The house was filled with the aroma of beef and potatoes. Dad's favorite meal Tivus thought. It was just about

supper time, all he had to do was hold out for just a few more minutes and he would win. He peaked his head out from

behind the chair in the living room, daring to sneak a peak towards the kitchen.

Mom should be setting the table by now he thought. All he had to do was hide until she called for dinner. The

house was warm and cozy, the dimming rays of the setting sun entering through the window still adding to the houses

warmth.

Tivus leaned out further, trying to find where his mother could be. He should of heard the clanging of plates being

put on the table, but heard only the birds chirping outside. It didn't make sense, mother was never late when it

came to supper.

He leaned back in behind the chair, feeling safe in the protection it offered. He pondered where his mother could

be. Just a few more minutes and I will finally win! He thought. He had never beaten his mother at hide and seek

before and believed that today history would be made.

A door opened, the front door from the squeak the hinges made. Tivus held his breath, it must be mother he

thought. The loud heavy foot steps told him it was his father. He walked in, shutting the door behind him and began

walking towards the kitchen.

He will walk in, see mother not there and call out to her. She will be forced to give away her position and give me

the advantage. Tivus thought. Just a few more steps

"Honey?" his father questioned as he entered the kitchen. His heart stopped, silence causing him to freeze. She had

to answer father, she just had too.

The world exploded, brightness caused him to squint his eyes as the safety the chair provided him was ripped away.

"Found you!" his mother yelled now holding the chair. "I have told you repeatedly, a son is never lost to his

mother!" She laughed. Her smile replacing the lost safety his hiding spot had given him.

She always smiled, always looked at the positive side of things. Even when father spoke of the conflicts the town

had to deal with to survive, she smiled. It was as if she was father's light house, guiding him through the dangers

and pressures of life. Tivus only knew this as he looked back.

The bright room faded, his mother and father froze in place. "Mom? Dad?" Tivus called out "What's wrong?"

Neither of them moved or even acknowledged his questions. They were just there, frozen, as the light in the room

faded. "MOM?! DAD?!" He yelled "No don't go!"

The image of the room continued to fade into darkness, then nothing.

Tivus awoke in a cold sweat, his heart racing as his body created massive amounts of adrenaline. He breathed heavily

as he looked around trying to gather his wits.

The room was dark and damp, moisture hung in the air, and the taste of salt greeted him with every breath. The only

light was from a hand full of candles hanging from the sealing scattered around the small room. The back and forth

rocking making the shadows dance around the room.

The ship, I am on the ship. He thought. All coming back to him as he began to calm down. He had not dreamt of his

parents in many years. In fact he had known so little of his parents to even dream about.

He left there care at the age of six, when he was accepted into the Guard. On his sixth birthday he was taken from

his home and lived with his new trainer. He would train until he was sixteen years of age, at that point he would be

a full fledged guard. Not many kids were allowed to enter training at such a young age, and Tivus was not sure what

qualified him to be so special.

He had asked his trainer, William Homrel this question. "Your father had a good eye for good fighters." was the only

response Tivus ever received. William had been a great trainer, he taught Tivus the ins and outs of not only combat,

but politics, trade, and general survival skills. He could not have asked for a better trainer, but he only thought

that way after he got older.

As a youth Tivus fought William every step of the way. He felt embarrassed when he thought about how rude he had been

to the man. He had never hurt him, or even treated him ill. Tivus was not quite sure why he had despised his new

care taker so much, but was glad it had faded with age.

He sighed and fell back into the bed. The pain he felt in his back reminded him just how poor his bedding situation

had been. (I guess it is a step up from being beheaded.) He thought.

William had met him at the gates of the Hold of Waves when he returned. He thought for sure he was to be executed,

and he came to terms with that almost immediately after he carried out the action in question. Backhanding a member

of royalty was not smiled upon.

"You are an idiot!" William yelled "You are dumber than I thought possible!"

"The kid was going to slaughter the town guard AND un-armed men and women! What choice did I have?!" Tivus retorted

"Why don't you try to unsheathe your vocabulary more often and leave the sword be!"

William sighed, pacing back and forth it was clear he did not know how to process the situation.

Tivus on the other hand was calm and collected. "I made my choice and acted on such. I accept whatever fate the Jarl

feels is fit for my actions."

"You are a damned fool! I sent you to keep the peace, not make a martyr of yourself!" The captain turning red with

anger. "I am not sure how this will play out Tivus..." He continued to pace.

"I assume with my head in a basket."

"Shut up. Do not leave this spot, that is an order!" The captain snapped. He turned and walked in the Holds gates

disappearing from Tivus's view.

Tivus sighed, not sure if he was more mad about his action and the consequence, or that he had disappointed his

mentor and dearest friend. He looked up at the rolling hills that stretched as far as the eye could see only

stopping at the base of the mountains on the horizon. This was his home, the only home he had known since he was six

years old. Now, not only his only home, but also his life was forfeit.

Quite some time had passed since the captain had left, it was dusk now and slowly getting closer to night fall when

he finally returned. He approached Tivus quickly. "Come on, follow me." He said as he waved his hand signaling

Tivus to follow.

"Where are w-" Tivus tried to question.

"Shut up and follow orders, unless your going to start backhanding those too." The captain retorted "And keep your

dam voice down."

Tivus followed him without question. He had plenty of questions but didn't dare to ask them. He had rarely seen the

Captain in such form, but knew that his current attitude was not one to question. The back alleys and narrow roads

they walked down were not unfamiliar to Tivus. He had patrolled many of these streets through out his life in the

guard.

It was only a few minutes into the travel that it dawned on him where the Captain was leading him. "Stop!" Tivus

grabbing the captains arm and stopping the two's travel. "Are you insane?! You'll lose your head if you-"

"You speak another word and the Jarl won't have the chance to take your head!" Rage easily visible in the captain's

eyes. "Now shut your mouth before I shut it for you! Any more questions out of your mouth and I promise you will

make the trip unconscious!"

Tivus removed his grip, shocked at the new dedication that now drove the captain. The Captain began to walk again

and Tivus followed. The two went down a few more back alleys and passed by a small tavern before reaching the public

docks.

These docks were used by pedestrians and lowly merchants. All big orders or shipments used the Holds private docks

and were tracked very well. The docks they arrived to were used for more, shady purposes. The captain never slowed,

walking past a few floating walk ways until finally turning and beginning down the fourth one in the line.

He approached a rickety looking ship, Tivus could not believe that it stayed afloat. They were greeted by a frail

looking man. "Do I look like I have all sorts of extra time to just sit here waiting on you?" he questioned.

"Well we both know you don't actually work, so I would assume your day is pretty open." The captain retorted.

Tivus had a gut feeling that the captain knew this man pretty well. This raised many questions that he eagerly

wanted to asked.

"We are here now, so if you would prepare your ship to take off so we can all be on our way that would be great."

The captain said as he turned to Tivus "You are to do anything and everything this man says." He pointed to the

frail man "This is his ship and you will treat him as you treat me."

"I am not leaving, are you that crazy?" Tivus questioned, no longer able to bite his tongue "Who is this man? What

in the hells are you doing? AND HOW IN THE BLODDY HELL DID YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?!"

William sighed, "I knew of what happened when the guard you sent hit the gates of the city. I am not a fool Tivus, I

expected something bad to happen. I knew there was a chance that lives would be forfeit, but I did not think it

would be yours. This man is the Captain of this vessel, and he is known as Raifen. He will see you to the dock on

the northern shore of the mainland. A town called Hunsing. It is a small town and you should be safe, but I do not

recommend staying there long."

"You should make your new home further inland, news of what happened here will easily hit the mainland in a few

days. Tivus Derlett is dead. Find a new name, and give it honor as you did your first." William stared at him.

The creaking of the ship brought him out of is daze. So much had happened so fast, his whole world flipped upside

down and then left behind. Although he was not sure what to do next, or how to begin doing it, everything felt

right. Like he was suppose to be lost and homeless. He couldn't understand why and blamed it on the lack of food and

sleep.

Although Raifen was providing him transport and food for no charge, not that he had a whole lot to offer the

captain. The accommodations were just shy of lavish. The food was nothing more than a small piece of meat cooked down

into a paste then watered down even further. The bed was a little nice, but not by much. Tivus was glad Raifen didn't

request payment, he only had a handful of copper pieces to last him the rest of his life.

This though brought the anxiety back. He had formulated a small plan but was not completely sold that it would work.

He was going to leave Hunsing as soon as they hit port. William told him of a small town a few days hike further

east into the mainland, a man lived there by the name of Grez. Tivus planned to buy all the rations his copper could

get him and then make for the town.

The anxiety grew even more when he thought about counting how much copper he actually had. He had to buy enough food

and water for his travel, and that would not be cheap. He gave in to his growing weariness and fell back into the

bed.

Staring at the ceiling he continued to mow around his options in his head hoping to find some solution that would

not only aid in his adventure but ease his anxiety. Minutes passed in the dimly lit room before he made a decision

that what ever happened. A smile slowly grew on his face as he came to the realization that Tivus Derlet

was already dead.