"I've not been this embarrassed socially since I swung from the chandelier at my own coming out."

Once known only to herself and the denizens of the jungles as Valshierah, she ruled the deeper wilderness with her strength of arm and uncanny powers over the beasts. Proud, free, and utterly savage, she surely broke from the classic model of womanly virtue found in the Paridon Manual for Young Ladies of Society. You won't read about much of this in her Who's Who entry. Better to ask the local gossips.

The Duchess has no memories to help with the mystery of how she came to be lost in the jungle, or to the loss of her parents. She was "Rescued" from the heart of darkness by soldiers of the Raj, identified, and returned to Paridon. There she was molded rather roughly by her stern uncle, Lord Ellesmere, sent to several unpleasant years of Finishing School, and polished into form. It wasn't all unpleasant; some of it was merely fascinating to the wide-eyed innocent (and frustrating to those attempting her inculcation.) And most didn't risk physical abuse without extreme amounts of mental or mortal backup. Or rather, they didn't risk it a second time.

She now fits better into Paridonese society than... well... she once did. She has an extensive vocabulary now, although she occasionally uses a jungle term when she can't find the proper one. And she still occasionally refers to herself in the third person (but never by her detested first name). And having come of age, and come fully into one of the highest titles of the City, her unwomanly pride, freedom, and some of the savagery are beginning to show signs of revival.

Truth be told, in her (rather large) heart, the Duchess very much wishes to fit into the society of her ancient and noble family. She desires family and connections to a people of her own like an addict desires his laudanum. Her life in Sri Raji was a lonely one, constantly in search of identity.

But for one not raised in it (and in fact raised by Savage Talking Beasts), the unspoken rules and extremely subtle nuances of Paridonese Society are a constant source of challenge and difficulty. Frustrated, socially and physically restrained (by the clothing, of course), her time in Paridon was almost growing too much to bear... so when the opportunity, however shifty, was presented to her to temporarily escape under a reasonable amount of social approval, she walked over whomever she had to in order to leave. Lord Caraway was more than convenient.

Her Grace stands head and shoulders over most men of Paridon (or elsewhere). Her unruly, thick black hair is forever escaping the various buns and braids propriety demands. Desite the few years spend near idle in her woman's role in society, she is still very well muscled, agile and nimble. And, et hem, far more skilled with a long knife than a High Lady should be.

Now that she's seeing societies other than Paridon, and with the path of Lady Corbridge before her every day, she is becoming more and more split about returning. Still, the pull of family, position, power, and a place is great. The virtues of the Makepeace family-- Loyalty, Duty, Service-- are in her blood. But is it greater than the call of the wild? Unfortunately for them, the rest of the search party will be the ones to find out... along with their enemies.

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