Born Eleanorra Mae to Carlotina (nee diVillinci) and Edouardo Makrillios 24 years ago. She is the third of four children and the second of three girls (Stefano (27), Maebetina (25), Allianetta (22)). They were a very well-to-do and highly regarded Flambard family -always meticulous in their presentation of propriety - with one exception.
Norra has never had much time or patience for fancy dresses, feigned fainting spells, or parentally approved courtships. While her two sisters took great enjoyment from their social circle and were as anxious as their father that they make a good match, Norra wanted none of it. From an early age she associated more readily with those below her station First the serving staff, then in later years she would venture out to the rougher ares of Terino. She made friends easily amongst those considered to be of 'bad blood' and together they would mock those who would be considered her equals. This was just one more reason for her father's suspicions. Her physical appearance also bore marked differences to her siblings and she seemed to lack all the more prominent Makrillios features.
Edouardo was not only suspicious of her origins (although he would never broach the subject with his wife without indisputable proof), but considered her a great embarrassment to the family with her erratic and uncooperative behaviour (and while she swore to her mother that her virtue was still in tact, Edouardo wasn't convinced he could believe either of them). When she reached 21 and still would not entertain the notion of marrying, he sent her to his wife's less well off brother who owned farmland deep in the countryside. He hoped a modest and laborious life would settle her down and would at the very least keep her out of the way long enough for him to marry off his other daughters. Her mother gave her a ring as a parting gift and would offer no explanation as to where it came from. She never arrived at the farm. Nor did the money sent for her upkeep.
Rumour had it the carriage was ambushed by a highwayman. The driver was left dead and no trace of Norra or the money could be found. Edouardo didn't look very hard for her.
As it happened, the highwayman was one of Norra's 'bad-blooded' friends. Renauldo was little more than a petty thief with great ambitions to get away from the oppressive Flembic society and join a ship at Free Islands. He told fancy tales of adventures on the high seas which captivated Norra. When opportunity struck, she asked for his help in escape. Things went a little awry when Renauldo's clumsiness led to the driver's death, but they succeeding in making it to the first ship out of Flambard for the Free Islands. It proved to be a charmed and oh so romantic life of wine, various contrabando, and gambling - for a while. The money very quickly ran out and relations with Renauldo grew somewhat strained. Norra soon decided it was time to call an end to her first romance and set out on her own. It wasn't as easy as it looked. She soon learned that her brief excursions to the bad neighbourhoods at home were so much less threatening when she could return to a warm bath and comfortable bed. It also wasn't inconceivable that her 'friends' humoured her a fair deal about her abilities to survive without her father's backing. Surviving with no money whatsoever and even less useful skills was proving particularly difficult. Of course her goods looks made some of the men of the Free Islands more inclined to help her out of trouble - often when her good looks were getting her into trouble.
One such man was Petor Craven. He was very talented at crafting nautical instruments such as spy glasses and compasses and worked hard to maintain a reputable business. When Norra ducked into his shop one day to avoid her pursuers, he insisted she stay a while - at least until she could learn to better protect herself. She stayed with him for the best part of a year, learning all she could from him - and the men he employed to protect his premises. It was a rather quiet time. Petor's feelings towards her were obvious - and the only explanation for the extent to which he took care of her through the worst of times. Barely six months after they met, Norra gave birth to a son. She tried her best to reciprocate his affections but found in time that she still yearned for adventure and excitement and was in no way ready to settle down. She left with skills in fashioning telescopes, effective sword use, and even dealing with some wounds. Petor also did not come out of the relationship empty handed. He loved the child despite knowing it was not his and could provide a far better home and parenting for him than Norra.
It was the beginning of a pattern. She fell in love easily - most often with men who could take her to places new and exciting. She learned what she could and her skills with a sword only increased. A brief interlude with a pirate cook taught her more than a couple of useful tips in the galley. She also got a lot smarter in how to handle herself. But always time would make the colours and excitement of the current scene fade and she fell out of love twice as easily.
The last time it happened was with a smith from Freiboden. Jacob worked for another man but longed for a smithy of his own. His chance came not long after the path through the maelstrom was discovered. He was amongst the first to travel to the new world as smith of the colony. It didn't get much more exciting than that - Norra was happy to accompany him. Unfortunately Jacob wasn't such a great smith - nor was he the only one to travel. Business was not so good and Jacob resorted to the bottle and cards for consolation. Needless to say, it didn't take Norra long to decide it was time to move on. Only Jacob did not like this idea one bit. He had a violent streak only exacerbated by the drink and when he hit Norra, she did not hesitate in striking back. It proved not to be the wisest move as it gave him permission to let loose and he was by far the stronger of the two. It took some time to recover but on her next attempt, she made sure there was a sword in her hand. He let her go - though not without the idle threats of a failed drunkard.
She was so eager to leave the situation, she really didn't have any idea where to go next. The Known World and any friends she may have had were now well out of reach. Recent events left her more than a little cautious of her usual tactics. She worked briefly as a guard on a small runabout ship around the colonies until she ended up in New Terino. There was a buzz of excitement being somewhere so like home yet not home. She wasn't quite sure what made her stay for the Masquerade ball. Was it tempting fate that someone would recognise her? Was she hoping for that connection?
Talwin FitzRufus was possibly one of the last people she expected to provide that connection. She certainly never expected him to crawl out of the gutter where she found most of the friends that proved the greatest embarrassment to her father. Now he was Tal Rufen and looked almost... refined. He stole his respectability but he wore it well. From grave misfortune, life had taken a favourably turn for him and where it led him was Quicksilver Trading Company. Norra met with his new friends, all of whom were respectable and well spoken - none of whom knew his accomplishments in fitting in with them so well. And he did. He found a place. When they danced together at the ball he was by far the more noble of the two.
It would have been difficult not to like the Quicksilver crew. The Captain was good and honourable - if a little lost at times when it came to financial dealings and indeed social intricacies. He quickly accepted Tamara and Kestrel to the crew and she found herself genuinely hoping his trustfulness wouldn't get him into trouble. Now Anatol was a handsome and complicated young doctor - and who could blame her for wanting to unravel those complexities? But for the first time in her life, it didn't seem appropriate. Be it fear or wisdom that held her back, these people had accepted her company with no conditions and even seemed keen for her to join their crew - now was not the time to jeopardise that.
So it could all end in tears. The honourable independent Quicksilver traders could prove to be just like all the other so called 'independents' in the middle of the ocean. There they could apply whatever conditions they liked to her joining the crew. But she had a hunch. And stepping foot on the Quicksilver Sunrise, it wasn't as if there was any place else to go.