Nova Hyacinth

She’d wrapped herself up under a thin canvas cloak- heavy fabrics made her skin crawl, the weight made worse when she’d traverse in the rain. This was a reasonable action- until it dragged onwards to evenings; even in the dim lighting of the tavern, even eating, she kept that hood up. Two violet braids hung down over the edge of her hood- the color was obnoxious and easy to notice, and one could assume they’d been dyed via some kind of magic, or the awkward effects of an intense potion. This of course wasn't the case- Nova’s hair had always been that color, as far back as she could remember, but she’d grown used to crafting an assortment of explanations- vengeful witches, subtle curses, angering the gods. Anything to keep strangers from asking too many questions.

She wiped her lips and when shed lifted her head up, there was… an odd kind of beauty about her. She was a young lady, but there was a harsh edge to her that spoke volumes about her strength beyond the toned muscles of her arms and shoulders. She was short in contrast- her feet barely touching the floor, but she did appear human, aside from that hair.

She was looking your way. Her muted green eyes caught on to your gaze, and quickly you looked down, towards your own food. There was a pause, silence before you looked back up- and she’d kept her gaze on you, offering up a wide smile and a short wave. Suddenly, you’d remembered why you’d been staring, what felt so familiar.

A poster, just a short walk away from the tavern featured an illustration of a woman uncomfortably similar to this one. A gladiator who’d run from the ring and her master, there was a hefty reward for returning the woman to her homeland. The same vivid hair and harsh yet gentle look, and as if it needed to be any clearer, when she shifted on her chair, you caught the sight of an elaborate series of patters across her skin. The poster had called her Hyacinth- “SIN” in large letters below it.

She must’ve registered the look on your face- she’d seen it plenty before. The woman had shifted to stand, picking up a large sword and heaving it onto her back, before approaching the bar and offering a few more coins for her flask to be filled with something sweet. You watched her, unmoving as she headed out the doors and into the night.