Mariam Phutapie

"I am one of the Three Heroes, Mariam Futapie! Lucifenian soldiers! Show me your loyalty!"

Mariam Futapie is the Head of Maids and one of the Three Heroes of the Kingdom of Lucifenia. An expert in espionage and assassination, Mariam imparted all she knew to her foster daughter, Ney, and acted as one of Princess Riliane's most loyal followers.

Early Life
Born in EC 468, Mariam enlisted in the Asmodean military at a young age. Excelling in her abilities, she attained the rank of general by the age of nine. In EC 477,  the young Mariam met Gast Venom and the two became well acquainted with each other. That same year, while on a mission through the Misty Mountains, Mariam defected to the Kingdom of Lucifenia, fighting alongside Leonhart Avadonia and later Elluka Clockworker during the Asmo-Beelzenian War.

By EC 490, Mariam, along with her afformentioned comrades, emerged from the conflict as legends, referred to as the Three Heroes. After King Arth's death, the war ended and Mariam retired to a life of servitude, acting as the Head of Maids in the Lucifenian Palace to Queen Anne.

Twiright Prank
In EC 491, Mariam discovered Elluka in a battle with Minister Presi and intervened, rescuing her friend. Together, they defeated the minister, killing him, and Elluka was able to exorcise the demon from the queen's daughter, Princess Rilane. After the event, Mariam found an unconcious girl, Ney, and subsequentally adopted her. Learning that Presi collaborated with Abyss I.R., Mariam met with Elluka and Leonhart to share her findings. When Leonhart revealed he had adopted Prince Alexiel, the Head of Maids asked how he would handle raising two children at once before decribing that she too had recently adopted a child. Looking toward Elluka, the maid inquired if the mage was willing to train an apprentice since she was unlikely to marry. Elluka simply told her, "Never."

Fateful Days
A few days after Anne’s death in EC 499, Mariam was summoned by Elluka. Hastily entering the Hall of Mirrors, the Head of Maids felt a presence and swiftly parried the attack aimed at her back. Disarming her assailant with a kick to the wrist, Mariam turned to face Elluka complaining about her “kicking habit”. Glaring, she asked her friend what she was doing and Elluka teased that, with Anne’s death, she was leaving and had to kill everyone who knew her. Mariam responded that toy knives couldn’t kill, moving to pick up the wooden dagger and lightly touching it. Seeing the blade suddenly retract a razor from its hilt, she noted its sophistication.

Hearing her friend’s ridiculous assassination plan, she smiled and shrugged before asking why she was planning on leaving. Elluka explained how, with Anne and Arth dead, she had no obligation to stay and Mariam replied that she never changed, joking about Elluka’s ageless façade and childish character. Afterwards, she pleaded for her friend to stay. Elluka suggested she train an apprentice to replace her instead but Mariam remained skeptical. Elluka assured her it would only take a few years if the person had talent, prompting the Head of Maids to ask if she found such a person.

Elluka teased Mariam’s implication that she was replaceable and the maid, surprised, prepared to explain the contrary before sensing another presence, looking behind her to see Ney. Her foster child apologized and alerted Mariam that Leonhart wanted her to take a look at the new servant boy. Mariam agreed, aware the servant was the former prince, and told Elluka they would continue their conversation another time. Sighing, the head maid left with Ney and examined the new servant: Allen. At some point, Mariam watched Chartette Langley break a vase and the girl apologized for being a terrible maid. Mariam reassured her that, despite Chartette’s negligence, she was still trying her best.

Reign of Evil
On December 27th, EC 499, the day of Princess Riliane's birthday, Mariam ordered Allen, Chartette, and six other servants to clean the palace courtyard, telling them that the royal families of neighboring countries would be attending the ball. During the festivities that night, Mariam saw Allen's apparent exhaustion and asked if he was tired, telling him he should rest in the servants' quarters since they would need to clean up once the ball was over. Soon after, she teased how he and his twin sister shared the same face but had such different stations in life, discerning his exact thoughts from his expression.

Surprised, Allen asked if she was a mind reader but Mariam denied the notion, saying she wasn't Elluka followed by teasing her friend's own denial of such a power. When Allen asked if his obvious resemblance to his twin was a problem, Mariam explained that Elluka had already convinced everyone otherwise and that Allen's resemblance to Riliane was a coincidence. She then remarked how the issue was Riliane remembering him, but that the year he spent with her unnoticed proved she was still oblivious to the truth.

After the assassination attempt on Riliane a few days later in EC 500, Mariam was one of the few people she permitted beside her. About a week after the princess' birthday, Mariam learned that Leonhart was discovered dead in the river and attended his funeral. Seeing his foster daughter, Germaine, silent, she held the child in her arms, her shoulders trembling. Some time later, Keel Freesis asked for a messenger to visit in exchange for aid to Lucifenia; Mariam was one of the servants chosen but Keel refused to have her, and Allen was selected instead.

A few days later, Mariam answered Riliane's screams for her, entering the Hall of Sounds and hearing the princess' orders. Alerted that King Kyle had rejected his betrothal to the princess, Mariam was sent on a reconnaissance mission to discover the identity of Kyle's green-haired lover. Sending Ney to the Freesis Mansion and doing her own investigation in Elphegort, Mariam reported to the princess' bedroom and informed her, Allen, and Elluka that she remained clueless despite all her efforts. The mage noted that they only knew of the girl's hair color and Mariam explained that while Kyle's whereabouts in Elphegort were investigated, no information was obtained, as if they were being impeded from learning the truth.

The Head of Maids watched as Riliane erupted into a tantrum before calling for Prime Minister Minis and ordering him to have all the green-haired women in Elphegort slaughtered. After Elluka confronted Riliane's demand that the forest impeding an invasion be burned, the mage stormed out of the room and Mariam nervously chased after her. In the halls, she stopped Elluka and tried to reason with her but the mage replied that her task was finished with Anne and Arth's deaths and would flee with Gumillia from Riliane's madness.

Asking what she would do afterward, the sorceress began her response before seeing Allen watching them and cursed. After Elluka prophesized Lucifenia's destruction to Allen, the mage told Mariam how happy she and Leonhart made her, wishing Allen wasn't present to impede their time together. With tears in her eyes, Mariam heard Elluka's farewell before the sorceress departed.

Some time later, Mariam learned that Riliane hired Gast Venom and prepared to serve him food in his quarters. Annoyed, Mariam entered to find Gast with Allen, the former teasing her about how sheunexpectedly changed and became a servant.Irked, Mariam replied how he was still a mercenary, not changing at all. He responded that fighting was all he could do and she remarked that he obviously never got over his sister's death. After their brief interchange, the Head of Maids told Allen to take care of Gast. Before leaving, she asked why the mercenary was fighting and he told her he was searching for a place to die.

Lucifenian Revolution
Towards the end of the Lucifenian Revolution, Mariam and Allen were the only servants who didn't flee as the revolutionaries approached the palace gates. She whispered it had started, hearing the sounds of the palace invasion. Angry Ney had left her, the foster parent sarcastically noted their mother-daughter relationship and told Allen to escape as well while he had the chance. With his refusal to leave Riliane unprotected, the maid sighed and told him she had no intention of dying, choosing to test her limits fighting the Resistance army. Grabbing her knife from her shelf, Mariam said goodbye to Prince Alexiel, and told them to meet again if they both survived.

After leaving the Servants Room, Mariam entered the Heavenly Yard and struck down the invading soldiers, apologizing before explaining she could not let them through. Mariam proceeded to overwhelm the soldiers, striking them down one by one. Seeing Germaine commanding the battlefield, the bloodied assassin softly told her that she, like women in general, were strong individuals. Rallying the soldiers behind her, Mariam began the counterattack and attempted to halt Germaine's charge into the palace but was soon after attacked by a cloaked swordsman, forced to evade the strike.

Questioning the attacker's identity, she stabbed the woman with her blades, narrowly missing but destroying her cloak. As the swordsman revealed her face, Mariam's face turned to utter shock at the sight of Chartette. Horrified, she asked why the maid participated in the revolutionary army and then asked God why with disbelief at the reality.

Battling Chartette, Mariam asked again why she joined the revolutionaries, hearing her say it was because she was following her feelings like the people. Mariam responded that doing so would only make Riliane unhappy. Evading the former maid's downward slash, she successfully shattered the weapon with her palm after it was stuck in the ground. The assassin, kicking Chartette into a wall, pushed her offensive but was suddenly struck by the woman's rocket glove, incapacitated and heavily injured. Mariam recovered and took advantage of the former maid's brief hesitation, using a smoke bomb to cover her escape.

Shaken by Chartette's victory over her, the Head of Maids retreated to a corner, only for Ney to arrive and say she was searching for her. Mariam told her adopted daughter to flee and is suddenly stabbed in the back. Collapsing to the ground, Mariam contemplates how everyone she knew had betrayed her. Knowing she wouldn't see the outcome regardless of who won, Mariam died.

Legacy
Following her demise and the revolution's end, a patrolling Marlon soldier found her body in the Heavenly Yard and reported the finding to King Kyle. During the peace conference held the next day, he informed the delegates of the report. Although it was assumed she was killed by the revolutionary army during her escape, no one reported the kill, leaving the mystery unsolved.

Personality
Mariam is an outwardly cold, harsh, and somber woman, acting out her duties as a servant to the Lucifenian crown without complaint and dealing with childish actions in a stern and punctual manner. Despite her grim exterior, she is not heartless and hides a caring and sensitive side for those around her; noting Allen's exhaustion, she suggested the servant sleep before having to clean and, when Chartette became frustrated at her lack of grace, Mariam comforted her. She is deeply attached to her friends, Leonhart and Elluka, and is greatly shaken by the former's death and the latter's departure.

Mariam is fiercly loyal to the Lucifenian Royal Family, defecting from her native country to serve them and later striving to please Riliane's increasingly selfish whims. As a result, she is distraught by the multiple betrayals she suffers with everyone she knew leaving her for one reason or another. In her dying moments, Mariam felt utterly alone and betrayed, her spirit visibly broken from all the pain she endured.

Skills
A master of cloak and dagger, Mariam quickly rose through the ranks of the Asmodean military, obtaining the rank of general at a very young age. As an assassin and spy, she was very extremely calm and observant, allowing her to easily sense the presence of those around her and anticipate their attacks. Wielding twin daggers, she effortlessly slaughtered common footsoldiers with absolute precision, leaving a spray of blood with each fatal stab. Her speed and elegance made her combat appear like a dance, her knives seemingly floating with her quick movements.

This speed and grace carried over to her duties as a maid with many achievements, performing her role as Head of Maids perfectly. Among Mariam's most notable qualities was her charisma and leadership, easily commanding her presence in front of others. When in combat, she took advantage of her skill on the front lines to inspire morale and, during the Lucifenian Revolution, utilized her legendary status to rally a counteroffensive. Finally, Mariam is adept at martial arts, able to parry and dodge reckless attacks without trouble. She also carried tremendous strength in her kicks, disarming Elluka and knocking Chartette into a wall with ease.

Appearance
Mariam is a pale-skinned woman with long, silver hair knotted in the back and light grey eyes. As the Head of Maids, she wore her standard uniform: a silver-lined purple and lavender dress with a white skirt and white cuffs. Elluka stated that one of Mariam's "instruments of death" were her eyes' bleak look, emphazing her serious atmosphere to others. When in combat, she utilized a switchblade that could split into twin daggers. Germaine noted that the blood-covered Mariam looked like a "demon".

Character Connections
Elluka Clockworker: A fellow member of the Three Heroes. Mariam had a deep friendship with Elluka cultivated during their time together in the Asmo-Beelzenian War. She expressed frustration with her lackadaisical manner and was bewildered by her ageless nature, but still valued her company greatly. She lost her composure when Elluka left the palace, tears in her eyes, and pleaded for her to stay; she later considered it one of many betrayals.

Leonhart Avadonia: A fellow member of the Three Heroes. Mariam had a deep friendship with Leonhart cultivated during their time together in the Asmo-Beelzenian War, although she envied the simplicity of his desires and thought process. After he was assassinated, she was greatly grieved and comforted his daughter, Germaine, during the funeral whilst shaken herself.

Chartette Langley: A maid working under Mariam in the palace. Mariam acted as a comforting figure for Chartette when she was breaking objects in the palace due to her great strength. When Chartette joined the revolutionaries and revealed herself before the Head of Maids, Mariam was horrified and expressed disbelief. After Chartette bested her in a duel, she retreated, considering it one of many betrayals she suffered and was visibly shaken.

Ney Futapie: Mariam's adopted daughter. Mariam did not openly show her mother-daughter relationship with Ney; she instead treated her as another one of the servants. When Ney fled the palace during the Lucifenian Revolution, Mariam bitterly remarked on her daughter's disloyalty, but still expressed concern for her safety after seeing her in the midst of battle. When Ney killed Mariam, she died thinking of how it was the last of many betrayals.

Gast Venom: A comrade of Mariam's from her days in the Asmodean military. The young Mariam became friends with Gast before defecting to Lucifenia in the Asmo-Beelzenian War. After meeting him again, she expressed displeasure at how little he'd changed and his inability to accept his sister's death.

Allen Avadonia: A servant working under Mariam in the palace. Mariam was one of the few people who knew that Allen and Riliane were actually twins, and she tried to settle his confusion over how he and Riliane could have such different roles. She treated Allen with consideration and sympathy, suggesting he rest when exhausted and sharing words of farewell with him before leaving to fight the revolutionaries.

Riliane Lucifen d'Autriche: Mariam's employer after Arth and Anne's death. Mariam was loyal to Riliane as an extension of her loyalty to Anne, though exasperated with the queen's petulent demands and cruelty. She resolved to stay loyal to her to the end and fought against the revolutionaries invading the palace.

Conceptualization and Origin

 * Mariam's name is derived from the Aramaic, Persian, and Arabic name Maryam, meaning "star of the sea".

Curiosities

 * Ironically, Mariam, a traitor to her homeland, was betrayed by those she trusted; even more so, she was betrayed and killed by Ney, a traitor from the Kingdom of Marlon.
 * Allen notes that Riliane enjoyed yelling at the weak and trembling Prime Minister Minis more than the adamant and composed Mariam.
 * Her maid outfit's primary color was purple, the representative color of Asmodean.

Gallery
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