Description
Sweet-featured, Xanshalla has a winsome smile, pert nose and wide hazel eyes set within a heart-shaped face. Honey-brown hair is prone to sun-bleaching and cut in a layered style, a natural wave giving it a perpetual tousled appearance. At around 5'6 she's of average height, with a slight build that makes her seem delicate.
Her clothing is both girly and funky; she often pairs brightly coloured ribbon or wrap-around patchwork skirts with ruffle-necked long sleeved blouses and embroidered or beaded waistcoats. A collection of bangle bracelets clatter on both wrists, and she never seems to wear less than three necklaces at a time.
History
Xanshalla is a member of the Drota trader clan, the sixth child out of eight born to Mirette and Ralin. Growing up always on the go, she learned a variety of practical skills, from tending to runners, repairing wagons, identifying herbs both edible and medicinal, basic hunting and camp cooking, as well as more crafty things such as mixing inks and dyes, knitting, sewing and beadwork. With not only her own tribe of siblings, but also plenty of cousins (both blood-relation and non) she had quite a social upbringing. Hers was a largely uneventful childhood as far as such things go, with nothing truly earth-shatteringly life-changing ever happening to her. She has plenty of stories to tell, such as the time an uncle tried teaching her to sail and she capsized the boat, but nothing truly major. Her clan travels a route following the river, from Plateau to Ruatha River Hold, and then along the coast to Fort Sea where they once again turn inland to follow the river up to Fort Hold and Weyr. Which is pretty much how she ended up at the latter location, accompanying a small group of clanmates who were trying to sneak one last trade-run in before winter set in. But thanks to a few unfortunate and unforeseen mishaps along the way, they found themselves caught by the first of the winter storms, effectively closing off their route to the clan's winter camp.
Xanshalla earned her keep applying her sewing skills to the task of seamstressing, and when not working was often out playing with the Weyr children and other friends closer to her own age. It was at the end of one of these excursions, the girl having been ice skating, that she encountered greenriders Miki and Melze. During the course of their conversation and play, Melze offered Miki a new assistant weyrlingmaster knot, and Miki offered Xanshalla a new candidate knot. Though given during the course of a game, Shalla's acceptance was entirely earnest. She made more new friends amongst her fellow candidates, and managed to stick it out all the way through to the hatching despite a sudden case of anxiety-fuelled doubts that almost saw her back out.
When the day of the hatching arrived Xanshalla watched as some friends were escorted off the Sands with lifemates in tow while others — including herself — were left behind. She was unsure what she wanted to do following the hatching, but rebelled against the assumption of her family that she would return to the clan and resume her life as a trader. Deciding to remain at the Weyr and chart her own life course, she petitioned for a new job but found herself emerging from the meeting sporting the title of assistant headwoman, not nanny like she had originally envisioned. It remains to be seen if she will rise to the responsibility entrusted to her, or if her lackadaisical nature will see her failing in spectacular fashion.
Family
| Name | Relation | Location | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mirette | Mother | Fort Region | Trader |
| Ralin | Father | Fort Region | Trader |
| Greigan | Brother (+15) | Fort Region | Trader |
| Aletian | Brother (+13) | Ruatha River Hold | Journeyman Harper |
| Lindee | Sister (+9) | Fort Region | Midwife |
| Nyrian | Brother (+6) | Fort Region | Trader |
| Tinua | Sister (+4) | Igen Desert | Trader |
| Finnek | Brother (-3) | Seacraft Hall | Apprentice |
| Jorek | Brother (-3) | Beastcraft Hall | Apprentice |
Firelizards
Queen and Mother of All Gold Nyati
Gold of palest hue coats this dainty beast from nose to tail, only the faintest of glimmers along haunch and curve betray her true hue. Well, that and the thin shock of pure gold that runs from between her eyeridges, through the space between her oddly pointed headknobs, and down her neck to her wing joints, the inexplicably dark, burnished gold of her tail, and the bright, yellow gold socks that wrap each of her limbs. Her form drips with an equine grace from the smooth curvature of the joint where her head meets her neck to the tendency to gallop as she walks. Her claws and ridges are faint glimmers of silver hidden amidst pale, smoky grey.