Naya Layette was born the only daughter of Caiberd Layette, a noble in the Kingdom of Alterac (-26). Early on it was determined that she had arcane potential, meaning she had gifts which could allow her to be sorceress. On her 12th birthday (-14), Naya's parents sent her to become a sorcerer's apprentice in the Mage city of Dalaran. She learned at the feet of Arra Whiteleaf, a human sorceress from the village of Brill. She learned the ways of magic, showing a particular talent with fire. Naya was on track to become an instructor for young students once she had completed her training. But shortly after she turned 22 (-4), her life took an unexpected turn.
It was at that time that she first met Altus Tien, a priest of Northshire fulfilling diplomatic responsibilities. The two became fast friends, and with subsequent visits their relationship blossomed into something much more. After only a few months, Altus asked Naya to marry him, and she readily accepted. For the sake of their marriage, Naya decided that once married, she would leave her mage training behind. Sad but understanding, Arra used the time before the wedding to expedite as much of what remained for Naya to learn and declared her to be fully taught.
Naya and Altus were married in a small, discrete ceremony in Dalaran, for Naya's father was vehemently opposed to the marriage. Caiberd placed a lot of stock in the idea of nobility by birth, and felt that for his daughter to marry anyone not of rnoble Alterac blood would be treachery to the Layette family and heritage. When he learned of his daughter's marriage, he was furious. But Naya and Altus were happy, and left Dalaran to build a life in Northshire.
When Altus went to war against the Horde for the first time (0), Naya stayed in Northshire to care for their two-year-old son, Nikolas. She was newly pregnant with their daughter, Katia, who would be born while Altus was away. As the war drew to a close, Naya joyfully greeted her husband upon his return to Northshire, only to learn they had to leave immediately. The Horde was marching on Stormwind, and Northshire lay in its path. Altus and Naya gathered their children, a few precious belongings and what provisions they could and joined the masses evacuating from Stormwind and the kingdom of Azeroth (4).
They sailed north to Southshore, a main port of the northern kingdom of Lordaeron. Against his wife's advice, Altus took his family to Alterac, to seek refuge with Naya's father. Their reception was anything but warm. Caiberd treated his daughter and her family with the cruelest derision, even striking Naya across the face for what he called betrayal to her family. He banished Naya and her family from his home and lands, and warned them not to return to Alterac at all. They returned to Southshore, where Altus almost immediately was called on by his leaders to join the forces marshaling to repel the continuing Horde onslaught (5). Naya stayed with her children in Southshore for the duration of the war.
After the Horde's defeat (6-7), Altus and Naya moved to the Hinterlands north of Southshore at the invitation of Altus' dwarf friend, Dobrin. For the next fifteen years, they raised their children in peace. Altus taught them about the Light and faith, while Naya passed on some of the learning she recieved in Dalaran. Katia showed greater interest and aptitude for her father's teachings, while Nikolas was eager to learn all he could about magic from his mother. The children learned much from living in the Hinterlands, from both the dwarves at Aerie Peak and the elves at the Quel'Danil hunting lodge.
When Altus was reassigned to Tyr's Hand (22) in eastern Lordaeron, Naya went with him, leaving Nikolas with the elves; Katia had gone to the Monastary in Tirisfal to study. When the Scourge invaded Lordaeron (25), Naya watched her husband go to war for a third time. Shortly before the battle of Darrowshire, Altus sent a letter to Naya, asking her to leave Tyr's Hand and head south. He expressed his fear that the Scourge would not be easily contained, and worried lest the Undead invaders attack Tyr's hand. Naya did not recieve her husband's letter until after his death at Darrowshire, and by the time she had made preparations to leave, much of the area surrounding Tyr's Hand was held by the Scourge. However, Nikolas, at his father's request, made his way to the city and helped his mother escape through the mountains (26).
They made their way to Aerie Peak, from whence Naya flew south to Stormwind, returning to the city for the first time since leaving it more than 20 years before. There she found her former instructor from Dalaran, Arra Whiteleaf, who had come south to study at the Tower of Azora in Elwynn Forest. Naya, too, began to study anew the art of magic and the arcane, while trying to stay in contact with her son and daughter as much as possible. Naya visits the memorial built by Nikolas in Altus' honor at Northshire three times a year- once on each of their children's birthdays, and once on the anniversary of their marriage.
Like her husband, Naya is kind and slow to anger; however, she is passionate and impulsive, sometimes acting or speaking too quickly. She has a great love for her children, and lives in constant concern for their safety. She is calm in her demeanor, but the pain of her husband's death is often evident.
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