Princess Dawn Grayson
The gods have not given us the power to change unfortunate circumstances, to change the seasons or the winds, but they have given us something greater. We can change ourselves to become better people, and we have a responsibility to act upon it.
Obituary: Missing and presumed dead, but absolutely no one seems to know what happened to her. Vanished without a trace.
Description: Dawn is not by any means the most beautiful woman in Arx, but she can claim the most appropriate name. With her honey skin and red-gold waves of hair, she looks to be painted in the shades of her namesake - and like the sun, the warmth of her smile is something to bask in. There's Grayson steel in her, though - in the unyielding strength of her spine, and her eyes a hazy shade of winter grey. Her brows are straight and strong, the soft spray of freckles across her sun-kissed nose a testament to the time this particular lady spends outdoors. With a lush, ruby mouth tucked in at the corners in a perpetual expression of pleasure, her delicately chiseled jaw and chin also hint at the strength beneath the sunshine. A recent scar bisects her left eyebrow and continues down her cheek. Bright and harsh and new, it keeps her mien from too much girlish cuteness and signals a narrow miss for that eye.
Personality: A strong and graceful young woman, Dawn Grayson is full of fire and passion whether dressed in silk and satin or outfitted for adventure in the field. A careful diplomat, she strives to let her impassioned ideals and beliefs be known without causing offense -- and is equally careful never to let her family be scandalized. She carefully manages her temperament to be one of power, without rancor, hiding any fury she may feel until she is well and truly alone. She is naturally gregarious and likable, using all the charm her father, King Alaric III, possessed in the hopes of making herself as beloved as he was. While she knows she is capable and talented, Dawn's sure to let her deeds speak louder than words, and prove herself from King to Common, as well deserving to be acting as high lord of House Grayson in the King's name.
Background: Illegitimate children of nobility have scandalously existed since time immemorial, though the Grayson Dynasty has mostly avoided embarrassment since the time of Alarice the Great. Lady Dawn Baseborn despises the circumstances of her birth being a rare exception to that, and her stature as the only elder sibling to King Alaric Grayson IV put her firmly in a painful spotlight. Her father King Alaric III refused to ever discuss her commoner mother with anyone, giving Dawn the less than satisfying answer that he would talk to her 'when she was older', a claim he never made good on before his death. The unanswered questions eat at her, in the rare moments she has to dwell upon it. She knows her father would have loved to legitimize her, and make her a formal Grayson, but was afraid to take the risk that her claim would be contested after his death. She had hoped her half-brother when he became king would finally make her a Grayson, but he has repeatedly delayed until he has an heir.
Despite this, Dawn is not a bitter woman. Her father raised her at court, taking great pains to instill in Dawn and her brother the responsibilities of leadership, an ironclad sense of duty towards their subjects, and a great sense of integrity and personal honor. Dawn, at least, took the lessons to heart and the young woman represents a far closer ideal to Grayson Monarch virtues than her brother ever has. 'Lady' Dawn is accustomed to the carefully crafted slights and barely masked derision of other nobles, including ones who might dare to refuse to grant her the courtesy title of a lady, for the young woman possesses both the foresight and propriety to know how disasterous responding to those provocations might be.
Many in House Grayson at least recognize the young woman's levelheaded judgement and extreme competence, and some even forget her illegitimate status and mistakenly call her Princess Dawn Grayson or 'your highness' without thinking of it. Her brother granted her the authority to act as High Lord of House Grayson in his stead, an unheard of honor for a bastard child, though Dawn knows that it was largely because Alaric the younger simply did not want to deal with the work of high lordship when he could be spending his time with attractive young women at court.
She took the responsibility of rule fully knowing her brother will take any credit and glory that she wins in the position. She can abide that. She's her father's daughter, after all.
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