Gem Farrow

Representation: Anna Popplewell

Gem Farrow is the adoptive mother of the royal child Olivia Conrinston after her mother's untimely death, when Gem was only 16.

She practices the magic of Disintegration that she was taught by the Queen. She also has some knowledge of the basic magic, which she required through training as a head guard earlier in her life. However, she generally dislikes the idea of magic and is well known for saying "One day magic could kill a man.".

Gem avoids talking about her blood relatives. This may be due to that they committed a taboo and were punished by death.

Gem was born an only child that came from a forbidden love between her parents, Ortoria and Reine Farrow.The two lovers first met at a party celebrating Otoria's 18th birthday, since then they would send letters back and forth until Otoria finally ran away with Reine when she was 21.

Reine was a painter who was well known for his beautiful paintings of landscapes. However he wasn't very sociable so tried to avoid talking, he found painting a way to express himself without using words.

Otoria was a daughter of a noble, she was known for her unusual beauty. She preferred being outside rather than inside her home. Otoria enjoyed visiting lakes and parks with Reine when he visited her hometown on business.

The letters began when Reine first wrote to Otoria, "Pardon for the rudeness" in an apology letter after their first meeting. Otoria and Reine would send the letters to each other in secrecy, Reine would often send Otoria drawings of her favourite plants and flowers. Months later the letters piled up, and they arranged meetings, dates and holidays together.

The both fell in love with each other through the letters.

Reine knew that Otoria's father probably rejected the love that they shared and would refuse to let him marry her. Instead, they both ran off out of the country and into the another kingdom far away from the Kingdom of Erilan.

They settled for a large cottage in the countryside where they made money from Otoria's new job as a tailor and lived off of Reine's old money from when he painted.

Otoria learnt Reine's secret that he had kept to himself all his life at first she was shocked but couldn't reject the true love she felt towards him.

Some years After, they gave birth to a little girl who they named Gem.

Gem grew up in the countryside not knowing much about her grandparents but had accepted that they were probably dead. Gem was a caring and optimistic girl, who wouldn't hurt a fly. She helped her mother with chores around the house and gardens. Generally her life up until she was 9 was very blissful.

At age 9, Gem's parents were both charged with treason for disobeying the Country's rule. Gem was told of the dark secret that both of her loving parents kept locked away. Shortly after the accusation they were both slaughtered.

Her personality became the complete opposite. She was heartless and cold, her spirit had completely drained from her eyes. Gem decided to run away from her home, and ran away from the fate that the kingdom had decided for her. She could not bare the pain of any more secrets, lies or promises of safe places and lovely food. She ended up at a small town near the sea where she met her two friends, who were also cast aside.

The children would steal what they could, usually coming home with barrels of goods they would sell off to merchants. Gem was in charge of leading these operations, as she was the most cunning of the three.

Gem started practising the only thing she had been good at since loosing her parents, swordsmanship. Often, she would go out and practise in the fields surrounding her small hideout that she shared with the other children. The children would play many games about the tales of knights and dragons. The three children would call themselves "Unwanted musketeers" as they had fully accepted they were useless to the kingdom and its rulers.

As soon as she turned 13 she was spotted in combat by a captain of the Erikaviel royal guard who was surveying the surrounding kingdom. She fought with a much older man, who had begun to try to convince children into 'playing' with him. The fight displayed her agility and quick thinking. The captain was impressed afterwards he asked her to join the royal guard. From there she developed many skills and was appointed as a captain/head of a squadron when she was 15. After the passing of the Queen's knight, she was appointed to the position. Through this she became good friends with the Queen.

As the Queen trusted Gem, a few days before she died, not long after Princess Olivia was born. Ophanim asked her to take care of her child and raise her so she would be fit for her future.

### PERSONALITY

At first glance Gem seems like a ordinary and happy woman however there is a lot more depth to her than that glance would see.

Usually, Gem is a bubbly, outgoing and polite person (who's quite clumsy and easily startled by anything!). Sometimes, Gem can get quite shy around attractive men but often spark up an interesting conversation with them. Gem appreciates her new life at the castle, though she does often wonder what life would be like married to someone. Even though she seems like the type to show affection through words but she usually gets flustered before she can finish her sentence. Instead she shows it through her instinct to protect and stay loyal to the person even if it costed her own life.

However, she is not all sugar coated. From the young age of 9, she was bitter and cold toward others, not caring for anything but her own personal gain. Though she cared about the few people who felt like family to her. Nowadays, Gem has neglected that way of thinking and adopts her first, more kindhearted nature.

Evident from her title in the military, Gem is a very talented swordsman.

Gem was quite violent but this didn't stop her soft side shining through that. She'd often apologise if she killed anything, even if it was something malicious and that had slaughtered many or the tiniest bug.

When put in rough situations, Gem can sometimes be irrational, thinking only of others and never herself. Gem likes to act upon whims and not lifelong goals.