((Sorry I'm taking so long lately...now not only have I got high school to deal with, but now I have a social life! Hehe... R/R and enjoy!))

"Soriana!"
The half-elf turned quickly, her bright blue eyes shining in the morning light. She stood looking up at her father and spoke with all the wisdom of her six years.
"I'm only playing, Papa."
Her blond hair hung in a loose ponytail and she was wearing a light tunic and breeches with leather boots. She was standing at the edge of one of the channels running through Felwithe, her back to the water. Stormsiege grabbed the young elf by the arm and pulled her towards his small house.
"You can't play that close to the water, Soriana, it's not safe."
Soriana fought his grip with all her strength.
"Nothing's safe to you! Some paladin…"
Stormsiege let go suddenly.
"What did you say?"
"You never let me have any fun! All the other kids get to play, get to have fun, get to be normal kids!"
She was waving her hands in anger as she spoke. She glared at him for a moment and then turned and sprinted off into the city. Stormsiege reached out as if to stop her but then his hand just dropped back to his side. He sat on the front steps of his home, his head in his hands. He heard a voice just in front of him and looked up.
"Soriana giving you troubles again, Stormy?"
He looked up slowly. Standing before him was a beautiful young woman. A human would judge her to be in early twenties even though she was in fact much older. Her blonde hair was long and flowing and she was clad in a form fitting silk top and a nearly translucent black skirt.
"I think she hates me, Mikanna." He shook his head, "No, I know she hates me."
"That's ridiculous! She loves you and you know it! Where is she?"
"I—I don't know, she ran off."
Mikanna sat beside Stormsiege and hugged him.
"I'll find her for you, alright?"
He nodded, reluctantly, and then stood, shaking his head.
"Let her come back when she's ready…" He turned and opened the door to walk into his house, "Can you just check with the guards by the gate for me? Make sure she didn't leave the city?"
Mikanna smiled and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry about it, Stormy, I'll go right away."

Soriana ran blindly along the cobblestone pathways and across the bridge. She could see the guards ahead of her and stopped quickly. She squatted down and watched the guards as they talked amongst themselves. She scooped a pebble up from the road and tossed it into the guard house. Guard Moonstream walked into the fortress and the young half-elf snuck through where he had been standing. With a burst of wild laughter, the elfling ran along the forest floor.

Ailur Wolfheart sat at the base of a tree, his staff across his lap and a wolf sitting beside him. With a loud sigh, he leaned back and stared up at the clouds through the leaves.
"It looks like a rabbit…"
He smiled absentmindedly.
"Excuse me, Master Ailur?"
He sat up and looked up. A teenage woodelf stood before him, his young friend Larah, the daughter of one of his dearest friends in the druidic fold.
"Good morning, Lady Cloudwhisper. Come to enjoy the morning with your mother's old friend?"
Larah giggled as she sat beside him.
"Well, Master, I was just wondering if you would be willing to take me on as a student."
Ailur raised an eyebrow at the young woman. He'd known her since she was born and never had she voiced any interest in being a druidess until now. He eyed her carefully and gave her a stern look.
"Its not all fun and games you know, Larah, quite far from it actually. Training to become a druid is hard work, harder than any other in Kelethin."
"I know, Master, but I think…no, I know I can do it."
Resolve flashed in her eyes as she looked at him. He nodded sagely and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I can see that…In that case, come with me into the forest tonight and we'll see if Tunare will accept you as one of her students."
Larah hugged Ailur tightly, much to his stunned amusement.
"You won't regret this, Master!"
She jumped to her feet and half-ran, half-skipped towards the city in glee.

Klarias fell forward, scraping both his knees along the rough ground. He cursed under his breath and rolled to dodge the next blow coming his way.
"Get out, thief!"
The dwarf brought his axe high over his head to bring it down through Klarias' skull where he lay but the young elf jumped to his feet and darted out of the small building.
"Ne'er…again…."
He dropped to sitting in an alley in Kaladim to tally his wounds. A few new holes in his already tattered tunic, that was nothing to worry about, scraped knees, a slight nuisance. He looked down at his hands and swore loudly. They were both covered in his own blood and sliced down the middle. He pulled his dagger out of his boot and cursed again, the blade was also coated in blood. He'd grabbed it by the wrong end…Was that why the dwarf had laughed at his attempts to defend himself? He wiped them off tentatively, pain coursing through his body. He knew he needed a healer, but for that, he'd have to get home.

Soriana giggled in glee as the elves tuned their instruments carefully. One of the younger women tussled the young elf's hair with a smile on her face.
"Care to play to, little one?"
Soriana's eyes widened and she nodded excitedly.
"Can I?"
"Of course, elfling, I'd never deny one who has the music in their heart." The bard handed a small flute to the young girl and then positioned her hands so she was covering a couple of the holes. "Now blow."
Soriana blew as hard as she could and the flute let out an ear splitting screech. Every elf present slapped their hands to their sensitive ears until the sound stopped. The elfling dropped the flute in surprise and then looked up at the bards around her expectantly.
"Nothing to worry about, Soriana," muttered an older woman, "Every elf does it at least once in their life. Now then, I'm sure Stormsiege is worrying about you, so you'd best return to Felwithe."
Soriana sighed reluctantly but nodded.
"Yes, ma'am. I will…"
"Take the flute, child, practice some."
The little half-elf's eyes brightened as she hugged the flute tightly against her chest.
"Thank you!"

Stormsiege sat at his desk cleaning his sword when he heard the front door open with a creak.
"Soriana?"
"Its just me, Papa."
"Where have you been?" his concern worked its way into his words, despite his efforts to cover it.
"No where special, just playing."
The paladin's eyes narrowed, suspiciously.
"Soriana…"
"What, Papa?"
Her eyes widened in a display of her innocence and he sighed.
"It's almost time for dinner…"