[Steppes] Persona-ish things

[Sarah]

Deep breath :-P  I've actually been working on this for a while... Not a
whole lot else to stimulate the mind while chasing wee heathens!  This is
sort of long, but hey, I'm 30.  That's a lotta time to cover ;)
~~~~~~~~

As my lord husband is currently a political prisoner due to a grave
misunderstanding, please forgive my brashness as I set aside my sorrow and
introduce myself.

I was born and baptised Mirabelle Champeau, daughter of Robert Champeau, a
vintner, and Marie, a fickle woman whom I do not recall, as she died of a
fever when I was very small, but whispered tales  when the servants thought
I was asleep give hint to a reason behind my father's distrust of women for
as long as memory serves.  I was sent to a convent south of Paris by my
father, as he was quite busy with my five half brothers and had little time
or inclination to spend on a girlchild.  The sisters raised me with
gentleness, and it was there I learned a love of reading, even a smattering
of Latin, many thanks and blessings to the priest who took pity on me when I
finished the convent's few books and wished for more, greedy for words as I
was!  I was also taught the basics of herbal lore, as we had many who came
for succor to our gates, and the good sisters were frequently in need of all
the able hands they could muster, as France is ever in a state of turmoil,
it seems!!  Life was simple, but pleasant, as these things go.

Life changed quickly when word came that my father had arranged my marriage!
Apparently he had met and befriended a brewer while travelling on business
to Offenberg, in far-off Germany several years prior, and they thought to
cement a business proposition by blending the families  My betrothed was kin
on his mother's side to the Lord of Offenberg, I was told, and though a
distant relative, and indeed the youngest son, my father made it plain that
this was the best I could expect, though I had no thought to question his
decision!  With but a few tears of sorrow I left the good sisters, although
several quietly hinted that there would always be room, should I have need.
The trip was long , though uneventful, and I spent many hours becoming
reacquainted with the elder two of my half-brothers, whom I had not seen in
many years...

The ceremony itself was simple, though my betrothed, thoughtful soul that he
was, had, as a gift to me arranged for Father Peter, the kindly priest from
the convent, to officiate, so I would not feel so nervous! I was somewhat
taken aback by the size of my lord husband's family!  Several older brothers
and sisters, children galore, it was quite a change from the years spent in
the quiet of the convent!  We stayed but a short time there, as my lord
Ulrich had determined that he would join the Landsknechte to find fame and
fortune, and so we were off!  Quite the interesting life it was, hard at
times, but we saw many wonderous places in our travels.  Oh, you look
shocked!  but of course I went with my lord!  There were several other women
who marched with their lords, wives and sisters, and children, too!  We had
five of our own, although one was born too soon, much to our sorrow, yet we
consider ourselves fortunate, as many we knew lost far more.  Ten years we
spent in that way, my learning coming in handy many times to help treat the
wounded or ease a birth.

Finally the time came to return home, my lord having fought his fill of
battles, seen his share of the world.  As we travelled home, however, we
received word that a plague had struck the town and my lord's family, all,
had perished, save only his mother and sister, having travelled to Ansteorra
some time prior, as his mother's health did not permit her to reside in the
cool clime of Offenberg.  Crushed by this news, my lord chose not to return
to his home, but to sell his father's business to one of my own half
brothers, who had survived the terrible illness, and we, too moved to
Ansteorra.

We have resided here three years, marvelling at the heat!  Gardening has
been a bit of a challenge, my lord husband becoming most irritated as his
beloved grape vines refuse to cooperate, although I find my herbs thrive in
this heat, unlike myself!  Unfortunately, due to some false accusations
leveled by a most powerful enemy, life has taken a turn for the complicated,
with our eldest daughter held hostage (they call it "residing as a guest",
but we all know what that means) against my husband's good behavior, and we
do miss her dearly... and hope that soon this misunderstanding will be
resolved and we can once again visit, work and play with joy and peace,
among the great residents of this great land, as we have in the past.