Post by Semper Skye on Jun 12, 2010 10:04:29 GMT -5
Name
Luiza de la Segovia
Luiza of Segovia
Date of Birth
May 1300
21st of the month
fraternal twin
Age
33
Height
5'8
Hair
dark
deep brown, almost black
Eyes
green
deep, muddied with brown
Build
tall & curved
populist image; endowed by wealth
Origins
Segovia
castile and leon, espana
Madrid
madrid , espana
Family
Antonio de la Segovia {father, deceased}
master glazier, works sought after by church & state
Alatea de la Segovia {mother, deceased}
glazier's wife
Arcelia de la Coronado {fraternal twin sister, living}
la cortigiana oneste, honored courtesan
Occupation
courtesan
la cortigiana oneste, honored courtesan
trained within the Vai Laietana, Venice Province, Italia
Patrons
various
the mistress former of Senor Marco Antonio Tapa, the very man who sold her at the age of 8, became his mistress at the age of 15, and won both the respect and fascination of the man whom fate had ordained has her first patron when innocence was all the woman possessed sa a child. her patrons are many, her primaries are a small and selective group
Traits
bold
independent
has acquired such standing, that she is kept more out of habit and need to keep information than money, in hopes one of her patrons may marry her to solicit her service to fellow nobles
high principals
determined
purposeful
famed & infamous
seductive
challenging
demanding
vindictive
compassionate
to the deserving
intelligent
well educated in politics, art, music, and dance
desirable
Attachments
Vaasco Sanchiz
mercinary agent, the butcher of toledo
History
"I shall not say why and how I became, at the age of 15, the mistress of Senior Marco Antonio Tapia and on to become Spain’s most notorious courtesan. But the stories after are true… and so it shall be told…"And the account of her life began… the tale full of exuberant self-aggrandizement, in a timeless world in which she was the dazzling sun and all the great men she had known were mere twinkling stars.
Luiza de la Segovia is a notorious courtesan in Toledo, the city she has elected to settle in. She is renowned for her independence and high spirit, a favored token of her character. Many times through her life, she has chosen her protector, bedded him, and then discarded him. When she said goodbye, she did not look back. It takes a woman of incredible skill to command such power in a world where even the artisans among the desired can be cast aside. The wrong arrangement can turn a glittering prospect in to the thing that makes her a common hussy. Abuse and wrong-doing can run rampant, yet she is different.
It all begins with a childhood memory, walking with her grandmother through the streets of Madrid at night, she realized that a beautiful woman was standing inside a doorway near them, half illuminated by a lamp, half invisible in darkness. As they passed, the woman let her black cloak fall aside to reveal a luxurious assemblage of scarlet undergarments; and instead of hurrying her young charge on, Luiza’s grandmother insisted they pause to admire the woman's beauty. But it was a strange kind of beauty, for the woman seems to have been uncanny and a little provocative.
Hailing from a lower class family, Antonio de la Segovia, had served his time as an apprentice and journeyman glazier. Now as a Master of cutting and shaping glass, his artistry sought after by the Church and Kings. His talent was appreciative with the building of new Churches and palaces, thus humbly placing him a bit above his normal standard of living and allowed him the opportunity to publicly support the Church and King.
With every society, outlaws often survived by exploiting the peasantry, and the most successful often relied upon powerful connections to shelter them from prosecution. Marco Antonio Tapia, Madrid’s criminal leader in the district where the de la Segovia’s lived, was one such man... and his views on the King and Church was contradictory to his monetary gain.
Unfortunately, Antonio’s righteous conduct landed him in trouble after he spoke out against Tapia. Running afoul of the man proved to be a mistake with life-changing consequences for him and his family..
Tapia had kidnapped young Luiza, now age 8, in retaliation and sold her to a merchant from Venice. Then threatened the Father with the abduction of the other child should he continue his vocalization of peasant politics. Knowing such a young and beautiful girl would bring about a handsome price, he considered Venetia; far enough away not to be brought on charges by the Spanish King’s Constabulary. But the Venetian soon found that Luiza was too young to be thrown into prostitution, so she was sold to a brothel as a maid. But this brothel was not just any brothel.
The Vai Laietana was similar to conservatories for education, literature, poetry, fashion, classical music, dance. Everything that could transform an individual into a master of the arts - but the Vai Laietana was a not the usual brothel nor conservatory, but a producer of courtesans; some of Europe’s finest were graduates.
A Courtesan was considered the most powerful priestess of love – she could by no means be compared to a common prostitute. Courtesans were educated intelligent women, had refined manners, possessed the art of conversation and influenced fashion. Courtesans also had the freedom to choose their lovers. Their relationships with men were mostly based on mutual fascination and attraction.
Living in the Vai Laietana, Luiza joined the ranks of the literati, at the valued age of 13. She learned everything within its confines – stylish living, academics, music and dance, and many more arts, including writing and presenting poetry.
Soon Luiza de la Segovia was a name of consequence and the entire community was dazzled by her beauty, charms, and skills. Every man wanted her, but he was reserved only for the elite. Though the exclusive clientele of the Vai Laietana was moneyed and powerful, Luiza herself desired the attention of a single man – a young, brash Portuguese knight and emissary to Venice – one Vaasco Sanchiz. But what was a few passionate nights wrought, lingered thru the years, crossing the map and lives of many.
The tale Luiza told was a composition of light and dark, a landscape rather than a body… the image of a continent divided by a sword's shadow. One side is bright and orderly, the world of decent society, through which a respectable woman walks as if on a path through Turas Lan Gardens. The other is a glowering, tumbled wilderness of precipices and ruins like those of Toledo. Her tale traversed Europe at will, stepping from night to sunlight and back but any woman who once crosses the shadow of the sword can never return.
Through the years, she achieved this goal through her many virtues. She became proficient in several languages, was well versed in classical and contemporary literature, could engage in political discussions, and held honored positions at high-level functions. She became good singer, dancer, and musician as well. Many times, she has relived the vision she experienced with her grandmother and sister - a beautiful woman was standing inside a doorway near them, half illuminated by a lamp, half invisible in darkness, her black cloak falling aside to reveal a luxurious assemblage of scarlet undergarments; a strange kind of beauty, for the woman seemed uncanny and a little provocative.
Though a courtesan's fortunes were tied to the attentions of her noble patrons, Luiza certainly experienced far greater freedom than most women. She, as well as her sister courtesans, enjoyed far greater power, freedom and knowledge than the typical Spanish wife. Remarkably, Luiza was allowed to collect and keep her own earnings, and to own property. As a result, she was able to accumulate great wealth, often exhibited in her sumptuous attire, rendering her virtually indistinguishable from the noble women of the city. Yet any lonely nights were filled with the visions of the Portuguese.
Despite her entry into the thirties, Luiza’s sensuality is beautiful and her physical beauty can be altered thru cosmetic. re-introduced to tenderness of the ages through Vaasco’s steeled love for her. Her thoughts and actions for the future are sometimes conflicted as she deals with the duality of her life-long lover, but she will not be undone. As he carries on his ventures, so does she.