At her creation, burnt gold and steel were sewn into her gown armor. Bold wisps of diamond flecked the darkest coal cape along her nape, her back. Hard chips of sunlight were compressed into gems to be her eyes, ever glowing and constantly burning. The girl was sculpted with rough hands and painted with a striking brush, creating a chiseled creature who knows not how to bow.
Childhood…A girl born into a line of Amazonian women militarized into purpose in Rionnach, Cairo found both culture and cause within her heart and soul. Even in her youth she took her line and duties to heart. Her life was bigger than just her own, her blood pledged to something greater than simple life. From the moment she was born, she was sure of herself. She had moments of yearning for her absent father’s approval — but his was nothing compared to her mother’s. As long as Nassar watched her, as long as Ankh’s eyes were upon her, she was satisfied and strived to show her worth. She was confident, proud, and vain.
Youth… Her confidence only grew. Self-assured, she trained hard and let her ambitious loose — she wanted much from life, and she wouldn’t be shy about letting her superiors know. She was respectful enough to not overstep, and yet walked the line of arrogance. The timber girl was coddled by her grandmother, and under that adoration Cairo thrived and grew.
Early adulthood… She was climbing the ranks of the military. In spite of her vanity, no one could deny her work ethic and perseverance. She achieved the rank of Lieutenant at a fairly young age, and was quite proud of it. And then the rebellion came. Suddenly, the military was no longer tests and drills. It was the real thing — and in what should have been a simple battle, her father was lost. She was assigned within the same battle, in charge of reinforcements. Kvothe and Kohl would flank the enemy, take out their main army while they would offer support. From a distance, it seemed Kvothe’s side was going according to plan — but Kohl’s? Something wasn’t right. Cairo confronted the next-in-command, but he waffled, not wanting to charge to soon when it wasn’t part of the plan. Cairo insisted, and he told her no. She watched from a distance as her father’s forces were overwhelmed — and she did something unthinkable. She stepped outside of line-of-command, rallied the forces outside of her command and charged forward. They reached the battle in time to save the victory — but she found the body of her father already dead. A hollow victory for the crown.
Her perhaps unconventional efforts were officially rewarded, and she was made Captain.
The most difficult part of her life began — not because of the death of her father, necessarily — but because of the rumors. Nasty rumors — rumor that the girl had harnessed her ambition, had used her dad’s body as a stepping stone to greatness.
- history continues -
Spring 1709 -- She should have turned 4, but like many, age did not seem to touch her...