Veronica Hansford

[Veronica]

They say life is what you make of it, or at least this was one of her fathers favorite sayings. One she would never get the full gist of until fate dealt her a blow which she wasn't ready to deal with.

Having booked passage on a ship bound for Scotland, shortly after her parents had perished. But in the end that was not to be her destination, due to the interfering hand of a cruel and detestable man known as Captain Morgan, Pirate, Rogue, Theif and Murderer.

His ship had overtaken that she was upon, no match to the guns trained upon it. The Captain and crew of the ship Felicity upon which she had paid passage, decided to surrender in hopes of saving lives, which ultimately cost them their own and that of many others. She and two other women passengers were taken prisoner upon the pirate ship where they were humiliated, taunted and manhandled until their arrival in some distant lands, where they were then carted off and sold as slaves upon an open market.

What happened to the other two women may never be known by herself, but she would control her own fate as much as she could. Traits of lock picking were soon acquired, as well as a few other tricks to be learned, and these were used, as well as that slashing steel of words to be wielded by a tongue that would make some daggers seem dull, to gain what freedom she could, running every possible chance she could.

No Master or Mistress has been able to keep, let alone train her. A spit-fire of a woman and a spunk to never give up the fight unless the situation seemed hopeless. Even then her mind would work scheming on any possible opportunity to be had and taken before it was gone. She's come a long way since those days of silks and leather. No longer did white silks of servitude, or revealing pieces of leather that barely covered, encase her demure figure. It was now gowns of velvet and satin, modestly cut, yet complimentary to the full figured blooming of a young womans form.

[Veronica]

Fate had once more intervene, in the way it had a course of doing in her life. Having escaped from a Master, as was her way, and the guards of the Market Place, where she was sent to be sold, an easy way to rid of an unruly slave. Dare she inhale deeply the air as free, or would her past come to haunt her and destroy a life that placed that renewed spark of hope within her heart. So timid in nature, unsure of her freedom and the world in which she now lived. Again she had to relearn the ways of society and survive. It was in the course of her plight, that she happened upon a tavern, one dark and dreary night. It was here a new life was being offered, through the kindness of those who took her in. . She didn't expect some fairy tale life,just one to enjoy freedom and the chances that would come with it.

Now in her twentieth year of life, a childhood spent in servitude, the beginning of adulthood in a world she gazed upon with a child like wonder. Her innocence opened that curious nature to all that surrounded her. Trust would be the hardest thing for her to truly give, having done so in the past, to those who swore to help, only to fall victim to their schemes and lies. Such a drastic change, from the world of Masters and Mistresses, their cruel nature left behind as she entered the realms of nobility, something that was once a part of her life, though on a higher level than now. A child born to nobility, then lowered into the pits of hell known as slavery, and now to rise above that to a plane which rested between the two. As days past and she worked the tavern owned by Lord Southwood, he would come to learn her story and the plight of her life. With him having family in the right places, he was able to research and ascertain her certification of birth, which would be proof of her noble heritage, and ensure her freedom be retained. Unsure of her future, but one thing was certain, from this point on it would be one of freedom. She now toys with the idea of looking into her blood rights. Perhaps she could regain her life which had been taken from her, perhaps by the very hands of her greedy uncles, who wished her fathers lands and title, to the degree of even arranging the harm of their own niece

Months passed, and thoughts of returning to her lands of birthright began to diminish. In its stead, she was developing a family, even if not in blood. Lord James Southwood, her guardian and savior, she looked up to as a father figure. Then came his newlywed wife, Lady Eloria Southwood, who changed things, and the life she knew came to an end, feeling alienated in the very place she called home. Though born without siblings, there was one she looked upon as the very brother she never had, Sir Alexis Shadowborn, a noble and brave knight. It was now with her brothers aide she tried to restructure her life. Which would not be an easy endeavor in the wake of losing her one true love, who died in battle. Arxi held her heart, that was now broken in the wake of his untimely death. Then one night Alex would disappear and she'd never see her adopted brother again. Wandering about alone, fate dealt her a heavy blow.

Captain Morgan had resurfaced and the hunt began as she ran for her life. He caught up with her at one point, she was then punished for running away. Soon though she escaped to find her way back to Lord Southwood, only to find that Eloria had taken her life and the Lord had found a new woman in which to give his love, Lady Katharine St. James. During this time she developed a kinship with the Lords half sister, Lady Aria DeWinter. A friend to the Lord and now fiance to her sister at heart, a kinship had also began to form between herself and the Lord Alexander McClarion, one she was becoming to view as an figure of an older brother. Her life ever changing, like the very world around her. Would the ghosts and nightmares of the past, leave her to enjoy the life that was formatting around her? So far all she found were new nightmares to replace the old.

Once more her freedom to be ripped from her life by the very sea faring dogs, who once made her life a living hell, they continue to hunt her down, each for their own ulterior motives, not to mention those Masters of the past resurfacing and new ones wishing to claim the fiery vixen. That was until one Pirate Captain, surprisingly, came to her aide. Captain JD Black stepped up as she was being hauled off by the brutish men who had captured her. The woman and her crew seemed to take grand delight in the way they attacked those men. She would have thought it barbaric, except for the simple fact, they intended a cruel fate for her.

Captain Morgan wouldn't be gaining easy access to her any longer. Now in the employment of Captain Black, she worked along side a lady by the name of Carlotta Basinstoke. Hired as a bartender to assist Jim, or cover for him when he wasn't around. Life had again taken an unexpected change. She now lived in a quaint room of the taverns upper floor of the Dockside Tavern, located on the Black Jade Skull Islands.

[Veronica]

When Carlotta moved from the Black Jade Skull Isle, she was followed by the woman who worked under her employ at the Dockside Tavern. Moving to the Port of Kiel was something she wanted to do, more than had to. Always did it linger in the back of her mind, that a certain Pirate Captain would one day come seeking her again. She could only hope that either he had perished out to sea, or had forgotten she even existed; she could live with either situation to tell the truth. But, for now life was grand. She had steady employment, a roof over her head, and food in her belly. Content she was in her simple task as Tender and Server at the Bloody Bore Tavern, located in the dock and warehouse district of Port Kiel.

(Although Veronica is most generally an NPC, she is occassionally played by Carlotta mun, and due to this, a website had been created for her. Here is the link which gives more of her history since she was created many years ago.)

Veronica's Webpage: www.angelfire.com/rpg2/blackswan/veronica.html