Remember Oriana from this Beautiful People post a few months ago, which featured her and her husband Misha? Well, this month, she gets her own post, because she deserves it.
1. What is their first childhood memory?
Her mother cutting turnips in their tiny forest hut, and singing some kind of slow, lilting song about a princess who died because of what happened when she trusted a seemingly-nice prince too much. (Have you noticed that a lot of traditional folk songs are super depressing?)
2. What were their best and worst childhood experiences?
Best was probably the day before her mother died, when Oriana finally felt safe for the first time in her whole life. It wasn't because of any particular thing that happened that day; she just finally reached a mental peace that it had literally taken her over 14 years to get to.
The worst was when her mother died, because suddenly that peace and safety shattered, and she was back to the beginning.
3. What was their childhood home like?
It was a very tiny, very unassuming hut in the forest, far out by the eastern border. Her mother would hang eggshells on strings on the branches around the house because she always said that Koshiy hated eggs and it would keep them away. They kept two chickens and a rooster in their yard to keep the egg supply coming, and Oriana had a lot of eggs for breakfast growing up. She never knew if it was true or not, but better safe than sorry?
4. What was something that scared them as a child?
Koshiy finding her mother and stealing her away again.She knew from an early age that her mother had been kidnapped by Koshiy and that she had been the only one ever to escape. (But Oriana didn't know that Koshiy was actually her father.) Her mother was constantly warning her against Koshiy and trying to train her up to be strong and independent and rebellious (maybe too much?) just in case she was ever in danger.5. Who did they look up to most?
Her mother, for reasons explained in #4. She thought her mother was super badass for having run away from Koshiy, and really wanted to grow up to be just as strong. (I think she succeeded.)
6. Favorite and least favorite childhood foods?
Favorite - fresh mulberries from the bush that grew by their house.
Least favorite - eggs. Of course.
7. If they had their childhood again, would they change anything?
Make it more normal? Have a mother that wasn't constantly in fear, and a father that was present and nice and not an immortal evil creep of a sorcerer who stole girls and then turned them into ravens?
8. What kind of child were they? Curious? Wild? Quiet? Devious?
Oriana was a rather explosive combination of curious, independent, rebellious, and fiercely loving (and thus fiercely hating anyone who harmed those she loved). Wait, why am I saying she "was"? She still very much so IS. Just now she's an adult who can do things like lead an army and kill those she fiercely hates, instead of just pretending to by slamming knives into trees and shooting arrows at every raven she saw.9. What was their relationship to their parents and siblings like?
Well, she has no siblings. She deeply and fiercely loves her mother, and deeply and fiercely hates her father and wants him dead. Unfortunately (for her), it's her mother that ends up dead and her father that's the immortal one.
10. What did they want to be when they grew up, and what did they eventually become?
She wanted to be safe. She wanted to be in control of herself - her mind, her body, her environment.
She became the first female leader of the Warriors, and (SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS) the one to kill her father (the source of all her fears).
I think she fulfilled her dreams quite nicely, though rather violently.
Did you do Beautiful People this month? Link me yours!
She is pretty cool, and I am also interested in her father, like what!
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