Profile of Eloise

And me, I am just like the books on my shelf... A petite creature, beautifully built. Her fur is plush and ever so slightly curled, thickest around her chest and tail. Her coloration calls to mind the earth in spring—patches of snow melting away to reveal the fertile soil beneath. The first blades of grass burst forth in her lovely green eyes.

You have never read my cover, I have never read myself... Eloise is a blank page. In the past, she retreated into her imagination to avoid facing reality. Now, she has no idea who she really is.

Her conceit hides her true insecurity. Her flirtations are like armor, protecting her from any real connection—and the pain that might come with it. Her resistance to any kind of commitment comes from a fear of eventual loss or abandonment. She doesn't know herself well enough to know her worth. All she knows are her flaws, which have become painfully obvious to her in the past few seasons. Is she even worthy of love? Or is she nothing more than a pretty face?

There are words to be saved,
and words to be erased. — ✦ — Born into a respected family, Eloise led a relatively easy life. Then, in the spring of her second year, an illness took her father and left her mother heartbroken. A devoted daughter might have taken it upon herself to care for her mother—but devoted she was not. Instead, she retreated into her imagination, eventually leaving home in pursuit of her art.

Spring 1710: As she ventured into adulthood, she met a wealthy man who liked to invest in those with potential, artistic or otherwise. She garnered his attention just in time; a few weeks later, war appeared on the horizon. He made arrangements for her to spend a semester abroad, but she was forced to return after a scandal led to her being hastily and quietly expelled.

Summer 1710: After the scandal, her benefactor no longer wanted to support her. She made a few new acquaintances while dodging the draft, but a new tragedy would soon befall her...