couldhavebeencassiline

Despite what he was - a prostitute and spy - Alcuin was never hardened by his training and activities, and was described by others in nothing but the fondest terms, even by those that envied his skills. He is described as merry, gentle, compassionate and clever, a quote from Phedre being “It was impossible not to love Alcuin, who loved nigh the entire world.”

Alcuin was very fond of learning and would have lived a long and prosperous life had he been in a scholastic pursuit instead of the dangerous art of spymastery.

Alcuin was a uniquely lovely young man who took no pride in his looks and focused on his work above all else. He was one of those people who had the ability to control the mood of a room with his pleasant demeanor calming presence alone, as well, and was often tasked by Delaunay simply to be present during talks.

Quote: “Unlikely as it seemed to one raised in the Night Court (the district of prostitution), he (Alcuin) was unaware of his startling beauty, which only increased as he got older. He had a quicksilver mind and a prodigious memory, which I (Phedre) envied, and yet he took no pride in it save the pride of pleasing Delaunay (Anafiel, the adoptive guardian and mentor).”

Quote: “Alcuin stood by to serve wine or cordial at these affairs, and while I (Phedre) was contemptuous of his lack of sophistication, I could not deny that he was a charming sight, all untutored grace and gentle eagerness, the vine-cast shadows throwing traceries of green on his moon-white hair. When Alcuin proffered the wine-jug with his grave smile, as like as not guests smiled back and raised their glasses, whether they wished them refilled or no, merely to see the pleasure of serving light his dark eyes. Many a tongue was loosened in that courtyard by virtue of Alcuin's smile.”

At the age of 14, Alcuin was sworn into the Service of Naamah, a sort of priesthood in which worship is made through sex, coupling for material gain or services as the angel Naamah did for the sake of Elua. Though taught a great many things by that point, Alcuin never had a passion for the arts of Naamah and as such had always taken an entirely academic approach to the nature of sex. Once his training began in the arts of pleasure, the world opened in an entirely new way, though he never fully adapted. He was so devoted to Delaunay and learning that even offers of coupling with Phedre, later renowned as the most desirable woman in all of Terre d’Ange, could not sway him.

Quote: “For Alcuin, it was a revelation. I had not understood fully, when we witnessed the Showing, the depth of his naivete. Astonishing though it seemed to me, he had no comprehension of the mechanics of the deeds by which one offers homage to Naamah. I, who had never entered the dance, nonetheless knew the steps by heart. Alcuin had only the instincts of his gentle heart and eager flesh, such as any peasant in the field might have.

Later, I understood that this was part of his charm, as Delaunay meant it to be. The unspoiled sweetness that was ever a part of Alcuin was part and parcel of his charm, and irresistibly seductive to the oversophisticated palate. But then, I did not understand. I would watch him in the evenings when we studied together, reading with lips parted and wonder suffusing his features. "The caress of winnowed chaff," he would read, murmuring. "Place your hands on the waist of your beloved, drawing them upward slowly, gathering and lifting your beloved's hair so that it floats like chaff above the threshing floor, letting it fall like soft rain. Did you know that, Phedre?"

Yes." I gazed into his wide, dark eyes. "They did that at the Showing. Remember?" I had known these things since I was a child, had grown up learning them. It was slowly and surely driving me mad not to practice any of them.

"I remember. The caress of the summer wind." He read the directions aloud, shaking his head in amazement. "Does that really work?"

"I'll show you." If I knew no more than he in practice, I at least had seen these things done. I led him to the floor, where we knelt, facing each other. His features were grave and uncertain. I placed my fingertips lightly on the crown of his head, barely touching his milk-white hair, then drew them slowly down; down the silken fall of his hair, over his shoulders, down his slender arms. My heartbeat quickened as I did it and a strange certainty rose in my blood. I was scarce touching him, fingertips hovering above his pale skin, but where they passed, the fine hair rose on his arms like a wheatfield stirred by the summer wind. "See?"

"Oh!" Alcuin drew back, gazing in awe at his skin, shivered into gooseflesh with subtle pleasure. "You know so much!"

"You are better than I at the things which matter to Delaunay," I said shortly. It was true. As much as I had learned, I could not match the quicksilver facility with which Alcuin observed and recorded. He could remember whole conversations and relate them in their entirety, right down to the speakers' intonations.

"Alcuin." I changed my own tone, putting on the murmurous, beguiling inflections of Cereus House that I heard underlying Cecilie's voice. "We could practice, if you like. It would help us both to learn."

Alcuin shook his head with a susurrus of moonlight-colored hair, wide eyes ingenuous.

"Delaunay doesn't want us to, Phedre. You know that."

It was true; Delaunay had made it explicit, and not even the lure of gathered knowledge was enough to tempt Alcuin to disobedience. With a sigh, I returned to my books.”

On the eve of Alcuin’s 16th birthday, his virginity was auctioned off for the highest price ever fetched in the Night Court. He took no pride in it, and in fact never learned to love the Service of Naamah as Phedre did. Despite his dislike of the service, it did not change him, did not harden or corrupt him. He bore the duration of his service, including the sale of his virginity, with a dignity unrivaled.

The only thing that fascinated Alcuin more than the mysteries of the world were the mysteries of his master, Delaunay. when the boy set his mind to as task he could unravel the deepest of secrets with a little time and effort, and there was no effort Alcuin would not make in pursuit of answers. If Alcuin had any fault that his friends and family noted, it was that he would seek his answers regardless of the risk. Occasionally his risk-taking would have higher stakes than anyone could predict of the careful and calculating youth.

In order to free himself from the service of Naamah, Alcuin orchestrated a very dangerous and inadvisable assignation with a man willing to kill Alcuin for the sake of not losing the right to see him again. Forcing the man’s hand, Alcuin very nearly got himself killed for his information and freedom.

Quote: “But if I thought my skills considerable, they were nothing to Alcuin's. I had heard in his voice and seen in his face the depth of his loathing for Vitale Bouvarre, yet in the days before his final assignation, no trace of it reflected in his demeanor. He was the same as he had always been, gentle-spirited and gracious, calmly accepting whatever fate dealt his way.

That which yields, I thought, is not always weak.”

Alcuin’s distaste for the service of Naamah was sharply outweighed by his love and devotion for Delaunay, and unlike Phedre, whose service was a matter of contract, Alcuin chose to become a Servant of Naamah of his own will that he might better serve his mentor. He was willing to risk the greatest blasphemy out of love. As such, he completed his service to Naamah and was absolved of guilt by the church, leaving the service once he completed his marque - the sign of Servant rising from novice to master.

In short, there are numerous points in which Alcuin’s character is described, but all accounts are in agreement: Alcuin no Delaunay was a kind, compassionate and devoted soul, quicker to smile and offer succor to others than concern himself with his own needs. He was blessed with an extraordinary intellect, outstripped only by his kindness and all hiding a will of iron that helped him survive as long as he did, even as he did things he found repulsive simply to further the goals of the man he loved and protect the members of his household.

HISTORY GOES HERE

While Alcuin is physically of the human norm in terms of strength and ability, he was trained since early childhood in various arts of acrobatic and academic skill. He is lean and fit with a supple body made quite flexible by countless hours of exercise, dance and escapist arts. He trained briefly with the Cassiline brother Joscelin for his own pleasure, though he was never formally trained in the art of the sword.

Alcuin is an accomplished horseman and speaks, writes and reads numerous languages quite fluently. He is enormously skilled at gathering information, blessed with an eidetic memory and a very unique attention to detail. He enjoys the arts of being a spy, less for their nature as tools of war and more as a game, though he spends no less time honing those skills as such. His particular talent for gathering intelligence is often noted with envy by Phedre, who becomes the most accomplished spy her world has ever known, suggesting that had he not perished, Alcuin’s skills might have outstripped Phedre’s.

Because of their religious beliefs, Terre d'Ange is an extremely sex-positive culture. All forms of sexual relationships between consenting adults are welcomed. The concept of infidelity is virtually non-existent and it is not at all uncommon for someone to have a consort and lovers in addition to a spouse. A consort is an officially-recognized partner. They do not have the legal status of a spouse, but they do have some standing.

Marriage seems to be done primarily for alliances and having children. It is not considered to be the ideal romantic relationship or better than other relationships. Gay marriage is not practiced. Forced marriages do not happen because they would be heresy, but love may not always be the primary factor in a union among the nobility. Even so, no D'Angeline will remain in a loveless marriage. Divorce is not seen in the series, though it seems unlikely that it would be prohibited.

D'Angeline women typically light a candle to Eisheth and pray for her to open their wombs when they get married. A D'Angeline woman cannot conceive until she does this.

Many D'Angelines think quite highly of themselves and have a tendency to be snobby and isolationist toward other peoples. They are exceptionally beautiful due to their angelic lineage. Even the men have a certain delicacy to their features and they do not have any facial hair.

The culture of Terre d'Ange is largely egalitarian, though women do not fight. Men and women both inherit and descent is reckoned through both parents.