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Adria

Adria’s first memories are of her father.  He was a swirling, overwhelming presence in her childhood.  Her mother was there too, but she was a wisp of a person, a foggy presence both in life and now in Adria’s memory.  Her father, for all his many faults, taught her how to use her magic.  It’s the one thing she would thank him for, if given the chance.  

Her father brought her to work with him as soon as she could walk.  She didn’t even realize she was working at the time, she just knew grown-ups thought she was cute and her dad would fumble through tourists’ luggage while she cooed.  Over time though, she learned the benefits of a pretty face.  Without any proper schooling available to the peasants in the city, her father’s lessons were all the education she would get.  Some kids didn’t even have that, and when winter would come they’d fade away from hunger or lack of shelter.  Her father and now she kept a slightly leaky roof over their heads.  Her father tried to teach her younger brother the family trade, but he didn’t have the knack for magic or the head for thievery.  Her father would say he had too much of her mother in him.  She always hated when he would say that.  

As living conditions got worse in the city, her father’s mood got worse as well.  He’d always been rough with them but now he started beating up on them pretty bad.  Adria could tell by the amount of goods they swiped during the day how long she’d have to stand in as a punching bag when they got home.  He hit her brother and mother as well, but Adria did her best to divert her father’s anger toward her.  She could handle it better than them.

Things kept getting worse though, and her father was getting old.  Her brother found an above board job at a fishery, and Adria knew it was time for her to go.  She left during the night when her father was passed out drunk.  She found another city and started working, solo this time.  She was a woman now, and realized she could make money in more ways than one.  Between her wits and her magic, she rarely had to actually take her clothes off- the men never made it that far.  Eventually she met someone- Jasik, a man on the streets who pursued her for a long time, ignoring her no’s, until she finally had to give him credit for the chase.  She fell hard, admittedly much harder than she should have.  But she was young, and he was charming and caring and protective.  He made her feel safe.  

Adria’s worst fear comes true- she realizes she’s pregnant.  She doesn’t tell Jasik at first- he made it clear he doesn’t have time for a family.  She debates getting rid of it- but can’t bring herself to do it, and by then its too late.  She’s showing and has to tell Jasik why she hasn’t been bringing in any money.  Most people aren’t interested in a pregnant woman.  Surprisingly, he doesn’t react badly- he vows to take care of them both, and foolishly, Adria believes him.  

For a while, he keeps his promise.  He takes care of her while she can’t work, and one day while he’s out late, the baby comes.  It’s horrible, and he yells at her for staining their cot with blood when he gets back.  Jasik doesn’t understand babies.  He doesn’t understand why the stupid thing won’t stop crying all the time, why it needs fed in the middle of the night, or why it can’t be left alone during the day so Adria can pay her keep.  He doesn’t understand why she can’t do her womanly duties for him anymore, he doesn’t accept that she’s still bleeding and she’s tired.  Seaorche, the baby, is only two weeks old when he kicks them out.  

What do you do when the love of your life, the father of your newborn baby disappears?  She sure as hell doesn’t know, so she tries to figure it out.  Leave the baby with her new landlord while she’s out working crowds during the day and working Johns at night.  It works for a while, until Saeorche has bruises on her arm the landlord won’t explain when she comes back.  So now the baby stays with her.  Adria’s always been above begging, but now it's really the only option when you have a baby with you.  It gets a little easier once the kid can walk.  Adria wonders if she would make a good distraction for a heist, then realizes in a jolt of horror that she’s thinking just like her father.  That’s the last straw.  She’s going to ruin this perfect, innocent girl if she keeps her.  So she takes her to people who know what the hells they’re doing.  A good school, one she knows will take proper care of her.  An expensive one, so it takes some convincing on her part to assure them she’ll keep sending enough money.  She gives the kid a big hug before she goes.  She hears her cry and that hurts more than anything, but it's the right choice.  She was never cut out to be a mother. 

Adria Siannodel

Moon Elf

Wizard Enchantress

Charlatan

C/N