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Rihana

Why does anybody want to know who I really am? Can I not just be the voice of the song, the body that dances, or the mysterious women whom you shared your bed with? Can I not be a fox, mischievous and playful, vanishing before dawn? It seems sometimes I cannot.

Description Height: 6' 1/2" Hair: Silver Eyes: Deep, bright blue Tattoos and Birthmarks: There is a tattoo of a favorite tale of Ilâh, written in flowing Mushin script, encircling her right bi-cep. ihana has a large tattoo of a lillend on her left buttocks, with the tail/coil of the lillend wrapping around her left leg. There is a birthmark, on her left thigh that looks very much like an open hand. Piercings: Both her ears are pierced 3 times each and her navel is also pierced. Apparent Race: Human – Muhsin [dark complexion] Age: Appears to be 18 or 19 Rihana is tall and lithe, muscled without losing any voluptuous curves. Her hair drops to the small of her back and is naturally straight. But Rihana often wears it up, braided, or curled. She generally appears to be about 18 to 19, though she can appear far younger or older. The important thing to remember about Rihana is as often as not, she isn’t. She is an actress first and foremost, and every movement, every piece of clothing is deliberate and calculated. She can be a beggar woman, a peasant matron, a noblewoman, a princess, a shopkeeper, a warrior, a man, a priestess, a young girl, a dancer, or a street whore – she can appear as she must for any role. Rihana the dancer wears a loose, flowing blue-green silk skirt, with multiple layers and slits. The top is either a sleeveless leather half-jerkin/vest, that leaves Rihana’s midriff bare and offers ample décolletage, or else it is a chain mail bra. All of this is finished off with anklets, armbands, belts, bracelets, rings, necklaces, and earrings. Rihana the social butterfly opts for lush velvet and silk dress that are either very colorful, or of a simple color (black, red, blue). He hair is almost always worn up in such a case, and jewelry is kept sparse, but dazzling – one pair of earrings, one or two rings, and a stunning necklace/pendant. Rihana has two other favorite outfits: the first is a deep red, silver-trimmed, velvet corset/bodice, worn with either leather breeches or a black and silver kilt, and tall leather riding the boots. Her other favorite outfit is her typical adventuring garb: dark black boots, a burgundy leather bodice, and a black, silver, and burgundy colored kilt. Either outfit is often finished off jewelry, rapier and dagger sheaths, and, in the case of the skirts, a dagger sheath on her right thigh. Rihana's new winter adventurer look, is swashbuckler-chic. She wears dark leather breeches (black, burgundy, or chocolate) and a classic, fitted velvet elven tunic/shirt (long sleeves, v-neck, and tapers to just above the waist). This shirt is either dark-green, deep blue, or dark-red (depending on the color of the breeches). A silver and black leather bodice is worn over the shirt. The bodice has throwing dagger sheaths designed into it – the grips of the daggers adding a modern touch of metal to the outfit. A matching leather sheath on each leg holds her silver daggers; and recently, with this look, Rihana has taken to wearing her stunning silver rapier, back-slung, at her waist. Rihana tops the outfit off with either a soft black or white, red detailed cloak and wears either hell-hound or fox furred boots. But the Rihana of sitting around campfires – the Rihana of storytelling – she is a different creature. In most cases, Rihana’s immodesty is calculated for effect, and at times she’ll even feign extreme modesty when it is called for. But when Rihana’s guard is down, when she is simple being herself, modesty has no meaning for Rihana. She simple does not care or mind. A lose robe is all that may be called for. For the most part she prefers clothing that is sleeveless, tight bodices or a loosened vest, and loose or short skirts. Rihana’s clothing always matches well, unless the intended effect is otherwise. Surprisingly for such a spoiled and haughty girl, Rihana enjoys cooking… especially for others.

This is I. All of it is the truth, though much of it may never have happened.

I am 16 years old – I have not known my purity for 4 years hence. I am the only daughter of a Tâbi’een lord and his favored concubine. From my father I have learned how to use a sword, fight honorably, and play the drum. No man or woman I have ever encountered can play the drum like he (so too my mother claims about his skills in bed). From my mother I have learned to dance and sing, how to fight dirty, and quite a bit in the way of pleasure. My father has given me the world by my sword, my mother by my body.

A young 12-year old girl can find much of interest in the great city of Istawa that is proper for her to pursue – joining a harem is not one of them. At sixteen perhaps, but never so young. But I have a stubborn will and am rather quite spoiled – my mother had no choice but to acquiesce. I served in the harem of a young (15-years) minor noble. I of course learned nothing form him save exceptional acting. It was instead the other girls of the harem that taught me well.

Yes, shocking as it may be to people of Perelinn, I have made love with women – many women. And many men. And elves, halflings, and dwarves too. And a troll. He was the ugliest creature I have ever encountered – but he was also sweet to me, and quite lonely. Never have I seen a bigger smile in all my life. See, I’m not cruel.

After my apprenticeship, my mother continued to tutor me in my dance and song craft; she introduced me to a number of men and women that furthered my "other learnings." I ate, bathed twice a day, practiced my song and dancing, sparred with my father, took walks through the garden, and had sex. This was my daily routine. A girl can hardly complain.

But then I was with child. I knew well before my mother did – five months in fact. I did not alter my daily life, and even began increasing my promiscuity – I was direly afraid I would never have the luxury again. And when my mother found out, I was correct. My "other" studies ceased immediately and I was confined to our palace. My freedom had been curtailed.

The bright star in this hardship was that a nursemaid/nanny was hired to care for me – her name was Talia and she shall be within my heart always. The months leading up to my daughter’s birth put us in close proximity during every hour of the day. Eventually she fell for me.

My daughter was born and I named her Zorra. That isn’t her real name, mind, and you need worry about where she is now. She was given to the care of someone I trusted and that is all anybody needs to know.

After Zorra was born, I was still confined to the house. I could take walks through the town, but I had to be accompanied by my mother, father, or his guards. Talia had been sent away. So I learned some new arts. I became accomplished at sneaking in and out of my room, undetected.

With my newfound freedom, I visited Talia of course. I also began performing with my lute or dancing in taverns that would have me. I developed quite a following and did not lack for amorous attention after performances. I also became a lady of the night.

Istawa is a port city and a talented girl can amass a small fortune attending the beds of wealthy traders – and I am very talented. Again a routine was established in my life, and again it consisted primarily of music, dance and sex.

And again providence interrupted it. A vile young noble came to my father and asked for my hand in marriage. Since I was to be his first wife (because no other woman would have him), he offered my father a great dowry. My father had to accept his offer. My mother (who knew of my recent outings and had not said a word) insisted that my father refuse the marriage – but to do so would be to lose face. To make matters worse, my beloved Talia had been wed to a Sahabah man and had been spirited away to Ghaib. I was heartbroken and lost. The week before my wedding, on the day a young bride is moved to her lord’s house, all my possessions were packed up and set in a carriage. I made my farewell to my mother, who was of course crying, and accompanied my father on one last walk through our garden. He stopped near the roses and announced out loud:

"It is a shame that my only daughter has run away on the very day that she is to go to her husband’s house. I shall lose some small face and fortune for this, but that is the price I pay for raising a beautiful, impudently-spoiled daughter."
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"Yes, she is spoiled, but at least she loves her father."

"And he loves her, runaway."

So it was that I boarded a ship bound for Lyrenn.

[Rihana – sweet Basil; Nur al Din (her father’s name) – brightness of the faith; Bint – daughter of; Zahirah (her mother’s name) – Luminous]

Najaassa [impurity] is her stage name.