Zenobia

CHARACTER
Full name: Zenobia 
Age/DOB: 14 although actual age is close to 1,500.
Race: Vampire.
Occupation: A self proclaimed historian and lover of books.
Birthplace: Constantinople 520 A.D.

Personality: Zenobia is, first and foremost, a sweet creature. As a mortal and newborn vampire she was eager to please, needy, and quick to trust. She was happy to be coddled by others around her who were more experienced by the world and more powerful and she had little trust in herself. As she aged, Zenobia learned to not be so open to those around her. Discovering that her welcoming personality and trusting nature could place her in danger Zenobia became more cautious and has a tendency to hold back her full personality until she feels comfortable around others. Once she trusts someone she will expose her true self. She is forthright when partaking in a discussion yet never has intention of causing emotional pain to others by her words. At least, not to those she trusts. While during the present day she enjoys being solitary she still has a passion to be surrounded by those she loves. When with them she will have to be the one to leave first, or else suffer from a feeling of abandonment due to her intense connection to those she favors.

Formerly, she would allow herself to be bossed around and remain under the rule of others but now, feeling much more independent, she is in control of her own life and decisions. While very honest of her opinion and thoughts she excels in lying to others to get through life; a skill she needed to acquire considering her youthful appearance. Most vampires will fall into a death-like sleep for several years as a form of rest or escape. Zenobia falls into a trance-like state for just as long, however it's amongst a world of information. For years, Zenobia will do nothing other than read. She is oblivious to the world around her and will forget to feed until the hunger is overwhelming. When she snaps out of this state she reacts much like other vampires do when they wake from a lengthy sleep. Typically, she will resort to extensive reading and studying when traveling alone.

In appearance she is petite: just reaching five feet tall. With long, thick, black hair that seems to captivate everyone and dark doe eyes, she looks like a beautiful, although young, teenager. She enjoys feminine clothing and is often in dresses. She prefers to wear heels to boost her height and hopefully make her appear older. Due to her age she very much resembles a statue. Her skin is very white, smooth, and hard to the touch. Her dark eyes sparkle like gems and seem to reflect light. Zenobia, luckily enough, loves to toy with cosmetics and has become skilled in making her skin look more alive and not so similar to marble. Although, if someone were to look at her long enough they would still be able to see that she is obviously not human.

Biography:
Zenobia's mortal life was short and relatively uneventful. The daughter of a poor woman, she was quickly given to the Great Imperial Palace of Constantinople where she was a slave for fourteen years. One of many, she was relatively unnoticed and left to do what was expected of her. She was quick to obey, was a reliable worker, never close to the other slaves, well behaved, and very quiet. Zenobia did allow herself to break one rule; when she could slip away unnoticed, she would go to the libraries and read out loud. Once, Zenobia was caught within one of the grande libraries and whipped for her misdeed, it was one of Zenobia's lowest points during her life in the Palace. Despite the sometimes cruel life of living in the Imperial Palace, Zenobia was still a sweet girl who found brightness in the day and meaning in life. She was incredibly smart and quick to pick up information, and this drew the attention of Eudoxia. Eudoxia kidnapped Zenobia in the darkness of night and brought her to her home when Zenobia was fourteen. At first, Zenobia was frightened of Eudoxia, but soon grew to love her despite knowing that Eudoxia was not a human like she. After some time of adjustment, Eudoxia commanded one of her vampire-slaves, Asphar, to make Zenobia a vampire as well.

Eudoxia favored Zenobia above all others; having a pristine sarcophagi made to resemble the one Eudoxia slept in and placed within her own room. The other vampires who inhabited Eudoxia’s home were never close with Zenobia and often would display their envy and dislike of the girl. Often times, Eudoxia would confide to Zenobia of her intentions and thoughts. Those that were unspoken Zenobia easily figured out due to knowing Eudoxia’s mannerisms so well. They spent much of their time together, often Zenobia would entertain Eudoxia by singing or reading, and she was rarely out of her lovers sight. Whenever another vampire entered the city, Eudoxia would hide Zenobia away until the danger passed. It had only been ten years before Zenobia was sent away by Eudoxia in hope of being protected when Marius entered Constantinople. Marius, however, overpowered Eudoxia and killed her.

Zenobia implored Marius to take care of her when she discovered that Eudoxia had been killed. She expressed that she would not be able to survive without his protection, which was a honest statement, because Eudoxia had made sure all the vampires in her household were to be very weak. Marius hoped that his companions Avicus and Mael would remain to help Zenobia, since he himself was leaving Constantinople, but due to Mael's refusal to care for Zenobia, Marius allowed Zenobia to drink from him. After taking as much blood as she could, his power, mixed with the power of the Mothers blood, made Zenobia’s strength multiply.

Marius instructed her to cut her hair, dress as a boy, how to walk and act like a man, where men would spend their time, and how to hunt for herself. He taught her to seek the evildoer, so that her conscious would be clear, and Zenobia readily took this information having been babied by Eudoxia and never learning how to fend for herself. Marius went over the documents of Eudoxia’s house with Zenobia, teaching her what she needed for running her own household without needing much interference with mortals. Zenobia helped Marius in any way she could as he prepared to leave Constantinople, proving herself to be a loyal partner. When Marius left Constantinople, a few months after he had killed Eudoxia and met Zenobia, they said their goodbyes with many tears and blood kisses. By this point, Zenobia loved Marius fully. Mael and Avicus, whom she had quickly grown to love as well, remained with Zenobia in Constantinople and continued to live there together.

While Zenobia did care for Mael, she loved Avicus more. Zenobia and Avicus spent most of their time together; dressing with style and at times socializing with mortals or returning to the Imperial Palace where they would hunt in the shadows and gather documents to read and study. Together they would study new languages and history. Typically, Mael was left to his own devices and the relationship between the pair and Mael grew cold. When the Imperial Palace fell to ruin around 1450 and Constantinople was under great change Avicus persuaded Zenobia to leave the city and Mael.

For years Zenobia moved from place to place with Avicus, whom she had grown to love deeply. During this time, Zenobia continued to mature and become more independent. Near the 18^th century she decided to leave Avicus and travel on her own, ending a companionship that had lasted for over 1,000 years. This became her true test of how well she could handle herself. Despite now being over a thousand years old this was her first chance to be on her own and she took many of the lessons Marius had taught her, and the experiences she had learned with Avicus, and moved through time alone.

Traveling still, Zenobia came in contact with other vampires. Most left her alone and she did not attempt to befriend them, although many times it was hard because she missed having the companionship she was used to. However, she did grow to care for a few vampires. Many left, finding her to be overbearing, and some only sought to have the powerful blood which they could sense from her. This hardened Zenobia, she trusted people only with time and otherwise remained aloof and distant to those she just met. She never made a fledgling, forever doubting her ability to create another vampire and teach them in a correct manner such as Marius had taught her. But that did not mean she did not crave the companionship of a fledgling. Often times she would consider it but then quickly talk herself out of it with self doubt.

While on her own Zenobia often times grew tired of going from place to place and would settle down in cities where she would completely remove herself from the world by spending years only reading books and devouring any form of information she could grab a hold of, which reminded her of Eudoxia. She particularly enjoyed sneaking into palaces of different countries at night and exploring them alone. However, this act would typically remind her of Avicus whom she had lost contact with. And many times she would slip into taverns to people watch, thinking of Marius. The three influential people in her life, all of whom she loved and missed dearly, and yet she did not actively seek out Avicus or Marius because she was determined to prove to herself that she was capable of being alone.

Aside from learning where to place her trust, Zenobia also became a skilled liar during this time. Being so youthful she found it easier to lie to those around her and excelled at meddling with mortal minds in order to move about the world with few issues. During the time of the Mother’s awakening and murdering of many vampires, Zenobia was oblivious, aside from the dreams of the twins and a nightmarish vision of Marius being trapped in ice she was an innocent bystander to it all. At night she only read books, which shut her mind off to the rest of the world. It was during this time that she began to research the history of the Objects, that could potentially change the lives of the vampires who came into contact with them.

Abilities/Powers: As a mortal Zenobia retained information with incredible speed. She could look at a page of a book, read it quickly, then recite it with accuracy. As a vampire this ability has grown- all materials she has read over her thousand years she can still recite from memory. Her vampiric powers are of the normal sort: mind reading, fast movement, and strength. With age she has also developed the ability to move objects with her mind, the power of manipulation, the ability to fly, and the power to set objects on fire by thought.


EXAMPLES
First person:
The woman thought I was a runaway. I caught this thought so easily, as if she was presenting it and placing it in my hands. At the very least she worked hard to cover up her initial response to me. I knew what she saw, a young girl that was in no way close to the age of an adult, a young girl whose skin was a little strange. The skin appeared hard and too pale, my eyes covered by sunglasses on this dark evening, and she wondered if I was sick. A runaway who was maybe into drugs but most definitely not old enough to rent an apartment.

But to humor me she showed me the apartment. Top floor, the door down the hall from the roof top entrance, and the windows overlooking the city. It was perfect for what I needed. An apartment that was out of the way from the mortal residents of the building and with easy access to the sky. I could use my gift of flight for quick escape without worrying that I was being observed. I looked over the kitchen and bathroom, two unnecessary rooms for myself but with Eudoxia’s return, I wanted everything that could possibly be needed to be available to her.

I hoped she would decide to become a vampire the moment she returned to this world but what if she didn’t? The thought caused a twist in my stomach yet I forced myself to consider the possibility. If she wanted to remain human then I would allow her that choice. She could live and breathe, grow older, and just exist and I would be without her once more.

Passing through the apartment I noted that there was only one bedroom, good enough for me, I could cover the windows and place a sturdy lock on the door. A risk to sleep in an apartment but I was willing to take such a risk, especially if Eudoxia was there. It would be easier to protect her this way, just as she had once protected me.

It was then that I noticed the woman watching me with interest. She still didn’t trust me and certainly had no intention of allowing me to rent the apartment. I turned to her, approached her with a smile and the heels of my shoes made clicks on the hardwood floor. There was the smallest breath of fear that seeped from her pours. No, she didn’t trust me at all.

"You will allow me to rent this apartment,” I whispered and leaned in closely, toying with her mind and weaving my words in, making her believe me without a doubt. “You will ask no questions. You will receive my monthly payments and never worry about me. Never check on me. In fact, you’ll press upon your other tenants to leave this end of the hall alone. I will be a wonderful tenant and it will be like I am not even here." She relaxed slightly and a small, calm smile appeared upon her lipstick lips. I took a step back and casually brushed my hair over my shoulder. “So, I’ll take the apartment. May I move in tomorrow?”

Third person:
She did not really keep count of the years that passed. What did it matter? She moved from place to place when it was required while she searched for the information she had not yet devoured. When she grew weary of wandering by herself Zenobia left the world behind her and pulled shut the doors of the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma. For months she would rise from the earth as the sun set and go to the library to read until the morning light began to lighten the earth. Once all the books of the library were read through and the maps studied, Zenobia moved on to the next cities library to see how the collections differed. She continued in this manner for years, traveling from country to country, only pausing every so often to feed when the urge became too much.

Germany held some of the most enjoyable texts for Zenobia; books in languages that few mortals attempted to learn yet Zenobia could recall being spoken. She settled in and read these documents with great rapture until she found amongst the ancient texts a more recent narrative about powerful objects. The information had grabbed hold of Zenobia and would change her life. A knife which could bring back the dead, a knife that could bring back her beloved Eudoxia whom she had often thought of during her thousand years. For a time Zenobia had hated her, hated that she decided Zenobia would be a part of this world, hated that she had never given her the necessary lessons to survive, and hated her for allowing herself to be killed. She despised Eudoxia's greediness but would shortly after ache for her presence and the comfort she once could provide. Miss the touch of her hands upon her skin and the kisses they once shared. Missed how she felt protected by her and loved. Zenobia knew, even when overwhelmed by her darkest thoughts of Eudoxia, that she loved her and always had.

Now there was an object powerful enough to bring back her vampire companion.

Zenobia left Germany that night and traveled to New Orleans. She would find the perfect vessel for Eudoxia. A girl just like she, dark hair and dark eyes. Someone who was beautiful and would be made even more gorgeous when Zenobia gave the mortal body her powerful blood. Yes, she would track a human as it were prey- because that is exactly what the human would be. Instead of Zenobia taking the human to feed and silence her hunger, she would take the human and kill it so that her Eudoxia could come back to life. A human no one would miss but a vessel which Zenobia would love.

MISC
General plan: After spending a lot of time by herself Zenobia is interested in rekindling old friendships. She goes to New Orleans in hopes of finding those she had known through out her life; Marius, Mael, and Avicus. But also, upon discovering that there was an object with enough power to bring back the dead, she hopes to have her beloved Eudoxia return.