The next morning, Barali woke. He began to get out of bed when he became concious of the head on his shoulder. He gently nudged the sleeping figure waking her. She looked up at his green eyes and slowly sat up. Paine realized that Nooj was not there. She stood and walked over to a window, where she pulled back the heavy curtain. Her hair glistened in the sunlight. Paine slipped on her sandy boots and followed Barali out the door.

The docks of Kilika were now teeming with life. People buying. People selling. People here and there. Every now and then a kid or two would run by playing tag and such.

"NOOOOO!!!" Everyone turned in fear or curiosity one. About a minute later, a teenager turned the corner, obviously running from something. His clothes and himself was ripped to shreds. Barali ran to catch the boy as he fell.

Gasping for air the teenager looked up at Barali desparatly.

"Who did this to you?" Paine said kneeling at Barali's side. Trying to breath, the teen looked up at the both of them.

"B....ban....dits." He lowered his arm which had been covering a dagger in his chest. Barali reached for it, but the teen grasped his hand aggressively.

"Let me die. M..my time has come. Th..ere is n..n..nothing you can do for me now." His body went limp. Barali reached over and closed his eyes.

Paine stood and ran in terror. Barali ran after her. He knew where she would go. The one thing that bothered him was the fact that Paine was disturbed by this. She had seen human blood before. She had bloodied her own hands plenty of times. What made this boy so different?

Paine sat on the sand in her secret place. She watched the sun setting and the gulls passing over head. That boy..... She thought. Barali walked up behind her silently.

"Barali." she said

"Yes?" he managed to say to her.

"That boy, looked like a guard that i knew for a few minutes of my life.

-Flash Back-

An adult stood looking down at a little girl. The little girl had tears on her face. Several gunmen surrounded her and the adult.

"Don't hurt the little one. She's a pretty one she is." A guard said to the gunmen. Shots rang out, and the adult fell in front of the little girl.

"MOMMY!!!! The girl yelled. The gunmen laughed as they all walked away. The guard stood there.

"So my fair prize, what shall I do with you? What was it your mother called you? Paine? What a suiting name." Paine looked behind her and saw her mothers sword. She knew it wasn't her mothers but she didn't waist time. She lifted it from the ground though she could hardly because of it's sheer weight. She then ran at the man and in one swipe, killed him. She then took the knife that he was holding and cut her shoulder-length hair away.

-End Flash Back-

Paine told Barali everything.

"I stained my hands with blood when I was 7." She looked at Barali. "That boy looked just like that guard." Barali sat behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned into him and closed her eyes. "I don't know what to do. Where do I belong?" Barali leaned his head forward.

"With us.....with me." he whispered in her ear. Paine opened her eyes."So what do you say we go find those bandits that killed that boy?" Barali said.

"Why?" Paine thought for a bit. "Well we are going to be pretty bored if we don't go I guess." she stood. "Let's get a move on. Bandits only come out at night."

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okay. so there are some of you who didn't like my story. I'm sorry that it doesn't go the way you would like it to. But I must admit, thanks for telling the truth.You ain't hurtin my feelings! But let's get serious. I am not suicidal so get serious. Just because the character wants to die doesn't mean I want to!! And i am very serious about this story! Just because i can't spell well does not mean i'm not serious! It's not like i've won a spelling bee or anything. Oh also, are Barali's eyes green? i was just guessing at that one. R&R people! theres cake and ice cream if ya do!