"Some say fate is something beyond our command. That destiny is not our own, but I know better. Our fate lives within us, but you need to be brave enough to see it."
-Merida, Brave
(Edited by me)
BASICS
NAME: M'da; born Merida
GENDER: Questioning, AFAB
PRONOUNS: Feminine (she/her/hers) as well as masculine (he/him/his) and NB (they/them/theirs)
ORIENTATION: Well, that isn't your business, is it?
BIRTHDATE: Early Autumn 2750
AGE: 24 as of Late Summer 2774
LOCATION: High Reaches Weyr
OCCUPATION:
WING: Firestorm
APPEARANCE
EYES: Red
HAIR: Blue
HEIGHT AND BUILD: 5' 4" || lean
PLAY-BY: Merida (Brave)
FULL APPEARANCE:
Despite Turns of being a dragonrider, M'da is still relatively slim; she stands at 5' 4" in height. Though she spends as much of her time outside as she can, her skin is as stubborn as she is regarding acquiring a tan; she's still pale and smooth-skinned, though she has a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheekbones. M'da's dominating feature is her wild mop of ridiculously curly hair, a bright red in color. In contrast to her fiery hair, her eyes are as blue as a still pool. Regarding her wardrobe, she's since cast aside everything even remotely resembling a dress, preferring to dress in a sturdy shirt, breeches, and her favorite boots. It's hard to even wrestle her into wearing a blouse that isn't stained or torn for Gathers, so good luck trying to get her to pretty up more.
PERSONALITY
PERSONALITY:
M'da might've been born to Holders, but she's not a Lady, and she never will be. Where she's expected to be meek and demure, she's bold and headstrong. Where society expects her to sit prettily and let a man choose for her, she rebells against this and defies Tradition, refusing to be given what she can earn herself. Where she’s not supposed to lift a finger and dirty herself or her finery, she’s been known to purposely get her clothes dirty, as well as being very fond of athletic pursuits, spending much of her time training in combat or drilling.
Very vocal and upstanding, she refuses to sit quietly and let shit go sideways on her watch. Politics be damned, M'da will do what she thinks is right and won't accept "no" or "stop that" as she does so. "Loud" is an understatement to her general demeanor. Though she's small, she's a spitfire and isn't afraid to shout to get someone's attention, both in a literal or figurative sense. Incredibly stubborn, she's often found to be difficult to engage due to her apparent selective deafness and refusal to listen to something to which she doesn't agree.
Though it isn't clear under her brash and impulsive exterior, M'da can be rather caring and even sweet. Though her methods are crude and unpolished, she has good intentions, always. Very fond of those close to her, she is fiercely loyal and unafraid to face what may come to threaten her loved ones. M'da is rather proud and confident in herself, and though she won't accept someone's shard suggesting she's weak or reliant on others, she's willing to work through a grudge and let go; she'd rather forgive than lose a friend.
HISTORY
FAMILY:
Fergus - father - Holder - living
Elinor - mother - Holder - living
Siblings/Half-Siblings - Hamish, Hubert, Harris - triplet brothers - all living
SIGNIFICANT OTHER: Don't even try it.
BIRTHPLACE: A Minor Hold of Telgar Province
HISTORY:
Merida was firstborn to ruling Holders of a Minor Hold in distant Telgar, where summers were harsh and winters harsher. Though she was destined to grow up a beautiful young woman and wed to further cement her family's standing in Pern, Merida didn't want that to be her life; she wanted to decide her own fate and forge her own destiny, even at a young age. "Difficult" was an understatement of her behavior toward her tutors, peers, and even her mother. Especially her mother. Merida took every chance to rebel and cause trouble where it presented itself; she refused to do well in her lessons, she'd sneak off to watch others practice fighting in sword and bow, and so much more.
It all came to a head one summer in Merida's sixteenth Turn. News came rather uncerimoniously at dinner to her that she was betrothed to a distant Holder's son; a sniveling brat she'd met but once and promptly decided she passionately disliked. Merida was outraged. How could her mother agree to such a terrible thing? After directly stating she would not marry this buffoon, she stormed out, ignoring her mother's calls to return and how a lady should walk. While she sat in her favorite hiding place in her Hold's stables, a place a lady should never draw near, she was drawn from her thoughts by a distant bugle far within her Hold. Curiosity was a trait that ran strong in her, so off she went to investigate. Rounding a corner in some haste, she came nose-to-nose to a Telgar green. Said green seemed most amused at her slack-jawed surprise stated that her bonded stated that she would be a wonderful Candidate, for they rode Search.
Merida said yes before even a minute had passed. An out to her problems had dropped before her; how was she going to say no and doom herself to such a miserable life in this terrible marriage? As Merida invited this Searchrider in for a cup of klah in a manner her mother should swoon for, she strode in proudly to tell her mother what happened, leaving no room to argue. But regardless, argue they did, and Merida left in that room an icy distance from her mother that hasn't been bridged since. Merida packed her things and departed that very day. Two Turns passed in disappointment, for no dragon nor wher saw her fit to bond. But one autumn night, a bronze like no other burst from his egg and snarled at what Candidates he saw...except Merida. Glaring at her between his small bone-hued tusks, he made his choice known to her. Proud as shards, even as she struggled to comprehend how she had come to be bonded to a tusked bronze, Merida elided to M'da and entered weyrlinghood alongside her new dragon, bronze Morduuth.
It took M'da two seconds to realize what a not-so-little forsker her Morduuth was. Arrogant and brash and absolutely unafraid to hurt others, she was both awed and terrified of him. Not to mention how, as she grew and matured alongside him through weyrlinghood, she saw aspects of herself in him. Could she've ended up something like him, had she continued down a Holder's path? But that was behind her, and Morduuth and life as a dragonrider awaited her. Graduation was a task and a half, but they achieved it, flying in Telgar Weyr's name. But time passed, and M'da wasn't satisfied. What did she want? Morduuth suggested they leave this paltry Weyr behind them and bolster a Thread-decimated High Reaches. M'da agreed. High Reaches it is. Transferring easily enough to Firestorm Wing, they've since settled into a new routine, ready to fly for High Reaches.
