Disclaimer: Fire Emblem...fire emblem...doesn't...belong to...to me...snif...WAAAAAAAAHAHAHAAAAA!

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On that day, Raven was putting away old furnitures - by 'putting away' is of course implied that he was destroying them - while Lucius cleaned out the various rooms. The old decrepit house he had chosen as his to-be orphanage, which he had paid thrice its worth, and that on top of it threatened to collapse with every step that they took, was located in an area of the town which could at best be described as 'dubious'. Being as it were, little street thugs didn't really hesitate before trying to steal food from them.

Well, while we're on the subject, it so occurred in this precise moment that...

BLANG!

"What is it?" Lucius cried. "Who's there?"

The monk ran to the room that would be the kitchen in a near future and saw a little boy looking up at him, his hands full of loafs of bread. Raven came in at that point and taking notice of the situation walked threateningly towards the boy, but Lucius stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Stop it," He said as he shook his head. "He's hungry, we can't punish him for that."

"Lucius..."

The monk walked towards the boy and knelt so he could be at his level, speaking to him in a gentle voice. "Do you have any parents?"

The boy looked at him, hesitated, then, slowly, shook his head. Tears brimmed in his eyes and made their way on his dirtied cheeks.

"Do you want to live here?" The blond continued. "You could eat and sleep here, every day..."

The little boy hesitated once more, and then nodded.

Raven sighed as he turned towards his friend. "He'll never fit!"

"Of course he will, just wait and see! Besides, this is an orphanage after all! We're supposed to be able to welcome children in this house!"

Raven said nothing in reply. It seemed his friend was always the one to make the decisions in the end...

"Come on," Lucius started as he turned back to the boy, "follow me. I'll help you wash yourself and give you some other clothes...I'm sure we've got some left..."

Raven's frown deepened as he watched the other leave while holding the little boy's hand. He's much too kind...he thought. There'll come a day when that same kindness will get him into troubles...

The news that there now was an orphanage building itself soon spread through the town. Truthfully, the little boy that Lucius had taken in was well known of as a wanderer, and ever since he started living in the orphanage, he hadn't stolen either food nor money. A bunch of kids, the boy's friends, had come to see his 'new family': he had a 'mom' and a 'dad'. That's how it became known that there really was indeed an orphanage...still in construction.

A few children took it upon themselves to 'go and have a look', and then ended up staying. Some of them worked, of course, but very few were in good health. Some were wounded because of their previous means of surviving, others were simply ill.

But even so, although slowly, the house was finally staring to look less decrepit, and more habitable.

It wasn't long before the news travelled to the palace itself.

How, you wonder? Well, thanks to the maid's gossiping, of course!

However, two of them were presently gossiping while they were serving his dinner to a certain Lord Belisain.

"So then, he told me he'd put him in an orphanage!"

"Noooo? There's an orphanage in this town?"

"Yes! It's an old house that was bought...all the little street thugs are there, now! And I've heard that thanks to that, there's a lot less burgling going on around!"

"No way! Who's the bold guy that dared to open an orphanage here of all places?"

"Hum...wait a sec...I was told...something like...'Lucius'...at least I think so..."

As soon as he heard that name, Lord Belisain nearly choked on the wine he had been drinking.

"Ahh! Lord Belisain!"

On of the two maids exclaimed as she carefully tapped on his back. Belisain ended up drinking half of his wine and spitting out the other half.

"W-what did you say?" He asked as he tried to catch his breath back. "About...that orphanage...what's the name of...the man that...runs it?"

"Er...I reckon it's Lucius...I think...Do you... do you know him?"

"Where is it?" The Lord asked as he got up, paying no attention to her question.

"The...the third craftsmen district...I think..."

"Good. That's not far..."

"Wait, Lord Belisain!" The other maid cried out. "Are you leaving now?"

"Yes."

"Don't want a horse to be prepared for you?"

"No, I cannot wait any longer."

And our Lord, more impatiently than ever, strolled out of the palace.

Two weeks had gone by since his encounter with Lucius, and ever since, night and day the boy was in his every thoughts.

So the Lord made his way towards the thirds craftsmen district, one of the poorest in town. The last time he'd been there, he remembered that most of his men had been stripped of their gold by mere children, and the worst kind of misery littered the air. But this time...

No one was attacked anymore, no one protected themselves anymore. It was as if...an angel had completely changed the neighbourhood.

Looking up farther ahead, he saw an old house that was being worked on, and deduced that it had to be the orphanage he'd heard of.

Belisain therefore walked towards a window, and saw him.

He was carrying a little girl in his arms, and laughing. He was there, mere meters away, and oh! How he'd dreamed of it...Belisain stood there looking at his fair face for some time...he had an angel's face...

Until another man walked in. It was the one the Lord had seen in Lucius' company two weeks back. What was his name...? Ah, yes; Raymond.

He was so despicable. The mere view of him disgusted Belisain so that he turned away from the window.

To dare look at such a beautiful and delicate flower in such a way...He thought angrily as he walked back to the castle. How miserable he must be...my beautiful angel...soon...very soon...be patient. I shall make you happy.

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Ta-da! Chapter 2! Thanks, Renn, I couldn't translate it myself... Well, review, please!