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[Approved] Fargo Daulton - Rokku_Ryu - 29-10-2013
Name: Fargo Daulton
Age: 19
Birthday: 3rd
Race: Mesalian
Personality:
Honor and Duty, these are the words that best describe Daulton. First and foremost, he is trained to be a guard, and strives to uphold the laws, and morality as a whole.Outside of his job, he is a sarcastic man, who uses his wit to distance himself from others. Clever and easily intrigued, he will investigate even the most subtle of things, even if it’s just to learn something new.
His life and experiences has left him slightly closed off. People he cares for tend to die, and because of this, and his secrets, he keeps people from getting close, rationalizing that its probably for the best.
It is worth mentioning that he is not without flaws. Due to his upbringing, he is racist, sexist, xenophobic, hypocritical, and lies constantly. (Read the backstory) All of these are hard ingrained into him, and all have some form of reason for him for existing. His home of Atarsis isn’t exactly nice to Xitians. Or women. Or Lucins. Or outsiders.
Skills:
Flail Skill: Competent: From age 10-19 trained with it from watching the teacher, father, and instructors at the academy.
Shield Skill: Competent: From age 10-19 trained with it from watching the teacher, father, and instructors at the academy.
Education: Novice: Basic reading and writing from father.
First Aid: Apprentice: Academy taught basic first aid. Took an elective class in it for basic combat medic.
Backstory:
A hand slides across dyed red leather, which binds a books cover tight. Slowly the book is opened, and on the first page, right in the center, a crest. Inside the crest is a sword, a certain flag, and a kite shield. Under the crest, in careful calligraphy, a name is written. Bold and intimidating, that name is:
Daulton
The pages are all a bit singed, with some burnt beyond reading. Especially so for the first several pages. The first page we can read, begins with:
Aaron Daulton
The Daulton name has existed longer than most can count. The furthest back we can trace, was Aaron Daulton, who more than 170 seasons ago, served the royal guard of Atarsis. It is said that, when rivaling kingdoms sent assassins after the royal bloodline, it was Aaron who defeated them. Whereas the rest of the royal guard perished, Aaron stood his ground, and won the day. It is believed that this the moment in time that the Daulton name first appeared in the history of our great nation. He went on to be the first Daulton to be knighted, and would go on to continue his service to our nation. He formed the first generation of Daulton's Knights, an elite group of trained soldiers whose sole purpose was to defend the royal bloodline. They did just that for decades, and for his years of service, Aaron Daulton was honored with the royal title of “the Exalted”
Pages are burnt too badly to continue reading, until:
Barak Daulton
All the while leading his Knights, and guarding the royal family, Aaron fathered a son, Barak Daulton. Barak followed his father's instructions, and would, upon his 26 season, replace his aged father, to lead the royal guard. Barak's run as royal guard captain saw a more aggressive stance on the royalties safety. Barak further expanded the Daulton Knights to include spies and assassins for the sole use of stopping attacks on the royal family before they entered the kingdom. This proved to be invaluable in service to the royal line, and lead to the nation easily conquering smaller neighboring city-states, and prospering for it. For his years of service in the name of the king and queen, he was honored with the title of Barak “Lightning” Daulton.The next few pages are burnt and covered in too much soot to read, the words “commendations, accolades, and achievements” can be made out as part of a long list of some kind. The pages turn, until:
Clovis Daulton
Five years into his glorious service of the royal family, Barak fathered a son, and named him Clovis. Clovis was the start of many of the traditions that we still have to this very day, and for good reason. Upon his 26th season, he, like his father before him, took control of the Daulton Knights, and continued the tradition of upholding the safety of the royal family better than anyone else. During his tenure as Royal Guard Captain, Clovis established the Atarsis Academy, alongside some of the Elite members of the Daulton Guard. The goal for this prestigious academy was to train soldiers far more than the basic training through the military, and to prepare them to one day join the Daulton Knights. For 16 seasons he did his duty, and helped train new members of the Daulton Knights.
Then came the Xitian threat. It is said that when the Xitian’s and their armies came to Atarsis, Clovis lead the Daulton Knights into glorious battle. For nearly a week, the walls of the castle held. The royal family secure within, and the Daulton Knights at the front lines. If not for the heat and flames of battle, the Knights would have been victorious. Alas, one by one, the Knights fell. It came down to Clovis and the elite guard, held up within the throne room, in the final hour. Legend says that Clovis cut a swath through the Xitian ranks, strategically aided by the tight quarters. As the bodies stacked up, and were incinerated by the next group of Xitians, Clovis fought on. It is said that here, as the last act of the Royal family, they gave him the title of Clovis, the Warrior. It took the combined might of the entire Xitian army, and the flames of the nether itself to finally bring down a Daulton. With him, the first royal family died. The first black mark in the book of Daulton, and it will be the last.
The previous page has been retouched, as parts were smeared in ash and soot. As the book continues, it becomes easier and easier to read, as if someone has been retouching the pages as the gap between now and then gets smaller.
Derex Daulton
Clovis, however, was not the last of the Daulton line. The same year he took control of the Daulton Knights, he fathered a son, Derex Daulton. Derex was only 16 when his father died. He was captured when the Xitians took the academy, before reaching the castle. The Xitians had no idea who they held prisoner, and it would prove to be a mistake in time. He heard of his fathers fight, and the deaths of the immediate Royal family. Derex had been raised to be his fathers son, and knew what had to be done. Within the slave camps set up in the Atarsis Kingdom, Derex located the Earls child. They had kept their identity secret, and most of the commoners didn’t know who he was. Derex, over the years, kept it that way. Protecting him from the other slaves that turned on each other in their desperation, and from the Xitian dogs who held the whips. It slowly became clear to Derex that the Daulton line needed to continue, and sought to father a son. 15 years into enslavement, a son was born, named Edan Daulton. There was little room to train Edan, but in the short time they had each night, Derex taught young Edan the ways of combat, the history of the Daulton family, honor, and duty. It was slow, but young Edan learned fast, and was every bit his fathers son. Then came a time for sacrifice. The former Earl, now secret King of Atarsis, had stood up for himself, and the other slaves. The Xitians were ready to make an example of him, and in the last moment, Derex intervened. He killed the Xitian with a sharpened wooden pole he had made for himself. “A Daulton is always prepared” was the last lesson Derex taught to Edan, and he taught it in blood. The Xitians overwhelmed him, and though he fought with courage and bravery, without weapons, he fell. The Earl would later title him, Derex “Defender” Daulton.
Whereas the pages up till this point have been taken care off, the following pages regarding the history of Edan seem oddly neglected, looking much more like the early pages.
Edan Daulton
Edan Daulton was 13 when his father was killed in front of him. Some children might have been scared, or traumatized, but Edan had grown up hearing of the honor and glory of his bloodline. He saw that his father died doing what needed to be done. The next 7 years were spent keeping his, and the Earl’s heads low, and out of sight. He remembered what his father had taught him, and the moment the Lucins and the freedom fighters arrived in Atarsis, Edan was ready. 7 years was more than enough time to find the descendants of the original Daulton Knight bloodlines, few and far between as they were. Some were hesitant, but Edan was inspiring in his tales of their fathers and grandfathers achievements. As the Xitians battled the Lucin-Mesalian army, the descendants of the Daulton Knights did what their forefathers were unable to do. They attacked the Xitians from all sides, and with thirty years of slavery and rage, slaughtered the lot of them.
There, as the blood soaked into the soil, the Daulton Knights knelt to the new King, the former Earl. The King had lived most of his life in slavery, having just been a kid when it all started, and it was the aid of two generations of Daulton that he survived. As the monarchy was reformed, and other bloodlines of royal descent came forward, it was seen fit to appoint Edan Daulton, at the age of 18, as leader of the new Royal Guard, a role that had, for over 120 seasons had been filled by a Daulton. Since taking control, Edan saw fit to restructure the new Daulton Knights. As the new King took a queen, and worked to rebuild Atarsis, Daulton reestablished the Academy, and upon it’s construction drew in everyone and anyone that would join. Edan quickly bolstered the ranks of the Royal Guard as well as the Daulton Knights.
For 26 years, Edan did his work. It was tireless, but it was what must be done, and thats what a Daulton does. With the soldiers that the academy pumped out, Atarsis quickly regained it’s territories. The lowest graduates of the academy went on to lead the military as it secured the former holding territories of Atarsis. The ones that graduated with honors went on to serve in the Royal Guard, but the ones that graduated with distinguished commodation would be ushered into the ranks of the Elite Daulton Knights. Under Edan’s guidance, the Royal Guard protected the castle, and the Knights protected the Kingdom. As the king slept, the Royal Guard protects him, but if under attack, the Daulton Knights defend the crown.
For his lifetime of duty and work, the King bestowed the title of Edan “Firebane” Daulton, for his bravery in the face of the Xitian threat, and for his savagery in the purges that followed their liberation. The territories of Atarsis were purged of every last Xitian, without exception. Since then, the borders to the kingdom have been heavily guarded. The standing orders from Edan are to kill Xitians on sight, and to tell Lucins to turn back before they are arrested. The kingdom was thankful to the Lucins that had helped them, but demanded them leave. Atarsis was not for outsiders of our world, and it never would be.
To the next Daulton
It has been the tradition of each Daulton Male to transcribe this tomb, to add their own history to their book, and to pass it on to their first born son so that he may know of the glory, the heritage, and honor of their bloodline, but more importantly, what is expected of them.
Always remember, while some think, and others debate, a Daulton acts.
The book closes, its burnt red leather binding scorched and seared, as a soft hand glides across its back. It's softly placed on a cloth square, and folded and tied around it to protect the book, then placed inside a pack. Sitting below deck of a passenger vessel, sits a young man, with hair the color of rust, cut short, and dressed in Atarsis Academy issued chainmail. He had adorned his armor in preparation of arriving in the forbidden lands. His heart pounded in his chest the closer to shore the ship got. Now only a few hours out, he eagerly waited below deck with the other passengers.
“Wha’s that yer readin there sonny?”
The young man glances across the table, on the other side of the candles sits an old haggard sailor, with a beard no one was sure wasn’t braided into his chest hair.
“I was just re-reading the book of my family. I find it keeps me on course.”
“Aye? ‘s tha right? And what course are ye set on then?”
“I’m being sent to a town in the just an hours time from here. They sent a request for additional guard support."
Why all tha way out ‘ere?”
“Well.. as part of the Academy's training, I have to get real world experience, as well as learning about other cultures fighting techniques.”
The sailor takes a swig of some drink. “Aye, well best a’ luck in that… uhh.. Wha’s yer name again?”
The young man pauses a moment.. “D..Daulton. Private Daulton.”
“Well, Mister Private, why don’t ye kick yer feet up, n’ tell me yer tale. Tha’s why I’s in this line a’ business. I like ta ‘ear peoples stories, n’ I figurer ye got that most interestin one out a tha current lot a’ passengers… though there’s tha big fat fella with tha mohawk tha’s been vomitin over tha side a tha deck… but I figure ye might ‘ave ‘im beat.”
Private Daulton looks at the man, then up at the open hatches, which flood the under part of the deck with light, and sighs. “It’s a long tale, but I have nothing else to do until we make landfall, so…”
((Flashback time!))
The Twins
It all began like everyone does, with a birth. The first one to be born, was the girl. Edan’s heart sunk in his chest. He had waited so late into life to have children, and he had prayed for a son to carry on the name. In that moment, he looked down at his daughter, with disappointment and sadness. But perhaps the gods had heard Edan’s prayer, and it soon became clear that another child was soon to be born. Sure enough, after a medley of birthing screams from the mother, the true son of the Daulton bloodline was born. History would record that it was the son that was born first, as tradition mandated. It was only after the sons birth, that the attending doctor noticed the blood. The mother would not survive the birth of two children, as few women did. Edan was saddened by this, but it would never show. The first lesson taught to the twins was this: “Loss happens, but you must keep going.”
The sons name was established before his birth, as Fargo Daulton, but the daughter needed a name. Edan saw it fitting to thank the woman who gave him a son, and named the daughter after her deceased mother, Gabrielle. As the babies slept, carefully wrapped and warm in their crib, Edan buried his wife in the woods, behind their home. It was an unmarked grave, and in time, would be forgotten by all, but never Edan.
The child's lives were best described as secluded. Their family owned land that was second only to the royal family, and the nearest town was an hours walk, so friends weren’t a thing they had. For the most part, their father single-handedly raised them, and---
An older woman interrupts the privates story,
“If you lost your mother, how did you and your sister survive as babies? My kids would have starved if I hadn’t breast fed them.”
The private paused a moment. “My father once mentioned we had a nursemaid for the first few years, but I don’t really remember her. Anyway…”
For the most part, their father raised them single-handedly, as young children. When he was home, and not out keeping the civil wars that had been ravaging the neighboring kingdoms at bay, he had taught the children the basics, reading, writing, that sort of thing. When Fargo was of age, 6, he began the Daulton Family training. Something that had been passed down from one Daulton to the next. Training would start at sunrise, and would only end when the sky turned crimson. Gabi was left alone for the most part each day, but she would watch her father and brother train. She was fascinated by her family's traditions. While she looked down upon her father and brother training, as Edan attempted to teach his son the basics of weapons and fighting, she would read and re-read their families written history. Gabi was also taught basic reading, writing, and mathematics, but she would always try to learn more about what her brother was force fed.
The training was hard on Fargo. He struggled to fight as his father commanded, and it didn’t help that he wasn’t as tall as other boys his age. Even his sister was taller by a few inches. His father was forced to reduce the time spent training each day, as his son was getting bruised and beaten more than he should have. Edan gave him the afternoons off, hoping that if he could recover, he would be able to continue his training. Fargo just wasn’t what his father wanted. The same, however, was not to be said of Gabi.
With the afternoons off, a certain trade would happen. Gabi would spend the mornings gathering supplies, and in the evenings, Fargo would teach everything he had been taught that day, in exchange for the supplies, which he used to practice something he enjoyed far more than combat, painting. So before the sun set, the twins would spend their time in the forest. Gabi, practicing the lessons Edan failed to teach Fargo, who was doing the only thing that brought a smile to his face.
A crowd had formed at the Privates table, as people listened in. A small child spoke up.
“Did your sister ever paint anything pretty?”
Private Daulton seemed hesitant to lie to a child, but, “Yes, everything she painted was a masterpiece.”
During this time, Fargo and Gabi were thick as thieves. When Fago finished, his training, he would play with his sister. She was always more aggressive and adventurous than her brother, but would insist he joined her for whatever the days adventure held. She would compete with him in mock fights, usually involving sticks. He would always take it as play fighting, but she had other intentions, resulting in Fargo going to bed with more and more bruises than normal. One time she accidentally cut his arm with the pointy end of a stick, and tried to bandage it up with supplies found in their home. The bandage was a blanket, and it ended up cutting off circulation to his arm, but she was proud of it anyway. For a time, she entertained the idea of being a doctor, but her father reminded her that women couldn’t be doctors, and she abandoned the idea.
When the children reached the age of 9, it came time for Fargo to choose a weapon he would use for the rest of his life. It was a tradition that after basic weapon training, they would start to specialize. Fargo chose the only weapon he was even remotely skilled with, a shield and flail. Gabi looked on with fascination. She couldn’t wait to practice with her brothers new weapons. This would prove harder than normal. For the weapons he selected, Edan sent word to an instructor from the Atarsis Academy. An old, seasoned former member of the Daulton Knights. He would arrive in a weeks time, and begin training Fargo in the weapon he had chosen.
The man arrived eight days later. Gray hair, a scar, and the look of someone who has seen far more in his life than most would ever admit to. It was clear to everyone, that when he first saw Fargo, he knew. But no one would tell our father. No one would tell a Daulton… That their son was not meant to be a fighter. Nevertheless, the retired Knight began teaching Fargo, all the while, Gabi stood on the sidelines. While Fargo continued to back away from the lesson, she was absorbing in every swing, ever stance, and every lesson aimed at Fargo. This went on for several years, with the teacher coming and going from month to month.
While the instructor tried to train Fargo, the twins saw very little of their father. He was called away to ‘tend’ to the raging civil war, that threatened to rip apart the fringes of the Atarsis Kingdom. Fargo was learning to swing a flail, and hold a shield, while his father was issuing commands and ordering the Atarsis military, and the Daulton Knights to battle. With closed borders, the threats often came from the outside. For some reasons, smaller kingdoms had been convinced that attacking Atarsis was anything but a bad idea. Still, it seemed oddly coordinated. Nations that despised each other seemed to be attacking the Atarsis borders in sync. This consumed much of Edan’s time; Time he would have much rather spent with his son, training him for the life ahead of him.
Fargo hit puberty, and only then was he (barely) taller than Gabrielle, though she would later do the same. The Twin’s birthdays were fast approaching, and they would soon be 14. This would be a big year for Fargo. He had, somehow, managed to graduate his fathers training. The instructor had made his final visit, and had then passed on upon returning home. Edan informed Fargo that he had been taught by a great warrior, and it was his duty to show the world it wasn’t in vain. The stress had been building in Fargo. He was weighted down by one hundred and seventy years of Daulton tradition. He was burdened by the death of his teacher, and he knew he couldn’t do the man justice. If not for his painting, young Fargo would have had a nervous break down years ago.
The young boy was spending more and more of his time away in the woods, painting. Gabi too, was in the woods with her brother, and had been practicing with her brothers flail and shield. She had built small target dummies, and unlike her brother, she had been listening to the teacher, and learned how to use the weapons correctly. It had gotten to the point where he was staying out late, and coming home after dark. Edan was suspicious, and decided to follow him one day.
After training, Fargo, bruised, and worn, hobbled back to the forest, and to the small shed he used to paint in. Gabi hadn’t gone out that night. She chose to stay home, and study more about her family's heritage. Edan found the shed, Fargo inside, and stormed in. To say he was furious was an understatement. The verbal assault wasn’t so bad, compared to Edans destruction of the paintings. He left nothing untorn, nothing not snapped in half, and nothing not punched through. He left the shed, slamming the door, as it shattered off its old hinges, and left Fargo there, broken and destroyed. When Edan got home, he immediately turned to the drink, as he ranted to Gabi, and the emptiness of his house, about his son, ‘the painter’. Gabi worried for her brother, and snuck away while her father refilled his refilled refill.
She arrives, the moon high in the sky, as she approached with caution. What she found barely resembled the brother she had grown up with. He was a man defeated, and to add insult to injury, he had only been a ‘man’ for a few days since his birthday. She tried to talk with him, to take him back home.. but he didn't nudge, and he didn’t respond. The weight of the world had finally broken him. He managed to ask his sister if she could go and get something. A book, that he had left in their home. Gabi didn’t want to leave her brother like this.. but when someone you love has a request, you do it. Gabi snuck back home, where her father had passed out in the hallway, and she found the book. It was the family tomb, that he had transcribed as part of his training.
She quickly sprinted back to the shed, a sinking feeling of dread in her chest. Upon arriving, the smell of turpentine wafted in the air. The only reason Gabi knew what it smelled like, was because she had been the one who brought it to her brother on his request weeks ago. She pushed open the door, and found Fargo standing in the center of the shack, drenched from head to toe in the foul smelling liquid, and holding a lit torch in his hand. Gabi questioned what it was he was doing, but he didn’t seem intent on answering her. He looked down at his sister, holding the family tomb close to her chest, and said his final words.
“It was always supposed to be you… I’m sorry.”
And before Gabi could stop him, he snuffed the torch into his chest, and instantly ignited. She tossed the book aside as she ran towards him. She tried to find something to put him out with.. but the water bucket was empty, and the fire was spurred on by the incendius liquid. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her brothers terrible screams echoed through the forest. Through the forest, and to their home. The kind of scream every parent, no matter how passed out drunk they are, hear. Edan shot up in a cold sweat, and sprinted towards the small shack just beyond their home. He could see the fire as he ran, his old heart beating in his chest. Edan had charged into battle many times before, but never had he run with such fear in his heart.
When he arrived, it was too late. His son… His own son was dead, and--
A older man from across the deck clears his throat.
“You don’t need to tell this part.. losing a daughter is one of the hardest things a man can go through… “
The private nods to the man, as he skips ahead in the story… the details, no matter what the truth was, weren’t easy to tell.
The days that followed cast a dark shadow on the Daulton home. Edan hadn’t stopped drinking, and hadn’t said word one to Gabriella. Losing a sibling is a tragedy, but losing your twin… your mirror self. She locked herself away for a week, barely eating, barely speaking. But one thing that kept her going, was the tomb. She would try to fix some of the damage that had happened in the fire, and she would calm herself with the stories of her family. It slowly became clear to her that the Daulton name was doomed. Edan was too old to father another son, and successfully pass down the training.
Gabi spent days thinking… It couldn’t be over, it just couldn’t. A family as strong, as enduring as the Daultons could not end. Without a son, there would be no heir… But that wasn’t exactly true.. was it? There could be another Daulton son. A spark was born in this moment, that would soon build momentum into a flame. She had grown up, watching her father and brother train, she was better with the shield and flail then Fargo ever was. She could pass down the training… But that wouldn’t be enough.
A Daulton has to be someone. Their life must be full of honor, duty, and glory. What's more, it was expected that a Daulton would attend the Atarsis Academy… A torch ((light bulb)) goes off inside her head, as she scrambles out of her room, and into her brothers, she was half way in before is struck her, that his room had gone untouched since his death. She nearly broke down in tears again, but she still held out hope. She rummaged through his things, until she found it. Neatly rolled up, with an official seal on it, was the writ of admission to the academy. Fargo hadn’t opened it, in fear of his future, and the struggles he would be forced to endure. Gabi had the beginnings of a plan.. It was a long shot, but with her father drinking more and more each day, she was the last chance the great line had to continue.
A few weeks later, and Edan packs a small satchel. He is unable to live in that home any longer. He leaves Atarsis, with nothing but a few words to Gabi, and sets out to drown himself in a bottle, somewhere where nothing is expected of him, where no one would know that he failed as a man, as a father, and as a Daulton. This left Gabi alone, which while she missed her father, played into her plan well.
She would miss her long, curly, rust colored hair, but it would be sacrificed for a good cause. She cut it off, leaving only about a third of an inch on her head. No one had seen the twins, and no one alive would know what Fargo was supposed to look like. So long as she had the writ, and looked ‘enough’ like her father, this stood a chance in nether of working. She spent a few days figuring out how to hide that she was female Her father's cloak proved to be a good choice to hide her lack of an adams apple, as it included a scarf/cowl around the neck. She was mid-puberty at the time, and it was easy enough to tie down. With some training armor, the cloak, a half decent bandage job, and her new haircut, she could just pass as a young man.
She started her trek to the Academy, as it was about 3 days away, walking. She had plenty of time to think… If people asked about her father, she would tell them that he had left Atarsis, in search of honor and glory, and of protecting the Kingdom from threats. If someone asked about her twin sister.. she would tell them that she died, that she had died in a tragic fire, and was now resting in peace alongside their mother. It was better than admitting any Daulton would take their own lives. The story was flimsy to anyone who knew the family, but no one knew them that well. It was nearly perfect, at least thats what Gabi told herself.
The Atarsis Academy had been rebuilt after enslavement, and it’s walls and towers stood tall. It was busier than usual, as men were saying goodbye to their sons, and all the instructors greeted them. Not a woman to be seen… Atarsis was run by men, under a king, and protected by the men. A woman's role was to stay home, to be quiet, respectful of their husbands, and make sons. This was how Gabi, and every other daughter of Atarsis was raised. Gabi even believed this, and while she felt that what she was doing was wrong, she had her back up against a wall, and the Daulton line must continue afterall.
As the men left their 14 year old sons in the care of the academy's seasoned instructors, Gabi stood in the lineup with the other boys. She was happy to see that she wasn’t the shortest, but far from the tallest. As the instructor went down the line, taking the writs, and reading out their names, Gabi grew more and more anxious. She handed the scarred, eyepatched man her writ… her brothers writ, and:
“Fargo Dault-” He stopped, eyeing the boy again. “You are Fargo Daulton?”
Gabi swalled the lump in her throat, as she gave a firm nod. “Yes sir. Fargo Daulton, reporting for training, Sir.” The instructor who visited their home when they were younger, insisted they talked to him as such, and it seemed good to continue with the sir’s.
“I knew your father. I knew your grandfather. Your families crest is one of the ones on this academies flag. Do you understand what is expected of you?”
Gabi felt what her brother must have felt all his life.. the burden of their last name, but she had the resolve he lacked, and stood tall and firm. “Yes Sir!”--
A middle aged sailor chuckles. “I used ta know a mean captain just like that. Made tha hair on tha back a’ yer neck stand on end, didn’t ‘e?”
“Yes, he was very intimidating, but he also knew what he was doing.” The Private continued.
The instructor grinned a bit, and continued to collect the writs from the cadets. There was no turning back now, she was committed down this path. The training was harder than she expected. At the crack of dawn, she stood in formation, and by the end of the day, she was spent. Day in, and day out, this was her life. She managed to keep herself distant from the other boys. Before dawn, the cadets were free from time to time, and this was when Gabi would bathe, far away from anyone. She was ultimately careful about keeping her secret. She did manage to have a few friends, but never let herself get too close to anyone, worried that they might find out. The other Cadets thought that Fargo Daulton was a cold man. Some respected him, others feared him.
Early on, she did try to build a friendship. A young man named Sevvi Ashford was bunked beside Daulton, as well as serving in the same class. The Ashfords were another well known family in Atarsis. It was an Ashford that stood beside Aaron Daulton in the first Daulton Knights, though not some of the future iterations. Nevertheless, Sevvi was someone that Gabi thought could be relatable, given that they may have lived similar lives, save for a few secrets. She restrained herself, from appearing too forward, and their friendship grew from mutual respect. They would spar constantly, each giving no inch, nor pulling any punches. They were evenly matched, which helped them grow close. They would pair in teams for training exercises, and were quickly recognized as a formidable pair.
But a day came when Gabi and Sevvi were in a weeklong exercise. A sort of capture the flag with the other cadets. The exercises was intended to train them in teamwork, and nothing else. They would learn survival, and advanced fighting in other classes, but this was purly about teamwork. They all used dull and blunt weapons, and were told not to kill or severly harm the other cadets, and all was going well. The Pair had already eliminated two other groups, and held two prisoners from two other groups, tied to a tree. One of their prisoners managed to escape, but their weapons had been lost. Feeling rage at being captured, they turned to a large rock as their weapon. They snuck up behind Sevvi, and dealt a blow to the back of his head. The coward stole Sevvi’s weapons, and ran, to return to his camp. Gabi found Sevvi unconscious in the brush, blond hair stained with blood. Flashbacks of her brothers death tormented her, as she struggled to carry the man to a nearby stream. She laid him down beside it, and tried to tend to his wounds. They were too far out to get help from the instructors, so her basic first aid training would have to do.
Sevvi, for a time, regained consciousness, as Gabi tried to keep him talking, but he was fading in and out. It surprised Gabi that tears had started trickling down her cheeks. She held Sevvi’s hand, the hand of the only person she had as a friend in the academy, and broke down into sobs when his eyes dulled, and his hand went limp. More than a year ago, when her brother died, she went into a deep depression. But Gabi was stronger now, more resilient, and rather than sadness, a burning rage grew in her chest. She took up her flail and shield, and set out.
She came upon the closest team, finding them trying to build a fire. One wandered off to get wood, while the other continued to try and spark a flame. She descended on the stray, as he bent over to pick up a log. The sound of a shield ringing off of someones back echoed through the forest, as his partner quickly scrambled to intervene. Daulton attacked the boy with savagery that the cadets, who believed this to be a restrained exercise, were not expecting. Both teens lay curled up in the fetal position in the forest, as Daulton didn't even bother to take their flag. She continued to do this for the next two groups. Only once the ‘surviving’ cadets had grouped up with others, explaining to them that Daulton had lost his mind, did they coordinate enough as a group to capture her.
Her eyes were described as demonic, dead, and possessed by the other cadets to their instructors. They looked into the matter, but no one had seen who struck Sevvi, and no one would step forward. The instructors knew the two boys were friend, and turned Daultons actions into a lesson for the class. “The Knife that turns in your back will be fueled by revenge.” She would be punished with double duty for a month, but considering the death, it was seen fit to leave it at that. As for Cadet Daulton, well, if the rest of the class wasn’t already intimidated, now they all would be. She would not be making any friends from this point on.
A year into training, and Cadet Fargo was improving. Twelve months of endurance training had already weeded out a handful of boys who couldn’t stand it. Their training was now partially fighting, but also included reasoning and strategy classes. She might not have been the strongest in the acadamy, but in these classes, she excelled. Her instructors got into a habit of pitting her against the other students in scenarios where they commanded imaginary armies. Even with unfair advantages for her opponents, she still beat them.
Another year passes, as the cadets turn 16. For most, this was the year they become men. For Gabi, it was the year she became a woman. Alone, and more than a bit scared, it was the hardest year for her, but she would read and reread her family tomb, and pulled every ounce of strength she needed from it. She continued on in stride, and no one was the wiser. Also at this time, there came the women. Girls would show up at the gates to the academy, in a hope of snagging a man who is destined for greatness. The news that the next Daulton was attending focused the women’s attention squarely on Gabi. The ‘women’ had heard of the cadets outlashes, but for the opportunity to get into a noble family, it was a risk most were willing to take.
Not surprisingly, their efforts were for naught. Gabi didn't understand being hit on, so it all flew right over her head. Some tried for weeks, even trying to befriend her first, but when the Daulton heir didn’t flirt back.. or even talk to them, most moved on to the other cadets. Gabi watched these women, and it disgusted her a bit. They weren’t trying to be friends, they weren’t trying to be nice, these women were nothing better than whores, trying to sink their teeth into up and coming men. She realized why women in Atarsis were treated as less than men. It was because these women were accepted, and common. Gabi had subconsciously separated herself from other women, and it would only get worse as the years of pretending to be a man went on. She made an effort to avoid them, and focused doubly down on her training. She was getting better at the physical side of the academy, and even better at the scholastic side.
Time passed, and her graduation was getting closer. Her ridiculous plan had somehow managed not to fall apart. As she turned 18, it seemed she would graduate uncaught. It was in one of her final classes that her instructor revealed that their work was only just beginning. Each cadet would be sent to a town somewhere, where they would join the local guard, and get much needed real world experience. Gabi thought this would be a walk in the park, as most people were being issued to towns and kingdoms outside of Atarsis, but when it came to her, the instructor handed her a writ from the forbidden lands. It seemed a town had asked for reinforcements, and the instructor thought that the son of the great Edan Daulton would have no problems taming the savage lands.
At graduation, she was received accolades for her efforts, but this felt like a defeat for her. She didn’t graduate top of her class, and it felt as if she had let down 170 years of tradition. She had grown strong, but there was still improvement to be done. She would not allow herself to be anything less than the next Daulton. Her goal was to continue the Daulton line, and she would not fail, not ever. She had gotten through the five years of training despite her gender. Her shoulders had grown broad, and she topped out at 5’11. Not bad for a girl, not too good for a guy. She packed up her things, and boarded the boat that would take her overseas.
Private Daulton had finished his tale.. lies and deception littered around, but it was all ‘mostly’ the truth. The seasoned sailor smirked, and went to stand up.
“See? Told ye’ ye ‘ad tha best story ‘ere. Thanks fer tellin it. Good timin too, seems tha ships ‘bout made port.”
Hearing this, most of the passengers left the hold, and went to stand on the deck, and look out to the beautiful port town of-
“... What.. is this?” asked a very confused Private.
“Well, this USED to be tha town a’ Isilaa.. Seems ta now be a one stop shop fer burnt wood n’ sadness.” replied the seasoned sailor.
Daulton looked down at the writ in her hand, gripping it firmly, then turned to the captain who stood at the helm.
“Where is the next closest town?”
“Next town? Not too far from ‘ere. Called Ravenna if I recall. We’s ‘eaded there next.”
“Good. Take me there.” ‘One town in the forbidden lands is as good as the next’ she thought.
RE: [New] Fargo Daulton - Rokku_Ryu - 29-10-2013
As a side note, I'd like to say I had help with the timeline from a LK, so all the dates should line up right.
RE: [NEW] Fargo Daulton - Michelle - 31-10-2013
Wow. Okay. Slow at the start, but good read.
I don’t know what the preferred pronoun for your character is, so I’m going to use ‘they’. Feel free to give me a preferred pronoun for future use.
A few things:
- 1. More explicit detail is required for your character’s personality. Currently, the description poses the character as a standard medieval knight, even though it’s pretty obvious that they aren’t one. Please expand/revise. I would personally recommend addressing the character’s ‘elephant in the room’.
2. It’s the end of the month, and you might have to age this character up. I’m sorry I didn’t get to this quick enough. Alternatively, you could give them a birthday later in the year to put if off a little, or have them born a year later. Please revise.
3. Your character’s backstory requires more lore-relation. While it’s understood that the beginning of the backstory was most likely written for this requirement, and that there’s a reason why the character was unaffected by the civil war, we’d like to see a few more mentions incorporated. Please revise.
That’s all. Good luck, and feel free to ask questions.
RE: [PENDING] Fargo Daulton - Rokku_Ryu - 31-10-2013
RE: [PENDING] Fargo Daulton - FireDog - 01-11-2013
Hey Ryu. I'm taking a shot at grading this as the others are busy today. The edits did fix the things Michelle was on about, but I have some issues of my own.
1.
Quote:Eight broken ribs, five broken legs, thirteen broken fingers, and a shattered foot. Daulton had turned her rage on the other cadets. While the other teams of two held their punches, as they were instructed, she no longer did. By the time a someone realized that the cadet was going all out, there was already a blunt flail about to hit a part of their body. The cracking of bone, and the howling screams of 14 year old boys followed her as she single handedly took out the remaining teams. Her eyes were described as demonic, dead, and possessed by the other cadets to their instructors. They looked into the matter, but no one had seen who struck Sevvi, and no one would step forward. The instructors knew the two boys were friend, and turned Daultons actions into a lesson for the class, when you strike at someone, ensure that the ones that love them don’t carry weapons. “The Knife that turns in your back will be fueled by revenge.” As for Cadet Daulton, well, if the rest of the class wasn’t already intimidated, now they all would be. She would not be making any friends from this point on.
You say in this paragraph that Daulton attacks the others int eh group...Yet I find this a tad unrealistic. Your character attacks several other boys in groups, all out yes, but surely two against one would've won without so much injury. Your char pretty much seems to go hulk smash and defeats several others alone. Additionally, no punishment? One does not simply beat others training with him or her and get away free besides from making friends. I'd think your char would be in serious punishment for something like this.
2.
Quote:As for Cadet Daulton, well, if the rest of the class wasn’t already intimidated, now they all would be. She would not be making any friends from this point on.
Quote:Not surprisingly, their efforts were for naught. Gabi didn't understand being hit on, so it all flew right over her head. Some tried for weeks, even trying to befriend her first, but when the Daulton heir didn’t flirt back.. or even talk to them, most moved on to the other cadets. Gabi watched these women, and it disgusted her a bit. They weren’t trying to be friends, they weren’t trying to be nice, these women were nothing better than whores, trying to sink their teeth into up and coming men. She realized why women in Atarsis were treated as less than men. It was because these women were accepted, and common. Gabi had subconsciously separated herself from other women, and it would only get worse as the years of pretending to be a man went on. She made an effort to avoid them, and focused doubly down on her training. She was getting better at the physical side of the academy, and even better at the scholastic side.
Could you explain why these girls would hit on Daulton? Surely news of some mad kid attacking other cadets with weapons would've spread from those boys. Calling Daulton a mad man or the likes. I need an explanation.
Thanks for posting again. I'll need some input because I personally feel that these bits lack some plausibility without explanation. Thanks! And good luck!