Fiora Bernoulli History

Fiora's Family and Freinds

Father	Erbaldo Bernoulli
Mother	Theresa Bernoulli (Née Lucani)
Elder Brother	Vito Bernoulli (Missing presumed dead)
Elder Brother	Gianni Bernoulli
Elder sister	Bianca Bernoulli
Younger Brother	Rolando Bernoulli
Best Freind	Isabella Surati - Cymbr Courtesan & Childhood freind
Sorte Teacher	Demora Mondavi
Freind	Regina Fallisci - Sorte training companion

Fiora was born into the tail end of a large family. Her father Erbaldo Bernoulli is the first cousin of Prince Gespucci, which has placed him high in the great game. Her mother is a Lucani fate witch called Theresa. While the two of them got on well enough to produce five children, their relationship went no further. As fate did not allow Theresa to help her own family, she refused to do very much for the Bernoulli. So Erbaldo ‘banished’ her to the mainland and her own private estate. There she leads her own life free from any family politics, and Erbaldo was able to sleep at night knowing she is far away. Theresa had a reputation as a powerful Strega and made no secret of her desire to pluck the strings of her husband.

Erbaldo had no interest in his daughters; only his sons would make his fortune and build on his empire. So he was pleased when Fiora’s elder sister Luisa manifested her Sorte powers at a very early age and decided to learn from her mother. She was only too happy to leave the island and stay with Theresa. Erbaldo hardly noticed her absence. One day she would marry and serve another family with her gifts. If such was the case he would rather she knew as little as possible about the family.

Fiora was desperately sad to see her only female sibling leave. They were not terribly close, but were each other’s only sister. Banned from an education they could not even promise to write. Fiora would have joined her but she loved living on the island, even if she could rarely walk the streets below. She was also closest to her younger brother Rolando, with whom she played often. When her father took him away for lessons Fiora was left with her violin, which was her only other love. As Rolando grew older the lessons took up more time, but Fiora always had music and her violin.

Everything changed for Fiora on her twelfth birthday. Her mother decided it was time she saw her younger daughter, and sent word that she should visit. Frightened to disobey her ‘request’ Erbaldo put Fiora in a coach the same day. He sent Fiora’s eldest brother Vito with her. He was old enough to carry out a few business deals alone for his father, and a trip to the mainland was overdue. Fiora was very exited to see what lay beyond the islands. Although her life was quiet, it was not unhappy although she longed to see more of the world.

Sadly the great game follows everyone in Vodacce, wherever they go. Near the mountains of Palo Olimpia mercenaries of a rival prince attacked their coach. They wanted to kidnap Vito and discover more about some of Erbaldo's merchant activities for their employer. Vito and the coach guards fought bravely but were outnumbered. They realised early in the fighting that they could not win, so Vito ordered one of the men to get Fiora to safety. The mercenaries would have let them go easily, but Vito's attempt to save her made them think she was worth something. Fiora's guard was shot down as they escaped and she took a bullet in her shoulder. But she still managed to scrabble her way to safety in the mountains.

Lost in the mountains Fiora would have died had she not come across a Cymbr village two days later. She was very ill from exposure and had little idea of where and who she was. The Cymbr took pity on this lost girl and nursed her to health. But when she was better she could still only remember her first name and little else. She remembered her skills such as how to play the violin, but nothing else beyond her first name.

So the village adopted her. They taught her simple crafts like papermaking, and she even discovered a talent as a knife fighter. She came to love the simple village life and forgot that she must have had a life elsewhere. She stayed with the Cymbr for nearly five years, and would not have left but for one thing. She began to see the strands. Shortly after her sixteenth birthday she saw threads forming around the people she knew. She became dimly aware of the connections between the villagers. Her knowledge frightened the folk, who recognised it for what it was. More importantly it meant Fiora had noble blood, and would bring tragedy to the village if the nobility thought she was a victim of kidnap.

As luck would have it one of the other village girls called Isabella wanted to try her hand at the glamorous life of the courtesan. So it was decided the pair of them should travel together towards habitation and seek their fortune. Passing through Jesalute they travelled on to the city of Porto Spatia to find the courtesan school, where Isabella hoped to impress the principal. They travelled there with some of the village men who were going to seek labouring work. Then they all bid each other farewell and went to seek what fortune offered.

Isabella was accepted into the school. Fiora was too honest about her sorcerous powers and was refused entrance. Not that this bothered her, as she had no desire to be a courtesan. But she had to eat and found work as a serving girl while Isabella studied. The school didn't think to check if Fiora was important, as she appeared to be the half-blooded dalliance of some noble. More likely an embarrassment to the powerful man in question and therefore better left alone. Fiora was still happy with her lot in life and practiced using her power whenever she had the time, keeping it secret as it had done her no good so far.

When Isabella finished her initial training a year later (Fiora being17) she was able to go to the islands to begin her trade as an apprentice. She was allowed to take a handmaiden and obviously chose Fiora. Not only were they fast friends but also she knew Fiora's talent could be useful. Together they ended up at the Bernoulli Island and as soon as they arrived Fiora began remembering her past. Drawn towards the court she soon ran across her family who she recognised instantly. Having been only twelve when thy last saw her it took a while for them to recognise her, but it was her younger brother Rolando who insisted it was Fiora and took her in. In the comfort of her old home the memories flooded back. She was overjoyed at finding the family she had lost. But wept for Isabella when the girls were told it was unseemly for a courtesan and a noblewoman to mix. While they are kept apart they are not banned from each other's company. Although not as often as they would like the girls have found time and opportunity to see each other and remain friends.

Fiora was finally able to discover why the family hadn't looked for her. When Vito and she were attacked over six years ago he had apparently not survived. While no bodies were ever found word reached Erbaldo that his eldest son and youngest daughter were dead. The enemies had struck their blow and considered their work done. Erbaldo had dedicated himself to finding the culprits but had no luck in tracking down the one who actually gave the order. He did however wreck vengeance on a number of guilty parties, enough to assuage his grief and anger.

While her family was happy to see her, they had many tests for Fiora. It all that time away it was highly possible she had learnt to read. The family and community needed to be absolutely sure she had not broken the law. After a month of various tests the law was satisfied of her lack of education and Fiora was left alone to play the violin.

But her life was not to be as it once was. She was now to be instructed in the art of Sorte. An old Strega called Demora Mondavi was assigned as her tutor. Fiora joined a group of other girls all trying to refine their power. Among these girls was one called Regina Falisci, who became Fiora's friend. But Regina was young and very pretty and soon was married to a Villanova noble. After than Fiora saw little of her, but knew she did not get on well with her husband. Fiora vowed to try and put off marriage for as long as possible.

In any other case she would have had little option. But her father was keen to keep her, using her abilities where his wife had refused. So Fiora was able to see more of the curt and reject more suitors as her father wanted to keep her. The turning point came when she was doodling in her father's study waiting for him to finish a meeting. She picked up a pen and began to copy the designs on another piece of paper. When her father arrived she couldn't understand why he was so angry. It turned but she had not copied some clever pattern, but one of his business documents. Erbaldo was sure she must have learnt to read and kept it secret, but if that was the case why would she make such an obvious mistake. He proposed to secretly test her.

A few days later he asked her to copy another 'design'. She duly did so, almost perfectly and handed it back to him. Unaware she had copied an order for her death by burning. Her inability to notice such a terrible document for what it was convinced Erbaldo he had a new use for his daughter. She could copy and forge documents and have no idea what they meant. This made her a far trustworthier copyist that any other he could employ, and she was family. Fiora was happy with her father's plan. It would get her out of the islands on occasion to travel when he needed something copied he could not own for very long. She was often taken to parties and left in a side room with stolen documents to copy before they were returned. Who would expect a woman who could not read to be the forger?

Fiora walks a dangerous path. Should suspicion fall on her she may be unable to escape burning. So she stays quiet, and plays the violin. She knows that her talent will give her freedom to travel and also from an undesired marriage while she is of use. But there is one thing she hasn't told her father. After the last year of working as his forger some of the patterns are making sense. She is beginning to learn how to read.

Fiora's story continues in a small tale called 'Behind the Veil'