Orphans, soldiers, betrayal, separation
Mariella was born to two Highlander human parents, in a small town on Atlas. They were already burdened with three other siblings to Mariella, a sister and two brothers who were close in age.
Their father was abusive to them and their mother, and their father and mother argued often and culminated in their father eventually killing their mother in a heated dispute. The four siblings ran away the night after, leaving no note. Her two older brothers and her older sister joined opposing sides of a town with rebels verging on attacking the king.
One older brother and her sister joined the rebels, and her brother joined the king. Mariella dithered between the two choices, however not wanting to leave her brother on his own she joined him at 10 years old. The king's guard kept the rebels at bay for a while, but after 7 years more and more rebels were joining and the king was overrun.
The rebelling brother fought the other and Mariella fought her sister, and Mariella and her rebel brother were defeated. The kings' army was captured by the rebels and most were killed, preventing them from rebelling. Mariella escaped with the help of her siblings and traveled up the continent by stowing away in carriages and walking on foot other times.
She took odd jobs to gain Minas, weeding gardens or working as a maid or in shops other times. With her Minas, she bought a glass bottle of rosewater to dab on her wrists and neck; a new dress; shoes; and a knapsack to put her belongings in, and began her journey.
