Lycia Wintergale
Lycia Wintergale, also known as Lycia Millwright (*17.03.2007), is a British witch and the child of Bernard and Amelia Wintergale who went into hiding when the hunt for members of the Wintergale family reached its peak after Winter's Treachery. Lycia is a protagonist in Powers Within.
Personality
Having spent most of her childhood on her own, Lycia is a bit reclusive and hesitant to interact with other people. She prefers to watch things unfold from the sidelines rather than being the center of attention. She is curious, inquisitive, and enjoys learning new things. She also prefers nature, especially forests, to civilization, as she feels more at home there. Lycia also has a practical side, which is reflected in the wristwatch she usually wears, a sturdy self-winding outdoor watch that does not rely on batteries.
Appearance
Lycia is 165 cm tall and has her family's trademark silver-white hair and golden eyes. Her face is somewhat attractive, with a few freckles.
Visvalker
Lycia is a Visvalker, meaning she has a subconscious connection to the spirits of other Mundi. This has led to her developing an ability to communicate with animals, especially magical creatures, on an intuitive level. She has also quickly learned to perform simple spells without a wand and to bind the magic within her to her body.
History
Lycia is the daughter of Amelia and Bernard Wintergale. After her birth, her biological parents decided to give her away to allow her a happy childhood rather than growing up in exile. They wove a spell around her to hide her from magical eyes and left her at the doorstep of Jannet and Brenton Millwright.
The Millwrights, who had recently lost their child as it was stillborn, decided to adopt the girl and raise her as their own daughter. The basket contained a letter which stated Lycia's first name. There was also a necklace in the shape of a silver moon with a blue opal, and a strange snowflake-shaped piece of jewelry, which later turned out to be a Niviculum. The letter instructed the Millwrights to sell the necklace if they needed money but to give the Niviculum to Lycia when she came of age. However, the Millwrights kept the necklace and gave it to Lycia.
Brenton Millwright worked from home as a financial consultant, and her mother was a teacher. When Lycia was 4 years old, her mother received an offer for a position at Kielder Elementary School, and they moved from their home in Nottingham to the sleepy village of Kielder. Later, Brenton accepted a job in the nearby town of Hexham, where he commuted daily. When Lycia switched from elementary to middle school, she traveled there with him every day and returned with a family friend.
She never made any real friends and preferred to spend her time exploring the nearby Kielder Forest. Due to her magical talent, Lycia often encountered magical creatures that lived within the forest, such as a colony of Púca, which she befriended. When she told her parents, they simply believed she had a very vivid imagination.
Shortly after turning 16, her class stayed at a country hostel for a week. There was one student, Charlie Finkle, who constantly bullied her because of her appearance, calling her an old woman and frequently announcing her presence with the words "winter is coming". Eventually, when he wanted to go to bed one evening after teasing Lycia again, he found his room filled with snow. This is how the magistry learned about Lycia's abilities, and she was enrolled at the Greannmhar School of Magick as a Neophyte. On the way there, she met Kathrin Summerdale, and the two quickly became friends.
Wand
The blank for Lycia's wand was crafted from holly and imbued with Cŵn Annwn hair. It takes the shape of an 80 cm long silver scepter. The design of the scepter is elegant and simple, with a tip that forms an elongated eye, making it resemble an oversized sewing needle. When focusing a particularly large amount of magic or weaving a complex spell, the eye opens wider, and a delicate golden structure appears.
Trivia
- Lycia received her wand and met Storm, her Cŵn Annwn familius, before she learned about her heritage. The Cŵn Annwn appeared several times before she even knew that it is the heraldic animal of her family, which is considered "wyrd" by those who know her.
- Lycia is often compared to Myrrdin in terms of personality and her ability to communicate with animals on an intuitive level.