Melaina
Melaina was born in New Bernan Evestria without any magical Gifts; this may or may not have had any bearing on her being abandoned by her parents. There is a special significance placed on magical Gifts in Evestria due to the history of its founding. In their ancestral home of Evenaria a new religion, the Church of Life Fellowship, usurped Seesism, and with came a distrust of magical Gifts. Over time the distrust was stoked to persecution and then execution. The Gifted fled across the sea to found Evestria.
The displacement from their homeland lent itself to a national feeling of abandonment among the Evestrians from which rose a desire to make all of their people at home. As such, orphaned children are adopted with such gusto that there are usually long waiting lists. Melaina had no memory of her parents, or of any other caretakers besides the Archons Carnus and Bolina, her adopted parents. Unfortunately for Melaina, the Archons had not adopted her owing to a sense of duty or other altruistic purpose, but rather for status and greed. For while the Gifted were less appreciated in Evestria, the many sons of Pelee in the market for wives had little concern for the Gift, and their Match Makers paid fulsome dowries.
Growing up Melaina was made to feel more a possession than a person. She was educated thoroughly, and beaten thoroughly if she did not represent their family with perfection. Exposure to culture was of paramount importance to Archon Bolina; she insisted Melaina accompany her to every mass, play, and salon, displaying the child like another piece of jewelry. If ever Melaina protested Bolina would remind her that she owed them; it was her duty, by The Judge, to balance their goodwill and their investment in her.
Melaina learned her lessons too well. Through philosophy she embraced the teachings of The Judge and balance in all things. She was just 12 when she petitioned a Justice in New Brenan to be taken into their service. The Archons protested, of course, and took it before the Appellate, but Melaina, so small and eloquent, presented the true balance- the Archons cared more for status than any other, and she had given them that, and would even more so with her vow to Joran's service. The Appellate held the Justice to have balanced the parties, and Melaina was taken on immediately as a Clerk.
She became one of the youngest Circuit Justices to ever serve Joran. Melaina was known to spare the weak, but with such acumen for balance that her judgements were unassailable. Her ascension to Chief Justice was inevitable.
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