MILANA TERRAS
Details
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Full Name: Milana Terras
Race: Human
Sex: Female
Age: 26
Height: 5'6
Weight: 120 lbs
Birthdate: 30th of Ash, 93 AS
Birthplace: Atinaw
Profession: Vassal of Terras Kinship
Housing: Family Estates in Grimholdt Clan Territory
Partners:
Titles: Fjornis, Vassal of Alt Finla Dalinar Terras
Factions: None
Fluencies: Common, Kokalath
Conversationals: None
Ineptitudes: None
Race: Human
Sex: Female
Age: 26
Height: 5'6
Weight: 120 lbs
Birthdate: 30th of Ash, 93 AS
Birthplace: Atinaw
Profession: Vassal of Terras Kinship
Housing: Family Estates in Grimholdt Clan Territory
Partners:
Titles: Fjornis, Vassal of Alt Finla Dalinar Terras
Factions: None
Fluencies: Common, Kokalath
Conversationals: None
Ineptitudes: None
Appearance
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The woman's looks can be said to be adequate. She has been called pretty by some, but not especially beautiful. With a thin frame and hair that falls in waves no matter how often it is brushed, Milana is someone who can feel confident that her looks do not detract from her bearing, but neither do they add anything in particular. Her clothing is always well kept and fine, without stain or tear as both would be inappropriate on one of her station. She usually keeps her hair tied into a braid, and only rarely lets the locks fall loose around her shoulders. Because of her condition Milana is restrained to a wheelchair, a thing of well polished wood that is not overly adorned or decorated but is fine enough for what one would expect a Fjornis to be pushed around in. Her green eyes hold a simple intellect, though they look almost forlorn even if she smiles. Simple would perhaps be the best way to describe her, and how she would describe herself as well. Her complexion is pale but not deathly soul, and light circles are typcal under her eyes due to lack of sleep either from long hours working on projects, or from the odd bout of insomnia.
Personality
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To those who know her she is thought to be a kind soul, soft spoken and quick to offer a smile that never quite reaches her eyes. She speaks slowly and softly, with few gestures to press her point. At first she might come off as despondent, or even dispassionate, but that is not the case. Milana tends to think before each response, selecting her words with the careful precision of a surgeon preparing an incision. Her delicate nature tends to belay her own inner strength, and more than one person has been caught off guard by the sudden ferocity she can display when finally pressed to do so.
History
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The beginning of the Terras Kinship
The history of young Miss Milana is one that is woven tightly with the history of the Terras kinship itself. It is a simple story, and perhaps a little bit sad, but for what it is worth it is one that Milana holds dear to her heart. Her parents were born both to a Host family under the care of an older, kind hearted Alt Finla who took good care of his people and his lands. They grew up with one another, her father's family often employing the skill of Evona's Host to prepare the baked goods of their family's inn. Day by day they saw one another, and with the passing of years that friendship steadily grew into something more, something grander. Shortly after they had come of age Dalinar proposed to Evona, and it was then than their love became acknowledged by their kinships.
A true marriage had not been seen by either kinship in recent history, and even the Alt Finla of the lands which the Host family's dwelt could not remember a time when one had been arranged. So it was that the two underwent their trials. It became somewhat of a spectacle, one that both Host family's and even some of the town came to witness, not because of the rank of those involved but rather because of the novelty of it all. In truth neither family could deny the connection the two had, and in many ways it almost seemed fated that the two would come together in such a way. When the trials were finished none were surprised to find the two standing tall, having past each and every one as if the Old One's had previously ordained it to be. The celebration that followed was one which is still talked about by the small town to this day, and it was an event which the two and their family would never forget.
After their marriage there was some back and forth as to where the couple would go, but in the end it was decided that both would return to Dalinar's Kinship, the Terras. At the time Evona's Host had a line of succession already established, and it was unlikely that Evona herself would take over the business. For the Terras Host, however, things were a tad more complicated. His older sister Katalina should have, by rights, taken over the business after his parents, but she had left the business to pursue other ventures. It would be many many years before she eventually returned, and so Dalinar being the only child remaining was made the Terras Kinship's heir.
The two's marriage was what one would have expected of a true marriage. Both Dalinar and Evona seemed inseparable from one another, and the two almost fed upon the other's energy and spread it to those around them. The Terras Inn flourished under the two's ownership, and a few short years later their had their first son who they named Jebal after Dalinar's Grandfather. As the business grew and grew Evona herself found she had a talent for more than simply baking. The flowers and herbs she grew in a small garden outside the Inn were medical in nature, and eventually she found she could take these herbs and plants and incorporate them into the breads and pastries she made. What began as a hobby soon grew into a small business of her own which she ran within the Inn they owned, and the success of the pair eventually caught the eye of the Alt Finla and lead to a raise of their status from a Host to Thiris. With this increase in title came a flood of new resources, and connections, and their business prospered further. It seemed that the Terra's Kinship was destined for great things, and their popularity in the town was well know. All seemed well, that is, until the 88th of the Age of Steel.
The plague that wrecked havoc across Atinaw did not blunt its blows when it came upon the lands of the Grimholdt Clan. It seemed to come suddenly, and it struck with the ferocity of storm as it swept through the town and killed one soul after another. The Terras Kinship did what it could to help those in need, opening their doors to the sick when the beds elsewhere would not do. They had expanded the Inn greatly over the years and so had many beds to spare. Evona used her growing knowledge of herbalism to create soothing salves and concoctions for the people who stayed with them, and Dalinar did what he could to help the healers with the ones that were quarantined. Despite the efforts made the destruction was great, and many lives were lost including the Alt Finla and his family. His death more than any was like a blow to the town, for he had been a kind man to the people and all did grieve for his passing. Still though was the void he left behind, a void that had to be filled and the people were worried who would come to replace him.
Some would say this was the natural order of things, but it came as a great shock and surprise to Dalinar and Evona when their family was elevated once more by the Alt Finla who oversaw the larger territory in which they resided. The Terras Kinship had become a large part of this town, had opened their doors to the sick and hurting in a time of need, and the towns people themselves greatly respected them not just for their services but for the honor and kindness they had shown even before becoming a Thiris. It took some time, and perhaps a bit of convincing, but eventually Dalinar and Evona accepted the position as the Teviner of their town, and they made a promise to do as their previous Alt Finla had done and to make the land prosper.
When love crumbles to ash
After the plague had past it too many years for the town to recover, and longer still for the emotional wounds to knit together and scar. The Terras Kinship moved to the Estates of the previous town Alt Finla, and the inn where once they called home was passed on to Evona's family. The two families had worked closely together for years, and so it seemed a simple decision to allow them to take over the Terras Inn. They would continue on the work that Dalinar and his Wife had begun, and continue to do so to this day. The plague had left such an impression on Evona that she delved deep into the study of herbalism, and following suit Dalinar began to study the art of Medicine, even going so far as to send for experts from other towns and clans to act as his instructor. Upon the new Terras Estates Dalinar built a wing specifically for the care of others, providing the small town with its first 'hospital' so that those who were injured or sick could come and seek treatment. Evona erected a greenhouse with the soul purpose of growing the herbs and plants that she needed to heal those that she could. All of this was not a radical and sudden shift, but rather a slow transition that took years to happen. In some ways it was almost as if the couple were always meant to play this role for the town, for both took to it with gusto and a passion that they had not had when working at the inn.
Even as the town was rebuilding itself a new tragedy was beginning to grow within the Terras family. Several years after the plage Evona began to suffer bouts of illness and fainting spells, symptoms which at first seemed only minor. Shortly after the symptoms began Evona discovered that she was pregnant, this time with Milana, and she and Dalinar attributed her sickness to the pregnancy itself. In the fall of 93 Milana was born, small and strangely languid for a newborn, but she quickly seemed to recover over the next year as she grew. For Evona, however, the opposite seemed to be the case. The pregnancy left her bed ridden for weeks, and when finally she could move freely again there was a slight sluggishness to her motions which she never quite recovered from. Dalinar was naturally alarmed, and did what he could to help his wife, but being who she was Evona waved off any care for herself and instead said to focus on the town as was their charge. Month by month her conditioned seemed to worsen, not by leaps and bounds but by slow and painful fractions. Her steps would become uneven, her hand slightly unsteady, but still she could function enough to continue her work and so she pressed for her husband to simply leave her be. This contained for about two years, when she became pregnant once more with Milana's younger brother. She almost seemed to grow stronger as the pregnancy progressed, but shortly after Kuvar was born her health began to deteriorate.
The years that followed would see Dalinar watch his wife waste away before his very eyes. She became a shadow of her formal self, and Dalinar... Dalinar became a man obsessed. He threw himself into his work, pulling his eldest son along behind him as they fought and searched for a way to save his beloved's life. They tried everything. Herbs and medicine only served to slow the progress of the disease, which was surely what it must have been. They even sent for masters of the healing crafts from across Atinaw, but nothing could be done. She was crumbling away in Dalinar's arms, and there was nothing he could do about it. Most seemed to agree that it must have been some variation of the plague which had lay dormant in her veins until years later, and with no other explanation Dalinar was forced to simply accept this.
In the sprint of 99 Evona finally passed away. With her condition showing no signs of ever improving Dalinar had moved her bed into the greenhouse so that she could be with her plants as she went. People of the town came by from time to time to see her, but most gave respectful distance to the family in their time of torment. When she died it was with her family around her, Dalinar holding one hand while Jebal held the other. Milana was only 6 years of age at the time, and she remembered little of her mother. She did however remember that day, and the forced smile the woman put on for those around her. Her passing wasn't soft nor was it gentle, and sadly it had taken far far too long.
The girl who could walk
After her mother's death Milana's father became even more obsessed in his work. He would spend long days and late nights in their small clinic, either tending to patients himself or overseeing the work behind the scenes to keep the business running. Her brother Jebal kept close to his fathers side, and became an apprentice under him shortly after their mother's passing. This left Milana and her younger brother Kuvar in the hands on the Estate staff, and when not being cared for by the kindly wet nurse and the maid the two would play together in the green house or on the lands surrounding their home. That greenhouse became something of a refuge for the two, a place where the two of them could play and explore, and make up stories of what their late mother must have been like.
Neither Dalinar nor Jebal spent much time with the two, leaving their care and upbringing to the staff of the estate. Milana and Kuvar were left mostly up to their own devices, but despite this neither of them felt lonely. Milana received proper education was expected, and Kuvar as he grew older began to tend the greenhouse as their mother once had before. When she finally turned 11 Milana began to apprentice under her father just as Jebal had, and she found she enjoyed the work. While she apprenticed her father would give some extra time and attention to his daughter, as if her sudden presence in the clinics helped to awaken some deep part of himself that had long lay dormant. For a time it seemed that things were going to improve, as both Dalinar and Jebal began to spend some time with Milana and Kuvar, eating dinners as they never had and acting as a happy family might. Sadly this minor time of peace was not to last.
Milana first began to grow sick in the winter after her 17th year. It began as fainting spells, and minor loss of coordination. Understandably her father was alarmed beyond measure and he set her to rest while he tended her. He did not hesitate to call those experts from across the land once more, pulling on the resources he had gathered since his wife's passing and the influence to bring to his lands the very best. It looked as if Milana, by some cruel twist of fate, might very well suffer from the same illness that had taken her mother. Dalinar could once have been called a man obsessed, but as his daughter turned 19 he was a man possessed and nothing could tear him from his work. He and Jebal threw all other responsibilities to the wayside as they delved deeper and deeper into the medical arts, Dalinar swearing to the Old One's themselves that he would not lose another.
Kuvar did what he could to help as well, and perhaps the silver lining in the illness was that the young boy was at last able to catch the attention of his older sibling and his father. It turned out that the nearly grown man had more than a small talent for herbs and herbalism, not unlike their mother had, and he drafted tonics and concoctions which seemed to help soothe the symptoms Milana felt. Though she could not be said to be healthy, Milana's life did not deteriorate quite like her mothers had. It seemed slower if nothing else, being mostly bouts of sudden weakness similar to cases of anemia. In many ways she seemed as if she would recover, that is until her 20th year when she suddenly lost the feeling in her legs.
When she looked back at the event Milana would recall it being nothing special at first. She grew faint and fell, hitting her head and loosing consciousness for some time. It was Jebal who found her and altered their father, and she was taken to the clinic where she was tended until she awoke. When she did she felt no pain beyond the ringing in her ears, but with sudden shock and horror she realized she could not move from the waist down. The cause of this was linked to whatever her illness might be, but that gave Milana and her father little comfort. If it were the same as what her mother had suffered then why was it that her symptoms seemed changed? Over the course of several weeks Milana did regain some movement i her lower extremities. She found she could force a bend in the knee, or lift a leg slightly, but beyond these minor motions she did not recover further. She had lost almost all feeling in her legs, and the movements she could make were rudimentary. She could not stand on her own, let alone walk. She was crippled, and with her legs also fled her freedom and what dreams she had for her life and her family.
Crippling thoughts and tragic decisions
The year that followed her loss was one that was filled with darkness and uncertainty. She had begun to grow closer to her father and brother, had started to learn how she would give back to her Kinship, to the town. Then like a hammer this harsh reality came crashing through the fragile happiness she had only just started to build. For a time she was simply despondent, inconsolable as she wished for nothing and no one to see her. She locked herself away in her rooms for nearly a year, with her only company being the maids and Kuvar from time to time. The sweet boy did what he could to help his sister, but eventually her mood began to infect him as well and his visits became more and more infrequent. The light of the world seemed to suddenly go out for Milana, and she would have perhaps been alright with things ending there. That is until Katalina arrived.
Her father's estranged sister showed up suddenly to the Terras family estates. She swept through like a storm, assessing and zeroing in on Milana. The girl wanted to hate her Aunt for the way she acted, forcing Milana to come from the room and go to the greenhouse, all but carrying her herself from room to room as she ripped the shades from the windows and forced light back into the world. Milana wanted to hate her, but she simply couldn't. With the help of Katalina Milana slowly began to shake off her depression, if only slightly. It was enough, however, to see what had become of her home in her time away.
It seemed that her father was not coping well with Milana's condition, not just for what it did to his daughter but also because of its reminder of his wife. He had grown distant with Milana and Kuvar, more so than even before her illness. His work and the business were all that mattered to him, and Jebal was coping little better. Their Kinship was suffering, the town beginning to feel the spread of darkness that was brought on by their Alt Finla's inattention. This more than anything caused a bloody rend in Milana's soul, as she felt without a doubt that all of this was her fault. If only she had been stronger she would not have been sick. If only she had not let herself hide in the dark of her rooms her father would not be in this state, and her older brother would not act as if he hated Kuvar. Maybe if she were not born at all none of this would have happened, and their mother would still be alive.
Milana knew that things could not continue on as they were. Her father and brother were engrossed in their work, and Kuvar had become a shutin obsessing over the greenhouse. That left their estates and town within guidance or leadership. So it was that Milana called upon the servants of her family and set them about the tasks to prepare. She called for all the grounds to be made ready, the house to be cleaned to utter perfection, and finally she sent for the town's most learned scribe to draw up official documentation. All this she did while Katalina watched on from behind, giving guidance as she set her plans in motion. At last all was prepared and Milana went to her father in the clinic where he had been for days without rest. He seemed surprised to see her free of her rooms, and whats more bathed and dressed the part of a proper Fjornis. Whats more he was surprised to find his sister suddenly present in his own, and perhaps it was this combination of things which set the stage for what was to come.
With as much honesty and gentleness as she could gather Milana set forth a proposition to her Father. He could do as he was now, focusing on his business along with her brother, and she his daughter would see to the affairs of the Estate. The utter bewilderment the man gave her in response made her tremble inside. It was then that she realized exactly what had become of her dear father. She saw the graying at his trembles, the long unkempt beard that had flecks of bread in it from a meal earlier, the stained dress shirt and coat he wore and how his eyes stared far too wide for too long. The tragedies of his beloved wife, and her own sickness had done something to him, and with the revelation came such a wave of guilt that she felt as if she would be sick. The man at first protested, claiming Milana was far too sick and feeble to take on such a role, but with a wave of her hand Milana indicated the gardens outside. They had been tended and cared for and were immaculate to see. She then had him push her wheeled chair into the manner so that he could see the state of it, freshly dusted and cleaned as it had not been in ages. Finally she showed him the servants she had organized earlier for this purpose, each with uniforms crisp and pristine, lined up in rows where they stood with a new gleam of pride in their eyes the man had not seen in months. Again he protested, saying the details of what she asked for was impossible to arrange, to which she snapped her fingers and an older man her father recognized as the towns scribe walked forward and presented a stack of papers. In them he found the accounts of their estate properly tallied, signatures obtained from the Hosts of the town offering their support, and finally a well penned document which named Milana as the Vassal of the Terras Kinship and gave her the right to management of the estate. At the bottom of this paper was a signature done in Milana's hand, and sealed with the sigil of their Kinship.
Dalinar tried to protest once more, but Milana waved forward her last card, her Grandmother on her mother's side. The woman was the last of her grandparents still alive, and she had not seen the state of her father and so the look of shock was enough to make the older man grimace in despair. With few words shared between them Dalinar at last looked at his daughter, sparing only a glance for Katalina, before at last giving his consent. He signed the document and added his seal to the paper as well. That evening Milana and her Father sat and ate together as they had not done in years, and shared many thoughts and emotions. Milana knew that with her disabilities she could not work the business as her brother did, and her Father was too distracted to perform the other duties required of his station. So in this she felt she could be of help, and in some small way this made her feel just a little bit better about herself and her situation.
The broken road to the future
With her position secured and her father and brother both satisfied with the arrangement, Milana found herself in an odd position. She now had to see to the lands and estates of her Kinship, and while she had put on a grand display for her father's sake she knew there was still far far too much she did not know. Her Aunt could perhaps be counted on for some support, but she had an odd habit of disappearing for days or weeks on end before returning, and Kuvar had become far more withdrawn than Milana had ever remembered him being. With more than a small amount of unease she realized how very little she understood about running the estates, and thus her first act was to send for a tutor from the Capital.
Mrs. Heartworth was a stern older woman, the type who accepted no nonsense and demanded excellence in everything Milana did. The tutor's arrival, and the subsequent two years of study and advice did much to help the young woman adjust to her new position, but sadly the woman passed suddenly and Milana never had the heart to send for another like her. Through her years of study, her condition became more and more apparent. Parts of her life were now not her own, and she had to rely on others for even the most basic of needs. Frustration grew to anger, and anger festered into hate directed at herself and her weak body. Somewhere in the back of her mind Milana knew that she could not continue on like this forever, and it came to a head one day when meeting with a Host family from town. As she was wheeling herself into the meeting room where her guest awaited her a fold in the carpet caught the wheel of her chair at an odd angle, and so when she pushed one hand slipped and she and the chair went toppling to the ground. Papers that she had rested in her lap scattered across the floor, and the gasp of surprise and words of concern from her guests felt like knives being dug into her flesh. Burning with shame she struggled to write herself, even as her useless legs lay sprawled in a most unbecoming fashion. Certainly those present assured her that it was of no mind, that it was no trouble at all, but Milana knew... She saw the pity in their eyes, and a small still hopeful part of her heart withered and died that day.
From that moment was born an obsession, a fierce and burning desire to correct what fate had taken from her. If she could get her legs back, then all would suddenly be well she felt certain. Her father would return to her, and her brothers would gather with him and they could once more become a family. If she could only walk again her life would change forever, and she wouldn't be viewed as a pathetic cripple only fit for pity.
Once more Milana wrote to the Capital, this time for a new instructor. She had heard from her Aunt's travels that there were wonders out there, things of metal and wood that could move on their own. If she could not get her legs back, then at the very least she would ensure she did not have to rely on others around her to tend to her every base need. Thus she sent for a new teacher, an expert Artificer who would teach her the ways of golems and constructs so that she could craft for herself new legs to walk proudly upon. Until that day came, however, she needed something else that was far more pressing.
Again she took up her pen, this time with a more vague intent behind her words. She sent out word to the edges of Atinaw, leaving the details of her and her kinship a mystery and called for someone of strength and character to come and aid a person in need. The first letters were met with silence, and so Milana adjusted her criteria. She sent out for someone strong and loyal, who would respect the rule of the land and lend his or her aid to an honorable cause. Her messenger never returned. Finally Milana tried something far more straight forward. A call for a mercenary to fill a roll as body guard, and who would be willing to share a Cardinal Rune with the one who paid his wages. This time the call was answered, for better or for worse.
Her first request arrived within the season to the Terras estates, an older man with a long graying beard. Master Conrad Dillinger, as he liked to be called, was exceptionally confident in his skills and his teachings, though the vagueness of his history was just a bit concerning. Whatever the man's background though Milana accepted his assistance and she began to train in the art of Artificing. It began well enough, and being who she was the first thing she attempted was to create a golem which could walk in its own. It was a simple thing, little more than a doll made of wood with a few joints only vaguely human shaped. It had taken two steps before falling over. Those two steps, however, sent such a thrill of join through Milana that she felt that if she tried she might be able to jump for joy. Artificing became her new obsession, and when she was not tending the needs of her Kinship she was practicing the art with a singular goal in mind; to walk once again.
It took nearly two seasons before her 2nd request arrived at the Estate. A tall man, well dressed for his station, but the eyes that looked out from his scarred face were ones that had seen battle and bloodshed. Richard Strass, or so he called himself when Milana asked, accepted the position without fuss or many words at all. When she tried to pry into his past he became cold and distant, the subject clearly being one he was not intent on sharing. That said he had answered her call when no one else had, and because of it Milana was grateful. He and Conrad did not seem to get along all that well, but Richard seemed not care one way or another.
Over several weeks Milana and Richard grew accustomed to one another. He adapted well to being her aid, pushing her in her chair wherever she needed, fetching items and performing tasks when asked without complaint. In truth Milana was a bit put off by how well adjusted the man was to the situation, but despite her physical state he did not look at her the same way everyone else did. She didn't see pity in those cold eyes, and for that alone she felt grateful. She waited for as long as she could, but at last she broached the subject that had been held between them like a solid wall: the Cardinal Rune of Kinetics. Milana knew of the rune from her studies, and of course through stories she had heard from her Aunt. Thus she was all too eager to have that power for herself. This, however, caused Richard pause as he considered Milana's desires. He knew of course that this was in part why she had hired him, but for some reason now at the end he almost seemed to reconsider. In the end the coin won out, and he granted her the Cardinal Rune himself.
Milana was not prepared for the initiation process. Somehow the stories glossed over the suffering that came from acquiring the rune, and all at once it became clear why Richard had hesitated. He saw her in her wheelchair, unable to walk, and he understood her desire. He also saw how weak she was physically, and Milana felt certain he knew that the process would kill her. He knew, and still he went through with it. The revelation came crashing upon her as she lay writing in pain where she had fallen from her chair, Richard standing over her impassively as he watched her struggle. The entirety of her tragic life flashed before Milana's eyes as the pressure reached its pentacle. She saw her father's eyes, despondent as he worked day after day simply for something to do. She saw Jebal looking at her with a mixture of pity and dislike. She knew he blamed her in part for their mother's death, and even more for their Father's current state. She saw poor Kuvar sitting alone in the greenhouse tending his plants. All of this flashed by, and suddenly Milana realized that if she wished... she could simply let herself die. She could give up, succumb to the pressure and be crushed by it. She wouldn't have to live as a cripple, a deformed creature that was nothing but a burden on the Terras kinship. She wouldn't have to see the pity in people's eyes, struggle to do the things normal people did without thought or care. A wash of could flooded her veins as she almost, almost let herself fall to those dark desires... But something stronger still pushed back against the pressure and forced her to fight on. The seething resentment of her life that had taken such a drastic turn, anger at her Father for giving up on her, disgust at her brother for treating her and Kuvar like they were just a burden. These were not the warm glowing emotions that perhaps should have made her persist, but they burned like hot embers in her stomach as her very soul rejected the idea of dying just yet. She had a dream that she would walk again, she had put so much effort to get as far as she had. The only reason she was suffering now was to gain the power she needed to push herself forward, and if she were to die now it would all have been for nothing. She would have suffered for nothing, and that more than anything was enough to push her through to the other side.
For three weeks Milana remained in bed, fevered and drained from the ordeal, but when at last she was able to leave her bed she felt a sudden sense of freedom she had not felt in years. With the power of the rune she could reach out and touch things again. The world, once so far outside her reach now suddenly was within her grasp. Like a drowning woman thrown a line Milana held onto that feeling, that sense that things truly could improve. Her efforts in artificing redoubled, and like her father before her an obsession became something more as she threw herself further into the work. Now she tended to the affairs of the Terras, did her part for the town to keep the people happy, but deep down she knew what her true goal was. To take back what she had lost, and now she knew she could do whatever it took to achieve her goals.
The history of young Miss Milana is one that is woven tightly with the history of the Terras kinship itself. It is a simple story, and perhaps a little bit sad, but for what it is worth it is one that Milana holds dear to her heart. Her parents were born both to a Host family under the care of an older, kind hearted Alt Finla who took good care of his people and his lands. They grew up with one another, her father's family often employing the skill of Evona's Host to prepare the baked goods of their family's inn. Day by day they saw one another, and with the passing of years that friendship steadily grew into something more, something grander. Shortly after they had come of age Dalinar proposed to Evona, and it was then than their love became acknowledged by their kinships.
A true marriage had not been seen by either kinship in recent history, and even the Alt Finla of the lands which the Host family's dwelt could not remember a time when one had been arranged. So it was that the two underwent their trials. It became somewhat of a spectacle, one that both Host family's and even some of the town came to witness, not because of the rank of those involved but rather because of the novelty of it all. In truth neither family could deny the connection the two had, and in many ways it almost seemed fated that the two would come together in such a way. When the trials were finished none were surprised to find the two standing tall, having past each and every one as if the Old One's had previously ordained it to be. The celebration that followed was one which is still talked about by the small town to this day, and it was an event which the two and their family would never forget.
After their marriage there was some back and forth as to where the couple would go, but in the end it was decided that both would return to Dalinar's Kinship, the Terras. At the time Evona's Host had a line of succession already established, and it was unlikely that Evona herself would take over the business. For the Terras Host, however, things were a tad more complicated. His older sister Katalina should have, by rights, taken over the business after his parents, but she had left the business to pursue other ventures. It would be many many years before she eventually returned, and so Dalinar being the only child remaining was made the Terras Kinship's heir.
The two's marriage was what one would have expected of a true marriage. Both Dalinar and Evona seemed inseparable from one another, and the two almost fed upon the other's energy and spread it to those around them. The Terras Inn flourished under the two's ownership, and a few short years later their had their first son who they named Jebal after Dalinar's Grandfather. As the business grew and grew Evona herself found she had a talent for more than simply baking. The flowers and herbs she grew in a small garden outside the Inn were medical in nature, and eventually she found she could take these herbs and plants and incorporate them into the breads and pastries she made. What began as a hobby soon grew into a small business of her own which she ran within the Inn they owned, and the success of the pair eventually caught the eye of the Alt Finla and lead to a raise of their status from a Host to Thiris. With this increase in title came a flood of new resources, and connections, and their business prospered further. It seemed that the Terra's Kinship was destined for great things, and their popularity in the town was well know. All seemed well, that is, until the 88th of the Age of Steel.
The plague that wrecked havoc across Atinaw did not blunt its blows when it came upon the lands of the Grimholdt Clan. It seemed to come suddenly, and it struck with the ferocity of storm as it swept through the town and killed one soul after another. The Terras Kinship did what it could to help those in need, opening their doors to the sick when the beds elsewhere would not do. They had expanded the Inn greatly over the years and so had many beds to spare. Evona used her growing knowledge of herbalism to create soothing salves and concoctions for the people who stayed with them, and Dalinar did what he could to help the healers with the ones that were quarantined. Despite the efforts made the destruction was great, and many lives were lost including the Alt Finla and his family. His death more than any was like a blow to the town, for he had been a kind man to the people and all did grieve for his passing. Still though was the void he left behind, a void that had to be filled and the people were worried who would come to replace him.
Some would say this was the natural order of things, but it came as a great shock and surprise to Dalinar and Evona when their family was elevated once more by the Alt Finla who oversaw the larger territory in which they resided. The Terras Kinship had become a large part of this town, had opened their doors to the sick and hurting in a time of need, and the towns people themselves greatly respected them not just for their services but for the honor and kindness they had shown even before becoming a Thiris. It took some time, and perhaps a bit of convincing, but eventually Dalinar and Evona accepted the position as the Teviner of their town, and they made a promise to do as their previous Alt Finla had done and to make the land prosper.
When love crumbles to ash
After the plague had past it too many years for the town to recover, and longer still for the emotional wounds to knit together and scar. The Terras Kinship moved to the Estates of the previous town Alt Finla, and the inn where once they called home was passed on to Evona's family. The two families had worked closely together for years, and so it seemed a simple decision to allow them to take over the Terras Inn. They would continue on the work that Dalinar and his Wife had begun, and continue to do so to this day. The plague had left such an impression on Evona that she delved deep into the study of herbalism, and following suit Dalinar began to study the art of Medicine, even going so far as to send for experts from other towns and clans to act as his instructor. Upon the new Terras Estates Dalinar built a wing specifically for the care of others, providing the small town with its first 'hospital' so that those who were injured or sick could come and seek treatment. Evona erected a greenhouse with the soul purpose of growing the herbs and plants that she needed to heal those that she could. All of this was not a radical and sudden shift, but rather a slow transition that took years to happen. In some ways it was almost as if the couple were always meant to play this role for the town, for both took to it with gusto and a passion that they had not had when working at the inn.
Even as the town was rebuilding itself a new tragedy was beginning to grow within the Terras family. Several years after the plage Evona began to suffer bouts of illness and fainting spells, symptoms which at first seemed only minor. Shortly after the symptoms began Evona discovered that she was pregnant, this time with Milana, and she and Dalinar attributed her sickness to the pregnancy itself. In the fall of 93 Milana was born, small and strangely languid for a newborn, but she quickly seemed to recover over the next year as she grew. For Evona, however, the opposite seemed to be the case. The pregnancy left her bed ridden for weeks, and when finally she could move freely again there was a slight sluggishness to her motions which she never quite recovered from. Dalinar was naturally alarmed, and did what he could to help his wife, but being who she was Evona waved off any care for herself and instead said to focus on the town as was their charge. Month by month her conditioned seemed to worsen, not by leaps and bounds but by slow and painful fractions. Her steps would become uneven, her hand slightly unsteady, but still she could function enough to continue her work and so she pressed for her husband to simply leave her be. This contained for about two years, when she became pregnant once more with Milana's younger brother. She almost seemed to grow stronger as the pregnancy progressed, but shortly after Kuvar was born her health began to deteriorate.
The years that followed would see Dalinar watch his wife waste away before his very eyes. She became a shadow of her formal self, and Dalinar... Dalinar became a man obsessed. He threw himself into his work, pulling his eldest son along behind him as they fought and searched for a way to save his beloved's life. They tried everything. Herbs and medicine only served to slow the progress of the disease, which was surely what it must have been. They even sent for masters of the healing crafts from across Atinaw, but nothing could be done. She was crumbling away in Dalinar's arms, and there was nothing he could do about it. Most seemed to agree that it must have been some variation of the plague which had lay dormant in her veins until years later, and with no other explanation Dalinar was forced to simply accept this.
In the sprint of 99 Evona finally passed away. With her condition showing no signs of ever improving Dalinar had moved her bed into the greenhouse so that she could be with her plants as she went. People of the town came by from time to time to see her, but most gave respectful distance to the family in their time of torment. When she died it was with her family around her, Dalinar holding one hand while Jebal held the other. Milana was only 6 years of age at the time, and she remembered little of her mother. She did however remember that day, and the forced smile the woman put on for those around her. Her passing wasn't soft nor was it gentle, and sadly it had taken far far too long.
The girl who could walk
After her mother's death Milana's father became even more obsessed in his work. He would spend long days and late nights in their small clinic, either tending to patients himself or overseeing the work behind the scenes to keep the business running. Her brother Jebal kept close to his fathers side, and became an apprentice under him shortly after their mother's passing. This left Milana and her younger brother Kuvar in the hands on the Estate staff, and when not being cared for by the kindly wet nurse and the maid the two would play together in the green house or on the lands surrounding their home. That greenhouse became something of a refuge for the two, a place where the two of them could play and explore, and make up stories of what their late mother must have been like.
Neither Dalinar nor Jebal spent much time with the two, leaving their care and upbringing to the staff of the estate. Milana and Kuvar were left mostly up to their own devices, but despite this neither of them felt lonely. Milana received proper education was expected, and Kuvar as he grew older began to tend the greenhouse as their mother once had before. When she finally turned 11 Milana began to apprentice under her father just as Jebal had, and she found she enjoyed the work. While she apprenticed her father would give some extra time and attention to his daughter, as if her sudden presence in the clinics helped to awaken some deep part of himself that had long lay dormant. For a time it seemed that things were going to improve, as both Dalinar and Jebal began to spend some time with Milana and Kuvar, eating dinners as they never had and acting as a happy family might. Sadly this minor time of peace was not to last.
Milana first began to grow sick in the winter after her 17th year. It began as fainting spells, and minor loss of coordination. Understandably her father was alarmed beyond measure and he set her to rest while he tended her. He did not hesitate to call those experts from across the land once more, pulling on the resources he had gathered since his wife's passing and the influence to bring to his lands the very best. It looked as if Milana, by some cruel twist of fate, might very well suffer from the same illness that had taken her mother. Dalinar could once have been called a man obsessed, but as his daughter turned 19 he was a man possessed and nothing could tear him from his work. He and Jebal threw all other responsibilities to the wayside as they delved deeper and deeper into the medical arts, Dalinar swearing to the Old One's themselves that he would not lose another.
Kuvar did what he could to help as well, and perhaps the silver lining in the illness was that the young boy was at last able to catch the attention of his older sibling and his father. It turned out that the nearly grown man had more than a small talent for herbs and herbalism, not unlike their mother had, and he drafted tonics and concoctions which seemed to help soothe the symptoms Milana felt. Though she could not be said to be healthy, Milana's life did not deteriorate quite like her mothers had. It seemed slower if nothing else, being mostly bouts of sudden weakness similar to cases of anemia. In many ways she seemed as if she would recover, that is until her 20th year when she suddenly lost the feeling in her legs.
When she looked back at the event Milana would recall it being nothing special at first. She grew faint and fell, hitting her head and loosing consciousness for some time. It was Jebal who found her and altered their father, and she was taken to the clinic where she was tended until she awoke. When she did she felt no pain beyond the ringing in her ears, but with sudden shock and horror she realized she could not move from the waist down. The cause of this was linked to whatever her illness might be, but that gave Milana and her father little comfort. If it were the same as what her mother had suffered then why was it that her symptoms seemed changed? Over the course of several weeks Milana did regain some movement i her lower extremities. She found she could force a bend in the knee, or lift a leg slightly, but beyond these minor motions she did not recover further. She had lost almost all feeling in her legs, and the movements she could make were rudimentary. She could not stand on her own, let alone walk. She was crippled, and with her legs also fled her freedom and what dreams she had for her life and her family.
Crippling thoughts and tragic decisions
The year that followed her loss was one that was filled with darkness and uncertainty. She had begun to grow closer to her father and brother, had started to learn how she would give back to her Kinship, to the town. Then like a hammer this harsh reality came crashing through the fragile happiness she had only just started to build. For a time she was simply despondent, inconsolable as she wished for nothing and no one to see her. She locked herself away in her rooms for nearly a year, with her only company being the maids and Kuvar from time to time. The sweet boy did what he could to help his sister, but eventually her mood began to infect him as well and his visits became more and more infrequent. The light of the world seemed to suddenly go out for Milana, and she would have perhaps been alright with things ending there. That is until Katalina arrived.
Her father's estranged sister showed up suddenly to the Terras family estates. She swept through like a storm, assessing and zeroing in on Milana. The girl wanted to hate her Aunt for the way she acted, forcing Milana to come from the room and go to the greenhouse, all but carrying her herself from room to room as she ripped the shades from the windows and forced light back into the world. Milana wanted to hate her, but she simply couldn't. With the help of Katalina Milana slowly began to shake off her depression, if only slightly. It was enough, however, to see what had become of her home in her time away.
It seemed that her father was not coping well with Milana's condition, not just for what it did to his daughter but also because of its reminder of his wife. He had grown distant with Milana and Kuvar, more so than even before her illness. His work and the business were all that mattered to him, and Jebal was coping little better. Their Kinship was suffering, the town beginning to feel the spread of darkness that was brought on by their Alt Finla's inattention. This more than anything caused a bloody rend in Milana's soul, as she felt without a doubt that all of this was her fault. If only she had been stronger she would not have been sick. If only she had not let herself hide in the dark of her rooms her father would not be in this state, and her older brother would not act as if he hated Kuvar. Maybe if she were not born at all none of this would have happened, and their mother would still be alive.
Milana knew that things could not continue on as they were. Her father and brother were engrossed in their work, and Kuvar had become a shutin obsessing over the greenhouse. That left their estates and town within guidance or leadership. So it was that Milana called upon the servants of her family and set them about the tasks to prepare. She called for all the grounds to be made ready, the house to be cleaned to utter perfection, and finally she sent for the town's most learned scribe to draw up official documentation. All this she did while Katalina watched on from behind, giving guidance as she set her plans in motion. At last all was prepared and Milana went to her father in the clinic where he had been for days without rest. He seemed surprised to see her free of her rooms, and whats more bathed and dressed the part of a proper Fjornis. Whats more he was surprised to find his sister suddenly present in his own, and perhaps it was this combination of things which set the stage for what was to come.
With as much honesty and gentleness as she could gather Milana set forth a proposition to her Father. He could do as he was now, focusing on his business along with her brother, and she his daughter would see to the affairs of the Estate. The utter bewilderment the man gave her in response made her tremble inside. It was then that she realized exactly what had become of her dear father. She saw the graying at his trembles, the long unkempt beard that had flecks of bread in it from a meal earlier, the stained dress shirt and coat he wore and how his eyes stared far too wide for too long. The tragedies of his beloved wife, and her own sickness had done something to him, and with the revelation came such a wave of guilt that she felt as if she would be sick. The man at first protested, claiming Milana was far too sick and feeble to take on such a role, but with a wave of her hand Milana indicated the gardens outside. They had been tended and cared for and were immaculate to see. She then had him push her wheeled chair into the manner so that he could see the state of it, freshly dusted and cleaned as it had not been in ages. Finally she showed him the servants she had organized earlier for this purpose, each with uniforms crisp and pristine, lined up in rows where they stood with a new gleam of pride in their eyes the man had not seen in months. Again he protested, saying the details of what she asked for was impossible to arrange, to which she snapped her fingers and an older man her father recognized as the towns scribe walked forward and presented a stack of papers. In them he found the accounts of their estate properly tallied, signatures obtained from the Hosts of the town offering their support, and finally a well penned document which named Milana as the Vassal of the Terras Kinship and gave her the right to management of the estate. At the bottom of this paper was a signature done in Milana's hand, and sealed with the sigil of their Kinship.
Dalinar tried to protest once more, but Milana waved forward her last card, her Grandmother on her mother's side. The woman was the last of her grandparents still alive, and she had not seen the state of her father and so the look of shock was enough to make the older man grimace in despair. With few words shared between them Dalinar at last looked at his daughter, sparing only a glance for Katalina, before at last giving his consent. He signed the document and added his seal to the paper as well. That evening Milana and her Father sat and ate together as they had not done in years, and shared many thoughts and emotions. Milana knew that with her disabilities she could not work the business as her brother did, and her Father was too distracted to perform the other duties required of his station. So in this she felt she could be of help, and in some small way this made her feel just a little bit better about herself and her situation.
The broken road to the future
With her position secured and her father and brother both satisfied with the arrangement, Milana found herself in an odd position. She now had to see to the lands and estates of her Kinship, and while she had put on a grand display for her father's sake she knew there was still far far too much she did not know. Her Aunt could perhaps be counted on for some support, but she had an odd habit of disappearing for days or weeks on end before returning, and Kuvar had become far more withdrawn than Milana had ever remembered him being. With more than a small amount of unease she realized how very little she understood about running the estates, and thus her first act was to send for a tutor from the Capital.
Mrs. Heartworth was a stern older woman, the type who accepted no nonsense and demanded excellence in everything Milana did. The tutor's arrival, and the subsequent two years of study and advice did much to help the young woman adjust to her new position, but sadly the woman passed suddenly and Milana never had the heart to send for another like her. Through her years of study, her condition became more and more apparent. Parts of her life were now not her own, and she had to rely on others for even the most basic of needs. Frustration grew to anger, and anger festered into hate directed at herself and her weak body. Somewhere in the back of her mind Milana knew that she could not continue on like this forever, and it came to a head one day when meeting with a Host family from town. As she was wheeling herself into the meeting room where her guest awaited her a fold in the carpet caught the wheel of her chair at an odd angle, and so when she pushed one hand slipped and she and the chair went toppling to the ground. Papers that she had rested in her lap scattered across the floor, and the gasp of surprise and words of concern from her guests felt like knives being dug into her flesh. Burning with shame she struggled to write herself, even as her useless legs lay sprawled in a most unbecoming fashion. Certainly those present assured her that it was of no mind, that it was no trouble at all, but Milana knew... She saw the pity in their eyes, and a small still hopeful part of her heart withered and died that day.
From that moment was born an obsession, a fierce and burning desire to correct what fate had taken from her. If she could get her legs back, then all would suddenly be well she felt certain. Her father would return to her, and her brothers would gather with him and they could once more become a family. If she could only walk again her life would change forever, and she wouldn't be viewed as a pathetic cripple only fit for pity.
Once more Milana wrote to the Capital, this time for a new instructor. She had heard from her Aunt's travels that there were wonders out there, things of metal and wood that could move on their own. If she could not get her legs back, then at the very least she would ensure she did not have to rely on others around her to tend to her every base need. Thus she sent for a new teacher, an expert Artificer who would teach her the ways of golems and constructs so that she could craft for herself new legs to walk proudly upon. Until that day came, however, she needed something else that was far more pressing.
Again she took up her pen, this time with a more vague intent behind her words. She sent out word to the edges of Atinaw, leaving the details of her and her kinship a mystery and called for someone of strength and character to come and aid a person in need. The first letters were met with silence, and so Milana adjusted her criteria. She sent out for someone strong and loyal, who would respect the rule of the land and lend his or her aid to an honorable cause. Her messenger never returned. Finally Milana tried something far more straight forward. A call for a mercenary to fill a roll as body guard, and who would be willing to share a Cardinal Rune with the one who paid his wages. This time the call was answered, for better or for worse.
Her first request arrived within the season to the Terras estates, an older man with a long graying beard. Master Conrad Dillinger, as he liked to be called, was exceptionally confident in his skills and his teachings, though the vagueness of his history was just a bit concerning. Whatever the man's background though Milana accepted his assistance and she began to train in the art of Artificing. It began well enough, and being who she was the first thing she attempted was to create a golem which could walk in its own. It was a simple thing, little more than a doll made of wood with a few joints only vaguely human shaped. It had taken two steps before falling over. Those two steps, however, sent such a thrill of join through Milana that she felt that if she tried she might be able to jump for joy. Artificing became her new obsession, and when she was not tending the needs of her Kinship she was practicing the art with a singular goal in mind; to walk once again.
It took nearly two seasons before her 2nd request arrived at the Estate. A tall man, well dressed for his station, but the eyes that looked out from his scarred face were ones that had seen battle and bloodshed. Richard Strass, or so he called himself when Milana asked, accepted the position without fuss or many words at all. When she tried to pry into his past he became cold and distant, the subject clearly being one he was not intent on sharing. That said he had answered her call when no one else had, and because of it Milana was grateful. He and Conrad did not seem to get along all that well, but Richard seemed not care one way or another.
Over several weeks Milana and Richard grew accustomed to one another. He adapted well to being her aid, pushing her in her chair wherever she needed, fetching items and performing tasks when asked without complaint. In truth Milana was a bit put off by how well adjusted the man was to the situation, but despite her physical state he did not look at her the same way everyone else did. She didn't see pity in those cold eyes, and for that alone she felt grateful. She waited for as long as she could, but at last she broached the subject that had been held between them like a solid wall: the Cardinal Rune of Kinetics. Milana knew of the rune from her studies, and of course through stories she had heard from her Aunt. Thus she was all too eager to have that power for herself. This, however, caused Richard pause as he considered Milana's desires. He knew of course that this was in part why she had hired him, but for some reason now at the end he almost seemed to reconsider. In the end the coin won out, and he granted her the Cardinal Rune himself.
Milana was not prepared for the initiation process. Somehow the stories glossed over the suffering that came from acquiring the rune, and all at once it became clear why Richard had hesitated. He saw her in her wheelchair, unable to walk, and he understood her desire. He also saw how weak she was physically, and Milana felt certain he knew that the process would kill her. He knew, and still he went through with it. The revelation came crashing upon her as she lay writing in pain where she had fallen from her chair, Richard standing over her impassively as he watched her struggle. The entirety of her tragic life flashed before Milana's eyes as the pressure reached its pentacle. She saw her father's eyes, despondent as he worked day after day simply for something to do. She saw Jebal looking at her with a mixture of pity and dislike. She knew he blamed her in part for their mother's death, and even more for their Father's current state. She saw poor Kuvar sitting alone in the greenhouse tending his plants. All of this flashed by, and suddenly Milana realized that if she wished... she could simply let herself die. She could give up, succumb to the pressure and be crushed by it. She wouldn't have to live as a cripple, a deformed creature that was nothing but a burden on the Terras kinship. She wouldn't have to see the pity in people's eyes, struggle to do the things normal people did without thought or care. A wash of could flooded her veins as she almost, almost let herself fall to those dark desires... But something stronger still pushed back against the pressure and forced her to fight on. The seething resentment of her life that had taken such a drastic turn, anger at her Father for giving up on her, disgust at her brother for treating her and Kuvar like they were just a burden. These were not the warm glowing emotions that perhaps should have made her persist, but they burned like hot embers in her stomach as her very soul rejected the idea of dying just yet. She had a dream that she would walk again, she had put so much effort to get as far as she had. The only reason she was suffering now was to gain the power she needed to push herself forward, and if she were to die now it would all have been for nothing. She would have suffered for nothing, and that more than anything was enough to push her through to the other side.
For three weeks Milana remained in bed, fevered and drained from the ordeal, but when at last she was able to leave her bed she felt a sudden sense of freedom she had not felt in years. With the power of the rune she could reach out and touch things again. The world, once so far outside her reach now suddenly was within her grasp. Like a drowning woman thrown a line Milana held onto that feeling, that sense that things truly could improve. Her efforts in artificing redoubled, and like her father before her an obsession became something more as she threw herself further into the work. Now she tended to the affairs of the Terras, did her part for the town to keep the people happy, but deep down she knew what her true goal was. To take back what she had lost, and now she knew she could do whatever it took to achieve her goals.
