Name: Diedra (DEE-EH-DRA)
Sex: Female
Gender: Female
Orientation: Bisexual
Age: 24 || 732
Role in the Circus: Horse Mistress
Personality: The woman known as Diedra tends to take a very
maternal role over the others in the circus, mainly since she's been around the longest. She treats everyone more-or-less the same, ensuring that they're all happy and looked-after. However, that doesn't prevent her from having a
sharp tongue and a fiery attitude, as she's known for her deep dislike for the ringmaster and tends to get passionate and angry over the little things. She's especially known to stick up to those who are being unfairly punished - usually it ends by receiving a punishment that is worse than the victim's.
Diedra's provocative appearance and choice of clothing shows a lot of
self confidence, coupled with her close, tactile body language (She likes to hold hands or hug people or put a hand on their shoulder, the likes) which can mislead people into being
seemingly flirtatious with them. Those who actually know her would know that she
no longer has an interest in romantic interaction, however, as it makes her feel irritated. She has a very
cynical view on romance after being alive for so long.
Magic (If Any): A strong spiritual link with her four horses allows her to control them at will. In a form of exchange, they share each other's abilities; so, for example, the horses are very intelligent and can perform tricks with very little training, as Diedra has increased running speed, stamina, and strength.
The drawbacks? The link is so close that if her horses are wounded somehow, the same would will appear on Diedra. Some horses prefer human meals now, whereas Diedra will happily eat straw and grass. Some of the horses display remarkably human behaviour, whilst Diedra is known to whinny when she's terrified, and become restless in small spaces for too long.
Reason for Joining Cirque de Noir: See Past Life!
Past Life: Born in 1282, during the High Middle Ages, Diedra used to go by a different name. She was originally born in what would come to be called Spain but was once called Al-Andalus, under a
Moorish Muslim family. However, the family was in reality an extensive caravan of gypsies, which travelled around Al-Andalus, performing to get their pay in food and water.
The girl who would become Diedra was particularly acquainted with horses (It is said that she was birthed on horse-back, but that is merely a rumour, one of many that surround her life) and was the chief horse-tender of her caravan. During her teenage youth, she had many, many romantic partners - men and women alike - and earned an extra coin or two for her 'services'. She was careless of her own safety, and did not realise the extent that people would go to give what they think someone should deserve.
After reaching the Holy Roman empire in Germany, the young woman who would soon become Diedra came into contact with a roman priestess of Venus, and instantly fall madly in love with her. Unfortunately, Diedra overlooked this priestess' obsessive behaviour as a minor fault, and when her caravan had to move on, the priestess cursed Diedra for picking the horses over her undying love. It is said that the priestess was actually a magical being, and her curse was meant to change Diedra into a horse, but her powers were unruly and temperamental; instead, Diedra found that she would become 'linked' to four steeds at one time, and control them at will.
Terrified of herself, and wretched with grief for leaving her long-lost love, Diedra hit a particularly low point; in which a most beautiful woman came forth and asked her whether she would like to join a circus, and never feel the pain again...convinced that this woman was being flirtatious with her, and completely manipulated by her, Diedra would instantly accept the invitation.
Within two weeks, Diedra realised she was tricked, and over the 700 years she has been in the circus, her deep and bitter loathing for Madame Sombre has only increased to a near-mutinous degree. She knows she cannot die in the circus and equally that any attack on her would heal quickly, which made her overconfident in her abilities and caused her to speak her own mind - often - to Madame Sombre. This would result in many, many punishments, but still Diedra remains unbroken.
Bazmund