Anne would never understand. Nor, in truth, did she want to. She pulled Tom tight to her side, whispering soothing words to the boy that probably did little to cut through his messy tears… but he had to know someone was safe to be around. That someone could be quiet instead of loud.
“I thought it was very pretty, Curls.”
He said nothing in reply, just sniffing through the continued crying, but his hand gripped onto her dress just a bit tighter. Anne smiled, though not from joy, and adjusted his seat on her hip. The docks were not pleasant so early in the morning, cold light of dawn barely cutting through the gloom and the busy ships raucous and rancid with the smell of the polluted sea; not at all the place for a young child. Yet there was no choice in the matter. Leaving her brother behind while their raging, bitter father was in one of his moods was too much of a risk no matter how much their mother insisted it would never transition to fists, that her dear husband would never cross that line, but Anne absolutely had to go to work as well. How else could she move towards the proper escape she dreamed of for them both?
She pushed through the half-rotten door to the inn’s back rooms, grateful at the instant cheer of the fireplace. Her elderly boss was sunk deep into his favourite chair, faced away.
“Bit late, aren’t…” He trailed off the moment the sounds of crying reached his ears, immediately pushing into a stand so he could turn and sigh wearily at what he saw. “Ah. I suppose I’ll let you off, then. Good morning, Master Thomas. Coming along to help us out, are you?”
It was a familiar exchange by now. Anne knew to be grateful to Elyas; he was a grouchy sort, closed off, and she hadn’t predicted how understanding he’d be about her situation until the first time she’d come stumbling into work with a screaming Tom blowing a gust over his head. She walked over, and, with much regret, pulled her brother away from her side so she could hand him over. This was not an easy task. Tom attempted to cling on, sobs growing louder and splitting her heart in the process; he still reached out to her once securely in Elyas’s grasp. It shouldn’t be this way. She shouldn’t need to bring him with her, she shouldn’t need to put him through this so much, she shouldn’t.
“Sorry, boss,” she said quietly, fighting back her own tears. “And you too, Curls… I have to go out there and work, but I’ll visit on my breaks, okay? You be good for Mister Elyas.”
Anne did not expect a reply, but through his sobs, tears still streaming down his face and his fringe starting to blow about, there was the tiniest little nod. She reached out to briefly stroke back his hair, pointlessly attempting to tidy the unbrushed red mass.
Her sweet baby brother… she would never understand how their father could turn such hateful eyes to him. Anne had fallen into complete adoration of her brother the moment she’d first gotten to see him, heart swelling to immense size when she’d finally got to hold him in her arms. She’d only been twelve years or so of age, then, but so sure straight away she’d remake the world just to keep him safe. Her parents had found her love for him endearing, called her a ‘little mother,’ and that had been a point of pride until Tom had started to blow his ball around with the gentlest little breezes before he could even crawl. Father hadn’t been the best before then, wallowing in self-pity over the magical talent he just didn’t have, but he’d been at least ‘alright.’ Having a sorcerer for a son had apparently broken whatever good had been there. Anne hated it, she hated that she had to be a mother for Tom just to ensure her fucking prick of a father didn’t break Tom too. It wasn’t like their actual mother did much to stop it, after all.
One day the two of them would never have to see either mother or father again. She’d make sure of it. She’d get them a small, quiet sanctuary of a home, find someone willing to teach Tom how to control and enjoy that magical little part of him he’d once played with so freely, and they’d be happy. Even if it took longer than she’d like.
“Off you go, then,” said Elyas, not unkindly. “Thomas will be fine, won’t you, little man?”
Yes, he would be. Had to be. Faerun without her brother’s smile in it wasn’t a place worth being a part of anymore. Anne kissed Tom’s head and left for the front before she got more emotional, actively forcing herself to harden up as she stepped into the already busy crowd. No more sadness for herself today. The world needed remaking for a brave young boy, and if her next fight in that journey was surviving another wearying workday, then so be it.