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MADELEINE ELLIS, if you ever dared to ask around, would most often be described as a reckless, butt-headed and completely insane woman. She somewhat prides herself on those qualifications, perhaps more than she should. Definitely, more than she should. But that's the thing with Madeleine. She never does what she should.
Her reputation relies on the fact that she is a kind of freelance archaeologist. By that, she means that she explores tombs in hopes of finding something valuable. Sometimes, she even gets jobs, people sending her out with the promise of a good reward in exchange for her service. Rewards which are, more often than not, a bit short considering all the risks she takes. But she's never been caught.
That's exactly why people hire her for these kinds of jobs. She's street smart and book smart, a combination most needed for her work. Though, emotionally smart? Not so much.
Because, in the end, the only reason Madeleine is doing all of this, taking all these risks, is to help her little brother. When you grow up in an orphanage and learn that your 3 years old sibling is sent there too, you tend to try and gather as much money as you need to adopt him.
The only reason Madeleine is convinced that little James is her brother, is because the nice nurse who used to work there sent her a letter about it. She could go to jail for that. But it's okay, Madeleine can make it work. She can steal as much old stuff as she can and resell it until she's got enough money for her family. Because she knows how it feels, growing up there. That's the thing when you have no biological family. No one can recognize you as theirs.
Luckily enough, she found some people to call her own in that orphanage. Even someone to share her made up surname with. Because as much as William Ellis loves to playfully deny it, Madeleine is his little sister. Which makes James his little brother. Which is why William sends Madeleine an obscure telegraph, promising gold and enough money to adopt James, if she decides to help him and his British friends, the Carnahans, get to Hamunaptra.
As for the other person she found in that place, her very best friend... Well, his name should not be pronounced in her presence. Ever since Rick O'Connell decided to run away and join the French Foreign Legion, merely a few weeks after Madeleine learned about James, she wouldn't hear of him. If he wanted to leave so bad, then so be it. She'll make sure he leaves her mind too.
