Nathalie Cavendish

=History= Nathalie's story begins with her father. He was born into an old aristocratic family in the United Kingdom, and at birth it was noticed that he had a strange, mystical birthmark, so he was taken, by agreement, and raised in secret by the Templars. The outside word thought the baby had died. Only the Templars and the family knew the truth. He was rechristened Michael. Michael was not only Nathalie's father, but also her mentor and teacher. He was considered one of the finest swordsman in the world and a high ranking Templar. She doesn't remember her mother Charlotte, as she died only a few days after her stillborn baby sister came into the world, when Nathalie wasn't even two. It is said that she had a strong affinity for healing magic, but Nathalie knows nothing else of her mother's heritage, other than that she too had once been a Templar. Nathalie's father shared some memories with her when she would ask, but knowing that he found them painful, she didn't push.

Educated largely by private tutors and under the guidance of her father, Nathalie excelled and became a diligent and disciplined student. Her father also saw that she had training with weapons and self-defense. Other Templar tutors helped her manage her magical abilities, although she always felt the learning was slow going, though they assured her it was natural, and it wasn't until years later that she truly mastered her powers, much as she had been told she would. Always being a bit of an adventurer though, she wanted to explore, so she was thrilled with the notion of stepping out into the world to attend a nearby senior boarding school, although it took her some time to adjust.

While not an ideal childhood and not with complications, she managed to find happiness in her own way, until one fateful night, one summer, changed the course of her life. Her father had been murdered and she was taken captive by a group of rogue Illuminati, who were seeking a book in her father's possession. She had a chance to kill the leader of the attackers and perhaps save her father, but she froze, having never taken a life before, and the madman instead took the sword from her hands and killed her father in front of her. She was rescued the following night by another Illuminati. He explained how he learned of the plot, of the rogue group, and had tried to stop it, but arrived too late, so all he could do now was save her. He was as good as his word and they managed to elude the group for weeks. Her knight in shining armour, who was also tall, dark and handsome, she couldn't help but develop strong feelings for him, and he for her. He was the only thing keeping her sane through the madness. Eventually, he convinced her that the rogue group had to be stopped if she were to ever have any peace and resume her life, so despite her protests about the danger, he set up a trap for them and they managed to avenge her father. In the final battle, however, the Illuminati agent, her love, was struck down by the same rogue leader who killed her father. Nathalie at that moment found the power inside herself, honed her magic and struck him dead. Nathalie was never the same again.

The summer was nearly over and within a few days she went back to school to finish her last year of sixth form. She went through a very dark period that year and stopped connecting with people. The only constant in her life, all that she really could put her faith in, was the Templars. They urged her to finish college and she did, earning a degree in history, but afterword Nathalie began working for the Templars full-time. While some Templars fear she may be motivated largely by revenge, she is more driven by the thought of making her father proud and living up to her family's heritage and serving the Templars to the best of her ability.

As a front in some of her work, she poses as an antique dealer and book antiquarian - owning a shop in London managed by a friend. Although, truth be told, not much posing is involved, due to her love of knowledge and rare facts. She is attracted to mysticism as well, but usually likes to approach it, especially with others, in rational terms. She always keeps in mind that what to her is rational and established is often to the general public non-sense and fairy tales, so she appreciates the fact that she doesn't know everything, although that won't stop her from trying to learn it.

Her ancestry can be traced to Napoleon's aide-de-camp, Charles de Flahaut, a love child of the famous Talleyrand, of the same family as Templar Grand Master Armand de Périgord.

=Ambitions= To rise to the upper echelons of Templar society, as her father before her did. To earn their trust and to live a life of honour and duty. To faithfully and loyally serve her friends and Templars, who are like her extended family. To never again fail to be there when she is needed most.

=Personality=

ISTJ personality type. She has an air of seriousness about her. Some consider her cold and distant, but she is thought of well by those who know her best. Some might criticize or be intimated by her aristocratic bearing and formality, but she will not apologize for being who she is. Most people like her once they get to know her. She often uses her potent sense of humour to defuse volatile situations. In an effort to blend into urban London, she adopted an Estuary accent, perhaps with a touch of Received Pronunciation retained.

In her heart of hearts she means well and tries to protect and help the defenseless, but can become frustrated with those who would take up her time to assist with their personal woes and/or agendas. She has been known to say, "I'm a Templar, not a politician." Some of the Templar hierarchy fear she may be a bit of a loose cannon, despite her previous discretion and dedication to the cause, because of the darkness in her past.

=Hobbies= Collecting old memorabilia and artifacts, researching history and mysticism, reading fiction, fencing, snow boarding, gardening, sipping coffee in a coffee shop while people watching.

=Likes= Reasoning things out, loyalty, organization, hard work, common sense, duty before pleasure, tradition, thinking ahead, doings things by the book when at all possible, and a little humor to break up the monotony. She admires strength of character and likes, though doesn't necessarily trust, charisma.

=Dislikes= Emotional outbursts, excessive tattoos and piercings, unexpected surprises (despite usually being prepared just in case), insincerity, sloppiness, disrespect, inconsideration, people of wavering loyalty.

=Soundtrack=

UFO - Lights Out

Switchfoot - Meant to Live

Nick Cave - The Mercy Seat

Thirty Seconds to Mars - Vox Populi

Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself