jared, Valterius, and Sonya as positive role models, Violet's meek and fearful mindset changed into that of a learner, where she honed her social skills and became fascinated with painting and drawing. As she grew older, she became close friends with Krystal and shared the lifestyle typical of a normal teenager while residing away from the business of Kara's Counsel. Converted in 2007 to Vampyrism after Kara offered the gift personally, she gave Violet the option of continuing to remain unaware of the Counsel's activities or to take part in their discussions, although the matter of being a 'formal' member of the Counsel (though there was no such thing) was off the table. It was made clear that Violet would remain in the city or be allowed to roam the world above with supervision for her own safety.

This choice gave Violet a new view of the Vampyre world, frustrating her that she couldn't make a difference while conversely thankful that she was aware of the threats against her home. Through the events of *Affliction*, Violet became significantly more involved out of necessity and gained the trust of Kara and the rest of the Counsel in holding her ground against the evil they faced. During the Outbreak and Krystal's coma, Violet was indispensable as an assistant and jack-of-all-trades to everyone she knew. While she had no specific role, her guiding hand as a role model for Amy and close bond with Kara and Jalix as pseudo-parents provided her with the grounds to finally reach a state of stable adulthood and prepare for the world ahead of her.

Violet's actions in *Desolation* and *Despair* were those that mirrored her role models, and she was never again seen as the teenager that had come to the city so many years ago. Her bravery shaped the outcome of the centuries-long Vampyre War, the Battle at Washington, D.C., and the future of all free Vampyres.

## History

Forcibly conceived in a Soviet Gulag (which were supposed to have been abolished and abandoned) in 1988, Violet (Anna) was born human and delivered minutes after Raven (named Ava at birth) unknown to her father, Robert Schillinger. With Alice and Sonya mounting a decisive and violent rescue for both Kara and her infant child, they escaped the prison and were forced to flee into the Soviet countryside with many of Schillinger's lackeys, to include Kilkovf, in close pursuit. As the three adults were malnourished and Sonya was safeguarding an infant Anna, the enemy forces closed in and forced them to split up. Alice and Kara took up residence in a Kazakh village under the safeguard of friendly human allies while Sonya was able to flee west, eventually finding sanctuary in Europe. Being out of contact with Alice in spite of emergency protocols that had been put into place, Sonya quickly made her way back to the United States, contemplating the weight of bringing one of Kara's only two daughters to Aerael. Knowing that there would likely be too many questions and a significant amount of danger posed to the city, Sonya gave Violet up for adoption, feigning the role of her mother, and she was placed into the system under the name Annabelle Marie Williams.

As a toddler, Violet was adopted by a family from Virginia, who faked a majority of their past, their finances, and their history in order to secure the adoption (to include an adoption fee using money from various thefts). While their intent was to defraud the welfare system and the monthly stipend given under the 1980 Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act, they found Violet to be a significant detriment to their lifestyle, wanting the additional money and desiring nothing to do with a child. Violet was often subjected to the forced consumption of alcohol, physical abuse, and malnutrition as she grew and aged. Hid well due to the required audits, this abuse came to light when Violet turned 10 and called the police, for which she was caught by her adoptive father and hit with a metal pipe so badly that it induced brain damage. After a six-month stay in a pediatric clinic, Violet was relinquished to the foster system for the federal government, who had been conducting an investigation and arrested, tried and convicted her former adoptive parents.

With her stutter, Violet began to grow increasingly nonverbal in spite of relatively high intelligence scores on standardized testing, and this subsequently led to a drop in interest. Two years later, in 2001, Violet was taken in again at the age of 12 only to be victimized once again under similar circumstances. While her new foster parents seemed to care about her well-being at first, they grew increasingly frustrated with a daughter they couldn't take to restaurants or public settings due to the "image" it gave them in tarnishing their "reputation." She was abandoned in a shopping mall, where she sat quietly until a good Samaritan contacted the local authorities. Violet, in small words, explained her experience and she was placed back into the foster system at the age of 13. She remained in a group home until 2004 at the age of 16, when Alice confronted Kara about the events of her past in the full breadth of truth. Listening to Sonya and Alice inspired her to keep her daughter safe from any chance of Schillinger discovering her existence, and she allowed Eric his first significant task as a member of the city: to hack the government's records to ensure the approval of Violet's adoption.

During this process, Kara visited Violet on more than one occasion, being kind and courteous with someone she knew that was a part of herself and had somehow already been through a significant amount of trauma. Finding a quick bond to her daughter, Kara brought Violet to Aerael and explained the totality of her circumstances while avoiding the subject of her conversion. It was during this time, in a trip to a local craft store so Violet could decorate her room that her new name was given, leaving the name 'Anna' in the past. Violet was given independent living quarters: a unique situation in Aerael as room was often scarce and many lived with romantic partners or roommates on a volunteer basis. Jared had been resuced and converted around the same timeframe, and although their circumstances were different, Jared was instructed to be Violet's friend and guide through what would be an emotional, tumultuous process in her adolescence. While Sonya and Val both kept a presence in her life, she had bonded closely with Jared and considered him an outcast much like herself.

In 2005, Krystal decided to attempt to gain Kara's favor through Violet's friendship although none of the Counsel or the people of Aerael knew of Violet's origins; only that she was personally rescued by Kara and was a great fascination and adoration to the seemingly emotionally-numb woman. Incidentally, this blossomed into an intimate friendship and the two became exceptionally close friends over the following two years. Although some of Krystal's cynicism leaked into Violet's personality, Violet had already held a similar attitude for many years and finally met her match with Alice's sister. Knowing that the war was escalating in the frequency of her missions, Alice was named as Violet's godmother in 2007 (as Sonya was expected to take over Kara's role should she pass away and Valterius was next in line), and Violet was offered her conversion to Vampyrism at the age of 19. Kara personally passed on her own strain, believing that it was right for her to be the one to bite Violet, and Alice watched over her medical care during the course of the Vampyre Virus' transformation in Violet's body.

Although it greatly diminished the effects of the stutter, something regarding her brain damage went unhealed through the process, and Valterius worked with her during periods of anger or sadness-induced bursts to help coach her in emotional calming (as he had experience with Alice in helping control her abilities using the same methods). This worked, and Violet developed a great deal of trust in Val over the next several years. Kara was often absent from Violet's life, only treating her as a member of the rest of the city and ensuring that Sonya or Alice were the ones keeping a close eye on her. Although the reasoning for Violet's selection as a member of the city was questioned on rare occasion, many believed it to be due to her violent upbringing and tumultuous past. Alice had forged medical records to indicate that she was rescued in a recovery period from grievous injury, so that even keen eyes such as Val's went unaware of Violet's origins.

Violet had nothing but positivity in her time at Aerael, being offered the opportunity alongside Jared to sit in on Counsel meetings (although Jared was allowed to participate in missions and assignments while Violet was not). This made her an "unofficial" member of Kara's Counsel, as Kara herself gave no name to the people in her inner circle while the people of Aerael used those holding secretive meetings or long departures to determine who was part of her 'elite'. Kara encouraged a normal growth into adulthood as Violet grew older, and although there were occasional spats between Krystal and Kara regarding the interactions between the younger women, Kara understood Krystal's role as Violet's closest confidant (and vice-versa). Although she partook in devious mischief and sulking period of isolation, Violet was - other than being aware of the Vampyre War - a normal citizen of Aerael to everyone but Sonya, Alice, and Kara until Sonya's near-fatal injuries in 2014. This begins the events in *Affliction,* where Violet was significantly more involved in the Counsel's activities since the group was forced to make their own decisions without Kara.

## Personality & Beliefs

Violet's personality often mirrored a perfect hybrid of Krystal, Valterius, and Kara: cynical, sarcastic, and reactive to new situations. Her Goth style of fashion matched her personality, but it by no means was an indicator of the same emotional deadness held by her mother. Violet spoke more freely and more openly than any other member of Kara's Counsel, rarely biting her tongue and often learning from her own naivete. She developed with Krystal as a mentor, who passed down many of Kara's teaching in secret, to include marksmanship and proper gun handling, martial arts, and strategic planning and analysis. This made Violet to be an exceptionally frustrated young woman, as these interests only sparked her sense of need to partake in more significant events rather than the mundanity of being a normal resident.

After the events of *Sorrow,* to include the Outbreak and the periods of *Desolation* and *Despair*, Violet was a trusted ally to all and seen the way she had always intended: as a mature adult capable of handling herself. Some of this stemmed directly from Kara's insinuations as such (as she told Jalix of Violet's heritage) and a belief that she would be safe with the knowledge, skills, and beliefs she held dear to her heart. Some of this turned to bravado, and other times simply bravery, and her actions in the finals moments of the Battle in Washington, D.C. shaped the very future of the world.

## Description

Free of tattoos, distinct birthmarks, or defining features, Violet is a near-replica of Kara's younger self, save for the deep brown eyes that came from Kara and Val's father (briefly believed to be from Schillinger's genetics, but argued by Valterius). With sleek, onyx hair that extends to her shoulder blades and almond-shaped eyes, Violet is otherwise an average woman for her age and genetics, weighing 125 pounds and standing at just under five and a half feet (slightly shorter than Krystal). Although she doesn't have the self-described "desirable features" of most women, being slim and slender, her beauty stems from long hours of hygiene, makeup, and a perfectly-executed outfit that matches any occasion. From leather jackets and suede boots to cargo pants and a band t-shirt, Violet can stand out or blend in with any crowd at will, depending on her mood. Her self-expression in getting an array of ear piercings during the *Outbreak phase* of the *Sorrowverse,* along with an attitude that defies criticism, makes her desirable to the men that are willing to commit to a witty personality and a beautiful mind rather than the physical embodiment of a male fantasy (as is often the case with those previously lusting over Krystal or Kara).

## Titles

### *The Goth Girl*

A nickname of admiration for her self-expression, Violet was occasionally referred to as "The Goth Girl" by those in Aerael and Vanaheim that didn't know her name, mentioned briefly at her funeral with Violet (through Amy) conveying that she was happy in knowing it was how she would be remembered.

## Relationships

Aside from blood relation and friendships, Violet never had any sexual partners and only a few, brief romantic flings. She often found attachment to be overwhelming, an expression of her self-doubt and lack of confidence. While she was never looking for a partner, she would have the occasional suitor accepted as a 'boyfriend' for a month or two, never publicly mentioned or discussed as she often knew that she would be unable to maintain a stable relationship. In *Desolation*, Violet makes a joke about Sonya's asexuality, but she didn't say it with the intent of assigning the label to herself. Violet simply never found the confidence and faith in herself to share her personality with anyone other than the members of the Counsel; this applied especially to Amy and Krystal.

After the events of *Despair*, Violet's death created a confusing situation within Amy's mind, with a lingering presence of Violet's soul and memories permanently cementing itself as a part of who Amy was. The two were inexplicably merged, although Violet's 'spirit' was subservient to Amy's willpower and thoughts within the ending of *The Legacy of Sorrow*.