Name: Kayshira Mael
Age: 20
Nationality: Half Altaran, Half Tar Valoner
Height: 5’7
Weight: 117
Hair color/length: Light Blond
Eye color: Grey
Talent: Sniffing, still developing (Approved by Mother :D)
Appearance: Kayshira inherited her fair complexion and pale hair from her father, though the rest of her family has olive tinted skin.
Personality: Kayshira is a very driven woman that will not take no for an answer. She believes in hard work as well as honor, but can be very controlling and manipulative. Kayshira is headstrong and believes her opinions are the right ones, so she never listens to others or looks at their perspectives. Kayshira will not be anything but the best and often runs herself into the ground. Also, she has a very hard time apologizing to others and believes in family honor and is extremly prideful.
Gaidin Path: Kayshira is adequate at the Altaran dueling dagger and can use a bow to some extent.

History: Kayshira looked guardedly at the paper for a moment as she shifted in her chair at the library. It was late, almost time for curfew, so she would probably have to send the letter in a few days. At any rate, writing it would keep Kayshira from falling asleep in her chair. Snorting softly to herself, she dipped the quill in the inkpot and lowered it to the parchment.

Dear Mother, Father, Sari, and Jurio,

I am sorry for leaving so unexpectedly. I am at the White Tower, the newest recruit to date. I will miss you both greatly, just as I miss our home in Altara. I think it was your stories of Tar Valon, Father, and the might of Aes Sedai and their warders that prompted me to come. Remember when I was ten and obsessed with becoming an Aes Sedai and being my own warder as well? That fancy came back to me, but this time to just become Aes Sedai. I think that the idea of an Aes Sedai’s power was what prompted this wish. Alas, the Yellow sister that tested me found no channeling spark. You two understand how I am though, how I can never admit defeat. The White Tower is so beautiful and new to me, and I so wanted to stay. My love for the curved dueling dagger hasn’t diminished, so I enrolled to train to become Gaidar. I hope you will be pleased Father, after all, I am now living in the place you always looked at as a child in Tar Valon.

I know this will be hard for you both to understand why I have done this. Mother, you never thought I had much interest in the blades. However, you couldn’t be more wrong. I know I spent most of my childhood with Father in the library, pouring over the newest book. I still do that here, for the library is positively immense! You would simply love it, Father. Even though I may have a greater love for literature than fighting, dueling practice has always been one of my hobbies, ever since I was ten! I know I didn’t practice much as a child unless Sari or Jurio asked me to spar with them, but it was only because I always had a new book to read.

I think that what spurred me on to really understand that I love to duel was when I challenged Tiandrae after she insulted Mother for marrying below her station as a noble Altaran woman. I was fueled by fury and blinded by rage, so it is no surprise that I lost my first duel. Perhaps I cannot claim to such a title as always victorious, but I learned from my mistakes. I begged you to teach me more of the dueling art after that defeat, Mother, only because I wished to gain back my pride and protect the family honor. However, it was in our lessons when I realized I found joy in the steps and forms. After all, knife work is rather like dancing, and I have always enjoyed dancing. Father, your archery lessons have also prompted me to become a recruit.

I worked so hard to be good enough to beat Tiandrae. It was a hard two years, for she was much more advanced then me and I was loathe to pull myself from my books and exercise. However, there was a sort of power in the fact that I knew how to end a life. Not a morbid power, but the knowledge that I could. When I challenged Tiandrae again was when I really began to understand that dueling had just as much power as channeling, but in its own way. I won that fight, with only a scar down my left arm to show its passing. It was a challenge, for Tiandrae was still had more skills at the dagger than I did, but I was faster on my feet. When I held my dagger to her throat and asked for her surrender, I think I was happier than I had ever been before in my life.

I wanted to become Aes Sedai and I will admit it. However, just because I failed the test for channeling is not the only reason I have become a recruit. As I wrote before, fighting is just as powerful in channeling, if in a different way. I have always wanted to be powerful and to be the best, but you both have never blamed me for my fanciful wishes. Please, do not be angry with me for running away. Every step of the way I was guilty, and for that I am sorry. However, life here at the White Tower is so wonderful! I am a recruit in my own right and I am only too glad to learn new things. Perhaps I have become a recruit to quench my thirst for power, but I also truly enjoy my new life here.

Sari, my dear older sister, please do not think I have abandoned you or stole your dream of becoming a recruit. In fact, I fully expect you to show up one day for training. After all, Sari, you were the one that prompted me to realize there was another path for me at the White Tower other than becoming a novice. You have always loved weapons far more than I have, but you taught me to love just as you do. You were always my role model, Sari, and you continue to be so for your weaponry prowess has always been an amazing part of our family, and you are the courageous woman I know. I hope that, someday, I will have even a fraction of the passion you have for life. Sari, your weaponry lessons have helped me far more than you can possibly think. Do give my regards to your husband, Sari!

Jurio, you would be so amazed at the grand scale of the White Tower! You have always wanted to be an architect, my little brother, so I hope sometime you will visit to study the astounding buildings here in Tar Valon. I miss you so, Jurio. You taught me patience and care far more than anyone else managed and for that I thank you. Jurio, you are the most wonderful little brother any sister can ask for. I do hope you keep Sari’s vanity in line while I’m away.

Mother and Father, you raised all three of us so well. You let us explore our own paths and encouraged change at our home. I know you expected me to become a scholar, but the practice yards here have the same call to me now as the library. Do you know, Father, that they have a whole yard for just target practice? Every time I pick my bow I will think of you. After all, you crafted it for me! Mother, you taught me the art of being myself. Through my lessons on such topics as the dagger to how to knead bread, you helped me understand myself.

My twenty years with the four of you will always be held dear to my heart. My time with you was filled with laughter, love, and silly family spats. I can’t remember a time when Jurio and Sari weren’t having some sort of little argument! I will miss being the peacekeeper between you all, but I hope that you will be able to forgive each other as well as me for the trails we have dragged each other through. I will miss our games and the everyday life I have always shared with all of you.

I hope you are all are well. It is hard to admit that I was perhaps wrong in leaving all of you for Tar Valon to try something I may not succeed in. But I love it here and I am proud to call it my new home. However, Altara will always be my first home and you will always be my family. Perhaps, if I become Gaidar, I can visit you and tell you stories of the White Tower just as you both have told me tales of both Tar Valon and Altara.

With Love,
Kayshira


After signing her name with a flourish, Kayshira sat back to regard her letter for a moment before pouring sand over the parchment to dry the ink. It was as if she had set her goals in stone. Nibbling thoughtfully on her lip for a moment, Kayshira waited impatiently for the ink to dry enough to fold the paper. After all, she had to see if she could send the bloody thing before nightfall.

This is a great basis! :D I'm incredibly interested in seeing where you take your character, not to mention I'm really excited to have a new recruit around here. :D Anyway, on to the bio. :)

I really like that you've clearly thought a lot about her family and her background, you've got a good basis and I can see where a lot of Kayshira's opinions sort of had a root, which is wonderful. It's also clear to me that you've thought out strengths and weaknesses for Kayshira, which I very much appreciate and I'm sure it'll make her easy for you to play. :) I would like to see some more detail about her childhood though, she's 20 years old and I'd just like to see a little more about those 20 years of her life. I assume that Sari and Jurio are her siblings, and from the way she writes, she holds them in high regard, but I'd like to know a little more about them and how they influenced her, are they older or younger? brothers or sisters? things like that. :) There are lots of great ideas about her childhood in there, and although I know a bio can't go into great detail about many things, a few more specifics would help to give a better idea about Kayshira's life. :)

A new gaidar!!!

:boing-boing: :boing-boing: :boing-boing:

:D Yup, thats me!

Sapphira, I'll put in more information on Sari and Jurio as soon as I can- probably today or tomorrow. Thanks so much for looking over it!

Sapphira is the Amyrlin Seat, so junior members always address her as Mother...

:)

Oopsies! :o

Sorry about that, Mother! I think I managed to put in everything about Sari and Jurio, but I'm not sure if I missed anything...

Thanks so much, Mother.

Thanks so much for editing it so quickly! :D Approved. :)

Thanks so much, Mother! :boing-boing:

Kayshira, one last edit. Recruits are permitted correspondence with friends and family, and are encouraged, but not required, to send home at least one letter a month. That's my rule...

All edited! ^^

Thank you!

Mother, can I approve this? She only has one, and needs two, and since she's going to be a gaidar???

Sure, it's fine with me. :)

Approved, then...

Thanks, both of you! :D