This is the elaborate cover story for Matalina‘s new identity — Cari Namere.
Cari was born to Flan and Rita Laenael in a small town in Cairhein. The Laenael family owned a small farm where they grew herbs and other plants for sell at market. There was little to no meat around so most of the family was vegetarians, eating only the things they grew, or could catch in the neighboring forest. Cari was an only child, Rita died in child birth.
Flan raised his daughter to the best of his ability. Cari was loved and treasured by her father.
Cari had an infatuation with the merchant guards in the city for almost as long as she could remember. By the age of 14 Cari had caught the eye of one guard. Flan was eager to marry his daughter off but the guard was too dedicated to his work at the time in order to marry her. Devon Triad worked for a traveling merchant who frequently bought the Laenael herbs to sell on his trading route. When Devon was in town he would show Cari how to use a sword he’d given her and the daggers she’d purchased in market one day while they were spending time together. She because quite adept at them in the years that Devon came to see her. Devon also taught Cari how to read and write and brought her books on all sorts to read while he was away. Devon was also in love with Cari, but he was too dedicated to his merchant to actually marry Cari.
When Cari was 16 years old, Devon took her out on a romantic evening, the whole night ending in a night of passion Cari had never experienced before. That night was enough to get Cari with child. Devon decided he would marry the lass after the child was born and he made a last tour with his merchant. But Devon never made it back. His merchant was over run by bandits and Devon died heroically defending him. The merchant returned to the Laenael family with the news and Cari was devastated. She was so distraught that she had a miscarriage and pledged never to fall in love again.
Four years after the death of Devon, Cari suffered another tragic loss. The farm she had been raised on caught fire. The fire started in the barn due to spontaneous combustion of the wet hay in the loft. The horses she’d learned to ride on and her father burned in the inferno that followed the burst of energy. Cari left the farm the next day lost beyond hope. She eventually ran into man in an Inn in Cairhein. She never knew the name of it, she didn’t pay much attention as she wandered in for the night for a meal and a bed. The inn was loud and there wasn’t much room to sit except for at a table where a man and woman sat together. No one sat with them and Cari didn’t bother to wonder why. She asked to sit with them and they looked around and saw no other place for her to sit so they obliged to the request. Cari was thankful. The man’s dark hair and pale skin made him Cairhein, the woman had an odd look to her and Cari tried not to stare, but when the man looked at her and smiled, his uncharacteristic blue eyes caught her attention. She had no choice but to smile back at him. He reminded her of Devon. Her smiled turned to a frown and the man asked her name and what was wrong. Cari told him her name and said she had a bad memory float to the top. He gave her his name and her smile returned. They spent the night talking of trival things, nothing of importance, though Cari did have a general fondness for the man. But the next morning the pair was gone and Cari was left alone in the inn to ponder her life.
The memories of Devon the night before had made Cari realize she had no future holding on to the past. A change was needed in order to move on. Cari Laenael became Cari Namere that morning. The last name of the man she had just met the night before was just the thing she needed to load up her horse and move on with her life.
Cari drifted from place to place never staying long in one place, learning what she could of fighting with a sword and the intricacies of war. That was the one thing that she would use to remember Devon by. At the age of 30 Cari found her way back to Cairhein and on a horse ranch caring for the animals and the injuries that seemed to proclaim themselves on a daily basis. The Rashad’s took Cari in and gave her a place to sleep and a family once again to call her own. They treated Cari like family. Sara Rashad even went so far as to call her daughter on occasion and helped to ready Cari for a marriage that one day would be in the future. Sara had a lot to work on to teach Cari how to become a woman that a man would want to marry. All the years following the path of the sword and war and roughed Cari’s original sweet edges. But Cari was willing to learn and to move on with her life.
The Rashad family owned and operated a ranch that raised riding horses as well as warhorses. Cari was fond of both and helped to break three wild stallions. They wouldn’t be fit for general populace, but they’d work well for the war horse program. The three horses would have to bond with each new rider it would get and in the army it would be the best place for their still high strung nature to be used to best effect. Nathan Rashad gave Cari three soft mannered horses in payment. She named them Black Sand, Sand Storm and Hope Floats. Cari stayed on the Rashad farm and that’s where she’s currently working – tending to the injuries of the family and animals, as well as helping with other chores and training of the horses. She’s little time to find a man to marry with all the training Sara is making her go through, and the young boys who are asking for Cari’s attention to teach them how to use a sword.
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