Roan

Northern Albanian village. The year is 1940. Just one year after Italy annexed Albania. An Italian platoon was stationed in the outskirts of the village, the soldiers often interact with the townsfolk. They patrol around town in case of social unrest or rebellion. Initially named Irina, she was born to an Albanian woman and a Vlach shepherd. At the age of 11, she was forced into a vow of chastity; thus, she became a sworn virgin against her will. This changed her whole identity and Irina was baptized as Roan. Even now she feels betrayed. This decision was taken on a whim by her father, out of grief for his son's death but also because according to the Kanun there were no eligible inheritors of his wealth. Roan's skin is fair. A messy brown bob frames her still youthful face, adorned by freckles over her cheeks and small nose. Her almond-shaped eyes are sky blue with lush lashes, sadly their beauty is wasted on an apathetic expression. All the hard labor throughout the years has toughened her petite physique; Roan's shoulder, arms, thighs and midriff are all toned. Her lithe frame is outlined by an unmistakable hourglass figure, endowed with medium-sized breasts and a firm and round backside. To maintain a superficial facade of femininity Roan bathes and grooms herself. Despite her short stature, Roan is strong enough to overpower men. She proved this in numerous brawls, bruises and purple spots all over her body attest this. Because of her social status she wears manly garbs. Roan prefers overalls, a straw hat and a loose blouse for ventilation, fastened at her waist with a leather belt.

Roan is 24 years old. From a young age Roan was taught how to act like the man of the house; she was educated on work, honesty, honor and religion. This helped initially but as time went on and these lessons became more insistent, she expressed her scorn for them by running away from home on numerous occasions. Roan is definitely not proud that she 'upholds a tradition' by being the sole sworn virgin of her town. Over time, because of her social status, she slowly withdrew herself from the village. Due to lack of social interaction, Roan became standoffish, introverted and distant. These days she doesn't talk. And seems like she doesn't enjoy the company of other people either, often working alone or wandering outside the village. Being the diligent worker she is, Roan enjoys hard work; feeding the livestock, plowing the farmland, milking the goats and sheep etc., and takes pride in her daily labor. But just as much, she loves spending time in the woods, smoking cigarettes and playing with her father's knife. Solitude brings her a sense of safety and comfort. However, Roan's mind seethes with hatred at herself to the point where she experiences nightmares. She simply cannot reconcile herself with how she lost her womanhood. This inner turmoil turned into a deep rooted jealousy for other women; she envies their braided hair, pregnant bellies, dainty hands, dresses and most importantly their husbands, because Roan never had a husband (or even a boyfriend) before and likely never will thanks to her condition as a sworn virgin. At heart, she is a hopeless romantic.

Being rooted in tradition, Albanians wholly accepted sworn virgins as men. They are respected and treated as equals. Roan's case is the same is no exception. But that's what hurts the most. She has the same rights and responsibilities of one. At age 18 she inherited her father's knife and rifle. She can smoke, drink alcohol, play music, sing and sit and talk with other men. Most sworn virgins who broke the oath were either killed or exiled.