Bryony Rushlight

Quick Reference
Bryony Rushlight
Home	Bree Proper, Breelands
Gender	Female
Race	Human
Culture	Bree
Title	Head Maid, Prancing Pony; Journeyman of the Healer's Guild
House
Clan
Age	42
Birthdate	July 15, 1415
Occupation
Occupations	{{{occupations}}}
Hair	Brunette
Eyes	Black
Skin
Height	5'4"
Weight	122 lbs
Player	Bry
Character type

Description

The twin orbs, flashing and nearly sable in their dark hue, are the first notable features upon the face of the woman before you. They show in contrast to the truly unnatural pallor of the skin which spreads across her cheeks, smooth and porcelain -- save the small, rosy scar that mars the visage just before her ear. Her features give the impression of youth, save for a faint crease at the corners of her eyes that speaks to a deeper wisdom. She would even be pretty, on the rare occasion that she smiled; but for the most part, she bears a look of calculating skepticism. Thick locks of deep brunette are folded neatly into a braid, which is wrapped up beneath the white work-kercheif which encompasses her head.

Her frame, while not extremely slight, is well-formed and has a certain grace to its movements. She stands perhaps lower than the average height of her people, but this is made up for by the steadfast and unyielding demeanor that emanates from her. Her dress, a cottony green interlaced with the occasional blue stitching, hangs plainly upon her. A thin leather belt rests upon her hips, bearing a small pouch of indiscernible contents upon one side; this also upholds the alabaster apron which lies upon the front of her skirts. A pair of dun boots peek out from beneath the hem of her dress, sturdy, hard-soled, and yet with a certain style in simplicity -- seeming much like the woman herself.

History

It was high noon of a warm summer day that welcomed the first child of Danton and Ethel Rushlight into her life; an almost ironic setting for a daughter who was soon revealed to be so cold. The small family dwelled peacefully in the town of Archet, Danton working as a huntsman in the surrounding Chetwood, and his wife Ethel taking to the occasonal study of herbs. It was Ethel who chose the name 'Bryony' for her daughter, having great hopes for the girl's happiness. Yet, within the first few years of life, it became apparent that Bryony was not a reflection of her parents' hopes, always seeming distant and disinterested, even from those who loved her.

Despite this, the pair never relenquished faith in their daughter, always encouraging her towards friends and activities of interest. The fruitless efforts seemed to not even scratch the hardened surface of Bryony's soul. This was, of course, complicated by the strange condition of the girl's ghostly pale skin, which prevented her from spending any significant period of time out in the sun -- and even the short stints were accompanied by many layers, kerchiefs, gloves, and wide hats that often garnered the mockery of other children.

There were, however, two things which Bryony allowed herself to love and devote to unquestionably. The first was perfection. When she set out to accomplish something, she was always precise and efficient in her completion of the job. Few things held enough interest for her to practice this skill upon, but one which she found satisfying enough to while away the hours was cleaning. Danton's household was never less than spotless when Bryony was within it, and she never seemed to tire of the tedious job. While it proved rather convenient for her family, Bryony's reclusion and seeming obsession with such a thing worried them.

Bryony's second love was her younger brother, Braden Rushlight, who's cheerful and ambient demeanor was such an extreme contrast to that of his sister. Why or how this occurred is yet a mystery to her parents, but from the birth of her one and only sibling, Bryony had always taken it upon herself to care, protect, and even spend time in the company of the lad. The closeness between the two was one of the things which kept them heartened for their daughter's cause.

There was, however, a third thing to play a significant role in her life. Avery Lightfoot, the son of one of Danton's fellow hunters, was quite a frequent figure in the household. Being two years her senior, the boy seemed to find an endless amount of amusement in torturing Bryony day and night with things that sprung from her most horrible nightmares-- things that brought uncleanliness to her house and self. From hair-tugging and nicknaming her 'Swab' for her cleaning habits to sneaking slugs into her bedroom, rarely was the girl without some sort of pestilence from him. It was only as they grew older that this prey-and-predator relationship took more of a turn towards friendship, though one would hardly find Bryony admitting to this. However, upon the coming of his seventeenth year, Avery left Archet in search of a life in Combe, leaving Bryony to revert to her solitary and cleanly ways.

It was two years following Avery's departure that Ethel made the suggestion to her daughter that she should perhaps find a way in which to use her sparse interests to find a satisfying life for herself, rather than to forever clean the house of her childhood. And so, despite the lingering ties to her brother, Bryony travelled the short distance from the town of Archet to the more opportune Bree-proper, where she managed to land a very suitable job at the Prancing Pony, where she continues to this day to clean every dusty corner and stained tabletop with her usual fervency.

However, Braden showed signs of a depression after she moved away to Bree, and it wasn't long before an arrangement was made for hm to come stay with her for a time to ease the separation. However, 'a time' became further and further extended, and grew soon to years. Bryony, working both at the Pony as well as part-time in the Healing Houses, saved up enough money to purchase a house in the north end of town, where the two took up a permanent residence together, until he left to return to Archet in adulthood.

She came into the acquaintance of Elias Heatherseed, which developed into a rare friendship between the two. Bryony and Braden would often go to Combe to spend time on the orchards of Elias' family, and one might even have suspected that there were inklings of something more between the two at one point -- but she does not speak of things in that light, and is only apt to reminisce on the currently unknown whereabouts of her friend.

Despite living and working in the bustling and metropolitan centre of Bree Proper, Bryony has never been known to take kindly to strangers or outsiders. If anything, there are few in the Breelands than can give such a scornful eye as she, particularly to those Rangers; though when asked, she does not discuss the matter. Any who come to the Pony in search of hospitality will receive their share of food, drink, and service from her, but woe be to the stranger who expects a smile.