Bellany Fray Marquis DiGray

[Lark]

Name: Bellany Fray Marquis DiGray
Age: 20
Birthplace: The Western Shore
Gender: Female
Species: Hare
Job/Position: Wandering Songtress, Healer, Cook, and Sometimes Archer of Justice and Also Love
Physical Description:

Slim and willowy, Bellany is a rather lovely young hare, and my if she doesn't know it. With lightly-colored fur, a pale rust-orange shade, long, tapered ears, and uncommonly large, gem-like eyes of emerald, rimmed with soft brown lashes and an outline of cream fur, it's truly a curse to be as beautiful as Bellany. The bucks just won't leave you alone, and nearly every creature you speak to just can't seem to help themselves from falling under the spell of your charms. "What grace!" they exclaim, "What perfect form!" Truly, truly, a curse.

As you may have guessed, Bellany is more than a little vain, and it shows. She carries herself with a flirtatious saunter, and is surprisingly delicate in her motions and gestures, as least until she's sure no one's looking. Neatly groomed at all times, Bellany cares greatly for appearances, and would hate to appear uncouth. Certainly, "camouflage" is not a concept that has ever occurred to the maiden. Rich colors and fine detailing are the order of the day for Bellany's clothing, and she's especially inclined towards shades of green. She favors gowns, usually cut shorter, or slit up the sides for ease of movement, layered over with long, flowing vests, always belted at the waist of course, to show off her figure. A small, bejeweled choker of multiple colors is her constant accessory. Actually, one of the only ways to tell if the haremaid is nervous is if she fiddles with it. Bellany has a sincere, open smile; one that can only belong to a creature that truly loves life, and wants everyone else to love it right along with her.

Belongings:

Mostly noticeable of Bellany's possessions is a lute, brightly painted with flowers and other indistinct designs. The lute is usually strapped to a large, bulky pack most certainly filled with, but not limited to, the following: Enough food to probably feed a small platoon, but strangely enough, not a small hare. A bit of string. An assortment of materials for healing, and possibly poisoning, if she wanted. A knife. A flute. A pair of spectacles. A book of songs. A canteen. An extra bowl and fork. Assorted buttons.

Slung next to the pack is a quiver of arrows, and an elegant-looking bow. They look like they'd be hard to reach, but Bellany is uncannily good at having them in paw in the blink of an eye.

Personality:

Bellany would call herself a sensitive soul; a true artist. Some others might call her a self-centered soul, and entirely vain. Neither assessment would be wrong. Bellany is a very vain creature, constantly finicking over her appearance. She's also a perfectionist in anything she sets her mind to. In Bellany's view, it's not worth doing if it's not done well. However, whether this has more to do with true ambition or simply wanting to appear flawless at all times is anyone's guess.

That said, it's hard to deny that Bellany is in touch with the spark of inspiration and creativity. A prolific creator, Bellany's thoughts seem to be in constant motion, usually working on a new project. Song is her calling, but she considers cooking and healing to be art as well. And despite the fact that her blatant vanity far over-reaches her actual charms, there is real beauty to Bellany, and not just in her looks. Bellany takes to life with a joy that is infectious. It's hard to spend any real length of time around her without feeling swept up in the sheer revelry she feels in just being alive. If there is an outstanding quality to Bellany, it is her passion.

Now, as artists often are, Bellany can be incredibly fickle in her whims. She doesn't like to be beholden to any other creature, and does what she will, whether it's the smart thing to do or not. Bellany knows that the world is big, that life is short, and that there are too many things out there she needs to do to be stuck doing just one thing. That's not to say she can't be loyal. She's certainly loyal. But freedom is paramount to Bellany, and when she feels that she's no longer needed, she'll leave. At heart, she truly is a wanderer.

To this end, Bellany is a very lonely hare. Usually, she doesn't mind it. Sometimes she really, really does. She loves so much, and enjoys so much, but when the time comes to truly connect or commit, she starts to feel suffocated, and she runs. Not, it should be noted, in dire need. She's spent time tending to others, especially as a healer, and has no problem giving up her time and energy. Bellany's no coward, and she'll have your back. But after the battle's done, and it's time to settle into a real life, Bellany will be there for the celebrations, and gone by morning. It's just how she is. So far, nothing's come along to change this mindset. However, there's always a secret, nagging wish in the back of Bellany's mind, to find something that makes her want to stay.

It's also probably worth mentioning: Bellany is very, very hard to make angry. She'll mock anger, and pretend to be hurt, or even furious. They have to be one super-evil vermin to make her mad, and even then, she's likely to simply take them out and get over it. So, if you find yourself on the wrong side of Bellany in a real rage... what on earth did you do?

History:

Bellany was raised in a small, isolated cottage, along the Western Shore. Bellany was raised believing that her parents were both members of the Long Patrol, and perished in a corsair ambush long before Bellany could form memories of them. However, her "grandparents", who raised her, were an interesting pair. Ferranado Black, known to Bellany as "PopPop", a former brigadier of the Long Patrol; a broad hare who was wounded in action. Permanently bound to using a cane to hobble from place to place, he was a classic higher-up of the patrol: grouchy, strict, tough, but with a genuine heart of gold. Her "grandmother", so to speak, was a mole, called Miz Marnie by everyone, even Ferranado. While Miz Marnie possessed the trademark earthy wisdom of the moles, she was exceptionally well-spoken. A poet, Miz Marnie was the one who instilled Bellany with her love of words, which eventually grew into a love of song. It was Ferranado who provided Bellany with fodder for material, telling her great tales of adventure and war late into the night. They nurtured the spirit of creativity in Bellany, and delighted in watching her love of music develop. It was never entirely clear how the hare and mole's odd partnership developed, leaving a little Bellany to assume that everyone must have a mole grandmother.

And that was Bellany's life. The shore wasn't always an easy place to live, and Bellany spent many seasons tending their garden, hoping it would be enough to get them through the winter months. It always was. Travelers would come through from time to time, often with need for shelter, food, and sometimes medicine, which was how Bellany first discovered her talent for the trade of healing. It became something of a wanderer's haven, and word travelled along the coast, that if you were in need, to go to the green cottage. There you'd find the haremaid, who would bind your wounds, feed you a delicious meal, and regale you with lilting song. Of course, these rumors went to Bellany's head more than a little, and she loved to hear of them. She also may or may not have subtly nudged the travelers passing through to make mention of her nigh unbearable beauty as well.

It was just as Bellany started to skirt near the end of her childhood, that she first felt the wanderlust. There has been a growing dissatisfaction in her heart for some time. More and more, she wished to leave the shore, and see the world. The cottage started to feel like a shackle. When she expressed this to Ferranado and Miz Marnie, she didn't get the reaction she anticipated. Apparently, they had expected it for some time. Patiently, they explained that while her parents had both been members of the Long Patrol, only her father died in the ambush. Bellany's mother however, was a wanderer before she joined the Patrol, and after the death of her husband, she hadn't been able to take it. Her grief, and the uncontrollable wanderlust took hold. She left Bellany, who hadn't yet even learned to speak, in the care of her former Patrol leader, Ferranado, injured in the same ambush, and her "aunt", Miz Marnie. She requested that Bellany not know that she'd chosen to abandon her daughter, and then she disappeared.

Bellany didn't take this badly. But she didn't exactly take it well. She spent almost a season quietly reflecting, trying to take in the fact that this urge to not be beholden might be something she couldn't control. When Bellany announced that she had to leave, if only to sort out what she felt, Ferranado and Miz Marnie supported her entirely, but with one condition: stay for a year, to be taught how to survive. Bellany agreed, and spent the next year training. She learned how to survive off of your surroundings, and how to defend herself. Being the sensitive type, Bellany hadn't expected to take to fighting. However, her steady paw and talent for precision lent itself exceptionally well to archery. At the end of the year, when Bellany was sixteen, she was ready.

With the love of her guardians to tide her through, Bellany left the cottage. She travelled from place to place for years, and saw stretches of the world so remote and beautiful, they moved her to tears. She would render aid where ever she went, in the form of healing, sometimes defense, and more often than not, food and song. More than once, Bellany visited Redwall Abbey, especially during the winter, when the warmth of its halls seem much more inviting than the cold paths outside. It's where Bellany has come to visit at the present, excited to spend time with the friends she's made there, and of course, to share her new music.

Code Words: -Correct-

[Treble Tiderunner]

Looking forward to seeing her in play. Accepted!