Minisa Vance

Minisa Vance is the youngest child of Perceon Vance-- who previously serves as Hand of the Queen to Queen Visaera I Targaryen, and later as Hand of the King to King Aegon VII Targaryen--and his lady wife, Shiera Velaryon. She was born at Harrenhal, but moved at the tender age of three to King's Landing, only to later be married off to Ser Igon Hightower in 419 A.C.

Appearance and Character
Minisa is a slight thing, as willowy as her sister had been at her age, though a good deal taller. Her limbs and neck are long and lean, and while this may have lent an air of grace to a young woman with more confidence, she wears it like a frock too small to comfortably wear. She shrinks into herself more often than not, trying to lessen the space she takes up.

From her father, she inherited her brown hair and stormy blue eyes. Her features are fine and delicate, lending a child-like air to her looks that leaves her feeling less womanly-- and desirable-- compared to her peers. She’s blessed, mostly by tokens of youth and fortunate health, to have clear, fair skin without many scars or markings aside from various tiny ones on her legs and arms; signs of a childhood well-enjoyed.

Her favored dresses are typically modest and well-made, dyed in deep tones of blue, indigo, emerald, and rose, and on special occasions, sea green. She wears a gold pendant with a silver dragon set in the center, in the fashion of House Vance, which is sometimes switched out for a pendant of House Velaryon-- a seahorse.

She rarely wears strong perfumes, though if one decides to smell her up close, they could very well pick up the remnants of a lavender bath oil.

History
Minisa Vance was born in Harrenhal in the year 399 AC while her father was away at war. She was a small infant, but her strong wails gave little doubt that she was healthy and thriving.

Though she was playful and outgoing as a child, she grew more shy and reserved as she reached womanhood. Her reservation may have come in due part from being overshadowed by her elder sister, Rhialta. She was her father’s favorite offspring, and it was hard even for a young child to miss the way he lit up when Rhialta was near. As much as Minisa tried to have a similar effect on her father, it was never quite the same.

Despite the pain and doubt that inevitably came from feelings of unworthiness, Minisa was and is on good terms with both of her parents and all of her siblings. She’s grown up in a loving and supportive environment, where she’s been allowed to pursue her own interests along with a formal education from a governess.

In the times she wasn’t being taught lessons, she retreated to the worlds within books, reading anything she could get her hands on at first before finding her preference in fairytales, history, botany and birds. Even now, she spends many fair-weather days in the gardens of the Red Keep with a leather-bound journal and charcoal stick, identifying plants and birds she’s seen sketched in the old books. For those she can’t identify, she sketches to browse the library for later on.

Those that sought to tease her for her interests-- and for getting caught crawling in the royal gardens shrubbery more than once to get to hidden plants-- had to answer to her older brother, Paxter. That is, if her mother Shiera (a far more formidable foe) didn’t find out about it first. She finally stopped crawling through the bushes when, at the tender age of twelve, the sound of giggles and grunts pulled her attention away from a particularly interesting looking weed. Unwittingly, she followed the sounds a bit further until the source was revealed: her uncle, Lucerys Velaryon, was wedged between a pair of bare legs that belonged to a serving girl. Frozen with terror and the kind of interest that made one unable to look away from a particularly bloody jousting accident, she remained quiet and hidden until the two finished their activity and left. She still has a hard time looking directly at Lucerys without recalling his pale, clenched buttocks.

Her childhood wasn’t always spent alone in the library and garden. In 408 AC, Minisa made a close friend in the sorrowful and beautiful Gael Targaryen. The two bonded over their fondness of books and handsome men, and rarely did they spend more time away from one another than necessary. They poured over the books of poetry Gael loved so much and the fairy tales Minisa preferred; they sighed and giggled over princes, lords and knights, all until Gael was married to Lucerys. What little happiness her friend had had seemed to be sapped away, though Minisa still tries her best to help her friend escape her sorrows.

Recent Events
With her eldest brother and sister married off, Minisa knows that her time to be wed, and her brother Paxter's, swiftly approaches. Her mother Shiera hopes to have a say in who her children marry this time around, protecting them both from the more predatory players in the capital. Minisa can’t help but to hope she ends up luckier than Gael was in her match.

Family
Extended family tree is here.
 * Perceon Vance, b. 368, m. Shiera Velaryon, b. 371
 * Preston Vance †, b. 388, d. 418, m. Elana Frey, b. 392
 * Petyr Vance †, b. 415, d. 415
 * Cassana Vance, b. 418
 * Rhialta Vance b. 389, m. Damion Tully, b. 389
 * Rosalind Tully, b. 408
 * Edgar Tully, b. 410
 * Androw Tully, b. 412
 * Lambert Tully, b. 414
 * Brynden Tully, b. 414
 * Melissa Tully, b. 416
 * Paxter Vance, b. 395
 * Minisa Vance, b. 399 m. Igon Hightower
 * Quenton Hightower, b. 419
 * Preston Hightower, b. 429, d. 429