Little Pieces in Search of A Bigger Picture

FFXIV Character Bios: Anamariel Madaromi

Anamariel finished up the last load of laundry to dry. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she took a sip of sweetwater to cool off and restore her strength. She'd need it later in the afternoon, when she and the children took down the dry clothes, folded them neatly, tied them in bundles and sorted them into destination drops for the couriers to deliver tomorrow.

She moved to the back room and gazed down at the dozen or so pallets scattered across the floor. There were many more on the second and third floors, and a score in the hidden basement. She never knew when one of the kids would get involved in something unsavory, or witnessed a crime, or any one of a hundred things that made the Law or Lawbreakers come looking for them. The secret stone door had been magicked: first, when it was cut to make it seem whole with the floor; again, to make you turn your attention away from it; and lastly, the third time, for luck. While the ancient Ul'dah God/dess of Luck, Tomlynn, had long fallen out of favor, s/he still had hisser worshippers.

Anamariel believed in luck. It had been luck that led her to Xav'iere, and luck that had put her in the right place, to help the elderly owner of this home, Ovaddin, become well again, well enough to leave her this 3-story building and storefront upon his death. Of course, she hoped that he would approve of what use she was putting it too.

Tomlynn's Wash N' Dry became a success within a week of its Grand Opening. Although the local temples believed hisser name to be blasphemous, they quickly were silenced by her offer to have their holy garments laundered at half price. The wealthy nobility followed suit, as did the Guilds and the Immortal Flames. Only a select few among her clientele knew that she employed the homeless, and housed the orphans and runaway children.

Work was very hard and demanding, but she had struck a deal with the Farmer's Guild, which was more than happy to supply food, fruits and vegetables that were 'slightly blemished' so that she could offer a free lunch to her workers. Sometimes there would be a homeless teacher who would offer classes to the very young orphans. Most of her charges went on to better jobs, or apprenticed in the Guilds if they showed promise and tenacity.

Some, she could not help. These she called her wayward children, but they would leave knowing that, if truly seeking reformation, they had a home here. For a long time, life had been good for herself and Xav'iere. But Tomlynn Luck had not given them his blessing. Try as they might, they could not have children. When the Immortal Flames came looking for soldiers to fight in the war against the Garlean Empire, Xav'iere left. She had gotten word from him almost every day. The Immortal Flames saw to that, giving her laundry-bearing courier news.

The sound of footsteps cam, from upstairs and outside. Arms big and small, tanned black or pale white, hugged her until she was breathless. And voices high or squeaky, voices cracking with the change of years or deep voices already changed, cried "Mama! Mamariel!" She hushed them, kissed their cheeks and took them into the backyard. Then the clothes she had set out an hour before, now dry in the hot desert sun, were taken down, folded, tied and sorted.

The sun had set when the basement door cracked open. "Mama, are they gone?" asked a musical but shaky voice. 

"Yes, Riisu," she replied, "The streets are quiet, and the young ones are sleeping. I hope! It's still dangerous out, though. The starfruit sellers will be out soon."

Starfruit was the street name for a particularly dangerous and addictive drug. She had found Riisu one night clawing his face to the bone in a dirty alley. It had taken two months for his young Ele'zen body to beat the addiction.

"Here, I have some stew that I kept warm for you," she says, gesturing to a small kettle suspended over the fire pit. He ate, and when he finished the bowl, placed it in the wash water.