Akena of the Northern Water Tribe

[akena]

Akena of the Northern Water Tribe

"I live to find the balance."

Name: Akena.
Age: 16
Gender: Female.
Alignment: Peaceable.
Nationality: A princess of the Water Tribe.
Bender: Yes, focusing on healing with water.
Height: 5'10” (And a half, as she will tell you).
Weight: 10st 9Ibs.
Birthday: 30th of October.

Items:

Personality:

Being born a princess influences a girl to grow up being polite, intellectual and, above all, graceful. The model of elegance. Being born a boy forced this princess to grow up being polite, resilient and 'above all'; tough. (Not forgetting graceful too).
Akena is a Contraire- a girl born into a boy's body. A Water Tribe concept based on mistaken spirits, Akena has fought to be accepted. As a result she is determined, with an easy-going charm that slips under defenses.
Growing up she sampled both the library of a Chieftain father and the arts of a devoted mother and so has developed an intelligent, military mind, capable of cooking a good meal. A keen bender, she is drawn to the healing powers of waterbending.

Appearance:

One of the first indications that Akena was a Contraire was her lithe frame. In teenage boy proportions she is lithe and slender. As a girl she is taller than average, with long limbs and a natural elegance. Akena is tan-skinned, with dark hair, looking like a true child of the Water Tribe. When attending court of ceremonies she will decorate her hair with a number of bands and beads- though she on symmetry.
Life in the North Pole is cold and by no means is she gaunt- her strong jaw is softened by a healthy level of fat. The rest of her facial features are soft and have the compelling proportions of royalty. An Inuit nose balances two almond-shaped blue eyes so deep you could drown in them.
An ambiguous yet attractive girl, she spans both handsome and pretty.

History:

When her parents first found their son fashioning a dress from a war-cloak they had given her, they were admittedly concerned. For many years they encouraged her to practice with weapons and play with the other boys in the palace. Akena conceded to joining in with the hunts, but not traditionally. Her contribution was waiting at 'home' to cook what the hunters proudly 'pulled in'.

Her conservative father was troubled with his daughter's spiritual disharmony until a Soothsayer visited the city one evening. She spoke to the chief about a 'child imprisoned', to which he replied that all his children were happily playing in a corner of the very hall they stood in. He looked at the ring of young children, chatting and laughing. He looked at Akena, sat amongst them but not talking, just twirling her comb around in her hands. Her hair was not long enough to be combed; men did not comb their hair.

With a nod, the soothsayer left the hall for the snowy night, knowing her work was done. Chief Aumanil saw in his son the sadness of his daughter and realised his own ideas of spirits needed to be put aside for his child. He allowed Akena to sample life as a girl, whilst ensuring all the male doors were kept open she should change her mind suddenly. As her hair grew longer, she came further from her shell and was soon a cherished member of the family.

On her thirteenth birthday the Northern Water city celebrated her beginning into adulthood with a naming ceremony. Her parents were to decide her name. Akan, the name she was given as a child, meant balance. It was a boys name. Her parents gave her the name Akena, meaning balanced- and more significantly a woman's name. Finally she was accepted by her family and her tribe.

However she not everyone is willing to accept her. Now she is of a sensible age, Akena is preparing to travel to the main continent as an Ambassador for her father and the Water Tribe. She goes in search of peace, but facing two Nations with wholly different opinions on the spirits, Akena may have trouble finding it.

Face Claim:
A:TLA//Ummi//Akena

(( Is it a huge faux pas to use an A:TLA character? I don't really rely on visuals and Ummi's face is amorphous enough to be viable. ))