Bethinyn al'Gwin

This article is anachronistic and refers to the original Wheel of Time world of the novels. Please be aware that the contents within refers to a different continuity from the one that currently exists for the Grey Tower.

Bethinyn al'Gwin
Beth-IN-in all-GWIN
Created by	Stasia
Information
Gender	Female
Occupation	Drin
Affiliation	The Grey Tower
Nationality	Manetheren
Attributes
Weapon Skills	Unarmed ✦✦

Bethinyn al'Gwin is an Manetheren Drin of the Grey Tower.

Description

Being a Two Rivers woman, Bethinyn stands at an average height of 5'4. She is slim, and yet not overly so. Thick raven hair tumbles down toher hips, and is almost always kept in a tight braid. Her pale face is sweetly rounded, and if not for the emotionless mask that she forces on herself, she could be considered pretty. But she no longer cares for things like appearances. Death and sorrow have changed her too much to care for things that are of little consequence.

And while Bethinyn is comptelely unremarkable, her defining trait has to be her eyes. Dark sapphire eyes that are colder than ice, and more unfeeling. The severity of her gaze is only sharpened by her features.

Her face is like marble, pale and unmoving, locked into a blank, yet somehow judging expression. But, her self-imposed shields are not without fault. You may catch her smiling, or even laughing from time to time, but if seen she quickly shuts down and becomes more withdrawn than before.

She'll often play with the ends of her thick raven braid when she's uncomfortable, but it's the only sign that you'll ever havethat she is. Bethinyn refuses to show anything that she considers asign of weakness; only doing what she sees as the best way of preparing herself for the war that she's waging on the shadow.

She hardly ever speaks, leading some to the belief that she is mute - Bethinyn almost never feels the need too. Blank stares drive people away, giving her the privacy that she yearns for. Since the death of her father and brother, leaving her orphaned, she has been a changed person, the once happy young girl, now a cold and uncompassionate woman.

Biography

Bethinyn and her family had always been the black sheep of the al'Gwins. It started when her father had eloped with a tavern maid from Baerlon, and had returned almost three months later - with a pregnant woman on his arm. Their son Jac was born before they could be married; he had only known her for a few weeks before running away with her. They were a disgrace to their family, and for a long while they were not outwardly welcomed by them. While they had never been flat out turned away, any meeting between them was always awkward and short. However, Matryn and Alissi al'Gwin were completely content to stay on their tiny farm, and raise their son in peace. Almost two years later, Alissi became with child again, and she soon gave birth to a daughter. Sadly, there were some complications. Alissi died in childbirth. But her daughter, Bethinyn, survived her.

The years went by, and when she was sixteen she was told that she could braid her hair. Bethinyn did so happily, proud that the Women's Circle thought her mature enough to be called a woman. Life went on uneventfully, every so often a suitor coming to ask her father's permission to court her, but other than that there was nothing of any importance. The peace would not last.

Soon, they began to notice change. Before the people of Two Rivers knew it, they were trapped between Whitecloaks and Trollocs, with nowhere to turn. However, Lord Perrin came to their rescue, driving both the shadowspawn and the Whitecloaks off, and was soon dubbed the Lord of Two Rivers. But it did not come without a high price. Bethinyn's father and brother were both killed by Trollocs, their bodies so mangled and bloodied that she could hardly tell that they had been her loved ones, much less human. A deep hatred for the Shadow was born within her.

Her aunt took pity on her, letting the orphaned young woman into her home. Her cousin Lissa, much to her relief, was soon after taken away to the Grey Tower, to be trained as an Aes Sedai. Bethinyn slipped into a deep lapse of silence and sadness, and although her aunt was worried for her, her efforts were proved pointless by one-ended conversations and unfeeling stares from her unwilling niece. She knew that she could not provide for Bethinyn forever, even though she was a hard worker and never complained of anything, and that the girl would not become a spinster under her watch. Her rescue came in the form of an Aes Sedai, gathering young women who could channel and carting themoff to the Tower. A meeting was arranged, and although Bethinyn proved unable to channel, the sister pitied the young woman. Making her mind, she took Bethinyn with her back to the Tower, to be trained as a Gaidar.

Career History

• Drin (17 June 2011)