Angara's Story

For #AzaleasDolls-Lovers Heroine Creator Contest. Made on azaleasdolls.com

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“We got a new maid today, honey.” Mrs. Halladay says to her husband.

Reading his newspaper, not paying too much attention, he replies, “Did we? What’s her name?”

“Angara. Angara Winter.” she replies, absentmindedly watching the girl sweep the floor. Something catches her eye – a blue pendant hanging around the girl’s neck, not something that a lowly maid would own.

***

Found on the doorstep of the orphanage as a kid in…you guessed it, the coldest winter of the Dragon Age, Angara knows nothing but her first name. The only link to her past that she has is the blue pendant around her neck that glows randomly.

At 16, Angara has to leave the orphanage to make room for babies and younger kids, but the kindhearted matron finds her a job as a maid in the Halladay home. She stays there for a year, until another cold, snowy night finds her outside, near the sea, talking with a strange man who she’d only just met.

Suddenly, he attacks her, seemingly meaning to throw her into the water. But just as he’s about to overpower her, an unknown instinct takes over and, with her bare hands, she finds his pressure points and fells him. The man, lying in the snow, smiles.

“So, the rumors were true.” he says.

Confused, Angara asks, “What rumors?”

“The last of the Assassin’s Guild. You survived the ransacking, didn’t you?” he asks.

Angara shakes her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” But she does know. The mention of the Assassin’s Guild strikes some hidden memory in her head. She hurries back to the Halladays’ house.

The man comes again the next morning, introduces himself as Domanic Lerran, and takes her to a part of the city she’s never been before. This burned, black section is the Warrior’s Street, or what’s left of it. Angara’s foot hits a small, charred sign, and she picks it up and reads: Adventurer’s Guild. “Why did you take me here?”

“You’re the last of the Assassins. I am of the Oracle’s Guild. Our king is corrupt, and we need you. We need you to take him out.” Domanic says.

“That would be treachery! I can’t do that!” Angara protests. Yet she knows, in her inner heart, that Domanic is right. The king, and all his officials, are corrupt, leeching off of the poor to give to the rich. They were they ones who destroyed the Warrior’s Street seven years ago, to ensure that no rebellion would arise.

“Then you must, at least, help us overturn some government officials.” Domanic says.

Angara nods slowly. "All right. I will."

***

Angara finds that she does, indeed, have a natural aptitude for sneaking into places, and, of course, she has the knowledge of fatal pressure points. Yet she’s not sure if she can actually kill a human.

Her first mission – assassinate the head of the Tax Commission. She does this quickly and easily, surprisingly (and unsurprisingly) not feeling anything as she looked down at the body of the official. But, however, after three more successful missions, she feels like she’s turning into a monster. She goes to her favorite spot – the place by the sea – whenever she has free time. Sitting on a rock, looking out at the blue expanse, she feels peace.

But one day she hears shouts. “That’s her! That’s the one who’s been killing our rulers!” Startled, she turns around, only to see a mob coming towards her. A mob of the rich, that is. And they’re closing in, and she’s on a cliff. The only way she can escape is into the water. She’s a relatively good swimmer, but can she escape the angry mob? She dives into the sea.

Angara’s never swam in the sea before. Cold, dark, slimy, she starts to panic. But then, her pendant floats up and starts glowing and creates an air bubble around her, allowing her to breathe. The pendant tugs her towards a underwater cave, and she hesitates to go in the darkness. The tug of the pendant is too strong to resist, and she relents and swims in.

As she passes the threshold of the cave, she feels a slight tingling in her legs. She looks down…and her legs have disappeared, replaced by a long tail.

***

“You are the prophesied one, Angara Winter.” The king of the merpeople says. “We have been oppressed for centuries. You are the one who will free us and restore balance and equality to the world.”

Angara rolls her eyes. “Another prophecy? Thank you for your hospitality, but I really have to go back to the surface.”

“Of course. But remember that you have at least a hint of seawater in your blood, otherwise you would not have turned when you crossed into my kingdom.”

As she swims back up to the surface, her legs and old outfit returned, Angara wonders what else is in her heritage. She’s not too happy about this. She’s spent two weeks in the kingdom of the merpeople. When she emerges from the water precisely where she dove in, she looks up and sees Domanic at the top of the cliff, sitting on her rock and staring out at sea.

“Dom! Down here!” Angara waves. She swims to the base of the cliff and pulls herself up onto the rocks. With a jolt, she realizes that she’s completely dry, and so, since her only fear was slipping off the rocks, she begins to climb up the cliff. Her training has prepared her for this, and of course, she excelled.

“Angara! Where have you been?” Domanic exclaims, reaching to pull her up.

She shrugs, smiling. “A mob of people came after me around two weeks ago, so I dived into the ocean. And then my pendant led me to the kingdom of the merpeople, and apparently I have seawater in my ancestry, and I’m destined to equalize all races in the world. This is annoying. Do you have anything to eat?”

***

(five months later, after the war to overthrow the king has been won)

Angara strides through the throng confidently, greeting old friends here and there, accepting a few toasts, et cetera, et cetera. But she’s looking for one person – the new king. King Domanic. She spots him slowly making his way towards her. “Dom!” she shouts, putting her empty wineglass on a tray.

He picks up speed and she flies to him, hugging him with all her might. Laughing, Dom picks her up and twirls her around, finally setting her back down. “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you in a week!”

“A week? Oh, that’s SUCH a long time!” Angara says sarcastically. “I’ve been down with the merpeople again. Most of them are here now. Where have YOU been?”

“Signing official documents. So many of them, my hand aches morning and night. But it doesn’t matter now.” Dom smiles. “I’m taking a year’s leave to go adventuring. After all, my mother was from the Adventure’s Guild. Lana, you know, from the old Strategy Guild? She’ll be my Regent.”

Angara sighs. “You’re leaving? Then I suppose I’ll go to work on rebuilding the Warrior’s Street.”

“That’s something else I want to talk to you about.” he says, taking her hand and pulling her towards the door of the ballroom, only a short distance away from the cliff which has become their special spot.

They walk to the edge of the cliff, hand in hand. Both lost in memories, they look out at the sparkling black sea. Many pivotal moments in their short lives have happened here, from Angara going to and coming back from the kingdom of the merpeople to the water itself rising up and destroying the armies of the old king in the battle not two weeks ago. Angara is seated, legs dangling over the edge, and Dom follows her example, putting an arm around her shoulders.
Leaning against one another, they bask in each other’s company. Dom pulls away from her after a while and pulls out a small silk pouch from his pocket, turning to Angara.

“I’m surprised you didn’t ask me what I had to say to you.” he says.

Angara shrugs. “I figured that you would tell me in your own time.”

“Well, I don’t want to go traveling alone.” he begins slowly. “I know we’ve only known each other for a year, but I…”

She turns to him, eyes shining. But she doesn’t say anything.

“I want you to come with me. And…I want you to be my queen.” he finishes, pulling out a silver ring set with a blue stone with veins of gold.

Angara nods slightly and smiles. “Of course, Dom. I couldn’t imagine a life without you.”

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1st outfit - Orphanage/Maid dress
2nd outfit - Assassin's outfit
3rd outfit - Kingdom of the merpeople
4th outfit - Party dress
5th outfit - Wedding dress