{ froy gutierrez, 23, demi man, he/they } ** whispers dart through the streets of kærholt. was that amaru “peony” de la mara that was spotted? they’re an ESCORT at THE FLOWER HALL in the city and are known for being EFFERVESCENT and IMPULSIVE. they DO have magical abilities. the whispers say they are ALLIED AGAINST the eldrkirk and are AGAINST the laws about magic. may the fire keep them warm.
tw : sex work.
positives : kind , effervescent , loyal , open-minded negatives : impulsive , stubborn , easily-manipulated , childish
born into a family of ample wealth & status , amaru de la mara was a child destined for either wild greatness or earnest mediocrity ; with a father well-versed in high-end commerce amongst the more refined merchants of kaerholt & a socialite mother with a pearly smile & full lips , amaru had always been meant to uphold the glittering gold of prosperity through either a successful career in the trades or as a beautiful creature engaged in the ascension of social ranks.
their charming looks & honeyed smile earned them many an admirer from a young age ; his mother would often brush flaxen curls with a gilded hairbrush and coo at them all the while , assuring her beloved child that the sun seemed to follow them no matter where they went. amaru grew up with freckles lining the bridge of their nose & a dimpled smile -- but more than that , they seemed to always glow with something soft & golden , like an angel amongst men …
… & though amaru always knew that the child of a family that wasn’t quite noble but wealthy enough to mingle with those who were would always be expected to marry well & continue the family line in some capacity. while they lacked the cut-throat shrewdness required to be a successful merchant , it became clear that amaru was beautiful and tender enough to secure a suitor in due time. perhaps they would be unable to meet their father’s expectations , but at the very least , a practiced smile & a bell-like laugh paired with their good looks could earn them a partner worthy of status higher than their own. what more could a child ask for ?
a life of unignorable ease & comfort , however , came to a brutal end two weeks prior to their coming of age year ; only a fortnight before they were to debut as an adult at 18 , blinding white light bled from their palms with white hot intensity , overwhelming enough to leave them crumpled at their feet & their mother huddled in a corner , quaking in fear.
the de la mara family , while modest in their wealth , remained devout to the high priest & his fanatical teachings. magic , they claimed , would destroy purity. that anything tainted by something so ugly and unnatural would was a curse against the eternal flame that they held so sacred. in an instant , a dazed & lost amaru was cast to the streets with not a penny to their name. it would do the de la maras a disservice to house something so sacrilegious , so heretical against everything they believed in. an elden family , after all , held no place for a cursed being that could wield magic.
for weeks , amaru wandered the streets ; slept in taverns in a huddled heap , teeth chattering & their clothes slowly gathering grime. stale pieces of bread scavenged from the street-sides and what butter he could purchase with the coin given to them by passerbyers that took mercy on the young boy were the only thing to take the edge off the hunger gnawing at his belly. but , oh , how their beauty came to save them …
perhaps it was foolish for an innocent flower like themself to wander into the rowdiness of the docks well past dark , but the promise of fresh fish roasted with vegetables caused their tummy to rumble. maybe , they thought to themself , if they fluttered their lashes and played coy that a sailor or fisherman may take mercy on their trembling form -- and though it worked , it brought on with it a spiral of events that amaru couldn’t have anticipated. the brothels by the dock were frequented by a demanding bunch --- and amaru’s beauty stood out in the darkness , surely. going to bed with a stranger , amaru rationed , was a price worth paying if it meant he had enough coin in their pocket to afford a warm meal and a bed to sleep in.
one evening became two in a week , then a consistent gig amongst the docks -- and soon enough , amaru found themself working within the brothels to an official capacity. perhaps it was their tenderness , the glow of effervescent golden light that never seemed to leave them … but the customers that came to them regularly soon grew affectionate , fond. clients more wealthy than the others soon sought him out -- and by some turn of events , a brothel with a high reputation soon became the next warm bed for them to stay in.
they adopted the name peony , after the multi-petaled flower that held a delicate beauty. to become a flower , after all , meant that amaru had gained a standing. a proper reputation. their bell-like laughter and twinkling eyes won the hearts of his patrons with steady resolve. and while many scorned the work of escorts within brothel walls , amaru finds in it comfort. solace. security. at the very least , his clients wanted them , wanted to bed them , wanted to chat with them … and to feel wanted after being cast out from the only life he ever knew … it was the only safety amaru could find.
five years have passed since then & amaru continues to clench their hands & dig their nails into their palms , hiding the magic that had caused them to lose it all. while others with sorcery have honed their skills , amaru is only able to summon slight flickers & hazy orbs , too afraid to exert more energy at the risk of bursting with light so hot that they melt away at the seams. they bite their tongue , hide their magic , and traverse through the flower hall with a buoyant spirit. they smile & they laugh & they touch others with a tenderness few have tasted. While they refused to allow hardship to make them unkind , there’s no doubt that amaru aches & aches & aches to be seen.
