Carmen's Theme:
Flamenco - Directed by Carlos SauraName: Carmen Martirio
Age: 741
Species: Vampire
State: Royal Vampire
Appearance:Personality: Carmen has a very gentle demeanor and is considerate and compassionate. However she is also strong and quite merciless, being capable of doing whatever is right and defending it passionately. She has no guilt for killing anyone since she never kills without a reason that satisfies her.
History: Carmen lived as a dancer and a Courtesan of the City Valencia, dancing in the day and then entertaining gentlemen who came to her quarters at night. She practiced an ancient form of flamenco dancing in Valencia and rose quite high in fame for her dancing. She even danced for El Cid, the legendary Military Commander and lord of Valencia until he died in 1099. For a while after she danced in the failing city, sad for the loss of its beauty.
She attracted the attention of a very old wandering Vampire named Meneshe who had come from jeruselum after the first Crusaders landed. Many Vampires fled from jeruselum at that time since holy men are trained in the identification and destruction of vampires. He was very tired and downhearted, a vampire old beyond reconning and just as wise. He saw Carmen's youthful beauty closeted in the dark and crumbling Velencia and he was saddened to see it. He offered her two choices. Either he could smuggle her away from the city and find her a husband of noble birth and character so that she might live in luxury the rest of her life, or he could change her and she might follow him to venice and dance and be beautiful freely and for forever.
She was conflicted for some time but eventually the thought of being bound to a man for the rest of her life seemed a thankless existence and she chose to follow him. Their relationship grew and Meneshe took on a paternal love of Carmen, protecting and nurturing her in vampire society while Carmen was as dedicated and loving a daughter as any.
They traveled away from Valencia before the city was taken and journeyed to Venice where there was a florishing vampire society of Nobles and royalty. Carmen's dancing was much loved among the Vampire courts and she rose in esteem not only for her maturity and cunning but also for the calm way she handled feeding. While they remained there Carmen noticed Meneshe being bagered to accept a position in Royalty but he maintained a refusal which Carmen was greatful for. Royals were never at liberty and Carmen enjoyed journeying with Meneshe.
In the year 1110 news was heard of the Crusader's attack upon Beirut and even though he did not wish for responsibility, Meneshe decided to return to Jeruselum and try to aid the muslim rebellion against the Crusaders. Carmen insisted upon joining him and a large number of other Vampires agreed to come but it took some time to organise and only in the year 1125 did they set out. They arrived and began the fight against the English but a new and dangerous enemy awaited them for the crusaders contracted angels to their soldiers. These soldiers were called Templars and although they had no significant destructive power they did not die and did not feel pain because of the protection of their angels.
A while after Meneshe and Carmen joined the fight Carmen became contracted to a fearless and passionate Arab Prince named Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn who charged her to aid him until Richard the Lionheart was driven from Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn's homeland. Carmen respected and trusted Salah from the first and through their long relationship she came to love him though this was a great pain for her whom had to take his soul.
The three, Meneshe, Carmen and Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn, spent long years trying to repel the Crusaders and Templars and Carmen's prowess in battle rose to great heights. However in the year 1180 Meneshe was killed while battling against a large number of Templar knights although the battle overall was won. Carmen lost heart for the fight after that but could not cease since her contract bound her to continue.
The angel Marcus, whom had been the death of Meneshe, had taken his soul and became a Seraphim. He came to Carmen and begged her forgiveness for he was repulsed at having caused a living thing such anguish. She did not forgive at first but the Seraphim would not leave and Carmen found herself warming to his company. Not being one to dwell on the past at that time, she forgave Marcus and they became good friends. With his help Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn's wish was fullfilled and he became sultan of Egypt until Richard the Lionheart left Jeruselum.
Carmen chose to keep Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn's memories once she became a Whole Vampire and, with Marcus, began a journey to England to observe the monsters whom had caused so much bloodshed. She stopped off in Venice for a time and was comforted by the Nobles there whom had known Meneshe. While there she gained another contract which turned out to be a very simple task and another. Very soon she was known for her ability and she was sought out by Humans for help with their various problems.
She managed to escape from Venice when she had gained another seven souls but again got sidetracked by wanting to visit her homeland of Spain. She arrived there by 1470 and stayed there, learning the new Flamenco dance and entertaining herself with simple pleasures that she had forgotten. Marcus left for England in the middle of this and Carmen promised to follow, which she did, eventually. During her time in Spain she gained 23 souls, putting her way over the requirements for a place in the Royal Covern and when she once again set off for England it was 1587 making her 510 years old.
She came to England, was reunited with Marcus and was asked to accept a seat in the Royal Covern which, after some deliberation, she did. Since then she has been devoting her strength and abundant time to managing her Covern in the English countryside near the Lake district.
