Syrenrei
Connoisseur of Romance
Dahlia Lenore Sinclair
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Desired Position: Princess of Greedo
Country of Origin: Greedo
Gender: Female
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Age: 19 (Quercust 5th)
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 110 lb.
Other Distinguishing Traits: Dahlia is relatively petite and delicate, with youthful features, but more often than not she is donning a mischievous expression that speaks to her true demeanor. When adorned by the staff of the castle she wears only gowns and dresses that are selectively chosen so as to emphasize how perfectly she matches expectations of her station. When dressing herself for a private outing or studying, she has been found in clothes that were 'borrowed' from lesser nobles or staff that were too terrified to deny their princess. Queen Iris has placed a formal ban on Dahlia wearing britches as she considers them 'inappropriate' and 'lead Dahlia to believe she ought not to behave like required.'
Romance and Partners: Yes/ Heterosexual
To say that Dahlia does not have a good example of love on which to model her future relationships is an vast understatement. It has always been clear to her that her parents wed out of duty and obligation rather than any passion. This has made Dahlia reluctant to entertain suitors seriously and she brushes off ideas of marriage as best she can. Seeing how miserable her father has been after the passing of the true love she's heard whispers of, and how miserable her mother is in that she is not loved and valued under a ghost, has made her consider that there may not always be a happy ending in store for anyone. Dahlia is quite aware that her attempts to put off marriage will diminish in effectiveness over time as she will be expected to wed just as her parents were; there is no escaping her responsibility, but perhaps she can delay long enough to experience freedom and happiness a time longer. To date she has not had any dalliances with the other sex nor entertained any formal marriage proposals.
Queen Iris insisted that Dahlia learn how to dance but she has always been a follower, never a lead, because her mother is trying to cultivate a demure image wherever she can. She has no formal partner but prefers her brother, Tristan, simply because he is someone whom she adores.
Position on the Rebellion:
Lepumir's uprisings are, to put it mildly, deeply unsettling. As someone who genuinely values all life- human and arie alike- she is quite horrified that any populace would not only murder their king and queen but a couple hundred thousand human beings. Rationally she knows that not all those people would deserve death; how could they? While she sympathizes with the plight of arie, she can not condone murder that involves displaying severed heads and literally ripping victims limb from limb. She holds arie to the same standards as she does humans and that means they are accountable for their actions. Dahlia is both anti-rebellion but pro-arie rights, hoping that diplomatic relations might establish more equality. The high death toll from Lepumir, however, makes her quietly wonder if it is still possible for the two races to co-exist without trying to subjugate each other. Princess Dahlia remains cautiously optimistic.
Personality:
For most the feeling of melancholy that hangs over the castle, the distressing news out of Lepumir, a world of cutthroat politics, and a position that demands social perfection might crush the spirit. Dahlia rebels against all expectations and is a ray of sunlight in her rather strained family. She is comfortable talking with anyone and everyone at all times, is excessively outgoing, is known for breaching etiquette with her eagerness and infectious laugh, and has an unusual fascination with the art of glass-blowing.
Since happiness was not laid at the fair princess' feet she has sought to create her own. The chief way she finds joy is spending time with others to the degree some of her self-value is dependent on how many reciprocate and to what degree. Dahlia keeps a calendar of all the staff's birthdays and gives each a token gift on the occasion, recalls their names and those of their family, and congratulates them on particular events. It is a challenge for her to 'escape' the castle on a regular basis and she needs a larger group than her brother, mother, and father for entertainment- thus the somewhat unhealthy attachment to the working class. Initially all thought once the novelty of her endeavor wore off she'd be less interested in 'commoners' but that has proven not to be the case. She will walk with the maids as happily as the noblewomen of her kingdom which both endears her to the kingdom and irritates it for there is a supposed order to things- especially social rankings. Tutors have attempted to drive home the importance of asserting her place as royalty but Dahlia simply dons her winning smile and traipses along with the same intentions regardless.
Much to the frustration of Queen Iris, Dahlia excels in her studies (even dance) but very obviously does not apply herself. She has little interest for being a princess as it seems quite clear to her that her brother is being groomed for the throne and she is simply an 'extra' that was conceived to make the marriage of her parents more legitimate. In the evenings she has eluded the guards and her handmaidens many times and is known to wander about in disguise for sheer enjoyment. She is fascinated by all forms of art and craftmanship, from the finest painters to the most exceptional swordsmiths.
Biography:
Born to King Betrand and Queen Iris less than a year after their marriage ceremony, Princess Dahlia Lenore Sinclair was exactly what was wanted and needed. She bound together the king and queen and appeased all those that had been vexed by her half-brother's existence. She was the child that her mother craved to shape, mold, and design in her image. She was the daughter that would not threaten Prince Tristan's claim to the throne that her father desperately wanted to protect. Christened with the name of a flower to honor her maternal lineage she was kept close to the queen at all times. Without love in her marriage, Queen Iris crave the affection that her newborn, then toddler, then youth so freely gave to her doting parent.
By four it was becoming clear that, despite Queen Iris's dedication to rearing a fine lady, Dahlia would not easily fall into the template she had envisioned. Fearless, headstrong, and curious about everyone she met, Dahlia was a precocious child. She had endless amounts of energy and would rip free of mother and caretakers alike to sprint down the halls, ripped flowers from the royal gardens to give to her father as a present (when he was trying to entertain foreign dignitaries nonetheless), and sang songs to her attendants to try to brighten their days. She found little enjoyment out of receiving gifts- for she could have almost anything- but got immense satisfaction out of giving them, something that has persisted through the years. Prince Tristan, a year her elder, was always much more calm and placid but whenever the opportunity arose little Dahlia would shadow him. There was no one she idolized more than her big brother who, to her, was only the best boy to have ever walked the earth.
As the years passed her mother became more cunning in stopping her wayward child from being quite so disruptive. Dahlia was given the most disciplined tutors possible, ones that would not fall prey to her charm and wit, but would educate her properly. It both bored and tired Dahlia because her wealth of knowledge had no practical application. Her brother was, in her esteemed opinion, all but perfect and would not need her advice as an adult. The saving grace that kept her from rejecting it altogether was the prize of art. She grilled her educators on sculptors, glass-blowers, jewelers, painters, blacksmiths of all specialties, armorers, writers, and every other form of expressive item she could conceive of. This quickly spread to interest in a wider variety of things such as baking, cooking, and construction as well though they were not traditional forms of 'art.'
The late teenage years (arguably "adulthood") brought a renewed sense of rebellion from Dahlia. Now slightly taller and more agile than in her youth, she started to plot ways to elude the castle. This distressed all but her escapes were of the innocent nature- to visit a struggling artist whose painting she found inspired, to quiz a sculptor on how he carved hands, or to observe a blacksmith melting metal in his forge. She also quickly took a liking to more of the staff than ever before, dedicating herself to being adored by all, and taking special interest in the bakers, cooks, and gardeners that tended the palace proper. Queen Iris found it unsightly but indulged her if only to keep Dahlia from trying to flee the palace quite so often. It seemed that this flitting about with her effervescent personality did more good than harm. The court mostly considered her a darling, the staff treated her gently and as a favorite despite her misdeeds, and the image has boosted even the king's for having such a gregarious daughter.
In the last few months, however, Dahlia has finally unintentionally stumbled onto something sinister. Her sneaking about at night caught wind of some dissidents conversing in a garden as she was returning home from an excursion. At first she had thought it was a same-sex tryst (as the speakers were male) but it quickly became apparent they were much more malevolent and plotting to poison the prince's food in order to punish King Betrand. They believed hurting the son was the best way to punish the father and, knowing Dahlia was not fit for leadership, it would destabilize his power. Although she was tempted to confront the would-be criminals it was too dark to identify them and creeping closer might alert them to her presence. She was defenseless to any attack by grown men. Besides, what if it was not legitimate threat?
Upon her return to her room she rang for the servants and requested all of Prince Tristan's food be brought to her. She wasn't certain who was going to poison him or when, but she wanted to protect him to the best of her ability if what she overhead was true. Under her discreet instructions, staff swapped the food for a week and a half before Dahlia fell ill. She was rushed to Euthalia when it became clear Greedo could not cure her and she has become better under their care. The queen and king were alerted after the fact that Dahlia had discovered a plot to harm the royal family, but Dahlia has kept it secret that the target was Tristan. To this day she remains firmly devoted to her brother and does not want him to blame himself for her foolish ploy.
Family/Relationships:
Bertrand Clement Sinclair -Dahlia's father. While she loves her father she does not see him terribly often as being king is demanding upon his time. What little time she does have with him she tries her best not to be an imposition of a father. Though he has done nothing to suggest he dislikes his daughter in the slightest, she can't help but feel he must by nature love her half-brother more and thus she does not pursue him as much as she could. Tristan's true mother is dead and so it seems only right that he monopolize most of King Betrand's heart.
Iris Lavinia Sinclair - Dahlia's mother. While the pair are close they could not be more different. Queen Iris is reserved, dignified, and slightly aloof whereas Dahlia is extroverted, energetic, and a touch meddling. In her younger years the queen was more forgiving of Dahlia's whims but now that she has a young woman for a daughter instead of a child she is becoming slightly less tolerant. The sound of Queen Iris sternly scolding her daughter, then desperately trying to appeal to her sensibilities, is becoming an increasingly common sound outside Dahlia's bedchambers.
Tristan Thaddeus Sinclair- Dahlia's half-brother (through their father). Tristan might spend most of his time alone but that's quite all right; Dahlia loves him from afar. It's hard to say exactly why she hasn't stopped treating him as if he was literally the best man to have ever lived; perhaps it's his gentle nature, his kind eyes, or just that he is so accepting of others.
Dance Level: Moderately-high
If Queen Iris had her way, Dahlia would already be wed; obviously this has not occurred. In the last couple years in particular she has pushed dancing as a way to introduce Dahlia to worthy suitors. When the dance is of an expressive nature Dahlia enjoys herself immensely, but she cares less about the more 'controlled' dances. Regardless of the reason the queen is so fixated on it, Dahlia does find it more entertaining than reading history books while knowing no one in the world will care what she thought of rulers that died two hundred years past. She is happy to be a graceful follower to a lead, male or female, but her ability to follow is admittedly dependent on her companion not 'ruining the mood' by being overly 'oppressive'- which is to say they have to be her definition of fun for her to try her best.
Last Year's Cendrillion Ball:
Attended, but was excused due to an injury to the leg caused by falling off a horse (that she was racing against a stable boy). The exact cause of her injury was never publicly divulged but it was an ill-kept secret.
Goals:
Dahlia is astutely aware that her carefree life of acting on a whim can not last forever; in fact, she doesn't it to extend beyond another year or two. No matter how hard she tries to break the mold for Princess of Greedo she is expected to wed, hopefully for advantage of her brother's reign' and to bear children for someone of stature and influence. She is terrified of a miserable marriage or being chained to someone who is more concerned with proprietary than enjoying life before it is dusk. To this end she is quietly surveying the men that she believes her parents would find 'agreeable' and trying to find anyone that she thinks she could at least tolerate long-term.. In the alternative, she is hoping for a way to abdicate her title altogether while keeping her brother's position secure.
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