Marguerite
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Marguerite no Gentian ne Demont was the former Dowayne of Gentian House.
Background
Daughter of an Azzallese vintner and his wife, Marguerite grew up among the
vines and helping with the family business. It was a good life, a happy life,
but the child was often plagued with nightmares or strange dreams in which she
was presented with riddles. She often began to talk in such, and the dreams
were hard to soothe her from. The riddles she said, were about the future,
when she was older. Claude and Edine Demond didn't put overmuch stock in the
words of their child, because she was just that, a child. That changed after
her 8th birthday. She dreamt and received a riddle. "The Little Eagle shall
fall to earth when first it tries to fly and never fly again." She recited the
riddle over breakfast to her family, and it was barely noted. A few days
later, her elder brother, Arnett took out a newly broken horse and tried to
urge it to jump over a fallen tree. During the ill-fated leap, the saddle came
loose and the boy fell to the ground, striking his head. He would be addled
for the the rest of his days. The name Arnett means "The Little Eagle".
Marguerite's parents began to take their child's riddles seriously.
She entered Gentian House at the age of 10, and there her delivery of
prophetic riddles and her strange manner of speaking them were cultivated. She
was an often quiet child, and only spoke when it was necessary and meaningful.
She had a wisdom beyond her years, and a strength that seemed to rise to the
surface. Every task she was set to was done with devotion and a sense of
purpose. The riddles of her earliest childhood encouraged her to do so, as if
she knew what lay on the horizon for her.
Her debut was simple and done without great fanfare as those who often seek
Gentian do so because their mind or conscience weighs heavily upon them.
Nonetheless a healthy number of ducats were paid out for her by a troubled
young nobleman who sought to know if his love would be requited for the higher
ranking woman he desired. Side by side in the dark of night, Marguerite dreamt
for him and of him. And to her the riddle came from his own lips in her mind's
eye. "The bloom of the brightest flower fades quickly. Beyond the frost of
winter a paler bloom shall grow, but for its lack of brightness it shall have
the strength to withstand any storm." She presented her patron with the riddle
upon his waking the next morning. Not long after he discovered several
unpleasant things about the beautiful woman he desired, and ceased pursing
her. That spring he began to speak with her far plainer younger sister, and
found in her a sharp mind, fiery wit, and the strength to bear through a life
with his own tempestuous passions. They were wed, and upon every anniversary
to this day the contract with Marguerite and give her a large patron gift.
As a newly made courtesan she had no shortage of patrons, and many a riddle
was presented to them, and to her fellow courtesans and adepts. Her marque was
made in the space of five years, and she chose to steadfastly remain within
the house, despite encouragement from patrons to make her own salon. After a
decade of further service, she was elevated to the position of Second, as the
Dowayne of the house had taken to going to her for advice, and seeking her
riddles to help in making the decisions of the House. After three and a half
years in that position the ailing Dowayne sent her to Camlach to give counsel
to the people there on the verge of war. The last six months was spent there,
doing just that, before she was recalled to the City of Elua to the bedside of
her Dowayne in the hours before her death and in the wake of a controversial
resolution passed by the Houses. In those last moments, the reins of Gentian
were passed on, elevating Marguerite to Dowayne. she has fulfilled the riddles
of her childhood, which foretold that the Pearl would rise among the dreamers,
and bring light within the dark of blades and blood and betrayal.
Personality
A supremely confident woman, she often comes across as severe or austere because of her sharp features, but those in her care and her patrons know there is a deep gentility in her nature.
Recent Events
After serving her house with devotion for many years, Marguerite left Gentian House in order to pursue a private life.
