~ Chapter 2 ~

Milfields had changed in the seventy years since King Alexander's reign and Lord Reaver's lengthy disappearance. It no longer held it's sophisticated residents and had

become nothing more than a small humble farming town with the odd few homeless people begging for leftover scraps.

The cold winter rain fell steady down on Milfields as a ten year old homeless girl in a tattered red dress ran barefoot through the streets anxious to get back to the

place she called home. It had been a hard day begging and with night closing in all she wanted to do was go home and sleep. Her bright green eyes looked around

the empty street as she neared the old manor by the lake. It was a grand house and she always wondered who had lived there but being on her own she had no one

to ask these silly questions.

Within the last few months the manor had been full of workers restoring it and the gardens which meant only one thing, someone was going to be living there soon

which meant she wouldn't be able to sleep in the shed out back anymore.

Slipping through a crack in the wall hidden by some ivy the girl ran to the shed and entered it. Stories of a Ginger Balverine were told by farmers and on nights like

these the girl did not want to meet that fearsome creature. Lying down on the floor the little homeless girl wrapped a tattered blanket around herself and huddled

into the fetal position forced herself to sleep even though the blanket she had was not warm enough to keep out the cold.

Bowerstone Industrial was alive with workers as a grand ship with a bold letter 'R' docked. The workers stopped their work to look at the ship but got back to their

work when they saw the bold letter. One worker lifting a crate turned to a fellow worker and said "looks like Reaver's descendant is coming to live in Bowerstone. I

just hope he's not like his ancestor". The worker beside him nodded his head in agreement and got back to work lifting the heavy crates off the dock.

As the ship's crew men carried the luggage to a waiting carriage Reaver stood dressed in a black suit, top hat and his legendary cane with Lucy on the ship's deck

casting his eyes across the ocean. Turning to Lucy who had been watching him carefully knowing all too well that today was another bad mood day he said "let's go

Lucy". Lucy followed Reaver off the ship and into a waiting carriage that took them straight to Milfields where Reaver Manor stood.

As the carriage stopped outside Reaver's Manor the Pirate King climbed out followed by Lucy and entered the house. Smiling he looked at Lucy and said "I had

groceries delivered so I expect my lunch in two hours".

Lucy nodded her head and entering the kitchen she got to work on a roast for lunch while Reaver relaxed in his study oblivious to what was in his shed out back. The

morning passed quickly and when lunch had been served Lucy got to work on unpacking Reaver's luggage and her own. She was impressed by the size and grandeur

of the manor. It was indeed a magnificent house. Looking at all the paintings hanging on the wall of people who were no doubt members of a Royal Family Lucy did

not hear someone walk up behind her.

Reaver watched Lucy admiring a portrait of the once tyrant King Logan surprised that she had never once noticed it hanging in the hall of his home in Bloodstone.

Sneaking up behind her he placed a hand on her shoulder causing her to jump and said "the fires need to be lit. There should be some wood in the shed out back, it'll

give you something to do than drooling over the once King of Albion".

Lucy looked at Reaver and nodding her head she said "of course Master Reaver, I'll get the fires lit". Pulling away from his grip on her shoulder Lucy ran down the

stairs and into the kitchen. Grabbing the shawl she had left on the counter and a lit lamp she opened the back door and stepped outside shivering as a sharp gust of

wind hit her.

Walking through the garden towards the shed which was not that far away. Grabbing the door handle of the shed she pulled door open and stepped inside shining

the light in the small dark room. Hearing a moan Lucy felt her heart beat faster and shining the light on the floor she saw a small form covered in a blanket. Not

knowing what it was due to the poor light Lucy ran from the shed.

Having found wood for the fire in the cellar Reaver lit the fires in the living room and office. As he poured a glass of scotch he saw Lucy enter his office and said "the

wood was in the cellar, was there any in the shed?". Seeing Lucy shake her head he noticed how pale she had become he chuckled darkly and asked "did the dark

frighten you or was it a little spider?".

Lucy shook her head and pulling her bottom lip between her teeth she said "no Master Reaver but there is something in your shed and I wasn't staying around long

enough to find out".

A /N - Thanks for reading and please review.

Smirking slightly Reaver loaded his Dragonstomper 48 and pulling on his coat he took the lit lap off Lucy and snapped "this my dear Lucy better be a new piece of fur or

you're fired". Gulping slightly Lucy followed Reaver outside and across the garden to the shed. Opening the shed door Reaver shone the light inside and seeing the

covered form he stepped in and kneeled down beside it with his finger on the trigger of his gun. Putting down the lamp he carefully pulled back the blanket and rolling

his eyes he holstered his gun and said "well my dear it's not a new piece of fur, it's a little homeless girl".

Lucy looked at Reaver and rubbing her cold arms she asked "is she okay?". Handing the lamp to Lucy Reaver scooped the child up in his arms and said "I don't know

and I don't know why I'm helping but let's get her inside where it's warm".

Deep in the black walled Spire Theresa watched and smiling slightly she said "your destiny has now begun Hero of Skill".

The fire in the living room crackled and snapped as Reaver placed the sleeping child on the sofa while Lucy went to find some blankets. Feeling a presence within the

room he spun around and came face to face with Theresa. "What do you want?" he hissed as his hand reached for his trusty Dragonstomper.

Theresa smiled and looking down at the child she replied "you found your destiny Reaver, she is young but so was Sparrow when I found her".

Reaver released his hold on his Dragonstomper and rolling his eyes he quietly said "this is a homeless child Seer, she is no Hero so I think you should get your crystal

ball seen to".

Ignoring Reaver's words Theresa eyes flashed and said "under your care and tutorage she will become a great Hero. This child Hero of Skill is your redemption". Before

Reaver could banter back Theresa was gone leaving the Pirate King more infuriated than ever.

Entering the living room Lucy saw her master sitting in an armchair drinking a glass of whiskey and his eyes fixated on the amber flames of the fire. Placing some

blankets over the child Lucy looked at Reaver and said "Master Reaver I'll watch her until she wakes up".

Finishing his whiskey Reaver stood and hearing a familiar howl coming from the woods behind his house he smiled and said "yes you can watch her just don't let it

interfere in your work. I'm going to bed".

Lucy watched her master leave the room before settling herself on the floor beside the couch. The howl they had heard was no doubt the howl of a Balverine and what

bothered her the most was the smile Reaver had when he heard it. Closing her eyes Lucy drifted off to sleep praying that maybe the presence of the child would be

able to melt the cold cruel heart of the Pirate King.

As the morning sun shone through the window of the living room the child opened her eyes and looked around the strange place she was in.

"Well well the little homeless girl has finally awoken" said a voice from the doorway.

The child jumped and looking to the door she saw a well dressed man leaning on a cane. Nodding her head she asked "can I go now?".

Reaver chuckled at the child's urgency to leave and sitting beside her he asked "and tell me child where will you go?".

The child scrunched up her nose in thought and looking down at her hands she replied "I'll go and stay at the orphanage".

Reaver smirked darkly and nodding his head he said "nonsense child you can live here as my ward and when the time is right I will train you to be a Hero and then

when you're old enough you can leave if you want to. Is that a deal?".

Hearing the word Hero the child thought about the offer and nodding her head she asked "a Hero like the ones in the stories?". Reaver nodded his head and replied

"of course but I wonder will you be as good as Sparrow was". The child looked at Reaver and nodding her head she said "I'm sure I can". "Now what is your name

because we can't call you child now can we?" asked Reaver as Lucy entered the living room and smiled when she saw the child awake. "My names Madeline sir"

replied the child as she took Lucy's outstretched hand.

Standing up Reaver looked at Lucy and handing her a large wad of money he said "take the girl into Bowerstone and buy her some new clothes, books, toys and what

ever else a child might need. I have business in Brightwood and I won't be back until dinner time".