Néomie de Fontaine
From Wiki
| Néomie de Fontaine | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
Contents |
A History of Being
The Start
Born in 1131, Noémie Julitte Térese de Mereliot , the second of 4 children, to Baron Aubert and baroness Yvette De Mereliot in Toulun on the coast of Eisande. A fairly uneventful childhood filled with many days of siblings. Raised on the coast, she took interest in boats, the making of them and the sea. Gardening and horse riding among her passions. Many trips to Marsilikos and to the Hippochamps when the season arrived provided much of the entertainment of her childhood. She took to her lessons of how to be a proper lady, education on Eisande, it's imports and exports, and all that would be needed to be a proper wife, and not a boring one.
At the age of 16, Neomie was married to René Aubert Roch Du Fontaine who was 21. An arranged marriage between the two, who had become acquainted a year before they were married. Both found that they liked each other well enough and while there was no passion or love, they could come to learn to love each each other and perhaps passion would come. It was a small ceremony and with it started her life as Neomie Du Fontaine, with a house in Marsilikos and a candle lit to Eisheth. It was nearly a year after they married before they had their first child. Henri Josef De Fontaine. An easy labor, and a healthy boy, she was soon back on her feet and taking to motherhood like a duck to water. No nursemaids for her. Rene's father was the Marquis Du Fontaine who took care of the trade negotiations between Marsilikos and the Caerdicci Unitas. Rene worked as his assistant, learning more of the trade and of shipping as they went. Nights were spent in each others company discussing boats and working towards forging a bond with each other beyond respect and friendship.
The First Few Years
A little over a year passed and along came Ernest. Another easy birth. Life began to settle down. Days spent running her small house, learning her husbands trade at night over dinner after the babies had been put down. Trade flourished, and her family prospered. A third child after Ernest ended in tears as a girl who would have been named Eléonore was stillborn. A personal blow to Neomie, she threw herself into caring for Henri who was 3 at the time and Ernest who was 2. Better to worry about the living. It would be a while before however, she contemplated another child. While it did not break her marriage, it made it strained for a small time and she gave Rene blessings when he asked, to seek out a mistress till she felt like she could bear him again. While she was recuperating spiritually, Visits to Eisheth's temples it seemed on a regular basis, she threw herself into her family, and also oddly into her husband and father in laws trade. She was still very young, there would be more children.
Soon enough, years passed, and still the family flourished. More children came when the time was right. Mariette, her first girl to survive. With the Birth of Mariette, Neomie gave in to having a nursemaid. She had begun to on the side, dabble into the sea trade herself, with her husband. Investing in certain ships, certain shipments, they began to get a feel for sea trade with the aid of her father in law to guide the two of them. She could not keep raising the children, and being with child at the same time without help. So, in came two nursemaids. This did not detract from Neomie being a daily and constant point in her children's life. Another year, and along came Jerome. Life was content and perfect. The odd occasional wrong investment, a ship run aground or sunk here and there. But for the most part, they were becoming a force to reckon with and they began gathering a name for being able to forge good trade with other countries. Renee would be gone for small amounts of time, with his father to solidify contracts, and seek out new ones. That often left Neomie there at home, to take care of business and make the decisions and choices for the company when neither of the men were around.
By no means were they rich. Most often, the trips were not as fruitful as hoped, sea trade was competitive and understandably, theirs was a very young family. But with the help of his father, and her family they continued to make a living, a fairly decent living, and life continued in it's general idyllic passage. Along came Aldéric, her fifth. At the age of 23 she was a mother to a full brood. Neomie grew up fast, and learned fast. 4 more years passed, life flourished, and Neomie soon found herself with child once more. Renee still came and went, away with her father in law, but the family stayed together. That was the year of a bad sickness though. Renee was absent, her father in law was absent. Henrie, Mariette and Aldéric came down with the fever that ravaged the city. Renee returned the moment he heard, but it was too late. Henrie and Mariette survived, but Aldéric did not. So another child was sent to the Terre D'Ange beyond. Neomie herself almost passed but recovered, at the cost of the child in her womb. They named him Eloi before they buried him. For a period of time Renee remained behind as Neomie and her surviving children gained back their strength and the family pulled back in on itself to regroup. It was a disastrous year for their trade, shipments lost to storms, spoiling, or bad market. But they survived, and carried on.
Becoming Marquis and Marquess
Years passed, more children born. Sybille, then Bernard. Bernard though, brought with him the complications, and it was laid out simply. Neomie could have no more. The focus never shifted from family, so much as it balanced to be family, and work. They worked hand in hand with each other and Rene's family. Little by little garnering the reputation of knowing which ships to invest in. With a busy port as Marsilikos, it was little wonder, for there was access to many many ports in other countries from any boat. It helped that his family also had procured a merchant ship and they had a reliable crew. So they slowly grew, prospered a little more. Till she was 35. That summer, Henrie, having grown to an adult and become restless with their family announced he was joining the military. There had been stresses between him and his father and Neomie could never quite understand. Off he went, and the family carried on. Some months after, on a trip to secure a contract in Illyria, Rene's parents the Marquis and Marquess perished in a storm. Within a matter of week, Rene and Neomie became the title holders. With it, the family business. Two ships, and plenty of contracts. Thank Elua and his companions that she still had her second oldest son, who stepped up to the plate to help his father.
So the family worked and pitched in, and kept up the work that they had done. The moved up to Rene's parents villa in the city proper. Rene continued traveling to secure contracts, Ernest helping his mother with the home front. The title brought with it more coin to procure another ship for a total of three, and the security to take a few more risks. Risks that paid off. The title also brought with it the social circle that included the current Duc and Duchess of Eisande. While Renee and Ernest followed in the footsteps that he had, Neomie turned to becoming an aide to the Duchess, the Lady of Marsilikos. Distant relatives of Rene's. Valuable years of learning, at the new Duchess's side, Her oldest daughter married off young, and youngest decided that she wished to become a member of the night court. Admirable since Sybille had always seemed to have comforting hands, and healing hands. A brief trip to Elua, one of many she had done in her past years saw her daughter settled and promises to come at least once a year. No other ships added, but capital, more routes, and contracts. Back to Marsilikos, back to to the business, back to the Duchess. Ernest married, her other children leaving home and striking out on their own, or into the military.
Death and Soldiering On
Idyllic life ended. The sickness that ravaged through Eisande took Rene. After nearly 35 years of marriage, her husband passed. Henrie returned from the navy and retired to look after his mother, though in truth, she didn't need much looking after. Whatever had passed between him and his father seemed to end with him dying. He stepped in to help with the shipping, and Neomie turned to help with the Duchess. The new Duchess. Duc Laurence and Duchess Gabrielle Du Fontaine were claimed in the sickness, and the daughter that was sent to Elua, the two daughters, became Duchess. The duty of keeping Eisande up and running despite it all and providing aide to the new and very young duchess proved to be a task that Neomie was up for, and to provide an outlet for the grief of loosing her husband. To help the new duchess ease into the task of running the province, and to help the transition be as smooth as possible.
Personality
It's a little hard at first really to dislike this older woman. A sense of calm, warmth and something else you can't quite put a hand on seem to roll off her. The back is almost always ramrod straight, and shoulders square, a sign of a good upbringing, but they do not betray the motherly woman that lurks beneath. Reserved at times when it is appropriate and the time calls for it, but a mother hen when it is called, and sometimes uncalled for. A strong independent spirit.
Recent Events
- Neomie is in town to begin her yearly visit to Elua and visit her daughter who resides in Balm, and to attend the funeral of a friend of her Son's. She has mixed feelings about returning to Marsilikos though. Whether it is that she is enjoying her stay in Elua and wanting to be close to her daughter, or that her son will be settling down to care for a child that was bequeathed to him. The age of the current Duchess of Eisande though make her contemplate returning to Eisande, but she is biding her time for now, waiting to see if the the woman can manage the province with as little help as possible, and enjoying all the city has to offer.
- A conversation with the Duchess du Royan has lead Neomie back to the position of lady in waiting which she took when she was in the city previously with the crown. She hopes that her presence combined with the demeanor of the Duchess's du Royan and L'envers will offer a calming influence to the rest and bring some respectability back to the queen's attendants.
- Neomie has brought Hélené, Henrie's adopted daughter, with her on the Progress from Elua to Kusheth in the hopes that it will help the child cope with the passing of her parents and the new change in habitat.
- The arrival of her youngest, a casseline, has brought back a smile.
- Jerome's arrival brings another light to Neomie's eyes, to have four of her children near her.
- Neomie has packed her belongings and began the trip back to Esiande and Marsilikos to return to her tasks at hand before she arrived that have been neglected and prepare the duchy for it's new Duc or Duchess when chosen.
- Neomie returned bearing a list from the council of Eisande, the names of those that the council suggests to take the seat of the Duchy. Neomie's name is near the top and she has been quietly working towards letting it be known that she is interested in the position.
- Has taken up a spot on the Queens ladies in waiting as seems normal when she visits.
Odds & Ends
Trivia
- Has had 9 children in total, two never made it to be born alive and another died young.
- Considers the ongoings and physical worship of the Night Court better left to those younger than her, but can be seen walking around and visiting the various houses just to see the gardens, the real gardens, within. She pays her homage at the temple in the form of a dove or a few sticks of incense.
- Has been known to cuff the Duc Trevalion a time or two.
- She covers more skin that the Duchess L'Envers, though, those present at Naamah's baths would be quick to point out, that she does not need to and would do even the oldest night court courtesan proud.
- Owns a shipping company, complete with a total of three ships if not more. Trade routes between most of the major countries are at her disposal and it is rumored that she knows how to even sail each and every single one.
- Was a lady in waiting to the previous queen when she was in Elua for long periods of time.
- Married for duty and not for love. An oddity and a quirk within a country who's precept is love as thou wilt, and is rumored to have never taken a lover even after her husband died. Simply because she didn't wish to.
- Her ships are called "Le Bon Eloi", "La Eléonore" and "La Sybille"
- Once a day like clockwork, She can be found in Eisheth's temple, before the statue and giving her devotions.
- Has estates in Aubagne, outside of Marsilikos from her side of the family and one in Toulun from Rene's side of the family. Her daughter, Mariette, resides in the estates in Toulun with their family.
- Always wears her hair up and in a coronet.
- Bad tendency to call people old enough to be her children or younger "Duckling"
- Beware turning your back on her when there is snow. One might get a snowball to the back of the head.
Soundtrack
Long, Long Time Ago - Javier Navarette, Pans Labyrinth
Wardrobe
Description
| Description
| ||
 | Eisande Court Dress - The shoulders are slightly puffed, with slashed of gold between the rich blue one might see if they stood on the shores of Eisande. The waist is corseted in smooth and the brocade patterned with floral repetitions. Cloth of gold bands around the bust line which reveals politely displayed décolletage, the wrists and at the waist where it meets the skirt. The skirt blossoms out modestly, it's sides covered by the sky blue brocade, parts to reveal the underskirt. A sunrise starts a few inches from the bottom, cloth of gold edging that gives way to silk that has been painstakingly dyed to go from gold to a dark bold blue. The sun rising in the sky above water. Below the rising gold is embroidery designed to look like waves. matching dark blue slippers with seed pearls sewn upon them are occasionally glimpsed when she moves. |  | Cream and Moss Dress - A creation of plain moss brushed satin and a cream floral damask.The square necked structured bodice with pointed waist has white lace applique ona diagonal towards the tucked hem. Small seed pearls and lace line the neckline and swag across the front to the center then drop down with glass beads on the corners. The sleeves sweep out, gather at the wrist and then extend back out with Pointelle lace trim. The skirt is in two parts, the floral damask split overskirts, lace along the inner edge, and the moss underskirt. A matching cream threaded caul, short through with green glass beads are anchored in the silver hair by pearl tipped hairpins. Moss slippers are hidden underneath the dress. |
| Autumn Gown - A finespun cotton long sleeved chemise in a bright white, with a high split neck that ties closed with a ribbon. Sleeves that billow to the wrists and close with ribbon as well. Over top the chemise is a structured sleeveless bodice. Fully lined and boned stomacher of a beautiful damask printed with fall leaves in varying shades of rust, burnt orange, dark red and yellow. The same colors are reflected in the shoulder straps with a velvet roll on the outside of both of black. A wide ribbon of black velvet lines the neckline of the stomach, embroidered with matching beading. The underskirt is black velvet, covering petticoats down to the floor. Over top is the same damask fabric, split in the front to show the velvet and reaching to the floor as well. | | Black and Cream - Butter cream patterned silk and Black velvet. Full skirts that fall to the floor, not so full as to hinder movement, are made of the butter cream silk, with a black floral pattern throughout. The underskirt, which shows through in the front is black velvet. A structured bodice of the same velvet shows off the waist leading up to a square neckline that is decorated with subtle beaded flowers in black and yellow around the neck and the waistline. The sleeves are the patterned butter cream silks, puffed at the shoulders and again at the elbow to allow ease of movement. The sleeves end with no flare other than black lace coming out from the wrists in a simple froth of black lace. Slippers that match the over skirt peek from below, and a golden caul with jet beads shot through it hold up the hair in it's bounty. |
| Longest Night: The Ocean, 1186 - The sea, manifested in human form. The gown a sweeping froth of fabric. From the black slippers that seem to absorb the light, the blue hem nearly as black as the slippers thats fluted, to the light and airy fabric alternatly clinging and floating away from the body. The color lights as it advances upwards, mimicing the depths of the sea till it reaches the bustline. Here the fabric changes, thin invisible wires give the edges of the silver thin and irregularly pleated silk shape. The twist and twine about the upper body curling out in waves far different from the calm hemline. Cresting up and out here and there, or close to the shoulder, caressing the side of a neck only to surge back out. The silvering hair has ribbons of dark blue wind within the curls pinned by pearls close the womans hair. All this though is topped off by a leather mask that covers the upper half of her face. Dyed a sea blue, the leather is molded and embossed with waves that curl and play at the side of the womans face, the top right set to look like the sun bursting into view over the horizon, the splash of yellow, oranges, reds that are a contrast to the ensemble as they peel widly about the top of her head. strings of pearls all silver, white, black and even pink wind in varying lengths at the neck and rest amoung the folds of the neckline. | | Nightgown - A beautifully made night gown, a fine light blue linen embroidered with waves, sky blue ribbon closeing it at the neck and wrists, reaching down to the ankles. The dressing robe that is over it is quite beautiful. Rich blue plain hanzu silk, sapphire in shade. 2 inch ribbons made of cloth of cold lines the hem, wrists and neckline, leaving a span of blue between it and the hems. The back is embroidered heavily, a scene of the Marsilikos harbor, the sunrise over the water, and boats. A well cared for and well loved dressing gown. matching satin slippers, lined with fur, cradle her feet. |
| Velvet Day Dress - A Blue velvet day dress. Velvet bodice, panels tied with cord at the back. Full silk skirt. Gauze sleeves with cream silk under sleeves with light blue and cream floral embroidery. cream silk tasseled cord attaching cream colored flowing sash from back of the shoulder to hip then flowing loose. Cream gauze fill in with ivory embroidery on shoulders and thin colored band of embroidery around neck. |  | Patterened Day Dress - A green and sand diamond brocade structured bodice that gives a hint to the bosom beneath, puffed sleeves of the same fabric attached to the square neckline so favoured by the silver haired woman. The loosely fitted sleeves are a sapphire blue with a two inch banding of a squared red fabric at the ends. The waist is straight to the hips with panel departing from the pointed hem to give shape and flatter the wearer. The overskirt is the same diamon pattern that sits comfortably draped over the sapphire blue underskirt with the same red color block at the hem. Petticoats beneath give it structure and blue slippers cover the feet. Simplicty and style the name of the day. |
Family
- All NPC's are open and available for play. Just inquire with me in game if one interests you.
| Family | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lineage
Alts
 |
