Born in Beresgond the year 645 on a cold day in February, Saide Argyris was in many ways not the normal female child. It has been claimed that she never cried when she was born, only giving a faint sound and then nothing. The will of such a birth would carry on within Saide for much of her life, and would be the foundation for who she would begin to become.
The daughter of a minor house, she was brought up to learn the mannerisms of lady-like behavior. Though she practiced these trademarks, she would also take interest in things that were not lady-like. Being the only child of her parents, Saide was interested more in the sword than a 'normal' female child and yet such a thing was not wholly frowned upon. Her father felt she would need to have a way to protect herself, and her mother would eventually agree. With this in mind, Young Lady Argyris would be sent off to her Uncle's house to train with his young son - Trevor - in the art of swordsmanship.
So the years went by and Saide learned other skills such as horsemanship, respect, pride, honor, and a handful of other skills. While it was instilled upon her time and time again that as a female she could never become a Knight true, she also learned that this did not mean those who could not be knighted, could not learn the basic principals of knighthood.
In the year 671 the crops died. In 673, Saide lost her parents to the plague. Becoming the Lady in Waiting of Argyris house, she would do all she could to keep the house in good standing, working perhaps harder and with more fierceness than other houses because she knew nothing more than having to prove herself - as a woman - to be just as able to do the work of man.
It would be a year later that Saide found herself in the city of Farris, within Beresgond, in the main market place of town, casually strolling through. In truth she liked to see what the crafters had for sale some times, and getting out of the house on occassion was not such a horrific affair either. Though wile strolling through the marketplace, she would take note that King Barrett Brais - himself - was strolling through town as well. A sort of bittersweet moment as the King was known to be benevolent and wholly caring, but some claimed that his renouncing of the Gods was a bit of a folly, and wholly selfish. One such zealot would try to seize an opportunity to assassinate the king - as he would be so foolish to come out in public - but the keen eye of Saide would not have that. Not only did she call out the attempt of assassination, but the assailint then turned his eyes onto her and a battle ensued. Quick, but not without its casualties, the man soon laid dead in the street and Saide wounded but standing.
For life and limb sacrificed in duty to the King and his protection, Saide was granted what few (if any) women ever achieve and was knighted by King Barrett in the year 674.
|