*A/N* I seriously can't tell you how sorry I am about taking *so long* to update. Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait! =P. There's another a/n at the end. *PS* for general purposes, lets pretend that the crooked god is one of the gods who can travel between realms at will. Also, I was wondering, should the Crooked God speak with a common accent or none at all?

Chapter 6

Deities

Ariana awoke suddenly on the eve of her 14th birthday. She felt something. The presence of someone. A little talent she had inherited, like the Sight, but more advanced. She got out of bed soundlessly, unsheathing the dagger she always slept with. Just then a glowing figure appeared on her bed

She spun around. "Goddess Papa, why do you insist on coming in the dead of night?" she said, obviously relieved.

"Because," the Crooked God said, grinning mischievously, "this is the only time you're ever alone. You never visit me anymore. You're always too busy playing the hero that steals from the rich and gives to the poor," he said, referring to a children's story. "Anyway, I'm surprised you're alone at night even. What with those Seth and Derek fellows always with you."

Ari scowled at him, "I'm 14 papa."

"Ah yes, I know. That is why I'm here. These are for you," he said, holding out a hand.

On her bed appeared a dagger and sword, glowing as though they were filled to the brim and overflowing with divine power. The blades were some unnamable metal, The hilts were encrusted with diamonds and topped with big, blue amber stones, shining like the horizon where the sea meets the sky. "The Smith God helped me to make these" he commented. Along with them appeared a belt and pendent. The belt picked with blue amber and the pendent was blue amber as well. An inscription read 'Ariana Ayiko, the Fox' along with the Crooked God's symbol.

"Ayiko?" Ari asked.

"It means fox in Yamani," her father explained, "I understand the men have begun to call you that?" Ari nodded.

With good reason. Ari had been sealed to the Rogue when she was 12 1/2, and since then she had become one of the greatest, and youngest thieves Port Caynn had ever known.

The rich, selfish, merchants said her name in hushed voices, as if it were a curse. The children of the Lower City pretended to be her when they played games. The women spoke if her as though she was a deity, a savior among men. But most importantly to her, the men of the Rogue respected her.

"Hm?" the Crooked God had said something.

"I said, the pendent will grow warm and glow when danger is near, the same with the sword and dagger. And if you are ever in dire need, hold the pendent in your hand and say 'In the name of the Crooked God, Help me!' and I will come to or then pendent will save you."

Ari looked at her gifts in awe, "Papa, I don't deserve these. It is too much for a girl, too much for a queen."

"Yes, but not too much for a goddess," he tweaked her nose and smiled crookedly, "G'night Love, I'll visit you again soon. And remember, it's one thing to be your best. It's another to be better than everyone else. You really should relax more. Think about it."

With that he vanished. Ari stared at the spot where he had sat and at her gifts, half expecting them to vanish as well.

She reached out and reverently touched the sword, it was warm. She picked it up and it immediately molded to her hand and became the perfect weight. The dagger did the same. With trembling fingers, she put the amulet around her neck and vowed never to take it off, in honor of her father.

She spent along time thinking about her father's words, "....Another to be better than everyone else."

Perhaps he was right.

She didn't finish her thought because a knock came to her door. Glancing at the window she saw that it was past dawn. She cursed herself silently. First, because she should have been sleeping last night, not contemplating her fathers words, and also because she missed her pre-dawn exercising.

Whoever was at her door obviously thought she was asleep, because her door opened and Seth, Derek, Mistress Goodman, and two of her other close friends filed in, carrying breakfast and various gifts.

"Happy birthday!" they cried in unison.

"Good mornin', Lady Rogue," Seth said, using an affectionate nickname he had taken to calling her. "We've brought you breakfas' an'-" he caught sight of her gift, "and where in the name of Mithros did those come from?"

"My father," she answered, picking up her sword, which was still glowing slightly. She did a few cuts and turns in the air. Seth whistled, impressed.

Mistress Goodman cleared her throat. "Anyway, we were planning on having a party for you tonight, so I thought you might want to go and shop for it. You know, maybe some new clothes, or cosmetics."

Ari's face lit up. Although Ariana spent most of her time playing the thief, she had to admit she had a soft spot for shopping, makeup, parties and suchlike. She had been teased about being a soft lady enough to last her a lifetime.

Seth, meanwhile, had been looking at Ari oddly. As though he was just seeing her for the first time. "I'll go," he volunteered suddenly. Derek nudged Raina and smiled knowingly.

"Very well, you'd best eat your breakfast and get going."

**A/N**

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry to the billionth power! I can't tell you how sorry I am about taking so long!! I was having a mid-story breakdown and nothing I wrote seemed good enough for a 1st grade paper, and I've had w/b for like the last 3 months. Go figure. Plus, school, algebra, and field hockey have started again. Just more random stuff to worry about. Anyway, I'll try to make it up to you by posting again a.s.a.p. When I first starting writing this, I wrote some of the chapters in the middle that just came to me, and I'm almost at those chapters, and I'm excited! They are my fave chapters, so look forward to reading them, and in the meanwhile, feel free to review! please!?

*PS* Thanx a bunch to ThePenMage, you're the best. I'll make sure to dedicate a chapter to you somewhere along the way, lol. I hope you like my story.