Legends of Belariath

Kuwan

Born on the floating island Morpheous and her faithful call home, Kuwan came to be. Her mother was a priestess magi and her father a warrior magi. They had hopes that with the influence and extra training from them both she would one day achieve the ranking of High Priestess.

Her training started early, from the time she was five her parents were teaching her reading and writing and history. By age seven she was taken to receive Morpheous' touch; to receive her wings and begin her training. She was not the only one there that day for this was a ceremony that occurred four times a year, and this time her parents felt it time to bring her. There was no doubt in their minds that she would be accepted; after all they were both well known and they had trained their daughter well so far. She was never asked if this was what she wanted with her life and saw no reason to, for it was what they wanted for her so it would be so. Kuwan being only seven didn’t really care she just knew this is what everyone else did and so thought that this is how things were. They all stood in a line, her and the other children and a few adults which confused her, she having only seen children in this ceremony the few times her parents let her see it. Nothing was said though, as she had been told to remain silent and so she would, having always wished to only please her parents which is also why she had no objection to becoming one of Morpheous’ faithful. The line slowly moved and one after the other the ones before her disappeared to see their goddess and return with their wings. Though she tried to remain still, standing tall and proud for her parents, she was after all only a child and soon was shifting about, clasping and unclasping her hands and looking around. Her parents only smiled as they glanced at one another, such happened all the time and was nothing new though all are told to stand still just to see how long they last. When her time finally came the nervousness was in full bloom, her belly felt the butterflies going in circles within her. As she was beckoned forward she hesitated which again was nothing new to the adults watching, they simply waited for her to gather her courage to come face to face with her Goddess. Her courage was found in that she would not embarrass her parents because of her nervousness. She approached and drooped to her knees as she had been instructed bowing her head to her Goddess though she did sneak peeks at her, Morpheous smiled pleased to see another born of her island ready to join the ranks to learn to defend her and their home. She leaned forward in her chair her hand placed gently on this ones head she having been keeping an eye on her for more then just her being island born. She had sensed something would come of this one, something she still could not see clearly and so was determined to have her as one of her defenders to keep an eye on her. She could feel from this one that even though she was bringing her in for her own reasons that she had the heart for it along with the will and want, this pleased the goddess more so as soft words were spoken that Kuwan could hear but not understand. Her body went rigid, the young girl letting out a gasp of surprise then a cry of pain as her back suddenly felt as though it were made of liquid fire, growing more intense with every new word from her goddess. She tried to get away but the hand on her head held her firmly in place with no effort. A scream was torn from her as her back seemed to rip open and two large white-feathered wings erupted from her back. She was allowed to collapse then her blonde hair falling around her face hiding her tears for the moment as she huddled their while the pain slowly faded and her back mended on its own. She was helped back to her feet and assisted on closing her wings, she having little control over them at the moment. Her eyes found her goddess again who only smiled and nodded to her before motioning her helpers to lead her out and bring the next in.

--- Time passed as it will and Kuwan grew in body and in mind as she set herself to learning all she could until the library near became her home and her learning near an obsession. None tried to stop her or lead her to do other things though and left her to her books, perhaps someone should have though for she had always been a quiet girl and only withdrew even more now that this world of knowledge and books had been opened to her. Her training years passed quickly and before she realized it, she was grown, eighteen and ready to become a full member of the order. Again she found herself in a line with others waiting to meet her goddess again, memories of the pain of her last meeting flitting through her head. Though she knew such would not happen again, there was still that nervous flutter in her belly as her turn came and she stepped forward. Again she went to her knees before her goddess, her head bowing but no peeking this time as she had learned more control in her years. She tensed when a hand came to rest on her head and heard a soft chuckle that for some reason made her relax just before her mind was caught up into a whirlwind. Images flashed before her eyes, some she knew as memories, some she had no idea of and behind it a soft warm pulsing that slowly grew until it consumed her.

When she comes to again she is still kneeling before her goddess that hand the only thing keeping her up. Again hands reach for her to aid her to her feet as she comes back to herself feeling more alive then she ever has in the wake of her newly empowered mind. She begins her new life then though it is hardly much different as she finds herself spending most of her time before books or with quill and paper. She does not mind though, for she is more then happy with the work she is doing and hopes it is all she ever has to do. What was in store for her though was not the quiet life she had hoped for and wanted.

One night a few years later the silence of her home was shattered as men broke in the door grabbing her and hauling her away, she was tossed into a cell: bound, gagged, and blindfolded. She had no idea what was going on, her terror and shock to the point where she did not even struggle against her bonds. She lay in the dark for what seemed like days before someone came for her, she was released from her bonds but kept gagged and blindfolded and tossed some clothing for all she had on was a nightgown. She knew she was being watched but had no choice and changed before then her cheeks a deep red of embarrassment. When clothed she was bound again and taken from her cell, the twists and turns had her lost as to where she was being taken to but soon they entered a room that she could sense had many people in it. What was said here had her knees going weak: Treason. Her. She could not believe what she was hearing she tried to struggle then but was no match against her four guards and her efforts to cry out around her gag was only met with a sharp slap to her face. That stilled her...and what kept her still were the words she heard next as her sentence was proclaimed. Banishment...and more she was to be changed to fit what was said was her true self. She had no idea how this could be happening; some of the voices she knew... why was no one trying to stop this! She was forced to her knees where she was and felt a hand, for one awful moment she thought it was her goddess but a mans voice spoke and the pain hit her rippling under her skin ripping into her wings, she screamed against her gag her body thrashing from the pain until thankfully she passed out. Her body was changed her skin once pale her hair once blonde and her wings ones feathered and white as snow were now black and her feathers gone a leather taking their place. What she truly is, is some evil thing as those men had convinced everyone. She was banished to the world below left in some woods still bound but some pity was taken on her by someone and a pack of supplies was left with her. Then she was left....closed off from her world.... It was only after this happened that Morpheous found out she having been away tending to business and unable to keep her full eye on her home and not thinking she needed to trusting to her magi to take care of it. She could have brought Kuwan home once she found out but having checked on her she decided to leave her where she was thinking she will learn more by being away then she ever could from books.

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