Name: Catherine Harcourt

Gender: Female

Age: 25

Hair: Long auburn hair mostly kept in a braid.

Eyes: Bright green.

Distinguishing Marks: Catherine is known by her long red hair and the peppering of freckles that lightly splash her face and body.

General Appearance: Cat is an individual of average height, green eyes and auburn hair that can often be found pulled back in a braid. She has never had the grace and elegance of the Ladies she has served but she has a spirit all her own that makes her unique and beautiful.

Her pale freckled skin is not without its flaws. Catherine has been working since she could walk. At first it was on her parents small farm and then in the service of Noble's. With a herd of goats and a small vegetable patch at home, if they wanted food, they had to work and Catherine was happy to do it. Her fingers are calloused and her nails cut short.

The young Maidens figure is full and soft. Her bust is generous and can occasionally be a hindrance to her work should she be without a corset that can keep them confined. With broad hips Catherine has a spring in every step though this is also due to the fact that she bounces when she walks. Catherine always wears a smile. She shows no resentment or bitterness towards having to serve. She takes pride in her work. It brings her happiness and such is clear on her pretty face.

Personality: Catherine, first and foremost as has a big and loving heart. Being the eldest of four girls and having lost her Mother during her last pregnancy, Catherine developed her maternal side early. Her Father is strong and loving but without his beloved wife and when faced with the challenge of raising four girls on his own, he can often be lost for words.

Catherine took on the responsibility of her Household when she was just 11 and raised her sisters as her Motherr had raised her. Hard work was valued but so was kindness. Catherine has never held anything against those that have done her wrong. She is easy to forgive and lift her troubles into the Makers hands.

Catherine loves being needed. She finds pride and peace in cleaning. The sense of satisfaction she gains from scrubbing every nook and corner for cobwebs and doing it for someone she cares for is unlike anything else. It fills her with a sense of accomplishment and purpose. Catherine does not resent having to work for a living. She worked on her Families farm and now she works for Noble's. She considers herself blessed that she might be allowed to earn an honest wage that she can send home to her Father and little Sisters.

A darling, truly Catherine is strong willed, respectful and loyal making her an exemplary part of any staff and an excellent friend.

Sexual Preferences: Catherine loves love. She will fall for a heart over a body.

House: Catherine hails from neither a Major nor a Minor house. The Harcourt's are but peasants and Catherine, a proud Handmaiden.

History: Catherine was born into one of the many small villages in Breiton. Her life was fairly unremarkable. With her Mother and Father she lived on a small plot of half an acre which compared to some families she knows was a blessing. From an early age she took pride in caring for their goats and tending to their garden. She understood that if they wanted to eat, they had to work. She was taught that nothing in life came for free and the more you sowed, the more you reaped. This is a lesson that Catherine would apply to all aspects of her life. She loved her Mother, adored her Father and was nothing but a happy child. She did not know of nor worry about the bickering that took place in the Major Houses. She worked, she played, she served her Maker and at night she would place her head upon her pillow and sleep well for she was full of satisfaction and pride.

Soon enough her Mothers belly was swollen with another child and Catherine was giddy at the though of having a sister. When the child was born Catherine smothered her in kisses and promised that she would teach her everything and love her always. This occurred twice more and as their family grew, so did their love but something went wrong with her Mothers fourth pregnancy.

The Midwife said that the baby was blue. The cord that connected Mother to Child had wrapped around the little girls neck and she was not breathing when she left her Mothers womb. Catherine, having wrapped her two younger sister in her arms and usher them out of the bedroom, sat and listened as her Father finally got the child to breath but the Maker had deemed it was their Mothers time to go and the Matriarch of the Harcourt Household died that night.

Catherine was 11 and though she grieved, she knew that she was now in charge. While her Father fed the littlest Harcourt her first meal with a tear stained face, Catherine prepared the evenings meal and then put her little sisters to bed. From that moment on, Catherine would care her family and mother her sisters as she knew their Mother would have done herself should she have been with them longer.

As the smallest Harcourt girl grew it became clear that the trauma of her birth had carried with her. Lainey would grow flustered at little things that should not have caused such distress. She had difficulty forming words and simple task were challenging. It appeared that having been born not breathing had stunted her mental development and that she would forever be slow but just as special. Lainey and their Father developed a special bond. She was impossible not to like and love but Catherine knew that she would never be able to work or contribute as was needed. It was up to her. The family needed more money and secretly, Catherine wished to see the world.

At 15 Catherine set off from home to seek employment among a Noble Household. She held down several short term jobs before at 16 she found the Von Rohem's. A strong and Noble family, Catherine was excited to be tasked to service the Lady Julian. At just 2 years apart the girls were able to become close friends and Catherine served her Lady with happiness and pride.

Julian was different to the other Ladies she had served. She was strong and determined. She did not wrap herself in frilly dresses and speak of hollow things. She picked up a shield and sword and bested any man who dared to challenge her. Catherine admired her Lady. She was as strong as she was beautiful.

It was a chilly night near 9 years after she had first begun her service to the Lady when their relationship shifted. Julian, having had a particularly distressing evening had headed to her room earlier than usual. She was tired, angry and quite upset from the day's events. Having finished stitching up yet another tear in her Ladies trouser Catherine was just about to leave when Julian entered. Concerned, Catherine asked what was wrong in her sincere and soothing voice. It was clear that Julian found even speaking difficult and so to console her Lady, Catherine ushered her close as she would have done for any of her sisters and after a time Julian had cried all her tears and shared her story of sexism and those wicked individuals who would dare speak ill of her contributions. Catherine found herself outraged that any would try to harm her Lady and instantly she knew that the moment had changed. Catherine did not wish to simply stroke her Lady's hair and rub gentle circles across her back. She wished to kiss her and she did.

Leaning in Catherine had stolen a kiss from her Lady's lips. An act that could have had her killed on the spot. Shocked at first Julian and Catherine found themselves in an exciting yet shameful embrace. It was the first of many. That moment changed their relationship behind closed doors. While they still remained the same good friends in front of others as soon as it was certain they were alone Catherine took the opportunity to tease and flirt with her Lady, which flustered the serious Julian to no end. The first several times were all advances on Catherine behalf. She was not ashamed of what her heart felt for her Lady and she was not too shy to express her feelings in many different ways. Though in time Julian found herself seeking refuge within Catherine's embrace whenever things began to get tougher than usual.

The two were an inseparable pair and their affair was a secret that they took great pains to hide. Unfortunately though they were eventually caught. Julian's Father moved swiftly and Catherine was tossed from the household and told never to come back and NEVER to speak of her crude indiscretions with his Daughter. Shamed, Catherine wandered. Rumours spread but few were brave enough to speak out against the Von Rohem's and so finally Catherine found another who would see worth in her skills and employ her once more. Catherine now works for Lady Anyalis DeHaviland and has found herself at Rosemont Monastery for her Lady is to be married.