History of Lara Campbell

[Lara Campbell]

'The good, dutiful daughter. Always obedient, soft-spoken, and well-mannered.'

Aye, those were the words that many used to describe Lara Keely Campbell. Even middle name alone gave encouragement toward this belief for Keely meant beautiful and graceful. It was this that drew the eyes of many men. Once in her youth moon-eyed boys intent on assuaging a green tooth had clubbed her over head and sought to take what was not theirs to have. They were unpleasant youths- ones who Lara constantly turned away- intent on proving a point. That no female was going to act as though they could deny them. Women were put on earth to please men, no? It was a man indeed who disabused them of such notion. Blessed arrival of Kendrew saw her rescued before virtue could be taken or soul scarred by such horrors. The boys were taught a stern lesson that none would forget.

As the only girl child of Dona and Kendrew Campbell the older, it meant that she was watched carefully. With two older brothers in both Roric and Kendrew the younger always kept observant eyes on their sister. While Dona sought to see that nothing took their youngest child from them. For of many conceived only three children survived. These were the pride and joy of them. Life on a farm was a simple life of hard work and well-earned manners. Lara was taught of requirements of a woman while also taught education as brothers were. While Roric was constantly being chased from the beds of women and Kendrew getting into trouble as well- she was the one who did not cause parents hair to turn gray. While both sons sought to make Father proud by head into their knighthood. Kendrew the older survived long enough to see both boys succeed before passing away from an illness that swept through their little village.

It took many of those too young or too old before it faded away. Lara was yet in her mid-teens when this occurred and loss of Father made sorrow burrow in heart. Yet life could not be put on hold to mourn forever those lost. Lara sought to live. With two brothers it meant that she was able to protect herself when need arose and that was how a year after the death of her Father she met the man who would become husband.

While shopping in market, brothers were away and mother not feeling well so that she went unescorted, that a man sought to corner her. Footsteps constantly eluded him along twisted passageways until finally there was not an escape to be found. Lara had taken stance, used dagger meant for every day chores to hold threateningly, and attacked when he'd made his intent clear. They had been scrapping though he was stronger and her own voice rang loudly to attract attention- and attention did it attract!

He was the most magnificent specimen of man that Lara Campbell had ever laid eyes upon. Form stood almost 5 inches over 6 foot and made the 5'3 form of Lara have to crane back head to meet gaze. By features alone it could be noticed that there was Viking blood flowing somewhere in his veins. Yet he spoke with a noticeable French accent, his English not perfect, as he rescued Lara. Lifted her into strong arms after taking care of the brute.

Sigmund Aramis Haugrud was the man that captured Lara's heart that day. Born to a man descended of a Viking and French woman, he was the 10th child of a man that was a Baron in Normandy. As the position was not inherited it meant that the children were placed into influential marriages or in cases of sons? Well education and a skill found- a trade that they could survive on and make something of themselves. Sigmund's was that of Blacksmith- he made arms and armor of exquisite quality that was sought by many. His travel was not for business, but to visit a brother who had married a Scotswoman. Insane his family had called that brother and yet- the second Sigmund saw Lara there was no question.

Inspection by both brothers and Dona was required, and Lara was relieved they got on so well. She was courted for a year and three months before day of wedding arrived. Afterward both traveled back to Normandy where Sigmund lived in comfortable lifestyle. It was not a large place, no, a small cottage of sorts in a friendly little village. They made life there and at first it was hard- for success with children seemed to be as unlucky as Dona had had it. Many died in womb, others not long after birth, and still yet some later in childhood. This wore at the soul of the woman who loved life, but Sigmund saw her happy- and then came her pride and joy...

Leif and Lorens were the first children to survive past a year. Twins. Both with hair as blonde as their Father's and his blue eyes. They brought much pleasure to both Lara and Sigmund who doted on them. Following them two years later came another- Kelda. She gained Father's hair though Mother's brown eyes. The years of 1322 and 1323 were wondrous years- business flourished as did family. Yet the next year saw Sigmund summoned to fight in what was known as War of Saint-Sairdos. Lara was not a woman eager to send her husband off, but stood stoic on the day he left home. Mantle of responsibility and duty was taken up again. While Sigmund was gone Lara became in-charge of the blacksmith business as she did whenever business would take him away from Normandy for long periods. Her own hands were just as skilled in creating and mending, and pleasure was taken in it. That year did not see Sigmund return...

It was not war that killed him though. Instead a scuffle in a tavern after soldiers had been winding down saw a knife shoved between ribs. Lara was devastated. Children lost Father at a tender age, barely having the chance to know him long, and at night the bed was lonely. Yet the pain would not stop there...

A year later Cherbourg, where Lara and family resided in village, was hit by plague. Many gained the sickness including Lara's precious children. The twin boys were almost three-years-old and her little girl almost two-years-old. Of all the ones to catch it- Lara was not one. Yet her children were not so fortunate. She did her best to tend to them, to make them feel better, watching as they suffered in agony. All of it was to no avail. So few recovered from the sickness especially children. Lara's children died days apart, the twins together, and Kelda shortly after- in her arms. She had to be forcibly dragged away by the nobleman's guards when the bodies were to be placed into pit- burned...

Agonizing did not begin to describe the cry that rent from her lips as the flames licked the sky. This was an anguish that was near unbearable. Husband and children lost to her, Lara found herself alone in a place that no longer felt like home. Though heart would not allow her to return to Scotland. Even the death of Father and brother, Roric, could not compare to this ache. Graves were made where buried were simply belongings of the children and Sigmund. That was where she sought shelter to talk to them in evenings. During the day she worked- nonstop- as if working to join them. For more than a year Lara lived like this- closed off. She wrote home to family, but did not disclose just how badly her soul still wept for what was lost. It was a letter for her sent by sister-in-law Mary, who had been Roric's wife and was Mother to her niece and nephew(whom she'd met on a couple of occasions during visits home with Sigmund), that roused her from this state of half-existing. There was an urgency behind it that set panic into motion.

Immediately Lara headed to go home, to help her family, and not long after reaching the home of Mary Campbell they went into hiding. Moving as quietly as possible from one location to the next with destination of Skye in mind. Being hunted for last name was horrendous! Except it was the fight to protect her kin that gave Lara some spirit back, saw her smile and laugh again on occasion. Tragedy struck not long before their arrival in Skye- in the form of the death of Mary. It was a horrific death, the woman tortured unmercifully for not giving up the location of the rest of them, and the children took it hardest. Skye was a blessing... Their arrival gave them the comfort of a beloved brother and his new wife, and a chance to start fresh. It later saw the children laugh again as love healed wounds.

A small smithing shop was set up in the village of Drynoch where brother soon resided with wife. Where he went from simple man to Tanist to Chieftain. She sought way to provide her own. There was something soothing about working the heated metal and shaping it. Deep inside did Lara still ache for her own loss- husband's arms and children's laughs yearned for. Though she adored the children that she called niece and nephew, and spent much time with her sister-in-law, she wished for her own. Yet knows that her heart could never belong to another man- only ever to her Sigmund.

Now, in 1333, Lara seeks something different. Though still dutiful daughter she has offered her smithing services to the military of Skye. Making arms and armor for the place that had her loyalty seemed to make the most sense. She seeks to make a name for herself besides sister of Kendrew and daughter of Dona though not fame. Just something simple. If duty called in form of clan affairs? Well she had taken up the mantle many times before and would do it again.