Lileas
Lost Flower
Character Information:
Name: Lileas
Faction: None
Rank: Servant
Species: Human
Age: 17
Sex: Female
Height: 5'3
Weight: 110 lbs.
Eyes: Grey
Hair: Black
Complexion: Pale
Force Sensitive: Yes
Current Traits:
- Under a Rock: A life spent serving nobles on Typha-Dor has isolated Lileas from the politics and events taking place beyond her secluded domain, and aside from basic histories and whispers overheard over meals, she has no understanding of what lies outside Typha-Dor. Terms such as "Jedi" and "Sith" have no meaning, they're only ideas that Lileas doesn't fully comprehend.
- Conceal, Don't Feel: From a young age Lileas was told what her purpose was. She was to serve her noble masters. She would cook, clean, dance, sing, play music, whatever it was they desired. When not required, she was to be as silent as a mouse and as unseen as a ghost. So much as a peep would result in some form of punishment, depending on her Lady's mood that meant either beatings or isolation. So, Lileas became as still as stone. She spoke hardly a word to the other servants, and a smile rarely graced her face. She suppressed her nightmares week after week, so no one would hear her scream. She hadn't cried in years, though she desperately wants to.
- Weak and Unskilled: Other than cooking and some art forms, Lileas has no training in anything. Servants on Typha-Dor received no combat training, and Lileas had never been in a true fight. While she's noticed odd things happening around her from time to time, she's been too fearful to study those odd happenings any further. Physically, she's been kept in decent condition, as a frail servant would not last long. But she's still small and light, and not terribly quick.
- A Dancer's Grace: Despite underwhelming physical attributes, Lileas is in absolute control of her movements and moves with the elegance and poise of the most dignified dancers. This led to Lileas being a favorite of her Lady, who appreciated a fine display of dance.
- Things Will Be Better: Although she's kept her true feelings concealed for so long, Lileas has faith that one day, she'll escape the life she's been subjected to. There has to be more for her than the life of a servant, and when no one watched, she found herself wistfully gazing outside the ornate mansion windows, dreaming of what's beyond the bright blue skies of Typha-Dor.
Lithe and diminutive, Lileas tends to shrink into the background of whatever environment she's in. Her skin is an almost deathly, specter-like white, which helps her almost blend in with the marble columns around the manor she resides in. In contrast, her mid-length hair is as dark as a raven's feather, and gleams like a polished sarcophagus. Her eyes normally appear as a dull, muted grey, but at times a bit of light shines upon her haunted gaze. A somber air seems to follow her wherever she moves, and that is reflected in the way she carries herself. Despite moving with swan-like charm, there's fear and uncertainty in her steps. After all that's happened to her, she appears simply crestfallen.
Biography:
Things weren't always this way, Lileas knew.
Her Lady sat in silence, thoughtfully chewing on the vegetables Lileas had steamed. The look on her face suggested she was pleased with the meal, which was been routine for the past few years. Lileas was a good cook, Lady Glimm had made sure of that. For every unsatisfactory meal, a servant was to receive a set amount of ladle strikes to the back of their hand. One poor boy was such a horrific chef that his hands were placed into the boiler until they were scalded and useless, since then he was relegated to a smaller, less glamorous portion of the manor. One that involved a lot more animals and much worse smells.
"Play the piano for me," Lady Glimm softly commanded. Her voice had seemed more faint recently, the vigor and heart that it once had slowly seemed to drain away as she grew older. Frequently sick and feeble, Lileas wasn't sure how much longer Lady Glimm had left. What would happen to her, once she passed? Would an heir of hers take over the manor, or would Lileas once again be sold, paraded around from slaving facility to slaving facility like some form of twisted theater show?
Lileas poured her Lady a glass of wine, then took a seat at the grand ivory piano. She took a weak breath, the piano was the instrument she was the most out of tune with. The violin, the harp, nearly every other instrument she was comfortable playing. But as Lady Glimm grew older, more and more she found herself enjoying the somber melodies from the marvelous instrument. If there was any solace to be had, it was that Lady Glimm couldn't hurt Lileas' hands if she wanted the piano played. Being the most favored servant had its perks, as she had discovered. She had more duties, yes. But also a bit more freedom to act independently.
When Lileas' hands hit the piano keys, all the memories came rushing back.
The smell of blood, a man's screams. She was still a child when she was stolen from her family, all she could remember from that night was her father rushing after her kidnappers. His screams when he was murdered in that back alley, the desperate wails of her mother when she was taken from their home. Those howls haunted her dreams endlessly, but what worried her more was the expressions of her two older brothers. Pure confusion, they were far too young to fully understand what was happening. That their sister was being taken from them forever. Lileas was still little when she was taken, but she always understood that the love between the three siblings was unbreakable. They cared for each other more than anything in the whole world. The three were always so happy together. How it must have hurt them, once she was lost forever.
Her hands glided across the keys, memories forming the basis of the tune. She didn't look to see Lady Glimm's reaction, so captured by the past she was.
After she was kidnapped, Lileas was taken from slave facility to slave facility. So many she couldn't remember all of them, although Kadavo stood out as particularly devastating. She was worked nearly to death in those lava mines, only one of the sole true memories she had of the younger of her two siblings kept her going. Splotches of pink skin traced parts of her arms, permanent reminders of the cruelties suffered in that hellhole. For all the torments Lady Glimm had put her through, Typha-Dor was a paradise compared to those horrible mines.
Dear brothers, I hope you're both alright. I hope you've been able to move on from all that's happened. She included a tune in her song for both of them; a melancholy one for her the eldest, always so stern but compassionate. And a happy, hopeful melody for the younger, whose eyes were always so kind.
After an eternity, a younger Lady Glimm finally settled on Lileas as a servant. Seeing as how she was young when she was taken and her name was unknown to her captors, it was Lady Glimm that gave Lileas her name. She once recalled, after Lileas had poured her glass after glass of wine, that the name reminded her of a flower. All things considered, it was a fine name. Far better than some of the ones those poor dregs in the Kadavo mines were given.
A brief dedication to Lady Glimm, harsh but delicate notes woven masterfully into the song. Never before had the piano been this effortless to play.
Things weren't always this way, Lileas thought again. She didn't remember many moments from her childhood, but she remembered happiness. She remembered laughter. All that had vanished on Kadavo and Typha-Dor. Replaced by horror and contained emotions. It was so difficult to avoid thinking on what might had been. The beautiful life she would have had if her siblings had all been kept together. Oh, how joyous their lives would have been.
She could only hope, at least, that things were better for her brothers. She didn't know what she'd do if they had fallen as far as she had.
Her unrehearsed song was finally concluded, a bittersweet ending. Lileas sighed, and turned to face Lady Glimm. To her surprise, the old woman had shed a single tear. "I've never heard that one before," she muttered. "It was... beautiful. One of your compositions, my dear?"
Despite all the laughter and beauty of her childhood, Lileas remembered one night that was more upsetting than usual. She didn't remember what caused it, but both her parents were upset. They were screaming at one another, saying such horrible things. Her brave eldest brother confronted their parents, trying his best to calm them down. Even he was crying, after normally being so steadfast. He wanted his family to be as happy as the rest of them.
And then, the younger of her brothers comforted her. Taking her into his arms, she still remembered the sweet words he said that night. Lileas looked into his eyes, so kind and full of hope. He reassured her that everything would be alright, that no matter what happened, the three of them would always be together.
So, when Lileas told Lady Glimm the name of the song, she could still hear her brother's heavenly voice telling her that they'd be alright. The same words that she repeated to herself every day and night spent in the lava mines of Kadavo, during every beating and punishment she endured on Typha-Dor.
Tomorrow will be a good day, her brother had said, long red hair drying her tears right up. She had to believe that. She had to hope that one day, her siblings would all reunite with each other. Deep down, she knew that they were searching for her. That sometime soon, it would finally be a good day. Once they found her, everything would be perfect.
They'd all be happy once again.
Family:
Mother: Deceased
Father: Deceased
Brother: Name Unknown
Brother:
Lark