In silence, Rael watched the people passing by him, all going about their daily tasks. He was on one of the Kelethin market platforms and found himself surrounded by shops and large crowds of people. He turned to Akinen, who stood beside him. Although he couldn't see Akinen's face, for the hood the boy wore cast a shadow on his fair High-Elf features, Rael knew that the boy was glancing about at the busy Wood-Elves as they scurried around the platforms, looking for things to buy. He smiled and sighed, closing his eyes and taking in all the sounds of the town. This place certainly did bring back memories of his childhood.

Listening to the people around him, he suddenly caught interest in a conversation between a merchant and a young boy.

"Hello there, Fyim!" the merchant said, smiling cheerfully. "How goes it?"

"Good, sir," Fyim replied, smiling back.

"Doing some shopping again today?" the merchant asked.

Fyim nodded and began to browse the merchant's merchandise.

"How's Lyrial doing these days?" the merchant asked.

Rael's eyes shot open and he looked over at the two. They were talking about Lyrial!

"Very good, sir!" the boy said, enthusiastically.

"Oh? That's good! What of her debts, then, lad?" the merchant asked, curious now.

"Well, the strangest thing happened last night, sir!" the boy said. "See, Lyrial had just run in to more trouble with, you know, her debts. They threatened to turn her in if she didn't have the half of the money in three days!" Fyim continued, "But then the queerest thing happened—she was at work at the tavern, as usual, when she ran into this strange man—an outsider, clothed in a dark cloak. And, well---it's hard to believe, actually—but he gave her a ruby!" the boy said, whispering the last part to the merchant.

The merchant was obviously astonished.

"And for nothing at all in return, but a promise! Can you believe that?" Fyim asked, overflowing with joy.

"A promise, eh? It sounded good until that point. What has Lyrial gotten herself into this time?" the merchant said, shaking his head. "Well, boy, what was the promise she made?"

"Ahh, let me think—I believe it was 'to always follow your heart, never give up on your dreams, and never loose you compassion and love for others'," Fyim said.

The merchant raised an eyebrow. "Well, those are certainly odd promises! And he gave her a ruby for that?" the merchant asked, a bit skeptical.

The boy nodded.

"Well, even if it's one of the stranger stories I've heard, I'm glad for Lyrial," the merchant said. "We were all worried about her, taking care of you two all by herself—and with all those debts! She certainly has been keeping all those promises she made so far, so it shouldn't be a change for her," he said, smiling. "She's such a sweet girl—taking all of you in, and all that."

Rael's mind was filled with confusion, and he eyed the boy curiously.

After buying a few goods, the boy, Fyim, left the merchant and began walking down one of the platforms, away from the market. Rael, his curiosity getting the better of him, followed the boy.

Being a Rogue, Rael had no trouble following the boy, and soon he found himself coming upon a house.

A considerably nice house, and rather large, it was. He was a bit surprised to Fyim knock on the door, at which the door was opened from the inside, and Fyim walked in. As soon as the door was shut, Rael ran across the platform to the house, and hid underneath one of its windows. Soon, he could hear a conversation between the boy, Fyim, and a younger, female voice.

"Where's Lyrial, Fyim?" the girl's voice asked.

"Just wait a while, Keylim," Fyim's voice said. "You know she's so busy with her work! And don't pester her as soon as she gets home about how you're so hungry, like you did last time. You know we don't have enough money for more food, and it only makes her feel bad!"

Keylim sighed. "Well, what about that ruby that she got? Isn't it worth a lot? Then why can't she buy us more food?" the girl asked.

"Keylim, you know we have to pay the debts for the house, first! You're not going to die of starvation, you know! And what if they turn Lyrial in for not paying the debt? Then what would we do? We'd be thrown out on the street again—we'd be like how we were before Lyrial took us in—starving orphans, out on in the cold, begging for coins, always on the edge of starvation!" Fyim fumed.

Keylim looked at the ground before her, tears forming in her eyes.

Fyim rolled his eyes as he put a hand on her shoulder. "There, there, don't cry," he said sympathetically. "Everything's fine. They won't turn Lyrial in as long as she has that ruby to pay them with. I don't think that ruby will pay for all our debts, but it may give her the chance to get ahead on them. After the money runs out from the ruby, she'll have enough from her job, that she'll be able to settle the debts on the house…hopefully," Fyim said. The last part he muttered quietly—not quite loud enough for Keylim to hear through her sobs, but enough for a certain Wood-Elf Rogue sitting underneath the window to hear.

*******************

Rael pondered about the conversation he had heard between Fyim and Keylim. Lyrial was apparently taking care of those two orphans in her house, but she was struggling to make enough money for them. It was no wonder---she was just a tavern girl, and she was trying to support herself, two kids, and also pay for that big house! Not to mention he knew she was prone to giving things away to random orphans that wondered by on the street.

He sighed, but a smile played on his lips. She certainly was ambitious. And kind-hearted, as well. And what better combination could there be for a person? All she needed was money. And money was all Rael had.

Suddenly, he saw Akinen pacing towards him.

"Comman—err, Sir, I'm sorry!" the boy said as he reached Rael. "I guess I wasn't paying attention, and somehow lost you!"

"No, it was me, lad," Rael said. "I was the one who left you—I should've told you I was leaving. But all is well now," Rael said.

"Should we go to the meeting with Zirok now, sir?" Akinen asked.

Rael sighed. "Yes, I suppose so. Though it seems futile to try to persuade him not to go through with his plans, I suppose we should try, anyway."

Akinen nodded to Rael, as the two of them began making their way to the Rogue guild.

******************

Rael sighed as he walked the platforms of Kelethin. Earlier that day, the platforms had been crowded with people scurrying about, but after nightfall, most Wood Elves were either asleep in bed, or at a tavern. Rael himself had just recently come back from a meeting with Zirok, the other Cutthroat Commander in the area. The meeting had gone poorly, and several people lost their tempers. No one was harmed, but several insults had been exchanged between Akinen and Zirok's second-in-command, and Rael and Akinen were forced to leave earlier than they had expected. Akinen was such a hot-headed young lad, and unfortunately, still working on keeping his mouth shut when things got tense.

This would be Rael's last day in Kelethin before he and Akinen returned to their Cutthroat companions. Rael wondered if he would ever come back to this place—his hometown, which he deserted so long ago.

Suddenly, he saw a figure walking towards him, and he squinted in the darkness to see who it was.

"Why—hey there, again, stranger—or, err, Rael, wasn't it?" he heard Lyrial's voice say as the girl came into view.

He smiled. "Hello there, Lady Lyrial!" he said, a bit surprised. "I didn't expect to see you out this time of night!"

"Ah, well I just got off work, so I'm heading home!" Lyrial said, cheerfully. "And you? What are you doing out at this time of night?"

"Saying my goodbyes to this interesting city," Rael replied.

"Oh? Then, you're leaving already?" Lyrial asked.

"I'm afraid so," Rael replied.

"Oh…well, then let me thank you again for that ruby! I'm much obliged to you!" Lyrial said, smiling gratefully.

"Speaking of that ruby, I see you didn't buy yourself a shawl with it," Rael said. "You didn't drink it away now, did you?" Rael asked. Secretly he knew that she had used it to pay on her debts, but he hoped but accusing her of drinking it away, he would learn more about this house she owned, and the orphans who lived in it.

"Drink it away?! I certainly did not drink it away!" she exclaimed indignantly.

"Oh? Then where's your shawl?" he asked.

She paused, glaring at him. "I used the ruby to erm…pay off some debts," she said.

"Debts? What kind of debts?" Rael said, prodding her to tell him more.

"Well, aren't you interested in other people's problems?" Lyrial said.

He smiled at her. "And who gave you that ruby? Don't you think I would want to know how it was used?"

"Hmm…I suppose so," Lyrial said. "Well then, I used it to pay off my house debts, and I also used some of it to buy food," she said. "Does that settle your curiosity, Sir Rael?"

He smiled. "I heard you were keeping some orphans at your home," he said.

"Ah, did you, now?" Lyrial asked. "You sure know a lot about me, don't you?"

"There's a lot to learn about you, Lady Lyrial, and I'm sure I don't know half of it," Rael said, smiling.

"Oh? Well, I didn't realize my life was so interesting to other people!" Lyrial said.

"So it's true, then? You keep orphans at your home?" Rael asked.

"Yes, it's true," she said. "But this is only the beginning, Sir Rael! Right now I only have two orphans living with me, but someday…someday, I wish to have many more. I hope that someday, I will have a house full of orphans, all who came for food and shelter. I wish to turn my house into an orphanage.

"But, of course, I haven't reached that goal, yet. Though that ruby you gave me will help quite a bit!" Lyrial said.

"I see. And why is it you care about the orphans so much, Lady Lyrial?" Rael asked.

"Because I, myself, am an orphan, though more fortunate than many," Lyrial said. "My father died when I was five, and mother when I was seven. But fortunately, I had an uncle who took me in. I was twelve when my uncle died."

"My uncle was more wealthy then my family was, and he had been living in a rather large house for quite some time. When he died, I inherited his house, though I was only twelve at the time. Being a young orphan with no close kin to stay with, I was forced to beg for money on the streets, and there I learned how terrible it really was to be a beggar. It was during those years that I knew I wanted to make an orphanage for people like me. That's why I struggled to keep the house, though I kept getting further and further in debt.

"As soon as I was fourteen, as the law states, I was able to work. I began working all sorts of jobs, trying to keep the house. When I was seventeen, I began letting an orphan stay at the house, and another one when I was twenty-one.

"The townsfolk are kind people, but they think I'm foolish for what I do. It's true I've been trying to get the money to make an orphanage for thirteen years and thus far only take care of two orphans, but that won't make me give up. This is what I wish to do. I'm reaching for my goals. And I believe that I will reach them," Lyrial said, staring off into the night sky. "I plan to keep my promises to you, Sir Rael," she smiled.

"And now that I've shared with you my life story, may I inquire about you? Why would a stranger be so interested in a tavern girl and her tragic past? Last night, you said you were an orphan, as well. Is that why you're interested?" Lyrial asked.

Rael paused. "Yes, probably that is some of it," he said. "When I saw you give the shawl off your back to that little orphan boy on the street—it really touched me. That little boy was just like me," Rael said.

He paused. "I approve of what you did with the ruby I gave you, Lady Lyrial."

"Well, that's good! I'm glad I have your approval," she said.

"In fact, after hearing your life story, as well as your dreams, I find myself eager for you dreams to be fulfilled," Rael said.

"Is that so? Well, I must say, I'm eager for my dreams to be fulfilled, as well!" Lyrial said cheerfully.

"Perhaps I can assist you, then," Rael said.

"Assist me? Aren't you leaving tomorrow?" Lyrial asked.

"Yes, I am, Lady Lyrial. But I will return. And when I do, I will bring something to help you in your quest…"

******************

Blue the Echidna: Aw! That was so sweet of him! :) How come some of the good, sugary guys are Cutthroats? Well anywho, I'm curious to know what more happens between these two! ^_^
Amai's Reply: Lol, that is a very good question ^^ Well, as proved by Respitas, not all the Cutthroats are good guys ^^ Respitas is, like, one of my ONLY actually MEAN characters ^^ The reason Rael and Akinen are both Cutthroats, yet are still nice guys, is because they actually aren't bad guys...they just made some bad decisions in their lives, and ended up as Cutthroats. Odd, but it can happen.