Name: Esther Tremaine
Age: 18
Nationality: Andoran
Hair: Long frizzy mouse brown hair with a tinge of Red
Eyes: Light brown
Skin: Pale
Height: 5”7
Voice: Low and surprisingly sultry
Other: Plump, with high cheekbones
Knowledge Weakness: Does not know the Old Tongue
Physical Weakness: Plump and unfit
Personality weakness: Swings between confidence and insecurity
Personality: Quiet, reserved and distrustful, with a temper that she hides well. She hardly ever shows any emotion, although she does open up somewhat with animals. She is fanatical about following rules, with very little patience for those who break it.
Character History[]
Esther’s mother inherited a prosperous farm from her parents shortly after the birth of her 5th child, Esther. A beautiful blue eyed blonde, Gwynden had married Tom Tremaine, the attractive dark haired son of a local butcher, who was considered beneath her station. It did not take her long to realise that she had made a grave mistake. Although he was an attractive, intelligent man, Tom did not posses a grain of sense. Over the course of the next 15 years, he managed to run the once thriving farm into so much debt that they were eventually forced to sell it. Tom found work with one of his brothers, who took shameless advantage of him because of his general naiveté. All of this turned Gwynden into a bitter and angry woman, who took her frustrations out on her children and her inept husband.
When Esther was born, everyone remarked what a pretty child she was, and she was petted and spoiled by her father, sisters and the farm workers, not only for her beauty, but also her intelligence. As she grew older, however, she became plump and her beautiful blonde hair turned mousy. This was yet another blow to her mother, who had hoped to marry Esther off to a rich man and thereby restore her lost station in life. Gwynden did not let a day go past without telling Esther what a disappointment she was and how the only thing she could hope for was to become a servant in some household, since she was too ugly to catch a husband. As usual, Gwynden’s opinions were taken up by her other daughters.
From being a bouncy, happy and supremely confident child, Esther became quiet, reserved and distrustful. She soon learned not to show any emotion and to suppress her naturally warm and loving nature, as any hint of vulnerability was jumped on by her mother, and later her sisters, who knew exactly how to stab the knife where it hurt the most.
Esther never showed it, but inside her heart she longed for acceptance, for a loving husband who would treasure her and take her away from her dreary life. She knew this would never happen, though, so she avoided the young men of the town rather than face rejection.
Once in a while, an Aes Sedai would pass through their small town, most accompanied by one or more Warders. Noticing how they were treated with great respect and reverence, Esther rediscovered hope and started to dream of becoming more than just a burden to her family.
In her sixteenth year she gathered her courage enough to approach one of these magnificent women, only to be told that she did not have the spark inborn. Unfortunately, her mother happened to be near and overheard the conversation. Her outburst of derisive laughter had Esther fleeing in mortification before she could hear the rest of what the Aes Sedai was trying to tell her.
Despair threatened to overwhelm her, but she showed nothing to her family when they jeered at her about what had happened. It was only a year and a half later that she overheard a chance remark by another Aes Sedai, which seemed to indicate that it was possible to learn to channel, even if not born with the spark.
Esther made very sure this time that there was no-one around before she approached the woman. Heart pounding, hardly daring to hope, she waited with no outward display of her feelings for Serena Sedai’s verdict. She almost fainted when she heard Serena say, “Yes, child, you are one of those who can learn to channel.”
Luckily for Esther, Serena Sedai was on her way to the White Tower and able to take her along because her family at first refused to believe that Esther had ANY potential, let alone that to channel. Even once convinced by Serena, her mother refused to pay for Esther to travel there. Esther was actually thankful that her mother managed to affront the Brown sister to the point where the Aes Sedai gave Gwynden a sharp set down then left with Esther in tow.
Their journey to Tar Valon was uneventful and swift. Serena Sedai seemed to almost forget about Esther, leaving her mostly in the hands of Manric, Serena’s grizzled Warder. Once they reached the Tower, Serena led her towards the office of the Mistress of Novices and left her there in front of the closed door, with only an absentminded instruction to “report for Novice training.”