dreamingflowers

The Queen's Hand

The shift of space and time left Sofia disorientated. Her hand went up to her head and she closed her eyes, the world was spinning around her. It felt like she was seasick. She took some slow and steady breaths, waiting for it to pass. She did not catch half of what Alice was explaining, having a tough time of regaining her composure. It would be a great relief if she could loosen her corset slightly, but that was completely out of the question. With a hand hovering over her stomach and a troubled expression on her face Sofia carefully followed the group into the next room.

Well then, it seems this is where we were supposed to be in the first place. She thought to herself. She would have much preferred her own methods of transportation.

They were left in the care of another woman. There was something about her Sofia could not appreciate, but perhaps this was just because she was ill tempered after having been whisked away by Haji. Miss Jang spoke very little, all she did say was that their first assignment was to take place in a circus somewhere. At any rate they were all chosen for their peculiar capabilities. Sofia was convinced they would succeed in their efforts to protect Queen and country from others with ill intentions.

She looked around the room, taking note of the young man who had previously introduced himself to her as Felix. He appeared worried at first glance but as he looked down at a pocket watch he was carrying Sofia deducted it may also be impatience. There was another face she recognized, barely a man himself Afro was among the company too. The beautiful brown skinned boy was as mysterious as he was troubled, Sofia found it quite difficult to fathom his behavior. He was unlike any child she´d seen. It made it challenging to help him. It only drove her to try harder. For now however she let him be.

Sofia strolled over to Felix at an easy pace, not that her dress allowed for anything faster.
"You seem troubled Mr Hansford...." She said calmly.
He had this ruffian charm to him Sofia found rather entertaining, it lifted her spirits.

The First Shanty

Well I finally posted, I hope it's worth the wait. Hopefully you can continue from where I left off.

The First Shanty

The waves crashed against the rocky cliffs down below, lapping against the stone with a steady and comforting pace. It was a low tide, the sea exposed her treasurers to a treasure hunter who seemed to dance upon the rocks with a uncanny ease. Her copper hair flew about wildly in the wind, unbound and free. Dressed in a faded slip dress the young woman made her way across familial ground. The oysters she sought were ones carrying precious pearls. She had laid them aside in a small grotto, cared for them lovingly and patiently. She did not remember how long it had been, time seemed to pass either to quickly to comprehend or to slow to bear.

The young woman was pleasantly surprised to find that most of the oysters were carrying beautifully formed rounded pearls. After she harvested a small sachet full of the ivory gems she laid the shells back to rest, thanking them silently. This small amount would help her through the rougher months of the year. After making her way back to shore, she retrieved her basket off freshly caught oysters and continued on her way. She took her time, strolling on the sandy beach, absorbed in her own thoughts.

In the distance a ship was resting at the docks. She could vaguely make out a crew of sailors hauling cargo from the ship onto shore. It peaked her curiously. The sleepy town wasn´t a much used resting spot and usually skipped past by any sensible sea crew. The pearl diver wondered what could have drawn them here. She would find out soon. Instead of going right back to town she decided to make her way to the docks to catch a glimpse of the trades which were undoubtedly taking place. She knew the routines and habits of the town like the back of her hand.

To prove her point the towns one and only merchant Faflon, who doubled as the drunk inn keeper had dressed in his finest clothes. Which to be fair wasn´t all that impressive, as he was trying to close a deal with the captain of the ship. Faflon was as bad a merchant as he was a inn keeper. He couldn´t stay away from the drinks and as a merchant he spent coin he didn´t have. Living at the inn at first had been temporary, but it could now be argued that she was a permanent resident. Sadly this also meant she was dragged into his messes at regular occasion. The same was going to happen right......now

Faflon realized he was talking big, with nothing to show for himself. This captain was proving to be one tough customer, he was only purchasing wares and not actually selling anything. For one because he didn´t have anything of worth to sell. He wracked his hung over brain to come up with some kind of solution. It came to him in the shape of the ever so mysteriously enchanting resident at his inn, the pearl diver with the copper hair.

"Mira, come greet our new guests!" Faflon called out loudly in order to carry his voice through the winds.

Mira frowned, she was content watching from the sidelines and had not planned of going any closer to the scene. Against her better judgment she wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and crossed the distance to her tenant. After she arrived Faflon at once took her aside to speak in hushed whispers. Mira simply sighed, failing to feel neither anger or surprise at his request. She handed him the sachet of pearls wordlessly and continued to watch the exchange taking place.

The First Shanty

I can't think of anything right now.
I will be bussy from Thursday till Sunday, but I think I'll have some time inbetween to write. If you can start us off that would be great, if you don't mind of course.

The First Shanty

No problem at all. Great character! ^.^
He fits well with the setting.

The Queen's Hand

Sofia had taken the liberty of dressing herself for the occasion, putting on one of her finer dresses. A modest set of luxuriously handsewn dresses were the only things she had kept when she left home, a physical echo of her former life. The children were all abound with curiosity as to where she would be going in her fine clothes. Most of the girls were convinced she was going on a stroll with some fancy gentleman fellow, and a few of the boys were secretly a little jealous. They didn't want to share their "mother", because even though they had mothers of their own, they were rarely seen or heard. It was Sofia who sat at their bedside in the middle of the night when they were distraught and burning with a fever. It took a great deal of convincing and promising before they let her leave.

The young woman read her invitation once more while on her way to the headquarters of the Queen's Hand. They were kind enough to arrange for a carriage to pick her up, most likely because she didn't live in South Bank house. This was by choice, she was still unsure if she was going to stay at the children's home. Who was going to need her more, the children or the Queen? If she praised the question like that, the answer was obvious. The invitation however stressed the importance to be part of a team of sorts. Sofia was unsure how she felt about that. She put the letter back into the envelop tucking it into a safe place.

Once they arrived the footman lead her inside, making small talk along the way, to which Sofia mostly smiled kindly. He opened a set of wooden doors for her, revealing a room full of people. Upon entering the room most eyes darted her way. She curtsied lightly, holding her dress. Sofia took note of a man standing in the centre of the room. He did not make eye contact upon her entrance, nor did he seem to acknowledge her in any way. It was quite strange. Sofia frowned at his lack of manners and continued onwards finding a spot next to another gentleman.

"Good afternoon..." She spoke in a soft voice.

The man in the green turban spoke up, drawing her attention back to him. She guessed he was trying to be comical or make them worry, succeeding in neither with Sofia. If they were going to be late it was not by her doing. They should have given her the proper location in the invitation and she would have gone there. Sofia sighed audibly at the request to step a little closer, as to surround the man, who Sofia realized had not even introduced himself. She held her gloved hands to the side, waiting for things to move along.

The First Shanty

"One day I will return to the sea."

---

---

Name: Mira Mokosh
Race: Mermaid changed into a human
Apparent Age: Late teens, early twenties
Actual Age: 100

Appearance: Mira was and still is a young woman of traditional beauty. She has rosy skin with a scattering of freckles across the center of her face. High cheekbones and a finely shaped nose and lips along with long flowing hair. Deep and striking eyes which seem to shift between green and blue never truly settling for either. She is petite and has a womanly figure.

Profession: Pearl Diver

Possessions:

• A small silver knife, made to open oysters and other kinds of shellfish.
• A silver comb of fine craftsmanship, decorated with swirling vines and flowers.

Skills/Magic/Talents:

-Longevity: Mermaids can’t die from old age and despite being changed into a human many years ago Mira retained her longevity.

-Swimming: Mira is a great swimmer, a remnant of her life spent in the ocean. Shortly after she became human she discovered her natural talent for swimming and diving. When searching for oysters she can hold her breath for multiple minutes using special techniques while also being able to withstand the low temperatures of the sea water.

-Singing: Another echo of her past life. Mira has a beautiful singing voice which she rarely uses. Only while she’s working she’ll sing to herself. The songs are often incredibly sad and filled with melancholy. There is something otherworldly about her voice that draws people in. If she wanted to she could probably provide for herself as a singer and make a decent living.

Demeanor: Mira is a very kind and gentle soul that wishes no harm to anyone, but there is a wistful sadness to her that often makes her seek out solitude. She’s been hurt deeply and hasn’t allowed herself to be very happy for much of her human life. She has a childlike curiosity about her which always makes her want to learn new things, yet there is a wisdom in her words of a life lived. She finds comfort in her work as a pearl diver and enjoys the quiet life in the coastal town she currently resides in.

History:
Mira’s life as a mermaid is a distant memory, a past life. Her new life began when she became human. Of this life she remembers everything very clearly, and its these memories she returns to every time. She is a woman of the past, who longs for what was. She became human to pursue love. But life as she had imagined it turned out very different. She currently resides in a small town near the coast trying to live her life in peace, struggling with her past and a longing for a life she’s all but forgotten.

The Queen's Hand

Sofia Terrell

Color Code: Lightpink

Sofia Tessaro (Terrell)

Gender: Female
Age: 21
Country of Origin: Italy

Bio:

Sofia lived a privileged if somewhat sheltered life. Growing up in a household with three brothers she was naturally closer to her mother. A woman who made it her mission in life to groom Sofia for marriage. A member of the Tessaro family Sofia was a great catch for any young man. Her childhood was mostly uneventful and filled with repetition, dressing up, visiting salons and drinking tea. It was safe, sometimes even boring, but looking back perhaps the happiest time in her life.

When Sofia was of an age to be married a series of tragedies happened. First Sofia discovered her unnatural ability, shocking her devoutly Catholic family. They kept it a secret, hiding Sofia away until she gained some semblence of control over her unholy gifts. Her mother refused to give up on her years of hard work and was determined to find Sofia a husband, but before she could succeed Sofia comitted the ultimate shame. Desperate for someone to accept her for who she was Sofia fell in love quickly, or she thought she did. She had a child out of wedlock which caused her family to disown her. She came to terms with the fact her life in her homeland was over and did the only thing she could to survive. Sofia moved to England, where she quickly became English, taking on the name of Sofia Terrell.

She settled into a modest life working as a caregiver to sick children. The Queen's Hand agency recruited her after they discovered the children in her care were doing remarkebly well, a bit too well actually.

Ability: Witch touching
Sofia has the ability to either heal and cure someone or induce sickness and degeneration by making prolonged physical contact.
The effect of her touch depends on her intention. The effectiveness is tied to the length of time she touches someone. It can range from healing minor cuts and bruises, curing a mild cold to fixing broken bones and curing life threatening diseases. Of course it also works the other way around.

There is however a side to her ability that will always be beyond her control. If she uses too much of her ability it will start to spread. It becomes dangerous at this point. If she is healing someone and it spreads it will begin to draw the life from everything else around her. When she's making someone sick or injuring them it will also spread and Sofia isn't immune to her own ability.

Department: Support

The Queen's Hand

Sofia

Color Code: Lightpink

Sofia Tessaro (Terrell)

Gender: Female
Age: 21
Country of Origin: Italy

Bio:

Sofia lived a privileged if somewhat sheltered life. Growing up in a household with three brothers she was naturally closer to her mother. A woman who made it her mission in life to groom Sofia for marriage. A member of the Tessaro family Sofia was a great catch for any young man. Her childhood was mostly uneventful and filled with repetition, dressing up, visiting salons and drinking tea. It was safe, sometimes even boring, but looking back perhaps the happiest time in her life.

When Sofia was of an age to be married a series of tragedies happened. First Sofia discovered her unnatural ability, shocking her devoutly Catholic family. They kept it a secret, hiding Sofia away until she gained some semblence of control over her unholy gifts. Her mother refused to give up on her years of hard work and was determined to find Sofia a husband, but before she could succeed Sofia comitted the ultimate shame. Desperate for someone to accept her for who she was Sofia fell in love quickly, or she thought she did. She had a child out of wedlock which caused her family to disown her. She came to terms with the fact her life in her homeland was over and did the only thing she could to survive. Sofia moved to England, where she quickly became English, taking on the name of Sofia Terrell.

She settled into a modest life working as a caregiver to sick children. The Queen's Hand agency recruited her after they discovered the children in her care were doing remarkebly well, a bit too well actually.

Ability: Witch touching
Sofia has the ability to either heal and cure someone or induce sickness and degeneration by making prolonged physical contact.
The effect of her touch depends on her intention. The effectiveness is tied to the length of time she touches someone. It can range from healing minor cuts and bruises, curing a mild cold to fixing broken bones and curing life threatening diseases. Of course it also works the other way around.

There is however a side to her ability that will always be beyond her control. If she uses too much of her ability it will start to spread. It becomes dangerous at this point. If she is healing someone and it spreads it will begin to draw the life from everything else around her. When she's making someone sick or injuring them it will also spread and Sofia isn't immune to her own ability.

Department: Support

The Queen's Hand (Victorian-Era Superheroes)

I'm interested too ^.^