Xanthia isn't really one for fancy clothes, despite the fact she embroiders them. She prefers a plain, simple, baggy tunic and close fitting leggings with soft wher hide boots. Sure she'd love a proper set of leather boots, but there's expensive and having only recently escaped her mother, she's lacking the marks. She has a simple rope bracelet with a thimble on it that her father had made her for when she was younger.

-- 0-5 turns --
Xanthia has been born in Gar Hold, Fort during a summer storm, it had been so bad that her father had barred the windows and doors with what furniture they had to try and protect his wife and baby from the storm’s wrath. However, as Xanthia was not born a son, he grew angry and ended up ditching his wife and child for a few Turns whilst he came to terms with it. Xanthia was a difficult baby, one whom screamed upon being picked or cuddled. She was happiest when she was sat at the feet of the family and watching them. During the day, her mother would bring her outside, and let her watch as she washed clothes, noting that her child was a much more independent baby than the others in the Hold. She also seemed to completely unwilling to make eye contact or engage in physical contact such as cuddles or kisses. In a way, her mother had welcomed it as her husband leaving had meant her desire for physical contact was non-existent as well. As a baby, she seemed to prefer being sat up and as soon as she was able at 6 months, she would move herself around by bum shuffling, despite the other parents at the hold trying to teach her to crawl. At a Turn old, Xanthia grabbed a chair, stood up, wobbled a bit then moved to start walking. Her first attempts resulted in her landing bum first on the floor, so instead she took to walking around the furniture and if anyone were to try and hold her hands, she'd scream at them and refuse to stand. Barely a few months into being a Turn old, she was now walking unaided. It was as her father had left, that her brother, Rutos was fostered by one of the neighbours, so Xan had little to no interaction with him, only knowing his name. Ruthia had begged and pleaded with the neighbours to take him as she believed him not long for the Craft or even to be taken as a Harper, with a new baby and husband who had disappeared, she'd be able to give him 'the care' he needed as he was active boisterous boy and she was a tired new mother again. It was only be fortune that her neighbours had yet to be blessed by child that they took him in.


-- 5- to 10 turns --

Xanthia then attended the Hold school for learning and this is were she bloomed academically. She was much like a sponge, soaking up all the information she could, but when pressed to see if she would make apprentice, but her gender and instant refusal of the offer killed that notion off. When asked, she had simply stated that her place wasn't with the Harpers, Crafters or Holders. She didn't know where her place was, but she knew it wasn't here. Despite her apparently savant intelligence on most matters academically, her social skills floundered. She had no time to play in her mind, so she never tried to make friends and seemed happiest on her own. Her father returned to the house when she was aged 7, and quickly realised there was something abnormal but special about his child and so he made his lifelong job to help her. Her mother didn't take kindly to his return and began to cheat on him repeatedly, often leaving the duo alone for long hours whilst she flitted about, moving from one affair to another. Xanthia had asked her father why he was accepting of it and his words stuck with her. "She can't help herself, Xan. And if I were to go, who would look after you?" 'I can look after myself daddy.' "I'm sure you can, but there are things, even you can't do, that's my job. To help you with the things you can't do.


-- 10 to 15 turns --

Aged 10, she was brought in front of the class to explain how she had scored so high on a test, and this were she gained herself her life long bully, Krillian. She had stated that the test was pure common sense, this, of course did not land kindly with anyone of the class, Krillian especially who had failed the test. Her father after that day, had to tried very hard to explain to Xanthia why the students had reacted badly but quickly came the realisation that his beautifully intelligent daughter was emotionally stunted, maybe even emotionally dumb. He took her to a Healer, voicing his concerns of her mannerism and apparent lack of emotions. He hadn't thought to ask her. The healer had told him that she had a sickness of the mind that there was no cure for it and all he would be able to do is support her and hope her mind cured itself. Xanthia had been surprised when her mother took to the birthing bed again, but this time, there was no child born. She had had something the healers called a still birth, but her mother had insisted on naming the dead babe before they buried here.

He was in for a shock as after that meeting, Xanthia took his hand and pulled him aside in the house and told him out rightly. 'I understand that my lack of emotional responses scare you, dad. I'm not emotionally dead but I refuse to allow impulse and hedonism to rule my life.' "You speak in ways that are far older than your Turns, kid." 'I am aware, dad. Can you help with some emotional responses that been coming up? I'm not sure how to class them' "Of course, tell me what's going on. Xan spend that day, explaining the physical sensation of sadness, disappointment and anger to her father, who then tried his best to help her understand it. 'Its completely natural kiddo.' "I understand that its natural, dad. Its not comfortable though" 'These things rarely are.' From that point on, Xan grew quite good at describing the physical sensations and reactions she had from emotions, but this was not to last. There had been talk about getting her to see a MindHealer, but in the end, her father decided against it. He was sure it was just phase that she would grow out of and even it was dealing with his beloved daughter's mind, he didn't like the thought of a random stranger coming in there and messing with her head whilst she was so young.


-- 15 to 18 turns --


Aged 15, Xanthia had begun to notice her father's declining appearance and lack of energy and convinced him to see a Healer. The Healer said he had Wasting Sickness that was sucking all his strength out and that there was no cure for it. She then abandoned her studies and choose to live with her father in the Healerhall whilst he waited for death. He would only live until just past her 16th birthday. She stayed at his bedside, and watched him leave [I'll be doing a stand alone rp for this scene, once accepted]. She returned the home and took over maintaining the house as her mother was a terrible housekeeper.

At 16, her mother made it clear that Xanthia's life was now, all planned out. She would be married and making tons of heirs and heiress for her husband. By her mother's accounts, she would be kept pregnant and if Faranth were good, she'd die on the birthing bed. Xanthia then realised that without her father, if she didn't do something to escape, she would die here. She then took up embroidering to cover the marks needed for the house as her mother never paid anything to the place and stashed marks away for her escape. She had heard that her brother, Rutos, had gone to the Weyr and she did feel a little flush of envy that her brother had been selected for such a honourable duty. However, it was hard to envy someone whom she had never met.

During her work, she was chased into the Hold as Drill format. Sure she had been aware of it as a child but it was not something she was partially concerned with until she heard a noise that brought her attention to the skies. Her eyes took in the diving forms of green, blue, brown and bronze. Without even knowing, her heart reached out to the dragons before she shut up in the hold to wait the drill out. It was seeing the dragons that day that solidified her choice on where she'd go. She'd go to the Weyr, they were always looking for new people, and who knows, maybe she too could become a dragonrider like the women of legends.