How Things Have Changed
Children's Week ended the other day. I was sponsoring a young, blonde blood elf girl, Amaurea. I took her everywhere she wanted to go, watched her eyes light up at the sight of thing she's only heard about and listened as she told me her dreams and aspirations. I felt a beautiful sadness, remembering my own life when I was so young, and equally alone. I told her stories about my times as an orphan, too. I think it comforted her to know that she could be successful in life despite being left with nothing at so young an age. She still has much growing to do before she needs to face that hardship, though.
Ama's parents were taken away from her earlier than my own. I had been 55 ((human equiv: 14)), Ama only 36 ((human eqiv: 9)). The orphanage in Silvermoon was much smaller and less well-kept than the one in Shattrath. They did not have sponsors or auctions for the children, we had to fend for ourselves and work to support the orphanage as a whole. I assisted both the tailor and the jewelcrafter in those years, making coppers and learning the valuable trades. My salary went to the Matron, who cooked and cleaned. There were only 4 other children, at the time. Most who had lost their parents in the war had other family to go to. We, did not.
I was not the oldest of the children, there was another girl, Silissa, who was 8 ((2 human)) years my senior, and a boy, Thramas, who was just slightly older than her. Then there was me, and the two younger. Twins: two girls, Asya and Aranala, both with jet black hair. They were very young, younger than Amaurea. The only ones old enough to work were myself, Silissa and Thramas. Thramas worked at the blacksmith's, Silissa with the alchemist. Together we made enough to buy food stuffs to make supper each night.
I grew used to having very little material things and found no time for friends. Mine was a quiet, hard-working existence. I went to work at the tailor's in the morning and the jewelcrafter's in the afternoon, and on breaks I read books on healing spells. In the evenings I helped clean up after supper, as I was and am abysmal with cooking. Then I would study till I couldn't read anymore. On the weekends, I went to the temple and assisted the priests and priestesses as an acolyte.
I was lucky, I guess you could say, that I had such a talent with the Light, and with the seldom-studied Discipline magic. I had a knack for being strong, I was told by my mentor. It gave me something to do, to pursue, and to hope for when I was old enough to leave the orphanage.
Amaurea is lucky, too. She does not have to work so hard as I did. Her orphanage is well supported by wealthy patrons such as myself. (It is weird to consider myself wealthy now, but there it is. I make a comfortable living healing and off my trades.) Though I worry she will be ill-prepared for the world when she comes of age, not having had to be strong for herself and for others in her same position. But I trust the Light to keep her and guide her, and all the others who have lost their families.
Ama's parents were taken away from her earlier than my own. I had been 55 ((human equiv: 14)), Ama only 36 ((human eqiv: 9)). The orphanage in Silvermoon was much smaller and less well-kept than the one in Shattrath. They did not have sponsors or auctions for the children, we had to fend for ourselves and work to support the orphanage as a whole. I assisted both the tailor and the jewelcrafter in those years, making coppers and learning the valuable trades. My salary went to the Matron, who cooked and cleaned. There were only 4 other children, at the time. Most who had lost their parents in the war had other family to go to. We, did not.
I was not the oldest of the children, there was another girl, Silissa, who was 8 ((2 human)) years my senior, and a boy, Thramas, who was just slightly older than her. Then there was me, and the two younger. Twins: two girls, Asya and Aranala, both with jet black hair. They were very young, younger than Amaurea. The only ones old enough to work were myself, Silissa and Thramas. Thramas worked at the blacksmith's, Silissa with the alchemist. Together we made enough to buy food stuffs to make supper each night.
I grew used to having very little material things and found no time for friends. Mine was a quiet, hard-working existence. I went to work at the tailor's in the morning and the jewelcrafter's in the afternoon, and on breaks I read books on healing spells. In the evenings I helped clean up after supper, as I was and am abysmal with cooking. Then I would study till I couldn't read anymore. On the weekends, I went to the temple and assisted the priests and priestesses as an acolyte.
I was lucky, I guess you could say, that I had such a talent with the Light, and with the seldom-studied Discipline magic. I had a knack for being strong, I was told by my mentor. It gave me something to do, to pursue, and to hope for when I was old enough to leave the orphanage.
Amaurea is lucky, too. She does not have to work so hard as I did. Her orphanage is well supported by wealthy patrons such as myself. (It is weird to consider myself wealthy now, but there it is. I make a comfortable living healing and off my trades.) Though I worry she will be ill-prepared for the world when she comes of age, not having had to be strong for herself and for others in her same position. But I trust the Light to keep her and guide her, and all the others who have lost their families.