Miriel, of Dol Amroth

Character Name: Miriel

Name Meaning: Jewel daughter

Age: 23

Date of Birth: 2 Narvinyë (January) 2987 Third Age

Race: Woman

Residence: Currently, Dol Amroth, though recently of Minas Tirith

Profession: Housekeeper at the Starlight Inn

Appearance: Miriel is tall and exceptionally beautiful. Any person would say as such. The woman is descended from the noble lines of Dol Amroth, as the rest of her family. She is fair of skin, with dark hair, but striking hazel eyes that at times appear green. Her looks are soft and she can seem quite charming, but in a blink her face can take on a look as sharp as her own tongue.

She has an air of dignity about her looks, and is always well kept in her appearance. Miriel is quite proud of her fashion, and dresses with nobility, only recently given to wearing clothes that could be deemed... useful... for her work.

Personality: Miriel’s personality can be profoundly stunning. She ranges from one of sweet and sugary language and actions, to one who can quickly replace her own words with the bite of a serpent. She is impulsive in terms of which demeanor she will present herself as, though at times she speaks when she wishes she would hold her tongue. Miriel is as prone to hating as she is loving. She is also biased and extremely judgmental of people, especially if their own actions are getting in way of what she desires.

The only reason that Miriel had acquired a job at the palace during her last years in Minas Tirith, is so that she might earn her way out of her household. She is not good at keeping suitors, for she draws them in easily enough with her beauty, but soon enough they turn away from her for the ugly side of her demanding nature and sharp tongue. The woman knows her beauty, and is vain, though due to recent circumstances in her life, has found that beauty can be fleeting, and false charm deceptive.

She is now sorrowful, often a simple look up sadness upon her face when she is not staring into the eyes of her child. Miriel has many regrets.



Parents:

Father- Faelon (deceased in warfare)

Mother- Meleth (51), cook in the Starlight Inn

Grandfather: Melanir (100), once a shepherd, now a city storyteller, living with his youngest daughter (Meleth) in Dol Amroth

Grandmother: Tinuves (99), midwife of Dol Amroth

Uncle Linnon and Aunt Ivren: Brother to her Father, Miriel lives with them in their large estate outside Dol Amroth

Sibling(s):

Faeldor (34)

Narbeleth- (19)

Marileth (12)

Haliel (8)

Brothers:

Faelon II (9)

Spouse: None

Children: Melian, infant babe, born January 6 3010.

History:

Miriel was born to Faelon and Meleth in the winter months of 2987 of the Third Age. She was the first daughter in her family, and at her birth, she had one older brother, Faeldor, whom she loved beyond all reason. Many children followed after her, so she was not the youngest for long, and instead she was given the responsibilities of the older children. Perhaps such responsibility suited her brother, but not Miriel, for she did not wish to be responsible nor in charge of others. She wished to be looked after. But once her four younger siblings were born and took the primary attention, there were none to look after her.

Miriel was always an attention seeking child, and favored her father greatly over her mother, who had always told her to act more like a lady. The little girl grew up among the horses in her father's stable with her older brother, and learned to ride at an early age, only increasing her expertise in her later years as she grew older. She loved the creatures, and often wished and asked for her own, but her brother was granted one, and not she, for she was much the younger.

At the age of fourteen, Miriel was finally convicted that she would never be allowed to work among the stables as her brother and her father, so for want of companionship, she began work beneath her mother, the baker, in the palace kitchens. She has since shown her skill in the business of cooking, and excelled to be one of the finer cooks, keeping the position for eight years.

Year by year, Miriel's siblings grew up along with her, and one by one they exceeded her in all her talents. Faeldor was the horseman, riding faster and more graceful than any other. Narbeleth was charming and gained true friendships easier than any other. Marileth exceeded her musical talent at the young age of ten, and young Faelon and Haliel gained the family's attention by their impulsive and adorable actions. The only thing Miriel still held in favor of "best" was physical beauty, for none of her siblings had such a lovely face as herself, so she began to take pride in this.

Her father was taken down while on a mission, when she was just fifteen years old. At this time in Miriel's life, she lost sight of the strength of Gondor. If her father, the most brave, and strongest man she knew could be taken down by a band of foul orcs, then who in Gondor had the strength to face the armies of Mordor? She lost hope for the future of their nation, so she began to live the moment, seeking her own desires. Choosing those of whom she seemed worthy to interact; those of class and social status, and rejecting those who were not worth the time of her family. Miriel found great failure in Gilwen, the beloved of her brother; a pitiful palace servant. Truthfully she was jealous that her brother had found someone to love, and she had not, and she tore at Gilwen slowly over two years, spreading rumors to make her life difficult, and always speaking with hatred.

Miriel's desires were eventually reached, finding what she thought was love in the arms of a soldier of Minas Tirith. Durion played the game well, and helped in her farce to lose Gilwen her work at the palace and lose her father his job in the Steward's armed legions. Hoping this would send Faeldor to abandon her, and being utterly disappointed that all these things mattered not to her brother.

Soon thereafter Miriel was carrying Durion's child, one of the servants in his home carrying another at the same time. When she went to Durion to tell him the news, in hopes for a proposal to spare her name, she was rejected by him. The woman who had once been her best, and only, friend, Rosiel, droll as she was, took up with Durion and she was also eventually rejected by her.

Forgoing her job at the palace when she cold no longer bear to work for the rumors drifting about her being unwed with growing belly, Miriel took mostly to her home upon the sixth tier pacing her house and gardens with only her thoughts. Eventually, ending up helping to care for Gilwen, blaming herself very much when she came into their home in the autumn of the year deathly ill, for when Gilwen had first come to their home for help upon being sent to the streets, Miriel had sent her away with the butt of a rolling pin.

Over months, Gilwen would offer her forgiveness, though the woman was meek and mild and Miriel never felt she deserved it. Her brother held longer grudge, though still feels responsible for his sister falling under the whims of Durion, he will see to that she is cared for.

It was with both Miriel and Gilwen in mind that the family planned to make move for Dol Amroth, as soon as the baby was born. Miriel wanted to be as far as Durion as possible, and the other side fo the country seemed the best space, not to mention they had family there, and a place to start over a new life. As the time came nearer to moving, as Gilwen grew well, and as her belly grew fuller, Miriel's spirit lightened somewhat for she felt there was perhaps a hope to her future, and she need not dwell always in despair and shame.

When her child was born, she named her Melian, for her Mother, and never informed Durion of her birth, only loathing in her heart for the man. It was not long thereafter that her brother led the way for their family to depart to Dol Amroth. The long ride in carriage took them far through valleys and mountains, and she felt her heart lighten more as they approached the sea, a place she had once loved to spend the summers of her childhood, tagging along with Narbeleth behind their elder brother in all his adventures.

This time things are different, now living with her Uncle and his gaggle of talkative daughters, she has taken to working at her Brother's inn. Her Uncle is wealthy, and she would want for nothing; she could spend her days without labor, only caring for her infant daughter. Miriel feels now that she owes her brother for helping her to escape Minas Tirith, despite her predicament. Also, she knows she must keep herself busy to stay from falling into further despair. The labor of her hands keeps her mind from sorry. Helping her Mother in the kitchen; helping to tend to the housekeeping, and helping to serve the inn as hostess, especially with Gilwen still so weak. There was a time when Miriel would have thought such work beneath her.

She keeps Melian near her always; her dearest treasure, Miriel knows she will never be blessed, nor would she wished to be, with someone so dear as her own child, and she tries to work on her own self, her own reactions, to be assured that her little one will not think her mother the monster she once was.