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I was born in a little village by the sea. It was by the bordor of Rohan and Gondor, so I was never sure as a child whether I was a Rohirrim or a Numenorean. My mother said I was Rohirrim, and was given to them as a blessing from Yavanna, for I was the only brunette in a family of fair-haired people. My father said I was Numenorean, for I was a distant relative of Elrond Half-Elven and his brother Elros. I’m still not sure! My father was a seaman, and he worked in the ports of Gondor. My mother was a weaver, of both tales and cloth. My brother and I worked at the docks with our father, and my elder sister helped our mother. She was the only child in our family who had actually picked up the Rohirric language, which was what Mother spoke. Mother knew Sindarin, but her accent was awful so she rarely spoke it. Thus, everyone in my family had two names -- one Elvish and one Rohirric. I was Nuraeariel and Briseis, my sister was Celebwen and Aethelwyn, and my brother was Haradsûl and Eowine (named after my cousin). When I had grown I decided it was time to find work away from the ports and the surly fishermen, for my mother thought a maiden should not grow up among them. So I decided to be a shieldmaiden, even though that choice didn’t sit well with the fact that I didn’t speak Rohirric and I couldn’t wield a sword. Somehow things worked out that I would go to the East Emnet and live with my cousins, Eowine and Steorra, for a few years so that I could learn Rohirric and become accustomed to the Rohirrim’s lifestyle. Five years after I had gone to live with Eowine I rode to Edoras to see if I could join the Cavalry, and I suppose I did well in disguising my past for I not only was accepted but became a Captain in their ranks. And that’s just about where I am now... |