Angelika Schraeder

As the daughter of an Irish midwife and a German professor, it's been said that I gained more than my own fair share of temper and stubborness. I do dispute that, of course, with anyone daft enough to accuse me of it to my face.

I spent most of my childhood surrounded by German academics at Heidleberg University. My mother taught me the ways of healing herbs, and my father, God rest his soul, taught me to read. As all good parents do, they eventually arranged for me to wed one of the other professors at my father's university. He was much older than myself, but a good and kindly man. We were only blessed with one child, Wilhelm, who is the light of my life. Me husband, God rest his soul, died 10 years later, leaving me widowed and not quite penniless. Since then I've made my way in the world as a midwife and healer.

Angelika

One day at a crossroads faire I was attending for the imminent birth of a silly noblewoman's child (what other woman would venture so far from home when her confinement time is nigh, I ask you?), I found that my son had taken quite an interest in the local archery competition. When I questioned him about it, the lad could hardly contain his enthusiasm for the sport, and nearly waxed poetic (as nearly as an 8 year old can wax, mind you) about an archer named Mac, who had said he would teach Wilhelm the bow. As it's in my nature to be somewhat suspicious of strangers, I went to meet this Mac, to determine his character. I found that he was a good man, with a generous nature, and gave my blessing to Wilhelm to learn the bow, and learn it well.

After the birth of the noblewoman's child, and arranging for a wet nurse, I decided to travel for a time with Mac, who claimed to seek his fortune as a mercenary, traveling to England by way of France. Mac has a beastly interest in black powder weapons, which do nothing but make loud noises and put large holes into men too stupid to move out of the way. I've grown to despise those weapons of the very devil, for even with my skills, the damage they do is most deadly.

We eventually found and joined the Archers of Ravenwood, a goodly free company of archers, in a bit of need for a healer. Mac continued his journey north, but it is here that I have made my home and family, including my dear husband, Richard of Sherwood.

God will bring His will to bear in my life as He sees fit.