Kaysa Blackstone

Imagine the most precious white rose on earth, with a beauty so stunning, it mesmerizes.  It makes your breath quicken even as it stills the heart.  Imagine now that its softest petals, softer than silk or feathers, would not wilt in the brightest sun nor the coldest winter storm. And imagine still that its thorns were sharp enough to pierce flesh and bone and sinew and the stoniest of hearts. And now push your imagination further still and envision that the rose could sing, only that the voice of this most precious of flowers was sweeter than the rarest of songbirds, the wind through the trees, the rain on the water. Now personify that pulchritude, that strength, that euphonious voice into the manifestation of a sidhe, and you have Kaysa.

Kaysa upon Nana, her faerie warhorse.

Kaysa came to the Kingdom of Apples from her homeland in the Kingdom of Dalarna (Sweden) at the age of 17, where she served as a knight in the Court of Queen Mab. She quickly made a name for herself through heroic deeds and was elevated to the rank of Baroness. Kaysa Blackstone of House Fiona, already the veteran of 100 battles at the time, was drawn to Caer Falken after hearing the exploits of Hemlock Autumnsbane.  She was drawn to his courage, his expertise on the battlefield, his martial prowess and his legendary love for commoners, the likes she had not seen in many of House Gwydion, save their High King David Ardry, who was now missing and possibly lost.  When the young Count had made it known that he sought able barons to help him rule his County, she sought leave from Queen Mab herself to relinquish her post in New York to serve in Bergen, just as Hemlock himself had done. As it happens, Caer Palisades is just over the border from Caer Falken, so the Queen knew that, had she need of either Hemlock or Kaysa, there were few counties closer than theirs.

Kaysa has served Count Autumnsbane for close to two decades now, fighting by his side, attending court functions and consoling him when his wife went missing.  Rumors abound regarding a secret romance between Kaysa and her liege, yet no witnesses exist to corroborate such rumors.  In fact, while Kaysa has been known to have the occasional lover, as a Fiona lady might, her dedication to her barony, her liege lord and her military prowess has given her no time for long term romantic entanglements.  Given Kaysa's remarkable beauty, desire for her has led to many rivalries among the local nobility and commoners alike, and more than one fatality and subsequent arrest.

Consistently emerging victorious in the county's tournaments, she was at some point asked by Count Hemlock to retire from that scene, in order to allow others the opportunity to shine (since no one in Bergen has to date been able to unhorse her at the lists).

Baroness Kaysa ni Fiona continues to hold the freehold of Blackstone in Saddle River, New Jersey.

Fae Mien:

Kaysa stands about six feet in height, and despite her considerable strength, is slender and eminently feminine.  She simultaneously maintains a lady like demeanor and a warrior's poise.  Her wavy blonde hair cascades down her back and spills over her shoulder in luxurious abundance. The hue falls somewhere between gold and honey. In battle, she wears these locks plaited. She possesses piercing blue eyes and a creamy complexion.  Kaysa tends to wear dresses of scarlet, trimmed in silver when in social settings, with corsets that accentuate her ample bosom. In combat, she wears a set of sidhe plate armor that sprouts angelic wings at her back when in the heat of battle, majestic in their splendor as she sings battle songs in the Swedish tongue. Along with her silver, winged helmet, her overall appearance is that of a Valkyrie.  In fact, Kaysa claims to actually be a Valkyrie.  To date, no one has had the courage to argue this point with her.

Mortal Seeming and history:

To mortals, Kaysa Björklund appears very much as she does in her fae mien, although in this form, she clearly cannot reveal the breathtaking beauty of her sidhe appearance. Her hair is still blonde, her eyes still blue and her skin pale, as is not unusual for those of Swedish descent. As a well developed teenager, she was the envy of other girls and the distraction of boys everywhere. Such gifts are not to be wasted and she made a fortune as a model in Europe during her youth.  While establishing herself, some people often had difficulties with her last name.  One promoter, claiming after the fact that he had misunderstood her surname, called her Blackstone instead of Björklund. Her managers decided that, for publicity purposes, they would keep that name for her. This was no mere coincidence.  The promoter was fae, and knew that her true name was indeed Blackstone, and he was instrumental in aiding her through her Chrysalis during this period of her life. Highly successful in her career of modeling and advertising, Kaysa moved to the United States in her later teens and continued to model for a short time before creating the Blackstone Modeling Agency in Manhattan at the ripe old age of 18.  True to stereotype. Kaysa was no genius, and she recognized this fact. So knowing her own limitations, she surrounded herself with talented people to handle the minutia of the business and was more or less just the face and money behind the enterprise. Now she allows surrogates to run the company in her name, freeing her up to manage her fae affairs.  When she is seen in public, her clothing consists of modest dresses or simple skirts and blouses. And while she is often seen driving fancy red sports cars, she is more often seen riding a motorcycle, which is merely the glamour placed upon her milk-white faerie steed, Nana.

Baroness Kaysa ni Fiona