Kayra - Tumblr Posts

Heronie of the slaves - Song of fire and sand "I See you in another way"

Shapur (Pars Era 310)

Shapur (Pars Era 310)

Marzban of Pars, loyal, sharp, ambitious, hot-headed.

A man who at the age of 24 received from the king the highest rank in the Parsian military.  A man who obeyed the rules and never broke them or shaped them to his will.  A man who cared for his subordinates but also a man who knew that in war he would have to sacrifice them in order to achieve victory. 

Shapur was a man who would never question the authority and the decisions of the king and he would defend this decision with all his might against outsiders.  Even if he disagreed, because Shapur Marzban of Pars was loyal. Loyal to the royal family, loyal to the king of Pars.  His comrades would call him an idealist, even uptight.  If he was saw in a bar or a brothel with them after a battle and rejected any approach of a woman.  After two cups of wine he already excused himself and retreated to his chambers.  Such was Shapur Marzban of Pars, that was what his men, his comrades said of him. 

But for Kayra he was more than that:

Kayra could see the sides of Shapur that his comrades, his men, the royal family, even the sides that his brother Isfan did not know.  But Kayra knew them 

She knew the small wrinkles around his eyes when the first sunlight fell on his still sleeping face, softening his striking features.  His black hair, which fell like fine silk over his shoulders and shimmered in the light.  His gentle smile, which he gave her when he noticed how she watched him sleeping. 

His amused smile when he lowered his eyes and shook his head slightly when Kayra told him about a book she had just finished reading. His caring smile when Isfan played in the garden pretending to be a great warrior. 

Kayra knew that Shapur was loyal, he was loyal to those he loved, to the people he cared about.  Shapur was less loyal to the king of Pars than to his own people.  But she also knew how afraid he was of losing the people he loved.  The fear of incurring the wrath of the royal family by a thoughtless act, a thoughtless word, and losing everything.  Not his title, not his castle, not his money, but the fear of losing the people he loved. 

That is why Shapur kept his opinion to himself, that is why he rarely criticized the king's decisions.  Kayra knew this, Kayra knew his thoughts, knew his concerns. She knew that Shapur often spent nights hanging over the king's orders, she saw the deep wrinkles that stretched across his face and looked like deep gorges in the light of the burning candles.  Gloomy and frightening

She saw the deep circles under his eyes, the tired look when he looked for another strategy for the repeated time.  A strategy that would be less risky and require fewer lives, a strategy to convince the king to deviate from his plans.  Kayra knew he was doing this in secret, without much fuss, and without ever getting credit for it.  He did it so that the king would save face and so that he would know the ones he loved were safe. Yes, Kayra knew this side of him and many more.  She knew that sometimes he was hard on her and Isfan because he wanted to protect them.  Protect them from the cruel world that ruled behind the high walls of the fortress.

He did not want them to see the things he had seen, to be forced to do the things he had done. He would never admit this to anyone, but Kayra knew, she knew because he had told her himself. 

One night when it all came crashing down on him, one night when the deep circles under his eyes took their toll.  On a night when Shapur Marzban of Pars looked not like a young man of just 28 years, but like a man who carried the weight of the world on his own shoulders.  A man who had seen too much and done too many things to ever be forgiven for them.  Kayra knew this side, the fragile side, the side when his eyes didn't shine with drive and determination, the side when he didn't look at her lovingly and tenderly brush a strand of hair behind his ear with his fingers. 

The side when he didn't hold her protectively in his strong arms on the cold winter nights. She knew the side of him that was afraid, the side that knew despair.  Kayra knew that some nights he could not sleep, the nights when he came secretly to her chamber.  On those nights he didn't speak, he just stand at the edge of her bed as if to make sure she wouldn't just disappear. Sometimes when Kayra woke up, she would move a little in her narrow bed and he would lie down with her.  He would hold her tightly, as if she would vanish into thin air at any moment, as if she had never existed. 

Kayra knew all too well how stubborn Shapur could be, but she also knew how much compassion he could feel for someone.  She knew how hot-headed he could be at times and how insightful he was when he had had time to review all the arguments.  Yes Kayra knew that Shapur was like a little insecure boy when he apologized and how relieved he could be when he was forgiven. 

Even if his comrades did not see these sides of him, she saw them. She knew that after a battle he did not party until the early hours of the morning, which did not mean that he slept. No, he would stay at his workplace until the early hours of the morning and write letters to the families of the fallen soldiers.  Over the years these were many letters and many fallen, but she knew how important it was to Shapur that the soldiers he commanded were not just numbers or faces lost in the crowd. 

They too had families, parents, siblings, lovers, children.  They now had to deal with this loss, while for him it simply went on. Kayra did not know if this letter helped those left behind or if they would ever receive it, but she also knew that it was more for Shapur.  It was his way of dealing with the loss of people he himself had sent to their deaths.  Shapur knew how quickly life could be over, how quickly one wrong decision could cost the lives of hundreds, even thousands of people.

He knew it and he knew that Kayra knew it.  Kayra also knew why he rejected the women who wooed him.  She knew the women who threw themselves at him, it was not only the rich and fine ladies who were taken in by his reserved and friendly manner.  No, it was also the prostitutes who waited for the men in the bars and brothels to give them a little pleasure after a battle won or a hard day on the training ground.

Kayra knew that Shapur rejected her, all of them.  Shapur was loyal, not only loyal to the royal family, not only loyal to his men.  No, he was loyal to her  A simple farmer's daughter who had been sold into slavery, he was loyal to her because she knew how precious his time with her and Isfan was, how he soaked up every happy moment, how with every laugh his worries disappeared a little bit more. 

Kayra knew this and she also knew that she was his anchor, even if he had never told her this, but she knew it. She knew so much about Shapur Marzban of Pars and for this reason she could tell him.  For this reason and many more she could tell him  "I see you in a different way than you ever could" and his astonished face, his incredulous smile, the eyes which he cast down and then he laugh out loud only to take her in his arms and steal a secret kiss that was for only for her 

For Kayra this was Shapur, Marzban of Pars.

Heronie of the slaves - Song of fire and sand "For me you will always be a queen"

"For me you will always be a queen"

Kayra was a beautiful women  But for Shapur she was so much more

Kayra (Pars Era 321)

To describe Kayra was not easy: 

She was like the desert wind, which danced around and which you could never get hold of.  Sometimes gentle and quiet, sometimes merciless and loud.  Her voice was like a gentle spring rain, which was refreshing to the skin and made you pause for a moment.  She was gentle and loving, good at listening and giving advice. She was like the sea on a calm day, light, playful and beautiful.  Her red hair was reminiscent of the Parsi roses that bloomed in the royal garden.  Her green eyes shone like the lush forests of eastern Pars.

Narsus described her as perceptive.  Daryun as an equal comrade.  Elam and Alfreed would call her a loving elder sister.  Farangis saw her as a strong friend.  Gieve recognized not only her outer beauty, but also her inner beauty and saw her as a confidante.  For Jaswant she was an ally against the hostilities.  Prince Arslan would call her the sun, warm and full of hope, a patient teacher and confidante.  For Isfan she was like a sister and a mother at the same time.

Shapur knew this to be true of Kayra, but he knew more: 

He knew that her gentle voice, which was like a spring rain, could also be like a summer thunderstorm.  A thunderstorm that could arise so fast and pass away just as quickly. 

He knew that the calm sea that glistened gently in the sun also had its shallows  Shoals that he could never fully fathom, shoals that could capsize a ship.  Like the sea, Kayra could become stormy and cause any ship to crash on the cliffs, only to become calm and gentle again in the next moment.  Shapur knew that just like roses, she had her thorns and could not be plucked easily.  She could be passionate and impetuous, like the desert wind and her green eyes so deep that if you were not careful you could get lost in their deep green, almost like in the dark forests. 

Shapur knew all this and much more. 

He knew of her demons deep in her heart that came out at night and robbed her of sleep.  He also knew that he was guilty of those demons, he knew of the scars she hid on her back.  Scars that were not only on the outside but on the inside as well.  Scars that he was to blame for and scars that she tried to hide from everyone.  Shapur knew that Kayra was no longer a young girl, but a woman. A woman who had fought her way and not backed down, he could see the scars on her hands.  Hands that had fought for their own survival and that of others. The same hands that he had held so often in years past and that so often wandered through his hair in the morning.  Hands that now held a weapon and tended the wounded, hands that gently cupped his own and were stained red with the blood of the wounded.  Shapur knew she did not blame him, but he blamed himself. He blamed himself for the lost time, for his hesitation and for his naive behavior.  Kayra did not, for this was another side of a side that never looked back and looked forward. The side of her that Shapur always admired, the side that always put one step before the next and the side that dreamed of a better tomorrow. 

Shapur knew that he could not protect her, not from the cruel world he saw every day.  But he also saw that she was not broken by it but stronger than before. He knew how stubborn she could be and how much she hated to lose, how much she fought for her ideals and lost sight of many things.  Shapur knew this and he knew much more.  He knew how quickly she could be hurt if her trust was broken and he also knew that it was hard to regain that trust.  Shapur knew this and much more, he knew Kayra's peculiarities. 

He knew that she had never liked her laughter before, because she always grunted a little bit.  He knew how much she hated thunderstorms and how much she loved the smell of freshly baked bread.  He knew that her hair smelled of lavender and lemons and that she loved the time of almond blossoms. 

He knew her countless freckles.  He knew the small scar on her right iliac crest that Isfan had inflicted on her when he had played with a bow and arrow as a young boy.

Shapur knew that Kayra also read books late into the night to increase her knowledge to become better at helping people.  He knew a lot about her and he saw many sides of her.

But he did not know all sides of her, not anymore.  Some were still there, visible to all, some were hidden and some where gone a long time ago.  But for Shapur, Kayra would always be special. 

No matter if the simple peasant girl, the slave, the warrior, the healer.  For Shapur Kayra was a queen, his queen for whom he would fight and to whom he was loyal so.

Shapur could say "no matter how you see yourself for me you will always be a queen" and her loving smile that put little dimples in her face and her green eyes sparkling like emeralds showed him that he would never know all her sides, but that was ok for him.

OK so after @tired-reader-writerand @importantdestinydefendor have posted your crest for your Arslan fanfiction. I was super hyped and got my started coat of arms out again for my Oc Kayra to finally finish it. I almost completely reworked it but I'm very happy with the result.

Once as information in front away. The coat of arms does not consist of white borders. Unfortunately, since I don't have any digital drawing tools like a tablet or a pen or an app (shame on me), I tried to work on shapes and outlines. Unfortunately, I couldn't color all the outlines in white with this program and the result looked… well, not really nice. That's why the outlines are shown in black here…but you can imagine everything in white on a red background.

So the coat of arms is easily recognizable based on Shapur's coat of arms. I thought I'd go with the canon variant here, where family crests are similar.

So now to the symbolism I used in the coat of arms. I can already anticipate that not all symbols here have their origin in Arabic/Persian. I'll go into more detail on that later. I'm trying not to spoil too much here because I'm not that far into the story or haven't written it yet. However, here is some background information on Ka

The first thing you see at the top of the coat of arms is a dahlia. The dahlia is a popular flower and has a special meaning: in the language of flowers, we can use it to express "forever yours". The symbolism of this summer flower also stands for strength or as a sign of charity and gratitude. But it also stands for renewal and birth.

I found the symbolism here very appropriate as Kayra has gone through a "remake" and healing process throughout the story. This process marks her strength, for which she herself is very grateful. At this point in the process, Kayra's feelings for Shapur have fluctuated, and for a time she even hated him.

This is where the symbolism "forever yours" comes into play. Because after Kayra was reborn in a way, she realized that Shapur was too deep in her heart to simply forget him or not love him at all.

This flower is also equated with the sun in some cultures, which is very fitting because Kayra is also often compared to the sun due to her red hair and her charity. Personally, I realized back then that I always liked comparing Tahamyne to the moon. Maybe I created Kayra as a counterpoint to hers… who knows. The flower grows in many regions, but here it is meant to represent the region of Japan.

This is for the following reason and here comes again @tired-reader-writer in the game. Because Kayra has to leave Pars with the age of 21 and did not return until nine years later.

Originally I had planned to have them travel further east…so probably towards Serica and beyond. But since I'm not familiar with the culture, I changed my mind at the time and wanted to let them travel more north. But somehow I got stuck at a certain point and a lot of things didn't make sense. After me with @tired-reader-writer

I'm going back to my original plan. However, I quickly realized that Kayra was very restless at this point in her journey and would not have stayed in one place for long. I then exchanged views with a friend and she then said why not tell a story like in the novel eat, pray, love. Here, the main character travels through different countries to find himself again and that is why the dahlia is also associated with the country Japan. As a point for Kayra's journey……and that leads us straight to the branches below this flower.

These are sage leaves which represent healing and thus Kayra's ability to heal with her magic and her knowledge of the healing arts and medicinal herbs. She acquired this ability on her first stop on her journey, in a country which will be based on our Nepal (at least according to the plan).

The fox in the middle of the coat of arms stands for Kayra herself. Like the wolf for Isfan, the fox can be equated with Kayra. Not only does the color red play a role here (in relation to Kayra's hair color and the fox's fur), but also adaptability and skill. As a power animal, the fox stands for your own life! Foxes are the symbol of growth and inspiration, but also cleverness, cunning and magic. As a soul animal, the fox shows that it is time to act. Especially the area of magic inspired me in this animal. The fox is also equated with magic in almost every culture. But the aspect of action also stands out here, as Kayra prefers to tackle things directly rather than spend hours discussing them (diplomacy isn't exactly her forte either, maybe that's why she gets along so well with Kubard?.

But the fox also stands for cunning, cunning and deceit. This doesn't mean that Kayra is treacherous, but Narsus already has a hard time playing chess against her. She is also very adaptable and really excellent at hiding and disguise (who do you think Elam got the wig from when he was spying in Ecbatana as a girl).

Another aspect….have you ever heard a fox laugh? No? Should you do it… that's what Kayra's laughter sounds like. At first everyone is surprised, but this laughter is so contagious that you have to laugh along with it.

So finally we have the gladioli at the bottom of the coat of arms. These flowers are very old and were given to victorious gladiators as gifts in ancient times. The name comes from the Latin term "gladius", which stands for a Roman short sword. This flower originally comes from Africa and the Arab countries. Thus, the flower symbolizes strength, victory and pride. This meaning dates back to Roman times where gladiators literally fought for death or gladioli, for the victor of the fight was showered with gladioli. Also, the bulb of the flower is believed by some cultures to possess magical powers. But also the meaning "You pierce my heart" - (Due to its sword-like leaves) the flower was associated with infatuation. The flower can also symbolize love at first sight, sincerity, and remembrance. Which in this context stands for the connection between Shapur and Kayra as lovers.

But this flower can also be seen as a symbol for the family. Blooming in a variety of colors, the gladiolus represents the diversity and uniqueness of each member of the family, yet all are bound by a common bond. The flower also represents sincerity, honesty and integrity, values that are important in building strong and lasting family relationships.

The gladiolus is a powerful reminder of the strength, courage and diversity that exists in families. Since family is incredibly important to Kayra and she lost her parents early, this flower has a very special connection to her. She has found a new family in Shapur and Isfan who loves her more than anything and wants to protect her. However, she also sees in Arslan and the group a family that is not connected by blood but has continued to strengthen their cohesion through their strengths and abilities.

I personally think that the gladiolus reflects Kayra very well.

So I don't think I've ever written such a long post but I'm just so super happy with the end result. We'll see how it looks tomorrow.

Oh my good my heart…..am I crying? No you are crying!!

You awake my inner fangirl and I absolutely love your interpretation of Kayra.

I love the earring idea….it was only a little thought in my mind with the necklace, brooch etc but the earring idea is absolutely amazing and I love the fact that Shapur would wear the other one.

The look in her eyes/on her face….I love it. The first thing that came into my mind that this is Shapur point of view and he tells her that he still loves her or Arslan PoV when he tells her that she is like a sister/mother figure for him and that her past didn’t matter to him.

And I like how good the color of her hair and eyes worked out together and can I say that I am in love with her hairstyle?

That sketch definitely made my day!!!!

@marchdancer I drew a Kayra! This time, actually clothed, with colour! Wow! (I'm so sorry for the unfinished one from before hhhh) I decided to adjust her design a little bit... for reasons (Saam-related reasons, though I'm not sure how successful I was in that regard). I had, like, a Vision™, of someone making this expression and I went, “this is just vibes but this would suit Kayra so well”, this sort of melancholic, longing energy in her eyes that made me think of her missing Shapur on her travels perhaps. I had to adjust the brooch/necklace idea into an earring though, as the way I composed this sketch left me with no space for either. Maybe Shapur has the other earring of this set.

So I think expect of Shapurs father I desgin hks whole family holy shit 😂

That escalated quickly……..but it was so much fun.

I even have three more characters but I think this would be much of a spoiler (so let me know if you like to see them aswell)

And for the last one…..her is the new design of Kayra. As I said before there are not so many differences about the new design but I was thinking I share it with you guys anyway.

So somehow the whole story got a bit out of hand. After I reworked Kayra a bit with Picrew (I based myself on the beautiful picture of @tired-reader-writer and changed her eyes and hair and why is her hair so difficult???a bit to make her earring stand out better. I also changed the design of this one again.) I decided to make another OC or to finally give them a face (I will probably rework them again but for now I am very happy).

The first one is Amalia. She is also a slave in Shapur's household and Kayra's best friend since childhood. She was born into slavery and knows no other life outside of slavery. She is a rather quiet person and carries out her tasks conscientiously and properly. She can become very strict if tasks are left undone or not completed immediately. Over the years she has worked her way up to the position of housekeeper (is that what you call it?) and is now basically the boss of all the slaves. She married another slave from Shapur's household and together they have a daughter.

The next one is Nasha, Amalias daughter and nine years old. She is a complete tomboy and is always giving her mother a headache because she rarely behaves like a young girl and certainly not like a slave. She loves her mother's stories about Kayra and idolizes her (so it's no wonder she's temperamental). Even though she doesn't know Kayra personally, she is her biggest fan and hopes to be able to travel with her someday. She loves Shapur and Isfan and keeps trying to persuade them to take her hunting (after all, she made Shapur promise that she could go with her when she turns 13). She will play an important role in the story.

The next one is Ashina (the name means the she-wolve). In my AU she is Isfans mother and for Kayra like a substitute mother after she lost her own. I tried to give her a few characteristics of Isfan, like the color of her eyes and hair. I have to say that I'm pretty happy with how Ashina turned out. I think she radiates something simple and yet beautiful and motherly, just like I imagined Isfan's mother would be. Of course, that's my idea and everyone can have their own and implement it. That's the great thing about fictional characters.

The next one in the list is Yamin. His name means the just. Unfortunately, he will play a tragic role in the story and will encounter betrayal. Even if, from his perspective, it is justice. I don't want to give too much away here, just that he is also a slave in Shapur's household and is two years older than Kayra and was or still is in love with her. Just like Amalia, he was born into slavery and worked his way up under Shapur and now holds a high position within the household, which has also allowed him to ally himself with the Lusitanians. But as I said, I don't want to give too much away.

The next one is Lady Ziva! Dhe is Shapurs mother and I try to make her a little bit dark and I think she has something witchy about her. She looks beautiful but I try to put a lot of jewelry on her to show that she is more the material type and I think when I look at her and then at Ashina I think they are two sides of a medal.

Both beautiful women but Ashina is more natural, she has more lightness. Ziva on the other hand has some dark aura around her something heavy. (Don’t know if this makes sense).

I am not quite sure with her eye color. For now I decided to gave her the eye color similar to Shapur.

So the next one is Shapurs grandmother Halima. Her name means the gentle/the friendly one and that was her nature too. She was the exact opposite of her daughter-in-law and her youngest son. In my AU, Shapur inherited most of his traits from his grandmother, in addition to some of his uncle's characteristics. He also had the closest relationship with her. She was his confidante and advisor. She was the good soul of the house and was also friendly and respectful towards the slaves. She immediately took Kayra into her heart and immediately recognized that she was different from the others and made sure that she received a good education.

And the Last one is Lord Mert and he is Shapurs and Isfans uncle and the older brother of Lord Shapurs father. He was an commander under King Osroes and also Shapurs and Kunards teacher. Sadly he died really early when Misr try to invade Pars. He was a very good and cheerful person but also very cheeky. He didn’t get the chance to meet Isfan but he loves Shapur as if it was his own son. He never married and so after his and his brothers death Shapur became the new heir of the family. Also Shapur never really got over his uncle's death, probably because he was closer to him than to his own father and his uncle took better and more loving care of him.