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Mariska de Andrássy
Statistics Name Mariska Hélène de Andrássy Status Alive Age 18 Class Nobility Rank Comtesse Affiliation Eisande Themesong Without Love-Donna Lewis Quote Portrayed by  Irène Jacob App Status Taken

Contents 1 Overview 1.1 Past 1.2 Temperament 1.3 Appearance 1.4 Gallery 1.5 Wardrobe 2 Estates 2.1 Noble House de Lefèvrs 2.2 Noble House de Andrássy 2.3 Estate Gallery 3 Family, Friends, Acquaintances & Enemies 3.1 Family 3.2 Friends 3.3 Acquaintances 3.4 Enemies 4 Plot Hooks, Rumors and Trivia 4.1 Plot Hooks 4.2 Rumors 4.3 Trivia 5 Links 6 Theme Song 7 IC/OOC Warning

Overview

Mariska Hélène de Lefèvre is the pride of her family, a treasure her rough-hewn brothers would strive at any cost to protect from their ancient enemies, the Paquets. The Lefèvres had suffered loss enough. Thus Marsika's brothers trained her in the arts of war and dressed her in boy's clothing. Beyond the Lefèvre Castle walls, none knew that the youngest Lefèvre was girl. That is until she was made ready for her marriage to the Andrássy heir.

Past

The old castle, even from a distance looking rundown and in need of repair, stood surrounded by a clean, deep, moat. Outside on the grounds many men trained, practicing with swords and lances. Some fought on foot, some on horseback. Overseeing the training were two men, both big, both muscular, both wearing looks of intense concentration on their handsome faces. These were the two remaining Lefèvre brothers, the other having long ago been killed in the three generation feud with the Paquets.

"Where is Marisk?" the older Lefèvre brother, Rodolphe shouted. Sun glinted off his dark hair, showing the red he had inherited from his father. "Inside," Quentin, the younger brother, shouted back, and he met his brother's eyes, "I saw Marisk go," he said, not using the feminine pronoun 'she', not letting the men around him know that Marisk was female. Rodolphe nodded and looked back at the men fighting near him. He had already lost four brothers to the sneaking treachery of the Paquets and two years before he had almost lost his wife. He did not mean to lose his little sister to the skulking rats and so he checked often on her whereabouts. He glared at the men near him, "Are you women that you fight so softly? Here, I will show you." H took a pike from a man and attached. Within minutes the man who'd tried to fight against him was on his knees. Disgusted, Rodolphe glared down at the man. He raised the pike as if to strike but instead tossed it to the ground and walked away.

How could he protect his family, protect what little land the Lefèvres had left, when the men who fought for him were so week? He mounted his horse and started toward the castle, but Quentin asked belligerently when they were alone. He was angry that his brother had not taken his word that their youngest sister was safe. "She is disobedient," Rodolphe answered, scowling. Three weeks earlier, Mariska had decided to go swimming and had ridden out alone, unescorted, unprotected. At seventeen she had a youth's belief that she could come to no harm. "I will see to her," Quentin said, trying to relieve his older brother of at least one responsibility. Rodolphe nodded, and Quentin reined his horse away. Quentin knew all too well how his sister felt, for he, too, had felt the weight of his family's hatred of the Paquets on his shoulders. Over the years he had watched them kill his family one by one. He had seen his older brothers killed and his parents nearly starving to death while they struggled to keep the children fed. He had seen Rodolphe's agony when this first wife and later his beloved second wife had been held captive by the Paquets. Since the birth of Mariska, the only girl born to their father, the family had bonded together to protect her. From the first they had let no one know that anything as fragile and as vulnerable as a female had been born to the Lefèvres. They had spread the news that a seventh son had been born.

They raised her as they would have another brother, dressing her as a boy, giving her her first sword when she was four, laughing when she feel off horses. Never did they allow Mariska the luxury of believing herself to be a weak, delicate female. But now they seemed to be paying for having raised her as a male. Mariska acted as independately as any boy of Seventeen. She felt that if she wanted to leave the castle grounds, she had a right. She strapped a sword to her belt, hid a dagger in her boot and thought she could protect herself from an army of Paquets. Both brothers tried to reason with her. As much as the girl liked to think she was strong and skillful with weapons, she was, in fact, in their eyes, merely a puny girl. How could they raise her with a sword in her hand and then one day tell her to sit in the solar with her sewing and think that she would be content to do so? She is the hardheaded know-it-all that they raised her to be.

So, now, as if they did not have enough to worry about, they had to constantly see about Mariska, to make sure she had not taken into her head to wonder off alone again. As Quentin's horse clattered across the drawbridge he smiles. Two days past he had the idea about how to get Mariska away from the danger of being watched constantly by the enemy Paquets, and allow his sister to live the life as the woman she should be. She would be sent away in a long ago arranged marriage to the Comte de Andrássy.

When the family approached Mariska with the idea, she was in shock. Marriage? No one had ever mentioned marriage to her before. Mariska realized that her hands were made into fists, her short nails cutting into her palms. She wanted to show herself to all and shout that she could take care of herself, that if any man tried to touch her, she would use a knife on him. How could think she would want a marriage. She is a man, not a woman! "I mean..." Mariska whispers, and to her horror she felt tears coming to her eyes. She was female, but she could take care of herself.

"She will go to Elua, to the de'Andrássy Estate and she will wed the Comte." Was her father's final decree, and his tone made Mariska know that he meant to discuss the subject no further. Mariska pushed away from the wall and ran down the stairs before her father saw her reaction. Damn them all, she thought. One minute she was on the training field with Rodolphe yelling at her to hold her sword higher, and the next she was hearing mother say she was too weak to fend off someone's advances. Was she a fighter or a puny female? Was she a man or a woman? She kept running down the hallway until she reached her chambers. Cursing her whole family for confusing her, she slammed the door closed and vowed to never leave the room again.

By the end of the week, she and her escorts were on the de'Andrássy Estate's courtyard.

Temperament

A spitfire. Mariska is all passion and fury, yet softness underneath. Unaware of her effects on the world. The naiveté young lady always says what she means and means what she says. All her life she had lived in a private war with another family. She had been raised as a boy to protect her. She knows nothing of sitting in the sunshine with a handsome young man while he plays a lute and sangs to her. She's never had a man kiss her hand and tell her how lovely the sunlight is in her hair. She's never giggled with the maids or flirted with a boy or done anything that other girls did. She knows swords and horses and can sing all the vulgar songs with the men. She's never flirted or teased them with her wylds. But she doesn't know satin from brocade or ermine from sable. Worst of all, she knows no men except her brothers.

Appearance

Standing just above five foot, Mariska is a relatively full-blossomed young woman. Appearing somewhere in her mid to late teens in age. Her stature is aristocratic, robust and curvaceous; the appearance of one whom received a picture perfect figure from generation to generation, effortless. mahogany hair cascades in ringlet curls just past her shoulders in length, shimmering when illuminated just right. Brown green eyes look out at the world; discerning, stoic and clever. Her skin is fair, nearly to the point of alabaster and, with her features, her blood screams proud.

She holds herself with the grace and confidence that would be expected, her bearing not quite managing arrogant. The air around her is touched with a faint perfume; the scent is warm and floral without being sweet, flowers threaded with some sort of spice. It fits with the impression of her; warm but dark, a summer's night. Upon her left ring finger, she wears a silvery wedding band.

Gallery

Wardrobe

	Description
	The Juliett Dress - The Juliet stylized gown she has chosen to wear today is comprised of several flattering pieces. It begins with a modest chemise, covering not only her blossoming figure but her throat also remains unseen. Atop that, a flattering double laced bodice of black suede with long puffy slitted sleeves panes a contrasting fabric and ends tightly around each wrist in all black. From there a generous overskirt of sienna with champagne woven into the fabric in diamond patterns drapes down towards the floor and splits in the middle to revealing the underskirt beneath of sienna and sage floral over a champagne background.
	Caerdicci Riding Habit - The beautiful but daring riding habit which Mariska has chosen to wear is of an Caerdicci design, but it has breeches! Royal golds of varying shades vine through floral detailing of the custom made corest, overskirt and the pants. The outfit starts with a 'chemisette'; a cotton gauze chemise with long open sleeves sewn to a "cuff" at the upper arm. The chemisette is trimmed with black and gold ribbons, which are generously used on the corset and skirt. The front bonded corset is tightly in a contrasting black cord. From there a generous fitted overskirt drapes down towards her ankles and splits in the middle to revealing the cod-pieced breeches within which daringly stop just believe her knees, tied off in gold satin bows.
	Golden Dress - The D'Angeline outfit in which Mariska wears today is a beautiful golden assemble. The elongated gold bodice is front laced with champagne cording. The sleeves feature exaggerated cuffs that turn back to reveal a complementing champagne fabric and are edged with ivory fleur di lis lace. From there the overskirt, which is shorter than the underskirt, drapes down, splitting in the middle and is finished by a a row of dupioni aged golden silk and trimmed up the front with the ivory fleur di lis lace. The underskirt has dupioni aged silk as well, in two strips that is held closed by small ivory frog closures.
	Cherry Blossoms - Presently, she wears a wears a muted black velvet gown. The neckline is high, covering her throat, modest spills of her ivory silk chemise softness to severity. The bodice is tripped in an inverted chevron design capped by short full sleeves that end in a gem toned brocade cuff. Her waist is mercilessly cinched in, certainly affecting her ability to breathe normally. From there a generous overskirt of black velvet drapes down towards the floor and splits in the middle, revealing the underskirt beneath of golden cherry blossomed embroidery upon a carnal red silk.
	Woodsman Green Dress - Of the deepest of greens is the young lady's dress: a woodsman's green, reminiscent of the darkest shadows of the densest canopies of thick forests. The front panel of this, falling from the wide square neckline to the floor has been delicately embroidered in gold, the metallic thread glinting in the light as she moves, a thousand tiny leaves on an infinitely winding vine shimmering. On either side of this panel is green and gold braid, twisted and sewn along the hemline and neckline as well. The dress is thoroughly ornate and perfectly lovely, as befitting a high ranking noblewoman.
	Carnal Red - Her gown is a contradiction; the color is a carnal red, the fabric a sensuous silk, but the cut is archaic in its modesty, concealing all. High-collared and long sleeved, the bodice clings to her curves, accented with silver floral embroidery before flaring into full skirts that spill and whisper against the floor. Tiny silver buttons adorn the back, matched by more flashes of silver on the gloves that conceal her hands. Red and ripe as apples, this gown, but the impression that lingers is one of forbidden fruit.

Estates

Noble House de Lefèvrs

Digne dates back to the neolithic era. It lies in the heart of Eisdane in the foothills of the Alps and on the east bank of the Bléone River, giving it a unique transition between the Alps and the plains of the Duchy, joining Grenoble and Cannes. Local cultivation of lavender and fruits for preserving has made the town known all over duchy. The House de Lefèvr's castle resides on a protected ridge to the northeast.

Noble House de Andrássy

Once a small seaport serving a Tiberian legionary camp, it's history can be documented as early as the 10th century. Formerly, the first humble township om the Mediterranean seaside, was inhabited by monks and fishermen. A few strokes of oar away, the islands Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat raise from the waves. The sea traffic was intense but fruitful. It thrived in its seatrade, the fishing, agriculture and small and medium enterprises in which the Noble House de Andrássy exploited in their favor. They discovered other treasures as well, far more beneficial for the development of the city. They bought terrain at the Croix des Gardes and constructed there the villa 'Eleonore-Louise'. Their praises when they were aboard, or had guest from afar in their Château des Yeux de Mer, attracted the foreign aristocracy, who is then began building secondary residences for the winter. With the port town's new fame, it became known as Cannes; Jewel in the crown of the 'Côte d'Azur'. Since the dawn of time Cannes embodies the sweetly scented nation of a life which everybody dreams of living. It is the sun which first playfully with the azure blue of the sea, before laying down to sleep in the arms of its wooded mountains. It is the harmonious marriage of sparkling colour and light. It's lush vegetation prospers languidly in the idyllic climate. The perfect getaway for those who appreciate the finer things in life.

Estate Gallery

Castle Lefèvrs	Château des Yeux de Mer	Château Close Up	Château Drawbridge
Château Gates	Château Great Hall	Château Ballroom	Château Bedchamber
Château Stables	Château Stables	Château Arena	Elua de Andrassy Estate

Family, Friends, Acquaintances & Enemies

Family

Lord Rodolphe-Louis and Lady Gallia-Thérèse de'Lefèvre; the Comtesse's parents. With age ailing the noble couple, the pair have passed their titles on to their heir apparents; Rondolphe and Mariska. The two have moved to Bryn Gorrydum in Alba to live out the remainder of their lives away from the vicious feud that still rages between the waring factions of the Noble House de Lefèvre and Noble House de Paquet.

Comte Rodolphe and Comtesse Lianna de'Lefèvre; the Comtesse's eldest brother and sister-in-law.

Lord Quentin and Lady Anne de'Lefèvre; the Comtesse's middle brother and sister-in-law.

The arranged marriage to the Comte Etienne de Andrássy occurred on the Year 1187, the 18th day of Mai. It is in this marriage that Lady Mariska obtained her title as Comtesse, passed down from the Comte's mother Comtesse Marie-Élise de Andrássy to the one that would be her son's bride.

Lord Jean-Louis Levesque, otherwise known as Gareth, is Mariska's cousin on her mother's side. The two are far from close. Never having really met, their relationship is only through correspondence.

Friends

Baron Darius de Lamy is cousin to the Comte de Andrassy and he has declared himself a friend of the Comtesse's as well.

Lady Vivienne-Joséphine de Lamy is among the Comtesse's friends. The best of friends it seems. The two hit if off since day one despite their vast differences.

Baroness Briar D'Rosiers is, at least by Miraska, considered to be a friend. The young Comtesse finds the haughty Baroness to be not only enjoyable company but one in which she feels she can share her secrets with. Be it truth or simply her naivety with people in the world has yet to be seen.

Acquaintances

Marquis Simon de Mereliot and the Comtesse have met several times since her arrival in Elua. The first was at the Hall of Games, where she learned that kissing for luck does not mean you should kiss the man but instead the dice. The second, was for a private walk together in the Royal Gardens where the two discussed the future and the Comtesse offered herself to the Marquis. The last time the two meet was more intimately within the marketplace.

Marquise Néomie de Faintaine and the Comtesse have ran into each other twice thus far. Each chance meeting was at the gambling hall where the Marquise insisted Mariska was lucky and the later, she explained her family history and how she too was a de Mereliot to the Comte, while Mariska learned how to play card games. During the summer of 1187, the Marquess visited the ancestral de Andrássy estate the Château des Yeux de Mer in Eisande after learning that Mariska had been attacked and grievously injured by assassins. The Marquess stayed for several days helping to nurse the injured Comtesse back to health and to find the truth in the true identity of her attackers. The Comtesse owes her a debt of profound gratitude.

Comte Phhillipe de Molay and the Comtesse have never formally met. She has actually only seen him once, at his wedding and yet Mariska holds great disdain for this noble. The reasons? Perhaps you should ask her yourself. That is if you can get her to speak of it.

Enemies

The Noble House de Paquet has been in a feud with the Noble House de Lefèvre. Generations earlier a Lefèvre Baron, old and half senile, had taken for his second wife a young pretty woman from the Paquet family. The woman was ambitious and she had persuaded her old husband to change his will to leave all - the money the title, the estates - to her weakling of a son, a son that many whispered was not the Comte's get. The only way the Paquet woman could get the old man to disinherit his grown sons was to make him believe he and his first wife had not in truth been married. The old man, his mind clear one day and foggy the next, had requested that the parish registers that recorded the marriage be brought to him, as well as the witnesses. But no registers were to be found, and all the witnesses had died - some of them all too recently. The old man, dying and in great pain, had declared the sons of his marriage bastards and had given everything to his wife's waiting family. Since that time the two families had fought for the same stretch wealthy lands between their castles that the Paquets controlled by trickery. Over the years the losses on both sides had been heavy and the hatred runs very deep.

Plot Hooks, Rumors and Trivia

Plot Hooks

• Elua: A new resident of the city, with many people to meet.
• Court: Again, Mariska is new to Elua and thus open to be drawn into the court intrigue.
• Eisande: She is from the Duchy of Eisande.
• The Noble House de Paquet Anyone from her enemy family using her to their advantage in their families' war.

Rumors

• Arranged Marriage: Avril 26th, 1187 - Rumors spread within the Duchy of Eisande, of an arranged marriage between the Comte of Andrássy and a reluctant bride. And within a fortnight criers within the City of Elua confirm the rumors announcing the arranged engagement of the Comte Etienne de Andrássy and the Lady Mariska Lefèvrs with the ceremony to be held at the height of summer in the City of Elua.
  
• Elopement: Mai 18th, 1187 - The arranged marriage of the Comte de'Andrássy and Comtesse Lefèvre that was promised to be grand affair this coming Fall? won't be occurring. So take that off your list of upcoming events. Apparently, the two have already wed, in a private ceremony with a priestess and the bride's immediately family at the Comte's estate in Elua!
  
• Witches: Jun 9th, 1187 - There are those that were out on the streets that saw the newly titled Comtesse de'Andrassy go into the old witch Hebe's hut and it is them that speculates what the the new bride purchased, as her purse was full upon entrance but empty when she took her leave. Could she have want to poison her cursed husband so soon?
  
• The Marquis: Jun 12th, 1187 - It has been noticed by quite a few that Marquis Simon de Mereliot and the Comtesse Marsika de'Andrassy have had several meetings since her recent arrival in Elua. The first was at the Hall of Games, where she learned that kissing for luck does not mean you should kiss the man but instead the dice. The second, was for a private walk together in the Royal Gardens where the two discussed the future and the Comtesse was overheard offering herself to the Marquis. The last time the two meet was within the marketplace, which to prying eyes, appeared to be more intimately.
  
• The Rose: Jun 18th, 1187 - The servants of Chateau Renaud were abuzz this morning with hushed whispers and bewildered expressions as the Lady D'Rosiers and Comtesse de Andrássy where discovered together in the Rose's bed chambers. It was said that the floor was littered with empty rum bottles and discarded clothing. Shocking speculation of the two's relationship was only fueled by their shared kiss and the hasty retreat of the Comtesse to her carriage outside which had been waiting for her all night since their tea the evening before.
  
• Enemies Attack: Jun 21st, 1187 - The word slowly spreads throughout Terre d'Ange of an attack on Comtesse de Andrássy in Eisande. The details are sketchy at best. But upon investigating you may learn that she was gravely injured while out on her morning ride along the shoreline on the vast lands of Château des Yeux de Mer.
  

Trivia

• Shaheen: An all white Akkadian stallion and A gift from the Comte de Andrassy on their wedding day. The horse has become Mariska's most treasured possession. The Comtesse is know to ride the horse daily through out the Comte's meager lands at the Elua Manor just after breakfast, rain or shine. She has also been seen riding the horse through town when the grounds of the manor are just to soggy.

Links

Blogger: Memoirs of Comtesse Mariska de Andrássy
Blogger: Roleplay Logs of Comtesse Mariska de Andrássy

Theme Song

Think of me like I think about you
Give me a sign show me you care.
Am I so far away in your thoughts not there.
Forget what you told me it's what didn't get said.
It's not much to ask come down off your cloud.
And with your feet on the ground say something out loud.

Without love... I mean nothing to you.
Without love... Broken in two.
Without love... Give me some value some worth.
Without love... No life left on earth.

Blame it on work buy me some flowers.
Empty gestures wile away the hours.
Promises, promises sealed with a kiss.
Please, acknowledge it's me that you miss.
No message received, excuses believed, you hurt me so much.
I'll never recover, takes time to discover a love like no other.

Without love... I mean nothing to you.
Without love... Broken in two.
Without love... Give me some value some worth.
Without love... No life left on earth.
Without love... I mean nothing to you.

Without love....
Without love....
I mean nothing to you without love.
Without Love...
Without Love...
I mean nothing. I mean nothing. I mean nothing nothing to you.
And I'm broken. And I'm broken. I'm broken broken in two.
I mean nothing

IC/OOC Warning

Spoiler warning: The content on this page is OOC. This knowledge is provided for Out of Character reading pleasure only, and is not to be used In Character without justified knowledge of the events nor of the Pc (such as being present, or having staff permission).