Nicole Tessela

Yeah, her name is a mouthful. I always like to have one character that is a named after a older made up relative. It seems so delightfully pompous. This character is exactly that. Just not delightfully pompous but more egotistically pompous. And with good reason. She is the Paladin Commander of her Majesties elite military. She might be more of a highborn ass then the queen but she also has the skills to back it up.

I invented these characters in college. I think my first and second years? I just got sick of seeing scantily clad females running around in video games while the men got full armour. I thought well that's not much protection is it? So, I did up a video game classification list that included anything from knight to mage to summoner and so on. From there I did a male and female for each and tried to fit the classification as well as possible for images and characters. Alhambra was obviously my female Paladin.

"We protect the realm. We protect the Queen. When it's all said and done we'll be the ones standing." - Alhambra

She was actually a hard one to come up with. I know I wanted her blonde and blue eyed but I could never decide on her armour. She went through so many stages of armour design. The final result is reminiscent of the knight of flowers from Game of Thrones. Over the top and with so much pomp and flourish people think you're ridiculous. Until you stick a blade into them and then they really have nothing left to say.

I like inventing strong females. No matter their age they always have something that makes them strong. They all have weaknesses of course as everyone does and that's just good story telling. No one is omniscient. Characters like that have little substance to me. It's why I don't like Doctor Manhattan or Superman to a certain degree. It's boring and so far removed from humanity that it's incomprehensible unless you're a complete narcissist.

Story time!

"I may be a woman. That just means I'm stronger than you." - Alhambra

The castle cast a shadow over the buildings below. It was light and airy for such a monstrous structure. When the sun hit the stain glass windows just right rainbows danced along the walls. Alhambra grew up in the city below and became a knight at twenty-three. She took over the captaincy of the knight paladins at twenty-nine. She was the youngest commander in history.

People thought her inferior because she was a woman.

They tried to make the majesties paladins into a joke because it they were commanded by a mere woman. They turned to the knights of the city guard as the strongest armed force in the city. Garret Winter was a formidable man and leader of the knights guard. She did not fault him for the people’s good opinion.

Alhambra knew if it ever came to a fight she’d beat him. He was slow in his big armour. Everything about him was slow and powerful. She was fast. And with her spear she had the better reach.

As she studied her maps she contemplated the idiotic ideas of men. How they could bow down to a queen but feel superior to all other women. It was no bother. She’d show them all.

All challengers be welcome. Come and take the city. If you can take the city guard. Come and storm the castle. Be brave and be bold.

Take your chance for the throne.

She’d mount their heads on pikes and walk calmly through the devastation.

Even if death came a knocking.

Knock, knock.

"Cut out your tongue. No one speaks to her majesty that way." - Alhambra

Products used:

Foundation: Kat Von D lock-it foundation in Light 44

Contour: Morphe Brushes 9BZ Palette

Highlight: Make Up Forever Face Contour Kit 1

Bronzer: Georgio Armani Fluid Sheer 3

Markings: Kat Von D Ink Liner Nerdrum overlayed with Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palette Body in Sapphire.

Eyes: MAC Eye Shadow x15 Warm Neutral in Gingersnap, Honey Lust, and Brule. Doucce Cosmetics Ultra Precision Eye Liner 005

Lashes: Make Up Forever Smoky Lash. And Red Cherry Lashes

Brows: Stila in the know palette colour in rain.

Lips: YSL Yolupte Tint-In-Oil 7 and Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme

Wig: Lacey Costume Wigs.

"When it's all said and done I'll be the one left standing. When this world crumbles and falls as all worlds do. I'll stand there and smile." - Alhambra