Rest Easy Now - A tribute to Celia'nor and autobiography

[Crimbolio 84]

This missive would be posted in the center of Celia'nor

 

Allow me to reintroduce myself; My name is Nephilly Norbella or better known as Iris Soltée. I came to Celia’nor after meeting the past Royarch Her Excellency Illyria Iberellan in Haense during a wine tasting me and my bodyguard at the time wandered into. After poking her in the back of the head she brought us to Celia’nor and invited us to join and live with them. This was nearly 25 years ago, but it seems this number is coming to a halt; Celia’nor has fallen. While the buildings will most likely remain and some familiar faces will still wander the streets, the Celia’nor we know and love is gone, and it isn’t coming back. I wish to recount my time within its walls and share more about myself I never let go public. Allow me to tell you how Celia’nor saved my life.

I came to this city originally under false pretenses, Iris Belle is net a real person, just the name I assumed while trying to lay low. I, along with my bodyguard Fienae, better known as Aeris Akaln’riv, were on the run after escaping an abusive household and a terrible arranged marriage. I was to be nothing more than a trophy wife to show off and parade around. If I wasn’t perfect I was disciplined, this was my life ever since I was a little girl. Things like this affect people in strange ways, especially when it’s all they know. I became apathetic and uncaring of other people and their feelings, as well as becoming mentally unstable. I created an imaginary friend as a coping mechanism, she had bright blue hair and was as happy as could be, nothing could bring her down, her name was Iris. That was who I wanted to be, that is who I thought could bring true happiness to my life, so when given the chance I dyed my hair blue and took up that persona.

My first few days in Celia’nor were quite interesting; I became the Royarch’s ward as she wanted to teach me the ways of Celia’nor and how to integrate into its society. Even though net a single thing came from this position, I’m still extremely grateful for the opportunity as it was my first big step in becoming the woman I am today. Later on I met Lady Ciradyl Akaln’riv, she taught me the horrors of the world and the importance of learning to defend myself. Though her methods were quite extreme pushing me into the flesh room (OOC note: YOU’LL NEVER ESCAPE THE ALLEGATIONS CHEESEY!). She is also the one who introduced me to Mae’ralin Acal’turrii. Him and I at the time didn’t get along at all, he found me extremely annoying and arrogant and he didn’t approve of my treatment of Aeris. And while he is the man that punched me on the back of the head knocking me out cold, he is now the man I proudly call my maln. He made me realize the wrongs of my ways and the direction I was heading. I was power hungry and wanted any form of control I could get my hands on, which leads me to Aeris.

Aeris has been with me from day one, she was assigned to me by my biological maln to act as my protector. For the longest time that is all I could see her as, my servant. And while I didn’t want to admit it at the time, I was cruel to her. After the realization of my mistreatment I released her from her duty, that day I gained the sister I never realized I had.

After releasing her I had to think of some way to protect myself if something were to happen. After a few days of thinking I had just the plan; assemble a small army of men to fight for my safety. And from that the Special Iris Mobile Protectors were born, my S.I.M.Ps! While it never grew to the size I originally wanted it served its purpose.

With that part settled I needed to find something to do to keep me occupied and productive. That’s when I approached a llir of mine, Mika Glanaeri, and asked her if she could teach me how to be a medic. She graciously accepted and that’s how I started studying medicine. I never imagined I would be any good at it but I became one of the main medics within Celia’nor. Even with that I still grew bored, that’s when I came across a suspicious group and suspected cult. My curiosity got the better of me and I began to investigate them, even tried making friends with them to gain more information. All was well until Jarad Mah’nel caught wind of what I was doing, he pulled me into his office and confronted me on what I was trying to do. When I explained he gave me a choice; join the Diraar as an informant, or potentially get arrested for being an accused darkspawn sympathiser. From that point on I was an enlisted member of the Celia’Diraar. . .against my will. Though it was probably for the best with the direction my life headed after.

While I was a bit peeved at the time it turned out quite well. I quickly climbed through the ranks and always was able to get the information they wanted. Eventually I was approached and asked to become the Chief of Intelligence within the Diraar. I accepted this offer as I thought it to be a good opportunity to do something useful for the community. I continued with the Diraar, navigating its ups and downs as best I could. Little did I know this would lead me to find the love of my life, Elgras Soltée. We were already acquainted but being in the Diraar allowed me to get to know him better, and though he will never admit it, he never noticed me in such a way until he saw me in armor. A few years of dating later and we got married. I never thought I would ever love again after my terrible experiences in the past, but Elgras proved me wrong.

As life continued I grew along with it, though one thing always remained the same, my crazy impulsiveness. I was known to just do and say the first thing that came to my mind ne matter how insane it was. This led to me getting into trouble quite a lot. Eventually it all came to a boiling point where I was sat down for an intervention. I knew that I had to change, but I misunderstood how they wanted me to do so. I figured I went too far as the persona of Iris, so I had to relearn who I used to be as Nephilly, so I redyed my hair back to brown and Nephilly had returned. I don’t exactly know what all happened during this time as something happened in my head that made me completely forget who Iris was. I was just back to prim and proper Nephilly, never speaking out of turn and never dared to argue with someone. Reasonably everyone was quite upset at this ordeal as well, after a heated argument followed by a heartfelt discussion with Aeris, I woke up the next day differently. I wasn’t Nephilly anymore, nor was I Iris, I found the in between I was missing. To this day I still keep my natural brown, but I still keep and maintain a blue strip so that I never forget who I really am.

Though keeping the brown did turn a few heads. Up till this point everyone thought I was just a normal Mali'aheral, but seeing my brown hair it was apparent I wasn’t. Wellllll apparently to everyone besides me. I never knew brown was net natural for Mali'aherals, so that’s when I found out I was half mali. Turned out Aeris knew all along and was keeping it from me, though I can’t blame her with how half mali are usually perceived. It allowed people to get to know me first before knowing what I actually was.

This brings me to the most recent major event in my life, the birth of my malii’lari, Aeri. When I found out I was pregnant, nervous didn't even begin to express how I was feeling. I didn’t know the first thing of being a haelun. I never had one myself so it was hard to prepare without being given any examples. Everyone supported me and told me I would be a great Haelun but I couldn’t help but worry I would fail her. However once she arrived and I held her in my arms for the first time, all of that fear went away. All I could feel was love and an obsessive need to care and protect her, that was all that mattered to me in that moment. Aeri is now 7 years old and a bundle of joy. She is the light in my life.

Celia’nor and its people have done a great deal for me, that is a debt I will never be able to repay. It shatters my heart into a million pieces to see it crumble in the way it has these past few years. And now it’s come to a head, Celia’nor is ne longer with us. I will never forget the thousands of memories I have made within this great city, I will never forget the lliran and family I made here. This chapter of my life is complete, but I wouldn’t say it’s time to move on, rather move forward. Move forward and shape the grim future into something great. It’s time to move forward and meet new people, go to new places. It’s time to move forward from my home of Celia’nor.

 

 

A short poem was written at the bottom of the page

It’s time for you to sleep, van’ayla city of the stars, may those very lights guide you, as I pray for them to continue guiding me. Rest easy now old friend.