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| ~ • ~ | Character Basics | ~ • ~ |

.:Name:. Lady Philomena Aliénor Cyréne d'Harcourt

.:Nick Name:. Mena

.:Rank:. Nobility

.:Age:. Twenty-Six Years Old in 1813

| ~ • ~ | Appearance | ~ • ~ |

.:Physical Appearance:. Philomena is neither extraordinarily tall nor short. Subject to much gossip, she is wrapped in sensuous curves and makes no attempts to hide the softness (and ampleness) of her figure. Her hair is dark brown, and copper strands hidden throughout appear in the sunlight. She typically wears her hair pinned up in loose curls, and while her maids are certainly skilled, those curls always seem to come loose. It is scandalous, really, how close Lady Mena is to wearing her hair down in public, but if one were to ask her if it is done on purpose, she would play coy. Her cheeks and lips always bear a slight amount of rouge, and her fashions are always well-tailored and of the latest French style. All in all, her physical appearance toes the line of propriety, but her charm and status keep her from falling into the worst opinions of society.

.:Height:. 5'4"

.:Portrayed by:. Charli Howard

| ~ • ~ | Personality | ~ • ~ |

.:Personality:. In public, Philomena is light-hearted and fun-loving. Having been all over Europe, she is quite worldly and uses that experience to capture attention and interest to ensure she continues to have a space in society. In private, she still maintains that good humor, but she is much quieter and more reserved. People would be surprised to find she is much more introverted than she lets on. At home, she is content to focus on literature and cataloging the local flora in each place she visits. Raised with love, Philomena has no issue sharing her affection with others. On the same token, she has no issue sharing that which she takes issue with others.

.:Skills:. Having grown up across Europe, Philomena is proficient in many languages. The most skill is shown in the Romantic, but she also can hold her own in German and Russian.



As a girl, Philomena was a voracious reader and devoured any text she could get her hands on. Because she was traveling with her diplomat father, those texts were often political in nature. Ask her about the Corn Laws or her opinion on military strategy, and she might have something intelligent to say in return. Furthermore, she gained an admiration for science as a girl, particularly in flowers and other vegetation. In every place that she’s been, she’s kept a detailed notebook of the plant life she’s found, and she included dried specimens when she was able.



Is riding backward-facing in a carriage a skill?

.:Weaknesses:. Philomena’s life has revolved around being the charming daughter visiting various courts. She has done well with this, but it is utterly exhausting to her. Still, being on the go all her life, she worries she won’t know what to do with herself if she is confined to one place, even if it is what she wishes for most.



Additionally, toeing the line in society when it pertains to propriety has its consequences. There are times when that toe can slip to the wrong side, and in those times, Philomena can be quite hard on herself. There is a strange duality where her life revolves around being unique and interesting and, at the same, time needing to be perfect, a concept that defies her goal.



Philomena may be nearing spinster status, but that doesn’t mean she has never been offered marriage. Indeed, many gentlemen have courted her, and Philomena has denied them all, making her in danger of garnering a bad reputation for spurning men.



On a lighter note, Philomena has no talent for the creative pursuits ladies are meant to be proficient in. Her stitches are always crooked, and her paintings might be mistaken for those done by a child. While she adores art and the history behind pieces, she holds little talent herself.

| ~ • ~ | History | ~ • ~ |

.:Birthplace:. Lillebonne, Normandy, France

.:Family:. Thierry Lucien François d’Harcourt, the Duc d’Harcourt — alive at 60 years old in 1813

Anastasie Cécile d’Harcourt, the Duchesse d’Harcourt — deceased at 25 years old in 1789

Étienne Arnaud Christophe d’Harcourt, heir to the Harcourt Duchy — deceased at 24 years old in 1813

Male Cousin, heir apparent to the Harcourt Duchy — alive at ## in 1813

.:Occupation:. Daughter of the French Duc d'Harcourt

.:History:. Philomena’s father was a French duke, and he long held a career in politics as a diplomat, not content to linger in Normandy. From an early age, as the Duc d’Harcourt’s first child and only daughter, Philomena was her father’s precious jewel, and she was brought along on his travels to royal courts across Europe. Hers was a happy childhood, filled with her father’s devotion even in the face of the loss of her mother soon after her brother’s birth. The Duke’s affection was not the only reason for her accompaniment, however.



The late 1700s and early 1800s saw the French Revolution and Napoleon’s reign. Philomena and her younger brother, the future Duc d’Harcourt, were brought to British society and elsewhere on the continent to ensure their safety away from the chaos in their homeland as the family awaited restoration of the French peerage.



Philomena has been in British society in and out over the years, but she’s traveled all over. She laughs and charms and jokes about how grand it all was, but really, it was very lonely and scary to not have a home. When she met William, Duke of Wellington, she was certain she felt at home with him, felt that indescribable spark between them. Before they could seek something official between them, Philomena was whisked off again by her father, and over the course of a few years, she and Will have written each other hundreds of letters. While other men showed interest in her both before they met and after, she has been able to stave off marriage in hopes that she and Will can be reunited.



By any other standard, she should have spinster status or at least be nearing it, but she’s novel and exotic and exists as more of an object of fascination in society. No doubt her curves, the fashions that hug them, and her rouged lips are cause for gossip among the ladies of the ton Even so, her charm keeps her in good standing.



Recently, her brother was killed as a result of a duel where he served as a second and was hit by a bullet gone astray. Her father is getting older, and his lifestyle is hardly one without stress. With the duchy seemingly moments away from being handed to a male cousin, Philomena feels the instability acutely and is more determined than ever to find her way to Will, especially as she’s heard he’s looking for a wife.

| ~ • ~ | Member Info | ~ • ~ |

.:Name or Online Alias:. Ash

.:Your Pronouns:. She/Her

.:Are you 18+:. Yes

.:How Did You Find Us:. Sweet Tina