A/N: I have absolutely no idea what topic to post this under. So… posting under miscellaneous RPGs, maybe under Tamora Pierce as well. It's basically a little scenario in Lirond's POV, which is just him reminiscing about all the things that turned him from a life of crime.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything but Lirond and his ring. Jakys belongs to Amity, the Inn belongs to Steelsings, the entire Universe in which this takes place belongs to Tamora Pierce, Luke belongs to Denise, Chris belongs to Cam, Osanna belongs to Ashleigh, Pete belongs to… his pm because I don't remember their name, and Fathid belongs to Rachel. grins I think that covers everything. Ah, the complications of roleplay…

(I bet he cries before, during, and after sex. –Inside joke…)

As Lirond walked in, ring safely in his pocket, tongue finally healed, he looked around the Inn, smiling. It had all begun here: his time with Osanna, his friendship with Jakys, Luke, Chris, and Fathid, his brief employment with the Rogue… the Rogue. The smile faded from his face, as he thought about the past few days, and what had happened to him in that time. All the memories came flooding back, the reason why he was a stable boy now…

It had been a damp and rainy day, and he'd come in hopes of finding Osanna; he'd had some news for her. Instead, the blind boy he'd seen and his magpie had been there, and a woman with her twin babes. He'd settled down, and struck up a conversation with Chris about his bird. Then, two drunken nobles had walked in; singing and laughing like… well, like drunken nobles. Sensing a payday, he'd attempted to take the necklace off of one… and the rest is history.

He could see the moment unfolding before his eyes, over and over again. He saw it in his sleep; the man's dying throes haunted his nightmares. The short fight, his cocky laughter, thinking he could just overpower the young man… and then he'd pulled a knife, and stabbed him in the shoulder. Lir had been taken aback, and tried to just knock the drunken man out, kicking him to the floor in haste. Finally, he'd fought back with his own daggers.

Then Osa had come in. It was one of the worst days of his life. He'd stabbed resolutely, hoping she wouldn't hold it against him. Then the man – he'd heard the other boy call him Milky – fell, with his jugular cut. The slime had grabbed her skirt as he fell, blubbering and spouting blood all over her. She'd fainted away, and he'd been frantic.

Fathid had come to his rescue, taking the body away to take care of it, and giving him some water to bring her around. She'd obviously been quite unnerved by it all, but in the end, forgiven him. The other noble had run away, but been later apprehended and disposed of.

Then had come the punishment. Killing a noble could quite easily have the entire Rogue in prison. Renee had caught him in the Inn with Luke, later on. She had not been happy – but then, was she ever? She'd beaten him up a bit, threatened him furiously, and given him a small cut above his crotch, as a reminder. Then it got worse. She'd had him by the hair, kneeling on the floor, and Pete had walked in. Lir thought his life was over then and there. He respected Pete, and was quite certain that this incident would push his standing with the Rogue over the edge.

It had. He could still hear the king growling, holding his tongue between two fingers. "Yer nay a subjec' o' mine."

Upon his orders, Renee had quickly slit his tongue, straight down the middle, about a quarter of the way down. Thinking about it, he rolled his tongue in his mouth – yes, the scar was still there. Fathi had healed it later for him, but he was still struggling to get rid of the lisp. Then his former king had knocked him across the room with a swift punch to the nose, and a "Learn yer lesson." Lirond left the Inn, knowing that the Rogue held no future for him now.

He thought back to those next few days, lying in bed, thinking hard about the life he now lived – hated by the king of his world… what an empty life it had become. When he'd thought about it then, it had all become so shallow. Except for the love he still held for his Osanna. He even remembered when he had broken into Fathid's barn, to leave the hay bales, and the next evening, when he'd sent a messenger to him about the job.

Looking around now, he smiled. Those days were behind him now. He was a new man. Now, it was different. Reaching into his pocket, he fingered the ring he'd saved so long for. It symbolized all that his life now stood for, and all that had ever mattered to him. Soon, he and his love would be wed, and his life would be complete.