I do not own the Thief Lord.

The cool night air in Venice sent chills down my spine. My black locks of hair blew in the wind. The alley before me was hazy and unclear. With each step I took my knees wobbled and I would stumble against the wall. The glass bottle in my hand called to my lips for another swish. The more I drank, the number my body felt, the number my emotions felt.

I've been stuck on this routine for a few years now. I'm just a teenage bum who plays sappy songs on my guitar for the alcohol. How did I end up like this? I can tell you for starters that I'm an orphan. I don't exist to anyone. I'm just another person to take up space, at least after my parents died. They died a few years ago in a car crash. My lips met the mouth of the bottle again. The more I drink, the less I remember, the better off I am.

The backpack and guitar case on my back began to feel too heavy to carry. Up ahead I could hear the calm water in one of the many canals of Venice. As I neared the edge I dropped my belongings to the ground. I took another swish of the bitter, dry, vodka and locked eyes with my reflection.

"What are you looking at," I slurred. "Answer me!"

I felt as if my reflection frowned at me in disappointment. Look at what you are doing to yourself. Sei un pasticcio! You are minor drinking vodka like its cola! The voice inside of me nagged.

"Leave me alone," I half cried.

As long as you're still breathing, I'll always be here.

Those words glued themselves into my head, creating a mental image. I wiped a single tear away with my back hand and tossed the bottle aside. The sound of the glass shattering made me cringe. I leveled myself on the side of a bridge.

"I'd be doing the world a favor if I drowned," I said quietly to myself. I smirked a little. I would have done at least one good thing with my life before I died.

"My name is Alexandra Romano, and this is my goodbye."

I took a single step and fell into the dirty water. I did my best not to struggle to get up. It was easy to drown when you were drunk. It was not as easy to die though.

Seconds later another body jumped into the water. A pair of firm hands grabbed the teenager's body and pulled her out of the water. The boy dragged her back onto land next to what appeared to be the girl's belongings and broken glass.

"Is she alive Scipio," another boy with curly brown hair asked.

Scipio put two fingers on her neck and found a pulse. She was alive but unconscious.

"She is breathing, but we must take her back to the Stella. Can you manage to carry her things?"

"Of course."

As Scipio picked up the girl he caught a whiff of very strong alcohol from her mouth. He ignored it and advanced to the Stella. She was very light and petite in his arms. She must be around the name age as Scipio himself. This troubled girl could be no more than 15 years old.

Soon the two teens arrived in front of a red door that read "No Entry". Prosper banged on it three times before a girl answered.

"Scipio, Prosper, what happened," she asked.

"Nothing much Hornet, we just saved some drunk girl's life," Prosper replied while lugging the bags into the Stella.

"Do you think we could spare to take care of another person for the night," Scipio asked.

"Of course, I'll go get some towels," with that Hornet ran off to fetch towels.

Scipio placed the girl on one of the many empty seats in the Stella. He could feel the eyes of Prosper and three others. Mosca, Riccio, and Bo all stood wide eyed and tired.

"Who is this Scip," Bo asked while yawning.

"I don't know yet. But I have a very important task for you all. When she wakes up, ask her who she is and don't let her leave until I get a word out of her," Scipio announced to everyone.

"You're leaving already Scip," Riccio asked.

"Yeah, I've got to get going."

"Alright, well I'm going back to bed. Buonanotte," Mosca murmured.

When I awoke I found myself curled up on a stiff chair in a place that appeared to be an abandoned theater, not face down in a canal. I sighed to myself as my head began to pound. I drink a lot, but I've never finished a whole bottle before. I slowly got up, still feeling dizzy and gross.

I could not focus on the fact that I was in a strange place. I could only focus on my throbbing headache that could only be cured by the pain killers in my bag. I scanned the room like a hawk looking for its prey until my eyes fell on my backpack. I tried to walk to it, but fell. I slowly brought myself up from the ground and crawled to my bag on my hands and knees.

As I searched my bag for the white pills that would help me, I felt as though I was being watched. I slowly turned around and met eyes with a boy with curly brown hair. My lips quivered, not really knowing what to say.

"Looks like you're awake," he said with a friendly smile.

I furrowed my eyebrows before replying, "W-where am I? I'm supposed to be faced down in the canal."

The boy frowned, "You're at the Stella. My friend Scipio saved you last night and we brought you here."

"Why did you save me? Why couldn't you just leave me to die?"

"You didn't want to die last night. You were just drunk."

"Drunken actions are sober thoughts," I murmured," Now who the hell are you?"

"My name is Prosper. And who are you," he said while walking closer to sit beside me.

"Alex," I replied.

"Well Alex, welcome to the Stella, when everyone else wakes up I'll introduce you to them."

I looked around the room some more and observed my surroundings. I spotted a door. My way out.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not staying here," I said firmly.

Prosper got up slowly and sighed," Sorry I can't let you leave yet. Scipio said he needed to speak to you."

I slowly got up myself, "Oh, is that so?" I took this advantage to sprint to the door. I kicked it open and heard Prosper screaming at me to stop. I didn't even take five steps before falling to the ground. My headache had immobilized me. I moaned in pain and clutched my head.

"You should have waited for me to arrive, then you would not have this awful headache," a boy with a bird like mask said while kneeling down next to me.

"What do you want?"

"Just to talk to you, come on diletto. I'm sure that Hornet has some medicine for your headache."

I let him pull me up to his feet and leaned on him for support.

"Who are you," I groaned.

He looked at me, our noses almost touching and smiled. "I am the Thief Lord."