Marjolaine Fontaine

Marjolaine Fontaine is a major mermaid character in Flurutus.

Appearances

 * Flurutus: Genesis: Major Character

Personality
Many who first meet Marjolaine will agree that she's an excellent princess. She's got an unmistakable air of confidence that surrounds her, with her head always held high. She speaks with eloquence when in front of a crowd, and she treats her people with respect, no matter their status. She is equipped with a vast knowledge of life underneath the waves, from the animals that live there, to the workings of mermaid society.

Her knowledge seems to begin and end at the sea, however. Living a relatively sheltered life, she has had little opportunity--or desire--to visit the world above the water. She remains very oblivious and naive to how life operates on land, although she's always quick to try and cover up the gaps in her education with excuses. Marjolaine is a very proud young woman by nature, and as such, refuses to let people see her being clueless. When she makes a mistake regarding the people, animals, or plants on land, she always seems to have an explanation ready on how she was 'just kidding' or 'testing' whoever she is speaking to.

While Marjolaine is very doting towards mermaids, she comes across as quite cold towards outsiders. She's quite temperamental, and although she can reign it in when speaking with her subjects, she doesn't bother to do it for anyone else. When she's speaking with people who live on land, she's rather irritable, and is quick to put them down. While she doesn't go looking for reasons to be hostile, she won't try and sugar coat her words when she believes they are being foolish.

But, underneath it all, Marjolaine is really just putting up an act. Her confidence is mostly forced, something she has tried to cultivate after taking over her mother's duties. In truth, she's very self conscious and terrified for the mermaids, and worries deeply that she won't be a good ruler for them. She knows that many of her own kind look down on her for taking over at such a young age, and don't believe she has what it takes to lead them. Because of this, she's very hard on herself, and is constantly fretting over whether or not she's setting a good example.

Marjolaine takes her job seriously, but she's young, and it's still very new to her. On days when she's overwhelmed she enjoys sneaking out of sight to go explore the sea. She takes comfort in the darker parts of the ocean, although she will hesitantly admit that, on nights with a clear sky, she enjoys going to the surface to stare up at the stars.

Background
Marjolaine is the daughter of none other than Reine Fontaine herself. Marjolaine and her mother were quite close, as her kind and caring nature meant she always took time to be with her daughter, even with the stress of her daily duties. Marjolaine often accompanied her mother on her tasks, and would ask questions about what it was like to be a queen. Her mother never shooed her away, or told her to focus on other things. She would always indulge her daughter's questions, no matter how complicated.

Marjolaine adored her mother, and although the thought of being a ruler herself one day was intimidating, she thought she would be okay as long as she always had her mother's guidance. Unfortunately, fate did not appear to agree with her.

Her mother disappeared, and was proclaimed dead after a long search. Although she was never found, there seemed to be no other alternative to her sudden disappearance. Marjolaine, still rather young in the grand scheme of things, was elevated to ruler of the mermaid people in place of her mother.

After that, Marjolaine's life became a whirlwind. Although the knowledge her mother had given her came in handy, she was still subjected to lessons to top off her mother's teachings, and make sure she was ready. Because of her mother's disappearance, she was also taught a variety of escape skills, so that she could flee from anyone who wished to cause her harm now that she was essentially queen.

It was a lot to remember, and a lot of work to do during a time when she should have been grieving. Many other mermaids insisted that someone else take the throne, that an older noblewoman was more suited for the job than Marjolaine would be. Since the beginning she has faced opposition, but Marjolaine has stayed strong, and refused to let anyone intimidate her into backing down. This throne belonged to her mother, the origin of mermaid society, and she refuses to let anyone take this from her family.