Approved WK Bio for Talulah Aebrim - CC'd by the WT

[Taymist]

Character Name: Talulah Aebrim

 

DM Handle: Pookie

 

Physical Description: Talulah is of average height and slim. Her eyes were blue, but are beginning to show some golden color. Her hair is long and brown and she usually wears it loose and flowing down her back. She looks younger than her years and has a sweet smile. She has a certain air of innocence about her. She sometimes loses time (due to mild seizures caused by brain damage during a childhood fever) which can make people uncomfortable.

 

Age: 17

 

Gender: female

 

Place of Birth/Raising: Kandor

 

 

 

Character History

 

Talulah wasn't right in the head. Everyone knew it. She'd been like that since she was barely walking. A fever took her when she was two and when it left she was never quite the same. Someone would talk to her and she'd smile and lisp her words back sweetly, but sometime during the conversation her eyes would eventually wander and she'd lose track of what you were saying. Some would yell at her, some would smack her to get her attention again, the kindest would ask her what she was thinking about. All she could say was, "I don't know." The adults would just shake their heads and whisper amongst themselves that they didn't know what they were going to do with that child. Other children would tease her, telling her she was woolbrained or belonged back in the cradle with the other babies. Neither response seemed to bother her. She just smiled and sat quietly.

 

People probably would have thought her a darkfriend, but Talulah always seemed too sweet to be evil. She'd come up to an adult or child who was sad and give them a hug. She'd come out of one of her spells and say to you, "You really look nice in that color of blue." She'd bring you flowers for your table or berries to go with your lunch. She never spoke a negative word about anyone. She was thoughtful, which kids and adults both appreciated, but her quirks still would have gotten her in trouble if not for the fact that her mother was the village wisdom. No one wanted to offend the woman who might one day have to patch up their broken bones or tend them through sickness by claiming her beloved only child was anything less than the definition of innocence. In fact, her mother was often heard to claim that Talulah had lived through her fever because she was too sweet and innocent to die so young. The townspeople just nodded, smiled, and let Talulah have her space.

 

For Talulah, having her space meant having lots of time in the woods. Her mother would give her tasks from time to time, but they were never anything that needed to be done right away. Her mother knew to expect that Talulah's mind would wander during her task, so she often took a longer time to get a job done, but she rarely altogether forgot to complete something. No one would have claimed she was a bright girl or a fast learner, but she could be trusted to gather herbs or wash laundry.  Her mother would show her an herb and say, "Could you bring me more of these while you're out today, sweetling?" and come supper time she'd have a little basket full of exactly what she asked for.

 

The sun was bright on the day when her mother handed her a large basket and a small knife. "I need some of these today, sweetling," she said, showing Talulah a long willow branch wrapped into a circle, it's leaves sticking out everywhere. "Just wrap them up like this in a circle and you'll be able to carry them much easier. You'll find a whole bunch of the trees if you head out past the Banyon's farm. Be careful, dear." Then with a kiss to her head, Talulah was off.

 

The Banyon's farm wasn't far and Talulah quickly found the trees her mother had mentioned. She dropped her basket underneath the willow with the longest branches, reaching as high as her arms could to trim one off with her knife. Then she twisted it into a circle the way her mother had shown her, taking care not to knock the leaves off in the process. It was easy work and she could let her mind wander freely. If her hands occasionally stilled, she never really noticed because they started back up again when her spell passed. She was bent to put the last circle into her basket when movement caught her eye. She finished putting the willow into the basket and then looked up.

 

A wolf stared at her from across the field. He was still and his posture seemed more curious than threatening. Somehow Talulah was certain this wolf was a male, but even more strange, she was fairly sure he had known she was here for quite some time. That he had been sitting here watching her. She felt the urge to sit down, so she did, crossing her legs and tucking her skirts around her carefully. Then she looked back up at the wolf, still sitting across the field.

 

She blinked and when Talulah opened her eyes again, the wolf was right in front of her, his eyes seeming to gaze into hers. Had her mind wandered?  It must have.  No animal could move across a field in a blink like that. He was close enough for her to touch him, but she wasn't scared. Why wasn't she scared? In her mind she could picture herself running through the woods, her hair streaming behind her, with this wolf at her side. Wouldn't that be odd. Maybe she really was as woolbrained as everyone seemed to think if she for a second thought the wolf would run with her rather than attacking her.

 

She heard a branch snap behind her and the wolf turned and ran. Before she had a chance to look behind her and see what had scared him off, she saw a picture in her head of Dal Banyon, a brace of rabbits slung over his shoulder as he walked home. She was startled to see that he was wearing the same red shirt she had pictured in her mind.

 

"Goodday, Talulah," he said with a nod. "Your Mam's got you out after willow, I see."

 

"Yes, Mr. Banyon," she replied. "I've just finished cutting and was resting a bit before I head home."

 

"That's a good lass," he smiled. He waved as he started back up for home. Dal Banyon always was a man of few words.

 

Talulah wanted to sit longer and think about the wolf and how she had known it was Dal Banyon behind her, but her mother would be anxious if she didn't arrive home soon. She picked up her basket and with a last look back to where she had seen the wolf disappear into the forest, she headed home.

 

Her mother was just setting the last bowl on the table when she walked in the door. "Oh, there you are," she said. "Your basket can go over by my table. I'll start taking care of preparing those things in the morning. Come to supper. Your da will be home any minute." Talulah headed towards her mother's table and her mother patted her shoulder on the way by. Talulah was startled to feel her mother stop short and then yank her around by the shoulder, peering into her eyes.

 

"What?" Talulah asked, looking at her mother worriedly.

 

"Go to your bed," her mother breathed. "Go to your bed right now. Go." She snatched the basket of willow out of her hand and gave Talulah a shove towards the bedroom. Talulah went slowly, glancing over her shoulder at her mother as she went. What had gotten into her? Her mother raced over to her shelves of herbs and tinctures, dropping the basket of willow on the way, and searched for something.

 

There was nothing for it. Talulah pulled off her shoes and stripped down to her shift before climbing into bed. Her mother rushed in a few minutes later, a cup of tea and a bottle of gooey looking liquid in her hand. She filled a spoon with the liquid and pushed it towards Talulah. "Ma, what's wrong?" Talulah tried to ask.

 

"You're sick," was the reply. "Here. Take this, and then drink up your tea."

 

"I feel fine-"

 

"You're not fine!" her mother snapped. "You're sick. Now take this medicine and stay in bed. I don't want you coming out under any circumstances, do you hear me? You stay in bed."

 

Talulah took the medicine and then her mother pushed the cup of tea at her. She took a sip and her mother gave a sharp nod before rushing out of the room. She had no idea what this was all about, but she did know one thing. Something was very wrong with her mother.  

 

When she returned, she slid her hand across Talulah's forehead. "Do you have a headache?"

 

"No."

 

"Sore throat?"

 

"No."

 

"Are you dizzy?"

 

"No. Ma, I really feel fine."

 

"What about your eyes, Talulah. Do your eyes hurt? Can you see okay?"

 

Why was her mother asking about her eyes? "I can see fine, Ma. Nothing hurts. Nothing feels bad. I feel the same as I always do. Why do you think I'm sick?"

 

Her mother stood looking at her, shifting her weight from foot to foot and wringing her hands. "Your eyes," she finally whispered. "They're not right." Then she fled the room before Talulah could ask what she meant.

 

That night Talulah dreamed. Her dreams were so vivid that she could feel the dampness of the grass beneath her feet as she ran through the fields. She could taste the coming rains on the wind that blew past her face. The wind brought her the smell of prey and she was on the hunt. Chill air filled her lungs as she panted for breath but didn't slow her pace.  She could see the sheep caught in the brambles, clear as day though its wool was dark with mud. She lunged.

 

For the next week she spent her days in her bed, her mother plying her with all kinds of herbs and teas, mumbling under her breath and doing her best not to look as worried as she was. She spent her nights in the field dreams, running alone at first, but before long joined by the wolves. At first it was just the one wolf she had met out by the willow trees, but after a few nights there were more of them. In the dream she thought nothing of it that she could hear their thoughts, though it was more seeing than hearing since they thought in pictures. She brushed it off as boredom and daydream when she began to hear them during the day as well.

 

Then one afternoon she was sipping her mother's latest brew of tea, staring at a spot on the wall, when she heard them, their thoughts more insistent than normal. "I can't come meet you by the willow trees," she mumbled. "Ma says to stay in bed." The demand grew stronger until Talulah could stand it no more. She slipped out of her bed, pulled on some clothes, and snuck out of the house, her feet running as fast as they could towards Dal Banyon's house.

 

The wolf met her at the willow trees, his tongue lolling out of his mouth and his tail swinging.  "You certainly seem happy," Talulah said to him.

 

"He is," a voice said behind her and Talulah spun around to face the stranger.

 

She gasped, "You have golden eyes!"

 

 

[Elgee]

CC'd by the WT  :D

[Taymist]

Thanks Elgee  :)