(no subject)
History
Richenda grew up in the Rheljan mountains, daughter to Lord xxxxxxx. While her family was Deryni, and magical with a long and noble heritage, they stayed hidden, the climate in Gwynedd over the past two hundred years being less than favorable. As such, she was married off to a human, Bran Coris, Earl of Marley and gave him one son, Brendan. Bran was not a good man. Although Richenda will maintain he cared for and was good to Brendan, most likely this was simply because he was his heir. Richenda he was not kind too, and she was treated more as a possession and brood mare than an actual person. From the hints she gives us, Bran most likely hit her, and did not allow her to read and research, one of her life's pleasures.
Bran got what was coming to him however, when he turned traitor and the king was forced to execute him. Richenda begs the king to let her come along with the army, hoping that she might be able to sway Bran to turn from his treason and surrender himself. Although she's given permission, she's never able too, as Bran attempts to kidnap both her and her son via proxy. Richenda, in turn tries to kill him.
Richenda gets married again after a suitable period of 'mourning' for her dead husband, and marries Alaric Morgan, the Duke of Corwyn, whom she met during the campaign. Morgan is a much better husband than Bran Coris was, but because of Bran's treason, Morgan does not allow her any power, his men simply don't trust her. This distrust grows after she gives birth to a girl, instead of a boy. Eventually she gives birth to an heir and his men come around. Richenda also becomes close with the king and acts as Regent to her son as the Dowager Countess of Marley and sits on his Crown Council, providing a much needed female voice amongst a sea of men.
She speaks up when the council advocates the forced marriage and rape of a girl barely 14 in order to stop a war, reminding them there is a person as well as a country that is at stake here, and she very much knows what it is like to be forced into a marriage against your will, terrified.
Richenda has also gained the king's trust as one of the only highly trained Deryni women he knows, and has given her guardianship over three queens over the course. She acts as guardian, spy and caretaker, ensuring that the queens she is watching over do not meddle and tamper in affairs they should not be.
Personality
Richenda is not a woman who is easily cowed. During her younger years she did tread the line, out of safety for herself and then her young son, should Bran decide to take his anger out of him instead of her. However, everyone has a breaking point, and Richenda has passed it. When Bran tries to kidnap her and her son, she no longer cares that she is supposed to be concealing her identity as Deryni, that she's supposed to be a human who can't use magic. It doesn't enter her mind that she's possibly blown the cover of her entire family, she just defends her child the only way she could.
Now that she has entered a safe marriage with a man who actually respects her opinion and encourages her past times (Bran did not think it comely that a woman be too learned and intelligent), her firey tempter has been free again. She speaks her mind, even when it is not wise (mocking the Queen in front of her face is not wise) and will not hesitate to speak up for those who need help, like she had once needed and there was no one to speak up for her.
Richenda adores reading, researching different topics and dwelving into the unknown, of what wonder she might find in a scroll that no one had discovered before. Luckily, both the king and her current husband adore this and encourage it. They even give her research topics. Still she is a product of the 12th century and much of her time was spent taking care of her children, of which she has now five, as well as needlework and taking care of the Duchy when her husband is away.
Not being originally given the power she thought she deserved as well as proved amply fit for, given her excellent regency of the Earldom of Marley, hurt. She wasn't sure why Morgan was not letting her do her job, instead treating her like a brood mare or some ornament. To that end, she actually threw a fit. Richenda, a grown woman, threw a tantrum. What's notable about this is that it is most likely the first time she was allowed to speak her feelings to her husband. Bran Coris would have never allowed it. Morgan, on the other hand, is horrified, wanting to know why she's so upset and what he can do to help.
Richenda grew up in the Rheljan mountains, daughter to Lord xxxxxxx. While her family was Deryni, and magical with a long and noble heritage, they stayed hidden, the climate in Gwynedd over the past two hundred years being less than favorable. As such, she was married off to a human, Bran Coris, Earl of Marley and gave him one son, Brendan. Bran was not a good man. Although Richenda will maintain he cared for and was good to Brendan, most likely this was simply because he was his heir. Richenda he was not kind too, and she was treated more as a possession and brood mare than an actual person. From the hints she gives us, Bran most likely hit her, and did not allow her to read and research, one of her life's pleasures.
Bran got what was coming to him however, when he turned traitor and the king was forced to execute him. Richenda begs the king to let her come along with the army, hoping that she might be able to sway Bran to turn from his treason and surrender himself. Although she's given permission, she's never able too, as Bran attempts to kidnap both her and her son via proxy. Richenda, in turn tries to kill him.
Richenda gets married again after a suitable period of 'mourning' for her dead husband, and marries Alaric Morgan, the Duke of Corwyn, whom she met during the campaign. Morgan is a much better husband than Bran Coris was, but because of Bran's treason, Morgan does not allow her any power, his men simply don't trust her. This distrust grows after she gives birth to a girl, instead of a boy. Eventually she gives birth to an heir and his men come around. Richenda also becomes close with the king and acts as Regent to her son as the Dowager Countess of Marley and sits on his Crown Council, providing a much needed female voice amongst a sea of men.
She speaks up when the council advocates the forced marriage and rape of a girl barely 14 in order to stop a war, reminding them there is a person as well as a country that is at stake here, and she very much knows what it is like to be forced into a marriage against your will, terrified.
Richenda has also gained the king's trust as one of the only highly trained Deryni women he knows, and has given her guardianship over three queens over the course. She acts as guardian, spy and caretaker, ensuring that the queens she is watching over do not meddle and tamper in affairs they should not be.
Personality
Richenda is not a woman who is easily cowed. During her younger years she did tread the line, out of safety for herself and then her young son, should Bran decide to take his anger out of him instead of her. However, everyone has a breaking point, and Richenda has passed it. When Bran tries to kidnap her and her son, she no longer cares that she is supposed to be concealing her identity as Deryni, that she's supposed to be a human who can't use magic. It doesn't enter her mind that she's possibly blown the cover of her entire family, she just defends her child the only way she could.
Now that she has entered a safe marriage with a man who actually respects her opinion and encourages her past times (Bran did not think it comely that a woman be too learned and intelligent), her firey tempter has been free again. She speaks her mind, even when it is not wise (mocking the Queen in front of her face is not wise) and will not hesitate to speak up for those who need help, like she had once needed and there was no one to speak up for her.
Richenda adores reading, researching different topics and dwelving into the unknown, of what wonder she might find in a scroll that no one had discovered before. Luckily, both the king and her current husband adore this and encourage it. They even give her research topics. Still she is a product of the 12th century and much of her time was spent taking care of her children, of which she has now five, as well as needlework and taking care of the Duchy when her husband is away.
Not being originally given the power she thought she deserved as well as proved amply fit for, given her excellent regency of the Earldom of Marley, hurt. She wasn't sure why Morgan was not letting her do her job, instead treating her like a brood mare or some ornament. To that end, she actually threw a fit. Richenda, a grown woman, threw a tantrum. What's notable about this is that it is most likely the first time she was allowed to speak her feelings to her husband. Bran Coris would have never allowed it. Morgan, on the other hand, is horrified, wanting to know why she's so upset and what he can do to help.