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Argwath Alamein Argwath spent much of her time growing up on the streets of Tanchico. There was never enough food to which her thin body proved. Her blond braids hung to her waist and were never very neat. Her brown eyes and red lips always appeared sad and hopeless. Her clothes no longer covered her long body as they once had. Her parents had been wealthy merchants when she was a little girl of only 5. Then the riots broke out. The Dragonsworn roamed the streets and the King's guard ceased to do anything useful. During one of the riots, her parents wagons were attacked. Her father was killed and the wagons were set on fire. Nothing could be saved. Her mother picked the little girl up and ran for safety in a nearby alley. Her slid down the wall of a dark stone building and, clutching little Argwath in her arms, cried. Argwath's mother did everything she could, stealing when she couldn't earn enough to fill her daughter's empty belly. She made what little clothing she could as Argwath continued to grow. When Argwath was 12, her mother caught a dreadful fever. The fearful daughter knew not what she could do. What would she be able to do if anything happened to her mother? She fervently prayed for a miracle and wished for her mother to be healed. She cried herself to sleep that night. The next morning, when the Argwath awoke, her mother was well. There was no sign of the life-threatening illness the older woman had once had. Argwath thanked the luck that had blessed her and hugged her mother. She didn't think much of it then. At 16, Argwath and her mother were caught in another riot. They were getting more frequent the more time passed. Argwath was injured when a shove from a very large man knocked her into the corner of a wall. Her shoulder was dislocated. Her mother rushed toward her but could do nothing as a knife took the mother in the back. Argwath held her mother tightly and wished and prayed yet again for her mother's health. She prayed and wished with all her being. Once, she thought her luck that she was remembering from when her mother had taken ill a few years ago was going to take effect. The bleeding had stopped somewhat. Nothing else good happened after that. Her mother died in her arms. Argwath thought her life was over. What would she do without her mother? She cried and cried. Little did she know she was being watched from the end of the alley way. The ageless woman walked up to Argwath and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Young lady, life is not yet over for you," she said as if reading the girl's thoughts. "It is only just beginning. Come with me and I will show you." Argwath was too upset to deny the woman anything she might have wanted. But when her mother's bleeding had mysteriously stopped, the woman had noticed a glow surrounding the young girl. That was how Argwath found herself on her way to the Grey Tower.
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