Caterina Sforza : Capitol

Named for a very distant ancestor, Caterina Sforza is every bit a noblewoman. Though small of stature, her pride and force of personality make her seem taller. She's almost disturbingly skinny, making some of her bones (like her clavicle) very prominent.

Caterina has a reoccurring fungus that grows under her nails (mainly her toenails, but less frequently her fingernails). This not only discolors her nails, but also causes them to fall off rather often. Because of this, she paints her nails so that they're never visible.

Unlike most of her family, she's free of the radical fashions of the Capitol. Because of this, she is considered, but the Capitolites, to be ugly. However, she actually has a wholesome beauty; a delicate jaw, high cheekbones, and full, bow-shaped lips. Her nose is slightly crooked from a fist fight with another girl at her high school (Cat struck first), and she has some premature wrinkling. Her hair, which she puts in lots of different styles, is long and dark, and her eyes are a light blue.

Despite not giving in the Capitol's narrow view of beauty, Caterina is often well-dressed. She favors rich colors, full dresses, and tailored clothes. She detests slovenliness, and won't be caught dead in anything that doesn't fit her perfectly.

Caterina is a fiery, passionate, but pragmatic and politically well-minded. Though not above using her femininity to get her way, she tries to find other means to do so. She finds underhanded tactics cowardly, and prefers straightforward approaches to problems. She has stood up to many people, including her parents and relatives, and has earned respect in many social circles because of her wit, intelligence, and self-confidence.

However, she's something of a secret social rebel. Not only does she refuse to bow to the Capitol's idea of beauty, her best friend is her Avox, Lydia. Despite a privileged upbringing, she's actually very personable. Despite being confident and strong, she often comes across as someone to be protected, sometime she loathes.

Her anger is quick, sharp, and crushing. Her blunt nature translates into a rather shocking vocabulary for a lady, and she knows more than one language when it comes to such things.

However, her colorful vocabulary is harmless compared to her other habits. Her personality and ability to make friends in high places makes it easy to get away with "getting rid" of the people who stand in her way in her goal to inherit the Sforza fortune. This she considers "for the greater good", as the only other option would be her brother. And that just speaks for itself.

Despite having grown up with everything, her mother has carefully taught her the value of the dollar, and of hard work. As a consequence, in her older years, her preference isn't to simply get something, but to earn it. And she sincerely feels that all this blackmail and backstabbery has earned her an equal (but perhaps not morally so) payout.

Caterina suffers from chronic nightmares nearly every night, and has since childhood. Consequently, she sleeps with a candle lit every night, since that seems significantly more credible than her old nightlight.

The Sforza family's long and prosperous line went back as far as the Italian Renaissance, the Countessa of Forli. Oh, they had their financial ups and down, but most recently there was a very well-felt up, and the Sforza line was back in the spotlight. The wealthy patron had two children. A rather spend-thrift son... And a daughter.

Caterina Sforza, named after her far-back ancestor, was her mother's golden child. The oldest of the two, she was sent to a prestigious private girl's school early in her life, returning to her home during the summer months. There, she was nearly at the top of her class. Those who were at the top of her class were quickly made into life-long friends. She considers her triumphs far more credible than her brother's, since he got his valedictorian title for, in her scorn-stained words, "Being a manwhore."

During her teenage years, she learned that life at a girls high school wasn't that incredibly different from life with backstabbing politicians. Ties and rivalries changed every day that ended in 'y', and a girl who was your truest friend one day could be the one spreading vicious rumors the next. Consequently, Cat's only true, sincere confidant was the one that's couldn't stab her in the back. Her Avox, Lydia.

Lydia has been, and always will be, her closest friend. She's the one that hugs her when she has nightmares, and the ear that Caterina whispers her doubts and fears into. The two have learned sign language to communicate, and have been friends (though perhaps unofficially) since childhood. Caterina only realized it during their teenage years.

Cat now spends her days living in the Sforza mansion with her dying father and already mourning mother. And Lydia, of course. She takes her parents place at official functions, like the ceremonies with giant scissors and banquets and such, while her brother gambles away what bit of the fortune he's got. She has no such vices (except chocolate, but one doesn't go into debt for chocolate). She wants the fortune because, considering the other option, she's the only sensible option her family has.

And because the look on her brother's face would be one to behold. Everything about the man makes her want to barf. And she often mimes barfing at Lydia when he passes, behind his back. There's no love lost between her and her brother, particularly considering their difference in taste and how to spend their money. Their timetables are completely different, due to their different lifestyle, but Caterina knows enough about him to know that he'll be hankering for the money as much as she is, though for different reasons.

Reasons he may just be willing to do drastic things for.

You'll understand if she watches her back so much she seems paranoid.

Caterina's Theme